What are some creative ways to advertise our upscale computer store?

Question

My husband and I and our employees have opened a chic, upscale, contemporary-styled computer store in a beautiful and well-traveled loctation that caters to the niche of the affluent and high-end PC/Linux enthusiasts. Now we need to get our name out! What are some ways to advertise to customers who don't know we're here?

Note: Creative ideas, please! Radio ads, flyers, billboards, etc are things we are already exploring.

Answer 1

Hire a creative PR person instead of looking for FREE professional advice on Yahoo (no offense to Yahoo questions implied, but come on!)

Answer 2

>> What are some creative ways to advertise our upscale computer store?

Why would you need to advertise it if it's upscale? I'm serious....if you're telling me it's upscale then you need to target that market and general purpose advertising would waste perhaps 90% of your investment.

>> My husband and I and our employees have opened a chic, upscale, contemporary-styled computer store in a beautiful and well-traveled loctation that caters to the niche of the affluent and high-end PC/Linux enthusiasts.

This is trouble too...why would someone who is affluent be any more PC savvy, let alone a "linux enthusiast", than the non-affluent.

You don't seem to understand the computers are not purchased on their 'vanity' like other 'fashion' merchandise. People don't give a damn whether the bag they carry out of the store has an Apple logo or a Dell logo...(and by the way...Apple is very much catering to the affluent and you can see they don't give two damns about linux...people with money buy Macs, the stores are quite impressive, but if you will notice Apple does NOT license the logo for clothing or other truly FASHION items because they understand there's no value in it!)

>>Now we need to get our name out!

And that's wrong! You don't need to get the name out...you need to get the people who are these affluent folks influences...their IT folks and in-house gurus...to choose your store for them!

You think I'm wrong?...well why don't you have a wine and cheese party and see who doesn't come...why?...because these folks do not have any interest in talking tech...they don't care about whether they bought their computer from you or online...it's a commodity item.

>>What are some ways to advertise to customers who don't know we're here?
Additional Details


Note: Creative ideas, please!

Radio ads - dumb, complete waste of money for the market you describe.

>> Flyers, billboards, etc are things we are already exploring.

All these avenues are non-targeted "Push" ads.

I am calling it as I see it...if the items you're selling are just plain computers then all that matters is price. "People with money" are NOT the folks that buy the most computers or spend the most money on them when they do!

DO YOUR RESEARCH!

I would rather have a very crappy computer store that offered fantastic prices then the Nordstrom of computer stores that sold an everyday $1500 DOSBOX for $3000.

I buy more than twice the number of $3 pairs of socks every two months than $6 pairs that might last more than twice as long. Why? Because human influence is not based on RATIONAL decision making.

Answer 3

I really like the idea posted by "dvz" about FREE CLASSES. You or a guest teacher can hold training classes... alternate beginner and advanced classes.

You can do a once a month meet & greet where you offer coffee and pastries, or a soree style get together. The upscale day spa I go to does this on the third Friday of every month. It is a catered get together in the courtyard, with finger foods and margaritas... and it lasts from 5:30 to 8:30 pm. You can set up your soree in front of your shop to attract business. The spa usually has a sale on clothing & products during the soree. It is a fantastic way to build relationships with your customers and keep them coming back.

You can also set up a free computer lounge that is available for public use... this is great if there is a college nearby. Make it social & cozy with big leather chairs and lap tops... not a row of desks like a library. Make sure you have a coffee/snack bar next to it. This has worked wonders for Barnes & Noble and Starbucks. Everytime I go into Starbuck's there are people sipping on coffee and working on their lap top computers.

All the best! :)

Answer 4

I would use Billboards if I were in a store business and I would get to know owners of other upscale, contemporary-styled stores in the area or other areas cross town then offer to put theirs stores information in your store, like a little advertised corner in the window or in the store, I've seen these in upscale, contemporary-styled stores. They will ask to do the same for you. There is no harm helping someone else while you need help. It really helps and works, too.

Someone above offered the idea of CDs with the stores information on it, that is a good idea, especially if you could make a game to put on it, someone from another post had offered someone else a website with free download, it works for 30 days, here: http://www.clickteam.com
I believe it is called Multimedia Fusion.

A cute game that advertises your store that plays itself in your window may get people talking or remembering whom you are and where you are.

I believe you can pay search engines, like Yahoo and Google and Amazon. As a wannabe writer, I have investigated publishing and they have mentioned that it is $25 dollars to enter each program.

I wish you the best of luck in all things.

Answer 5

Very few must have read this questions and very few answered it though I am also among them a citizen of America before an Indian as we cannot stay a citizen of two countries because being American resident we are no more Indian but we can visit our mother land for ever and are free to live there too loosing all benefits if we stay longer I think , Every body loves peace and hate a place where there is no security . when I see terrorism is a global problem every body should play his or her role . When Malala a muslim girl can fight for education of girls ,when a child wants his or her freedom a terrorist lives in terror and not free from its consequences ,a day would come when people would come forward to wipe it from human minds but it is too late already , there are so many means of destruction to wipe whole humanity if necessary action is not taken sooner . I am too small to take any action ,but all kind of violent films should be removed from media so that we do not have access to them through any means . People can rent these kinds of movies for couple bucks and get up to fight with family members then to next neighbor then at work then somewhere at shopping mall ,then wherever he does not think right triggered by media and resources he can access from cafes and star buck who give this freedom so easily . Then we try to calm the mind which is already bombarded with so much negative information all over the world .

Answer 6

I like your idea and have though of this myself.
I am a computer professional of 18 years.
I would have a really nice website with flash featuring the things You have to offer which should be some of the latest technology.
You should find your target customer and the things they use there systems for.
Unfortunately a new business has allot of hurdles to overcome and word of mouth is going to be one of your best advertising at first.
I would consider donating a system to key target customers with influential connections.
Also service is one area that would have to be top notch.
Anyone that has problems could be a disaster to your reputation and we all know how the affluent like to be pampered...of course for a price.
I would say that donating a system to another business who has established customers with your target customer could be essential...of course with the intention of displaying a system or kiosk with your advertising in mind.
I think that that could be accomplish with taste.
Perhaps even a kiosk at an upscale shopping mall.
I would be interested in seeing your establishment but I am glad you did not use this forum for the purpose of advertising.
That really irritates me and I would have reported you!

Good luck and send me an e-mail about your business!

Answer 7

OK, if flyer billboards etc are already being explored, have you considered something like a 'buy one get one free' or a competition that maybe would attract people into your store?
You could do something really cheap like a raffle. The question or whatever you choose could be really easy so more will be correct but it will convince them to take the chance and enter the competition, in which they can only apply 'within' store. The prize wouldn't have to be that expensive and the raffle tickets could even be free and attached to flyers so all they have to do is bring in their ticket when apply.
The idea there is to attract them to the shop to enter, while there other things may catch their attention.

A quick idea but venture the mind, people love freebies and prizes especially if got a good chance of winning

Answer 8

Computer equipment (for the most part) has become a commodity market, where price is a major consideration at the point of purchase, not anything else. The only "premium" type of equipment out there nowadays comes from Apple. Linux-heads generally are more pragmatic and utilitarian when it comes to hardware, and Windows boxes are a dime a dozen.

Advertising is the least of your worries. If you're trying to find a reason for people to shop at your store, make sure that your service is top notch. Ensure that your staff is courteous, knowledgeable and will go that extra distance. That's how you'll differentiate yourselves from the CompUSAs. It seems like the demographic you're aiming for are rich kids with a lot of disposable income that will spend Daddy's money to buy Alienware hardware and $120 Antec power supplies. My concern is that regardless of how high the margin is, will there be enough volume to make it a viable business?

As far as getting your name out, word-of-mouth references are often the most powerful, and you can usually only get those after you've established yourself as a top-notch service organization. Seed your services by perhaps doing some freebee service work at a church or school, and hand out lots of business cards. Get involved at your Chamber of Commerce. Go door to door near your business neighbors and ask them if you can help them out with anything, and don't charge them at first.

Answer 9

Okay, I've looked over the other answers, and I see that they're all tossing some good ideas into the hat, but still missing the mark a little.

Your new store doesn't need to draw customers or entice customers or whatever...your new store needs to be a place people have simply GOT TO GO SEE. Dude - we have to go see this place!

There are simplistic things you could do to make it a must-see place, like installing a waterfall and having loose exotic big cats wandering around with the occasional customer getting eaten in bloody carnage, but that's just not big enough.

What you want to do is draw the news media. Not a "media day" hype thing, but a rush of news vans, lights, reporters trying to get to you to ask questions, helicopters circling overhead, live feeds to the networks, etc.

You need ... [drum roll] ... a hostage standoff!

Shots fired, people screaming, a sensational trial, all with the title Big X Computers Murderer. The Big X Computers Murderer indictment. The Big X Computers Murderer arraignment. Big X Computers Murderer trial. The aftermath of the Big X Computers Murderer incident.

Yeah...that's it.

Answer 10

I think the best way to promote your store is to advertise in key social venues such as the movie theater, the mall and bowling alley. The key is to make an imprint of your name when potential clients or customers are in a realxing mode. This way they will remember and dare to try out your services.
Another key investment is sponsorship. If you sponsor an event in your local area or give your name to a venue when you sponsor it it will create an image for your store as a serious business.

Create a catchy slogan and focus on your the look of your logo. Combined your logo and slogan will be unique which creates a customer base and repeat business. I would have to agree with the mascot idea which you can then include in your slogan in the form of a commercial or part of the logo.
The web is also a great tool to reach out to a universal customer base.

Answer 11

Create and sponsor an annual city-wide LAN party for gamers. Rent out a hotel conference room if need be, but be sure to host it with lots of free pizza, snacks, and Bawls energy drinks (or red bulls). Be sure to offer GOOD prizes for the winners, as well as holding a raffle for a new PC or high-end graphics card or something of the sort. You could even set up a small booth at the party to sell some of your stuff (at discounted prices of course). Just make sure you carry the goods that the kids are going to want for their gaming machines:

1) top of the line video cards (SLI Geforce, ATI)
2) top of the line RAM (OCZ, Geil, Corsair)
3) good cooling solutions for overclockers
4) lots of other little cool tweaks that the kids can overclock with

You could also create and sponsor a LAN team and have them wear T-shirts with your logo at gaming events, etc..

You will win over the kids' approval by hosting events like this, as opposed to just plain old advertising. Also, to get the word out about the LAN Party, radio ads, newspaper ads, and strategically placed should do the trick.

If you're not sure how to referee or judge the winners of the LAN party, go attend a LAN party in your area (if you can find one) and watch and learn undercover =)

Good luck.