5 Steps to a Great Grand Opening Give your start-up that extra <i>oomph!</i> by throwing a shindig.

(YoungBiz.com) - Starting your own business is great,but, boy, it can be a lot of work, too. There's the funding toget and the business plan to write, licenses to apply for andemployees to hire. Whew! Sounds like you're ready for aparty.

Good news: This is the perfect time to throw a little shindig.It's called a grand opening, and it's not only fun butgreat publicity for your biz. And guess what? You don't have tohave a store to hold one. Here are five steps to take to plan areally grand event:

• Step 1: Decide on the type of event and a budget.Considering everything involved in getting your business off theground, you may be tempted to treat your opening as a minor detail.But a well-planned grand opening is an important part of yourmarketing plan. To get your business rolling, you have to bringpeople through the door, and a party provides the perfectopportunity.