It is finally here! After all these months of working to open your business you finally made it. You have not slept much these last few days, wondering how everything would turn out. You are a bit nervous. You wonder if everything is in place, what if I forgot something that needs to be done, will anyone show up, do I have enough workers. These questions will keep going through your mind.



Keeping money in your cash register is a necessity that many owners forget. You should start out with a certain amount of money in your cash register. Many small business owners begin the day with $100. You also need to keep extra money somewhere where you can make change if your cash register runs out of any thing. You should keep at least four tens, eight fives, and twenty ones plus at least a roll of pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters. You will be surprised how many times people will purchase an inexpensive item and pay with a large bill. Be prepared.

There are various ways to promote your grand opening day. One that I have found to be extremely good, although expensive, was to have the local radio station to broadcast from your business that day. This works well, especially if the radio station is popular. Usually, they will promote your opening during the week prior to the opening day. The amount of advertisements that is included in the price of the broadcast is negotiable. The time of day that the advertisements are aired is also important.

One promotion that also works is to have a band play in the parking lot. It draws a lot of attention from people just passing by. A popular local band is perfect for an opening day attraction. However, bigger name bands or celebrities signing autographs are very good ways to get people to your business. The whole idea is to promote your business and having something there that will draw attention is a great way to promote opening day.

Give something away! Everyone loves to receive free stuff. Give the first 500 customers a key chain with the name of your business on it. There are many good businesses that will put your information on everything from mugs to hats and everything in between. No matter what the item, people will enjoy receiving it.

Have a drawing for the best item in the store, or the newest item that everyone seems to want. Even if you have to purchase it somewhere else, people will line up just to have a chance to win the newest video game or CD player.

Having refreshments for your customers is also a good idea. Do not go overboard on this though. Just a few cookies and a drink should be enough. Although I have known of businesses that made an agreement with the pizza parlor in the strip mall to provide small slices of pizza for a little advertisement on the radio broadcast. It worked extremely well and did not cost anything additional.

Although making a lot of sales on your opening day is important, perhaps the biggest goal is to get the word out about your business. Promotion is the key. Make people want to come to your grand opening. And once you get them there, make sure they want to come back. You do not want this to be a one-time thing. You want the customers to return when they need something that you provide.

There is a lot of competition out there and your goal is to have people think of you when they need something. You do not want them to think of going to the big retailers to purchase something that you have. It is very important that the customer feel that he is important and matters to the small business owner.

There are plenty of ways to promote your business. Promotion is the key to the grand opening being a success. And that is what you want.

Paul Taylor is a business owner that helps other business owners and entrepreneurs locate wholesale distributors and dropshippers. Visit his website http://www.WholesaleMap.com for information about wholesale sources or opening a business.