Grand Opening Case Study
Hickory River Smokehouse: Family Entertainment That Also Supported the Grand Opening
Hickory River Smokehouse wanted a family-friendly attraction for a four-day grand opening, but the business also wanted to promote specials and build a customer email list. Dale entertained guests while helping direct attention toward the restaurant’s promotions, Facebook check-ins, and raffle registration.
The Event Need
Give Families a Reason to Participate — While Supporting the Business
Hickory River Smokehouse was opening its second location at the Streets of Woodfield and wanted the four-day grand opening to draw attention to the new restaurant.
Family-friendly entertainment was part of the plan, but the restaurant also had a marketing objective: generate a customer email database that could be used after the opening.
The entertainment needed to do more than occupy families. Hickory River wanted someone who could entertain, promote the opening, and help support the restaurant’s customer-registration effort.
Dale’s Role
Keep Customers Engaged While Keeping the Grand Opening in the Conversation
Dale worked throughout the restaurant as the family-friendly attraction. The balloon art and humor gave children and parents a reason to approach, stay, and interact.
While talking with customers, Dale also educated guests about the grand-opening specials, encouraged Facebook check-ins, and directed people to register for the restaurant’s raffle.
That raffle served the restaurant’s email-list objective, so the entertainment became part of a larger promotional effort instead of operating as a separate activity.
Value to the Grand Opening
The Family Attraction Became Part of the Business Promotion
Hickory River was not treating the entertainment as a stand-alone activity. Dale’s interaction with customers gave the restaurant another way to support the goals of the opening while families were already engaged.
Attracted and Engaged Families
Balloon entertainment gave children and parents a visible reason to approach and participate in the grand-opening activity.
Reinforced the Promotion
Dale could mention grand-opening specials and encourage Facebook check-ins while already interacting with customers.
Supported Email-List Building
Dale directed guests toward the raffle registration that Hickory River was using to generate its customer email list.
The Result
Customers Were Laughing — and Participating in the Promotion
Hickory River’s owner reported that Dale had the restaurant laughing while also educating customers about the grand-opening specials, encouraging Facebook check-ins, and directing guests to the raffle that generated the restaurant’s email list.
The restaurant also reported strong raffle participation and numerous Facebook check-ins during Dale’s four-day presence.
“Dale had the entire restaurant laughing, and when he wasn’t making people laugh with his balloon art, he was educating them about the grand opening specials, encouraging people to check-in on Facebook, or having people register for a raffle which generated our email list.”— David, Owner, Hickory River Smokehouse
“Dale’s knowledge about Grand Openings was a bonus and helped with social and Internet marketing, along with providing signage promoting his appearance!”— Sheryl Abrams, Advertising & Marketing Manager