Having wonderful classes is only one part of developing a competitive consumer education program. Promoting your classes is vital! Here are retailer-tested promo ideas:
Your Best Advertising Tool—The Store Newsletter!
Always include at least the current and next month’s classes in the store newsletter (three months of classes are best). This doesn’t mean the classes must be completely planned out three months in advance; just have the topic, date and teacher assigned.
An independent retailer in Illinois says that she can always tell what day her newsletter arrives at her customers’ homes; about two days after, the phone starts ringing. Use your newsletter as a vehicle for promoting classes. Include the class calendar and description in the newsletter. Do allow customers to register by phone, but urge them to stop by the store and see the projects they’ll be making.
Planning in Advance
Post the classes up on a wall of the store (the best place for this is usually behind the register). Try a Month-at-a-Glance calendar; fill out the class information, then decorate the calendar with stickers, die-cuts and markers to catch the customer’s eye. Post an original of at least one of the class projects in close proximity.
Make flyer-size copies of the current and next month’s class calendar to keep by the register or use as bag stuffers.
Sample Projects
Display a sample of the finished project(s) next to the class schedule posting so customers can see what will be created in the class. Many retailers ask their teachers to decorate a bulletin board with samples, a brief written description, and other information about the date, time, and materials students need for the class.
Selling the Class
Cross-merchandise class information to attract the most students—simply post little notices about the class next to the appropriate merchandise. If your class is on heritage scrapbooking, post a sign to advertise the class next to the heritage papers.
And retailers, don’t forget to tell each customer about upcoming classes—especially if she is buying a complementary product. For example, if a shopper is bpurchasing vellum papers, tell her about your upcoming class on vellum.
Make Things Fun!
One retailer hosts a Registration Party to sign students up for the next month’s classes. She tell us that customers will typically sign up for more than one class at these events, and often bring friends. It gives customers a chance to meet each other, and this retailer tells us the students then look forward to their classes, where they can get together with these new friends.
Use Your Classes!
It’s okay to toot your own horn every now and then—and your class is the best place to do it! Wrap up your class session by telling students about future classes you will teach. Note: If you are a freelance instructor who teaches at more than one scrapbook store, DO NOT use one store’s class as a vehicle to promote another store’s class.
Both teachers and retailers should designate the class promotion responsibility—in most cases, both retailer and teacher will be involved in promoting the class. Be sure to have each person’s contributions outlined to avoid confusion.
