{Updated December, 2023}
A franchise grand opening is a celebratory event that marks the official launch of a new franchise location. It’s an opportunity for the franchisee to showcase the new business, introduce the brand to the community, and create a memorable experience for customers.
Grand openings often come in two stages: “soft opening” and “grand opening. A soft open is typically reserved for close family, friends, and stakeholders of the business. It’s usually a private and intimate affair meant to celebrate the future success of the establishment. The grand opening is for the general public.
New businesses should consider planning a grand opening because it allows them to build community engagement, increases their brand visibility, attracts more customers, provides valuable customer data, builds customer loyalty, and more! All of these benefits contribute to the success and long-term growth of a business.
8 Tips on How to Plan a Memorable Grand Opening
#1 – Consider a Soft Opening
A soft opening is a great way to give your staff the chance to implement what they’ve learned in training. As a team, you can practice as much as needed while still having real customers to serve. This allows you to effectively prepare for the grand opening.
#2 – Lean on Franchisor Support
Franchisors often play a large part in helping their franchisees launch their business. Their support includes: marketing plans, training, operational guidance, event planning, community engagement, promotional offers, public relations, branding and merchandising, feedback mechanisms, and more. Don’t underestimate the crucial role the franchisor plays in your business’s brand opening.
#3 – Connect with Your Local Community
Before you plan the grand opening, make sure you join your local Chambers of Commerce. This organization is there to support your local business community and will be there to lift up your efforts as well. Additionally, they usually have a team who can handle the logistics of ribbon-cutting ceremonies, which is an added convenience. They’ll also have a big hand in inviting local city and civic officials to your grand opening event.
#4 – Contact Local Media Outlets
Don’t forget the press! Make sure you contact all of the local news stations and daily newspapers. Most of their corresponding websites have information on how to request their presence or submit your grand opening as a news tip. Responses to your invitation will vary widely based on the media market you’re in and any other news reporting obligations that day. However, there’s a good chance a media outlet will at least send a photographer to get the obligatory ribbon-cutting shots.
#5 – Prepare Your Staff
Make sure you hire your main staff with plenty of time to train them before the grand opening. Give sufficient time for them to complete your training program, learn your products or services, understand all expectations, and learn how to use your POS software and any other equipment necessary. A team of well-trained employees is essential to a successful grand opening.
#6 – Network Before and After
While a grand opening event provides valuable networking opportunities, networking is not a one-time task. Before the grand opening you should establish a positive relationship with the neighboring businesses, connect with community leaders, leverage social media platforms, participate in local online forums, and invite local influencers or individuals with a significant social media following.
After the grand opening, you can continue these networking efforts and follow-up with attendees, collaborate with local businesses, engage with the media, share your thank-yous on social media, organize customer appreciation events, attend local networking events, participate in the local community, and provide newsletter and email updates.
#7 – Anticipate Issues
Don’t be surprised if everything doesn’t go as planned during a grand opening. While you can’t prevent everything, you can at least anticipate issues and have a game plan to address them. For example, if your grand opening has outdoor activities, you should have a backup option in case there is bad weather. Another scenario to plan for is if you have a larger turnout than expected. Think about possible situations that would affect your plans, and have a plan B prepared just in case.
#8 – Conduct a Follow-Up Campaign
When the grand opening concludes and you’re ready to run your day-to-day operations, make sure you take some time to conduct a follow-up campaign. It’s a good idea to write a few well-placed handwritten thank-you notes. You’d be surprised how many people don’t go the extra mile, even after pulling off a successful grand opening exercise.
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