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.

But that doesn't mean you have to pull out all the stops andspend tons of cash to hold a successful grand opening. As a matterof fact, it's probably better that you don't--you'llhave plenty of other expenses to cover as your business gets offthe ground.

There are lots of ways to hold a grand opening. You can roll outthe red carpet, or you can throw a simple pizza party, host an openhouse or hold a small ceremony. If you have a homebased business,invite your friends and neighbors, suppliers and the media to agrand opening party at your house. Serve refreshments and give freedemonstrations of your product or service. Give away free samples,business cards and fliers.

Make a detailed list of all the party's expenses, and makesure the total cost fits into your budget. Once you'veconsidered invitations, food, beverages, decorations, giveaways,you'll know whether you can pull off your dream opening--orneed to scale it down a bit.

• Step 2: Give yourself plenty of time. Allow at least twoto three months to allow time to print and mail invitations. Youwant as many people to attend as possible, so give your guestsplenty of notice.

Decide who on your staff will be responsible for which dutiesand set deadlines. Track what you do and what you spend. Makechecklists so nothing gets forgotten or overlooked. And touch baseoccasionally to make sure everyone's on the same page.

Also consider a trial run. Begin your business operation beforethe grand opening to work out the kinks and make sure youremployees are trained and know what to do.

• Step 3: Know whom you're trying to reach. Yourcompany's grand opening needs to target not only your customersbut your suppliers and the media as well. It's your first bigchance to begin building relationships within your community.

Letting the media know you're the new business in town is anexcellent way to generate free publicity--both before and afteryour grand opening. Two to three weeks before your event, be sureto contact the local media by phone or by mailing out a pressrelease. Consider inviting the mayor to do the honors if youhave a ribbon-cutting ceremony, and make sure you inform the media.Those photos will likely end up in your local paper, along with astory about your new business.

Planning for the media is just as important as planning theevent. One key is making a press kit available. A press kitdoesn't have to be fancy to do the trick. Buy some two-pocketfolders and include a fact sheet about your business and products,frequently asked questions and a copy of a press release. Throw ina business card for any follow-up.

• Step 4: Make your event compatible with your business.If you're opening a food-related business, you may want to giveout free samples of the items that will be on your menu, along withsamples of the menu itself.

Offer a guided tour of your facility, no matter how large orsmall. As part of the planned event, offer samples and scheduledemonstrations.

Remember, don't just think of your grand opening as aparty--think of it as a "theme" party. You want toattract the people who will be patronizing your business.

• Step 5: Have reasonable expectations. As the sayinggoes, Rome wasn't built in a day. And while your grand openingshould get your business off to a good start, you'll need tomake marketing an ongoing priority in your business. Some low-cost,ongoing ways to spread the word about your biz are:

Wear a T-shirt or cap that advertises your product.

• Put up signs and posters.
• Hand out fliers, business cards or brochures.
• Give away free samples or discount coupons.
• Ask your friends and family for referrals.
• Advertise on a Web site--or create your own.
• Get a booth in a flea market or fair.

The BottomLine
Remember, your grand opening party is supposed to be a socialevent. Sure, it's a great chance to network, but you don'twant to beat people over the head with your marketing messages,either. Keep the atmosphere festive and refrain from giving peopleyour business spiel the moment they walk in the door. A simple,"Hi, I'm Joan/Joe Entrepreneur. The food and drinks arethis way. Make yourself comfortable," will do.