Grand opening - YES OR NO?

[Stephen Macioci]

Hey
i was wondering everyones take , and experience with a Grand opening was.
Did your affiliate have one? Why or why not?
Was it beneficial, or a complete bum out? Just looking for feedback..
Never really thought about a grand opening, it's not really my style, but if it is beneficial for my buisness then i will..

Thanx
Stephen Macioci
CrossFit IGNITE
Westwood NJ

[Jamie J. Skibicki]

From other "grand Openings" I've been to, be open for a while before you have one. I've been to restaurants that have done this and aren't able to handle everyone or make a lot of mistakes.

[Gabriel desGarennes]

definitely have a grand opening, its fun, brings together everyone already at the affiliate and most likely will attract some new clients. If you sign one new person its worth it.

[John D. Burch]

Hey,

I've used this plan with many small companies with much success. Friday's and Saturdays normally work best.

You COULD enroll 5-10 people is done the right way.

1. 4 weeks after opening things have settled down... announce a GRAND OPENING CELEBRATION (caps were meant - ya gotta get people's attention) will happen 8 weeks out.

2. Make sure it's all over your site and at least flyers 1 gym area and 1 common area in your box. Look good, use photoshop or hire a 10 yr old to make the flyer look better than you can.

3. Tell everyone after each class that they can bring their family/friends for a PHOTO OP MOMENT - yes, you're going to get to show off.

4. Tell everyone again.

5. Have a sign up list posted in your common area to know who is ABSOLUTELY bringing at least one guest... btw - it IS ok if they bring 2 or, hell, 3!

6. Have some special SHORT - 5 min to 12 min (annie, fran, helen, grace) wod planned for firebreathers and yourself...

7. Spend $200 on food and drinks, some balloons... make it look festive but not like a piniata threw up. Girls are great at this.

8. Have good music and sound system.

9.Let the moment ENROLL people but don't tell anyone how to sign up... the people who are right for it will come to you and ask how then can join... the question is... are you prepared for them to ask?

10. Have fun... this is your coming out party.

[Jason M Struck]

be prepared for them to ask!

have all the paper you need, and someone to take it from them and time in which to do so.

[Joel Tessier]

We just had ours two weeks ago. We did almost everything similar to what john in the post above mentioned.

We waited about two months from our actual opening to our grand opening celebration. Prior to our grand opening we had 7 members and now only two weeks after have doubled our membership.

The way we viewed it was that if we had even just one person join it would cover the cost of the grand opening.

We made flyers and handed them out every where we could think of.

The cost ended up being more around $500 dollars. That included getting a band, decorations and enough food and boose for about 100 people which is what we were anticipating.

There were only about 30 peolple who showed which felt like we had failed. But like I stated earlier we've doubled our membership. The investment was well worth it. And our current members and now new members had a blast.

[Phillip Garrison]

Most of my friends who opened up a business to the public, had a "soft opening" 1st to get all the bugs worked out, then had a "grand opening"