Timing The first few months that your new PANDORA store is open will be the most critical for bringing potential customers into your store and building relationships. Allowing a few weeks just after opening for store associates to become comfortable with their roles, familiar with the store and its technology, and knowledgeable about the products is always a good idea. Next it is time to announce your new store to your existing customers, through an event and direct mail. Later, you’ll want to introduce the store to as many potential customers as possible through a grand opening event. The following is a sample timeline that shows examples of marketing activities for the first four months of operation. Each store’s program will be slightly different, but this provides some guidelines on when and where to consider marketing.
Grand Opening Program 1
Month 1 2 3 4
Month 2 Month 3 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
Month 4 1 2 3 4
Store Opens Direct Mail - Sneak Preview Sneak Preview Event Direct Mail - Grand Opening Grand Opening Weekend Email Blasts Mall Advertising Newspaper Advertising Radio Magazine Advertising Outdoor Billboard
Budget Consider setting a percentage range of planned sales to determine the appropriate grand opening spending level, such as 2-3%. For example, if a store’s first year’s sales are projected at $1 million, an appropriate grand opening plan would range from $20,000 - $30,000. Gaining awareness of the brand and store in the first months is crucial to long-term success.
PANDORA Store Grand Opening Program
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