Hosting a grand opening is a great way to build a customer base by letting prospects know about your business and its products. Proper preparation and planning are critical, and your first step should be creating a grand opening event timeline. Prep work should generally begin 2 months before the big day.
Choose the Date and Time
A successful grand opening event timeline starts with a careful selection of the date. There are fundamental things to consider before planning and staging the ceremony. First, will you have enough time to make all the necessary arrangements without feeling rushed? Is your chosen day a holiday? Are there any local events already scheduled that could hurt your attendance?
Also, consider your audience and intended client base. Perhaps you’re looking to attract government employees. In that case, choosing a public holiday could be a good idea. It may seem like a good idea to host the grand opening on a Saturday or Sunday, but most people plan for recreation during the weekend. A Tuesday or Wednesday might be better.
The time of day is also important. If you would like to make it a morning event, avoid hosting it much earlier than 8:00 am. For a luncheon grand opening party, shoot for anytime between 11:30 am and 1:30 pm. Late afternoon and evening parties are becoming increasingly popular. These are more convenient as the timing allows guests to drop by after work and it usually doesn’t interrupt their daytime schedules. Consider late afternoon or early evening for a business launch ceremony. Avoid a half-day open house event since most people may not have time to break from their jobs.
Whatever date or time you choose, be sure to give your attendees plenty of advanced notice.
Timeline Checklist
Follow this schedule if you want an impressive turn out on the grand opening ceremony.
2 Months to the Event:
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Decide on the best venue.
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Send invitations to your select guest list.
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Contact the Chamber of Commerce and local media houses to publicize your grand opening event.
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Prepare flyers, billboards, and banners, making sure they are in line with local signage rules.
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Advertise the event on social media.
1 Month to the Event:
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Create a grand opening press release.
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Continue to post the event details on billboards, banners, and flyers.
3 Weeks to the Event:
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Distribute tickets to guests.
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Advertise the grand opening ceremony in the local newspaper and TV stations.
1-2 Weeks to the Event:
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Call every invited guest to confirm their attendance.
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Contact a press media reporter so they can publish an article about your new business.
Grand Opening Day:
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Host the event at your chosen venue and invite professional photographers.
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Ask the local media houses to cover the ceremony.
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Create a live event on Facebook.
1 Week after the Event:
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Let the public know that the event was successful and you are open for business by posting on social media.
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Announce the grand opening specials.
Event Agenda and Program
Every item on your grand opening agenda should take no longer than 15 minutes. Here are some of the agenda items to include on your grand opening ceremony program:
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Ribbon cutting ceremony and speech
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Background of the company
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Product demonstration
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Future expansion possibilities
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Giveaway announcements
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Entertainment
For a productive, high-traffic event, find ways to entertain your guests but also focus on establishing your brand identity within the community. If you plan on demonstrating your products, be sure to highlight the demos in press kits, invitations, and banners. When it comes to the venue, ensure that there’s enough room for the guests.
The grand opening event timeline is an integral part of planning a memorable ceremony. Without it, it is easier to get sidetracked and miss critical deadlines. To create your own grand opening event timeline and learn more about our project development tools, contact one of our experts today!
