i had the pleasure of (briefly) attending the 3 year anniversary party of one of my favorite Portland boutiques this evening:  Mabel & Zora (and a hearty congratulations!).

the party looked to be well-attended and the ladies were doing some serious shopping.  the service was impeccable, the merchandise was gorgeous and well-stocked, and the wine & cupcakes were sweet.

here are a few of my observations as to why this party was a success (other than it’s a popular store!):

goody bags were distributed to the first 25 guests

• this filled the store with guests right off the bat  – creating great energy
• the bag was filled with discount coupons from other like-minded & neighborhood stores – a great way to spread the love

there was a drawing for really cool prizes every 1/2 hour – but you must be present to win

• keeps people exactly where you want them:  shopping in your store (sadly, i had to leave to put my son to bed)

 

a hot item - denim – was 15% off.  not too big of a discount from the stores perspective (i’m sure they made up for it in volume ) but for merchandise that rarely goes on sale – this would be where i’d buy it!

the party was also on the same night of a monthly street fair - which draws a pretty large crowd.  all in all – a great way to celebrate, market the store, and hopefully generate a whopping amount of sales!

tell me about events & parties you’ve thrown – how have you made them work for you?