New Schedules of Events

First up, let’s talk about events. With school starting, let’s take a look at your event schedule. Did you have any events planned early and during the week? These events may be ready to be retired until next year. If your point of sale system has the ability to compare sales, take a look at how your sales are during the summer months versus school months. Use data to determine when and how you should set an event schedule for your business. When ready, advertise your new schedule with something like, “Kick off the school year with our newly updated schedule of game nights and hobby workshops, perfect for students and families!” This not only gets the word out but also invites families to make your store a regular hangout spot or third space during the school year. 

End of Summer Sales

Next, let’s clear out some inventory with an end-of-summer sale. Everyone loves a good bargain, especially when they’re prepping for the new school year. If you attended the GAMA Trade Show, you may have placed orders for Q4 (fourth quarter). Product from these orders will start arriving soon if it hasn’t already started. You’ll need room for the new and that means out with the old or dead inventory. 

Student Discounts – “Grades That Pay”

Now, let’s reward those hard-working students. Implement a “Grades That Pay” program where students can bring in their report cards for discounts. It’s a great way to encourage kids to strive for good grades while also driving traffic to your store. For marketing purposes, this will help you see a student gamer that you may not normally see every few weeks, giving you an opportunity to turn them from a casual customer to a committed buyer in your business. For the student that already attends your events and shops at your business, it’ll help cement their positive brand opinion of you.

Charity Event to Help Get Supplies to Students and Teachers

Lastly, let’s do some good for the community with a charity event. Visit your local school and organize a charity drive to gather school supplies for students and teachers. Hosting an event where the entry fee is a number of supplies to be donated or a discount on a purchase if a donation is made will help the students and teachers that may be in need. This not only boosts your store’s image but also builds strong community ties.

Wrapping It Up

So there you have it—four ideas to make the back-to-school season a success at your business. By updating your event schedule, running sales, rewarding students, and giving back to the community, you’ll soon have a plan to create a welcoming atmosphere that keeps customers coming back and hopefully build relationships with new customers.

Remember, the key is to make your store more than just a place to buy games. Make it a community hub or third space where people can come together, learn, and have fun. Here’s to a fantastic back-to-school season!