You’ve put in the hard work getting your business ready for its grand opening. Now, it’s time to start generating buzz with a soft launch. Here are some effective strategies from business consultants for leveraging your community connections to spread the word.
Connect with Local Media
One of the best ways to announce your business’s soft launch is by getting featured in local media outlets. Pitch your story idea to reporters at community newspapers, neighborhood blogs, and radio stations. Highlight intriguing details about your business concept and ownership story to gain interest. Sending a press release can help get on their radar too. If you get covered, it builds credibility and gets more locals excited.
Partner with Community Influencers
Identify influencers, like bloggers, activists, and leaders who have an active local following. Reach out and offer exclusive soft launch previews, free products or experiences, and more in exchange for promotions. When known faces in your community share about your business, it taps into their built-in audience. According to Higher Logic, 59% of communities directly impact business objectives for organizations. Leverage this by connecting with your community.
Host a VIP Sneak Peek Event
Build anticipation by hosting a soft launch event just for VIP guests like community partners, media, influencers, friends, and family. Treat them to samplings of your products or services before the general public. They’ll spread positive first impressions and organic word-of-mouth marketing.
Network with Fellow Business Owners
Connect with other business owners through your local chamber of commerce and community business social media groups. Let them know about your soft launch and cross-promote each other’s big news. Fellow entrepreneurs will be excited to welcome a new neighbor. Business consultants can also help you with networking.
Tap into Your Personal Contacts
Don’t forget to share your business’ soft launch news throughout your own personal community too. Tell friends, family, and co-workers, and ask them to help spread the word. Send emails, social media posts, texts, and use old-fashioned face-to-face conversations.
Harnessing your connections, both professional and personal, is the best way to generate an initial buzz for your soft launch. Follow these strategies, and you’ll have the community eager to become loyal customers when the big day arrives. When you’re looking to launch or re-launch a business, the business consultants at Activate Detroit would love to help you. Reach out now to get started.