By Dean Burgess
Whether or not you have Irish heritage, St. Patrick’s Day can be very beneficial to your business if you play your cards right. Celebrating this holiday on March 17 is somewhat new to Singapore, but it has become a festive occasion during which businesses can see lucrative profits. With the right planning, marketing, and presentations of sales and contests, some of that money could be yours…if you use some tricks of the trade to drive business while consumers are out spending.
There are several ways to do this; it just depends on what type of business you have, what your customer base is looking for, and how much you invest in ads and social media presence. Here are some of the best tips on driving sales this month.
Use the date to your advantage
Most people are aware of when St. Patrick’s Day is, so associating your sale or event with that day by using shamrocks and the color green in your ads can give you an advantage. Offer a small discount to anyone who comes into your store wearing the color green, or you could have a contest related to the day for the first fifty customers. If your business is solely an online presence, consider holding a “Buy One, Get One” sale or offering free shipping.
Boost your social media presence
Get active on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter prior to St. Patrick’s Day and share custom ads for your business with lots of green and gold. Set up a prize package for a random drawing for customers who share your ad and “like” it on social media. You could even organize a scavenger hunt so participating customers can search for a “pot of gold”; this could be an actual pot of gold printed on cardstock with a coupon or gift certificate attached, or something not so literal that is related to your product.
Customize your products
It doesn’t have to be anything too wild, but if you’re in the food business, try customizing a menu just for St. Patrick’s Day that includes Shepherd’s Pie, corned beef sandwiches, and traditional Irish cream cake. If you serve alcohol, come up with some drink specials for the day, and remember to create signage reminding your customers to drink responsibly.
Create a fun atmosphere
Once you’ve gotten customers into the store, make sure they have fun by creating a whimsical atmosphere. Set up a photo station using a large green tablecloth attached to a wall, add some plastic gold coins and shamrocks, and hand out photo booth props that include a leprechaun hat, a red beard, a pot of gold, and a rainbow. Offer St. Patrick’s Day-themed treats, such as small green sugar cookies, and hold different specials throughout the day that can be announced over a loudspeaker. You can also make special t-shirts just for the day. A little traditional Irish music couldn’t hurt, either.
Decorate accordingly
If your business has a storefront with a window, take full advantage of foot traffic nearby by decorating the window in a St. Patrick’s Day theme. Use lots of green and gold, and add products of your own that match the theme. Don’t forget to use signage!
