The news may be awash with economic doom and gloom - but we’re here to imbue some positivity into your week.
If you have your own business then you will know that trying out new things is vitally important to its evolution. Even though things might seem risky right now - with the threat of a recession looming - new product launches, testing markets or merchandising, and dipping your toe into the world of pop up events might be the best thing you can do to future-proof your brand and ensure its success… if you can find a low-risk way to do it, of course.
To find out more, take a read of our latest insight to discover why a recession may just be the best time to try out a pop-up and what you can do to ensure it’s worth the time and investment.
But first...
Whatever your business, you might have thought about branching out from the online space and renting a shop to see what a difference physical space can make to your business. And why not?
A study by Event Track showed that 74% of consumers were more likely to make a purchase of a promoted product from a live event, than they were of the same product promoted online.
Pop-ups are fun, they’re novel, and, especially in the run up to Christmas or other high-spend calendar events, they create buzz around your brand, inspire customer loyalty, and add energy to the retail landscape.
Check out how Depop brand Remass have been killing it with their London pop-up
Read Popsop’s article on designing rewarding customer experiences in a pop-up space
So, without further ado, here are our top-tips on making sure your pop-up works for you.
1. Choose your location carefully
Before you rent space for your event, think about where your customers, and potential customers, are likely to be. Depending on your business and offering this will vary. Are they creative? Choose Shoreditch in London. The corporate crowd? Pick somewhere with lots of office buildings around it, like the Sook space at 58 Oxford Street. What frame of mind are you hoping to catch them in? During the home-time rush, or on a leisurely lunch? Pick a place where your people naturally congregate, with high footfall.
2. Don’t over-stretch yourself
Any time you branch out is going to come with some risk, mainly through financial outlay, so assess what you’re comfortable with before you do anything. What’s great about renting retail space through Sook, is that things like furniture, digital signage, business rates, electricity, WiFi and heat are all included- while most other space providers require a minimum booking of a week or a month. If you’re testing the water in a new area, sometimes a day is all you need, and once you’ve experimented with your pop-up you can make longer-term decisions from there.
3. Sharing’s caring
Co-sharing space is such an accepted practice now that there's entire businesses devoted to it (hello, WeWork and UberX Share) - and it can apply to a pop-up event too. It’s great for moral support if you’re a first timer, and having more than one brand in a space can be vibrant and fun for customers too. Plus, any costs involved can be split between you. And don’t worry about logistics - all Sook spaces are easy to brand and fit out, and work beautifully with multiple event holders (we've done them a lot), so what are you waiting for? Fancy popping up in the experimental heart of London? There’s a new Sook coming to Shoreditch, which means there’s now a pop-up space for rent in the buzzing, creative hub of the capital. Contact us for more information, or check out Sook Shoreditch here.