Carolina’s opening football game is just a week away.  Does your business have a  game plan for game day?   If you aren’t a Carolina fan and/or not a football fan, I urge you to adopt that old reminder about what to do when in Rome. In other words – don’t miss this built in opportunity to boost your business.

When Kenan Stadium is sold out, that means 63,000 tickets have been purchased.  The estimated economic impact is $7.8 million which generates $546,000 in sales tax – an extremely important source of revenue for our state and local governments – now more so than ever.

If $7.8 million sounds too big to be true, https://chapelboro.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/trans1.gifall it takes is for each of the 63,000 fans at the stadium to spend $125.   Ticket, game program, concessions, parking , bus ride, dinner on Franklin Street,  shopping in your store – adds up quick.   Of course some people spend more.  Some spend less.  But it’s a huge influx of people and cash into our community.

The share for each of our businesses can range from none to a lot – depending on location, the type of business and mainly – our game day strategyEven businesses that don’t sell game day items….even businesses that aren’t open on game day… can get a boost or two from the buzz about game day which can go on the entire week before the game.  And long after if Carolina wins.   Boosts in energy,  productivity, morale, customer loyalty – all of which have a way of boosting business.

Here are 10 possible components of a game day/game week strategy, most of which require no cash investment.

  1. Put Go Heels signs in your windows and doors.  Get ready-to-print signs below.
  2. Hang a Carolina flag outside your business or in your window.
  3. Make a window display of Carolina items that you sell in your store.
  4. Display Carolina items for sale at the entrance to your store. 
  5. No Carolina items in inventory?  Just add a few pompoms to whatever you do have.
  6. Use Carolina Football screensavers on your computers.  Download these for free at from Tarheelblue.com.
  7. Offer game day or game week specials.  It doesn’t have to be a special price.  Just a cool name like:  Tar Heel Tire Special, Tar Heel Toddy, Pigskin  Print Package, Carolina Roof Inspection, Touchdown Two-fer.  Add a couple of specials named for the opposing team.  For the first game against the Dukes from James Madison University,  you could offer a Dukes Deal of the Day or a Special for 2 from JMU.
  8. Advertise to fans in town for the games.  If they aren’t sold out already, your business can get a piece of the action by purchasing ads in the Daily Tar Heel,   on the radio broadcast of the game or right here on Chapelboro.com!
  9. Invite staff members to wear Carolina Blue all week – or at least on Friday and Saturday (if open).  If your budget allows, make this easy by purchasing tee shirts or jerseys for all to wear.
  10. And for a true sign of class  –  welcome fans of the opposing team.
a.  Post signs on doors, windows and on tables or counters.   Get ready-to-print signs below.
b.  Ask staff members to greet visitors by saying “Welcome to Carolina”.    For more on this, see Welcome to Notre Dame.
c.  For an added touch,prepare your staff with tidbits like:
                          i.   James Madison University is in Harrisonburg, Virginia.
ii.  Their colors are purple and gold.
iii. They are the Dukes.

Such small gestures that involve little to no cost but have great meaning.
And show definite signs of class.
Good for your business.
Good for our town.

Adopt one of these ideas or adopt all ten.
Get your staff involved.  Get their input on #7.
Make a fun game plan.
Just don’t miss this opportunity to boost energy, morale, customer loyalty – all of which have a way of boosting business.

Do you have any game day or game week suggestions to add to the list? 
I’d love to hear from you.  Please share below or write to Jan@Chapelboro.com

 



See links below for these ready-to-print signs

Welcome JMU Fans

Go Heels

For best results:

  • set “Preferences” to “landscape”.
  • print and cut in half as shown by cut lines.
  • print on white paper
  • print in color.
  • print responsibly.

 

 

Problems with link to JMU signs? Try this.

Problems with link to Go Heels signs? Try this.

Welcome signs for future games are available at:  SignsForGameDay.biz