5 Ways Single-Day Pop-Ups Can Help Grow Your Brand

Here today, gone tomorrow.

Over the last 20 years, as consumers’ expectations shifted away from one-size-fits-all toward more personalized, immersive, experiential shopping, pop-up shops have become a common and accepted aspect of retail. They appeal to consumers’ desire for experiential shopping opportunities, while affording brands the opportunity to experiment with locations, markets, and products in a relatively low-risk manner. For consumers and brands, the temporary nature of the pop-up isn’t a problem — it’s actually part of the appeal. “Pop-up shops are transient, creating a sense of urgency and exclusivity that resonates with the modern consumer,” says a mailchimp.com post. For brands, the pop-up is an opportunity to do a trial run on new products, reintroduce existing products, enter new markets, and field-test marketing tactics, among other things, without the full risk involved in a long-term bricks-and-mortar presence.

The pop-up trend has evolved to include lots of flashy, big-budget touring roadshow-style pop-up shops. These tend to get all the attention from marketing publications and media, and with good reason: they’re fun, memorable, and a great way to kick-start a brand’s entry into a new market.

But multi-day extravaganzas aren’t the only way to generate pop-up buzz and business for your brand. For smaller brands, online-only brands, or brands looking to test the pop-up waters for the first time, a single-day shop can be a great opportunity — and in some respects even a better opportunity than a longer-running storefront. With the right planning and approach, a single-day pop-up can accomplish the same goals as a longer-running affair, but more flexibly, more quickly, and at a much more accessible cost. Here are 5 ways a single-day pop-up can boost your brand.

Build Brand Awareness

Pop-up shops are an incredibly efficient means of generating buzz and brand awareness. The novelty and temporary duration of the pop-up creates excitement that can translate into high attendance, raising the brand’s profile locally, while the urgency of “one day only” messaging creates fear of missing out, a powerful driver of consumer behavior.

“Adding a social media element can help you to generate online awareness around the store,” says a blog post by software vendor DotActiv. Maximize both attendance and social media exposure by hyping the pop-up ahead of time. Leverage social media excitement by seeking user-generated content during the event to help promote future events.

Launch a New Product

“A pop-up is a great way to test the market if you’re launching a new product,” says a blog post on cvent.com. “People will become aware of your brand, and you’ll get feedback.” Analysis of consumers’ feedback can help you decide whether to launch the new product across your entire enterprise or take it back to R&D.

Launching a new product at a pop-up can help draw in existing customers, too — that fear of missing out combined with curiosity will help get guests in the door.

Do Some Market Research

Speaking of feedback: The pop-up environment is perfect for not only trying out new products and concepts but also observing and speaking with consumers as they make purchasing decisions. Don’t miss the opportunity to learn how consumers perceive your brand and what they really think of your products. Train pop-up shop staff to both ask and answer questions as they interact with guests. Even a day’s worth of interactions can tell you what’s working and suggest areas for improvement.

Collect Customer Contacts and Data

Growing your brand’s email list is hard work — but at a pop-up, it’s relatively simple to capture contact information and some demographic data at point of sale, through incentivizing email signups, and by conducting quick surveys.

Interact with Attendees

Potentially the greatest benefit of opening a pop-up is the opportunity for direct interaction with real, live consumers, particularly for brands with little or no bricks-and-mortar presence. “Online businesses struggle to build connections with customers,” acknowledges a post on ecspayments.com. In the immersive environment of a pop-up shop, interaction is direct and face-to-face — it’s unavoidable! In addition to opportunities to conduct some market research, the pop-up creates opportunities to make connections with consumers while sharing the brand’s story in a personal, direct manner. The immersive vibe increases attendees’ engagement. “From reading product details and reviews to finding online coupons and making purchases, mobile integration at pop-up events can significantly enhance customer engagement and satisfaction,” says cvent.com.

Promobile Marketing is a dynamic experiential marketing agency based in New York City. For over a decade, Promobile Marketing has collaborated with a range of brands—from budding startups to major CPG brands—on immersive marketing campaigns. Get in touch to discuss your next project.