Marketing Tactic for Emerging Brands to Pop Up from the Crowd
For some CPG founders, getting their products into retail might be the holy grail. The "pinch me" moment that validates your company and declares to everyone that you've arrived. Despite the rise of e-commerce, according to the National Retail Federation, 80% of all shopping still occurs in stores.
However, breaking through the physical and metaphoric retail doors is not easy and staying there is even more challenging. It's a reason that many emerging brands are exploring alternative routes for getting their products in front of consumers. One tactic is the creation of a pop-up shop or experience.
A pop-up shop is a store that emerges for a limited amount of time and then disappears- it could be a few hours, days, or months. In a blog post, our friends at Inspira Marketing explained the common denominators in successful pop-ups: generating excitement, building awareness, and reaching new customers.
Based on those objectives, here are some tips from our community on achieving the perfect pop-up experience.
Attend First, Then Plan – Ashley Sankar, founder of NineteenTwenty, a 2023 Pitch Competition Finalist who has hosted numerous pop-ups in New York City, advises founders to visit other pop-ups and determine what works and what doesn't.
Partner Up – Pop-ups are costly. There are many expenses, from renting a space to staging the area and producing inventory. By working with a local chamber of commerce or brands with similar characteristics (i.e., Black women-owned), the burden doesn't fall all on one's shoulders. For example, To Be Honest Bev Co. participated in SLOcally Made with 59 other products based in San Luis Obispo, CA. Michelle Houston, founder of To Be Honest, shared that other makers would share information about her product and that partnering with such a well-known community entity led to credibility among the other retail partners.
Communicate the Value of Your Brand to Staff, Organizers, and Consumers – Depending on the structure of your pop-up store, you might not be on-onsite actively selling your product, so it's critical to ensure that brand ambassadors and event staff understand your brand and are fully trained on ingredients, unique attributes and other key features. Michelle at To Be Honest recognized this halfway through her pop-up experience. She hosted a tasting for staff and better explained To Be Honest and its benefits to a consumer.
Consider the Space and Plan Accordingly – The space might be temporary, but the impression might last a lifetime. Many storefronts provide a blank canvas with endless possibilities. Many factors should be considered, including the store layout, traffic flow, product displays, signage, and payment options. It might be beneficial to consult a specialist to make sure you are set up for success.
Spotlight Your Products – The product is the star of the pop-up store, but it needs the supporting cast to make it shine. Michelle recognized this with her own brand, "To Be Honest is not an RTD beverage, and it needs to be understood in the context of a cocktail kit or partnered with something that gives a complete experience - syrups, mixers, or other items that help you craft a cocktail. As a stand-alone on a shelf, it wasn't attractive or intriguing for realistic home use," she confessed. Highlight your product by ensuring the components are there to make it stand out.
Get the Buzz Going Early – You've invested in the space and production elements; make sure it's worth it by drawing a crowd. Promote the pop-up store on every marketing channel you have – website, social media, newsletters, media appearances, investor updates, etc. Some low-cost ideas include promoting regularly on (organic and paid) social and including location tags, countdown clocks, and cross promotions with other brands, creating a countdown clock on your website, inserting flyers in your online purchase orders, submitting your event to local calendar submissions, and putting flyers in local businesses.
Timing is Key – As with everything in life. Choosing a suitable date, time, and city will be crucial to success. To Be Honest participated in a pop-up store in December, right before Christmas, and NineteenTwenty decided on President's Day weekend in Manhattan, following New York Fashion Week.
Select a Location with Good Foot Traffic – Part of the appeal of a pop-up store is the novelty factor. The impulsive shopper who stumbled upon something unexpected. NineteenTwenty chose a Midtown location close to the Empire State Building. "Drawing from lessons learned from the previous year, we corrected our approach and focused on securing a larger, more accessible space, ordering dedicated inventory, and extending the event to two days to accommodate more attendees," Ashley said.
Make it "Instagram Worthy" – It's more than a store. It's an experience; people taking and sharing photos on social media are more eyeballs on the brand. Ashley mentioned that she created unique limited-edition products for the pop-up and the largest convertible puffer jacket in the world for people to try on. Also, you can never go wrong with freebies.
Prioritize Customer Feedback – When have you ever had so many consumers in the same place? Here's your opportunity to check-in. Ensure there's a process to gather data such attendee's e-mail addresses and an opportunity for consumers to interact with the product. One measure of success for any pop-up store is the amount of valuable feedback from customers, both repeat and new, to understand their preferences and desires for future events," Ashley said.
Bottom Line: Investing in a pop-up experience is a risk, but preparation is the key to success. Pro Football Hall of Fame Head Coach Joe Gibbs said, "By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail." Pop-up shops have the potential to be a lucrative marketing tool and might just be worth the risk. As Ashley said, "Don't hesitate to try hosting a pop-up at least once. It might be intimidating, but you never know who will show up until you try.”