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Customers are hungry to have in-store shopping experiences again. Earlier this year, a Square and Wakefield Research report found that 92% of customers said that they missed shopping in person. Both in-store and virtual events can draw visitors in and help increase the time they spend browsing, both online and in-person, with the added bonus of potential positive brand associations.
According to Square’s upcoming 2022 Future of Commerce report, 10% of customers say events increase their willingness to stick around and browse for more items to buy, while 31% say chatting with store employees and 21% say chatting with other shoppers does the same. Throwing an event, even a simple one, can drum up interest and create a sense of community around your brand.
Plan an impactful event
A great event could include anything from book signings and classes to hot chocolate stands in-store and complimentary gift-wrapping for the holidays, all combined with incentives like discounts, promotions, and contests to entice visitors. Add in press, influencers, or fun photo-ops, and events can be a true win-win for your customers and your business.
Event planning is multi-faceted and complex. In 2020, most events migrated online. The Square 2022 Future of Commerce report found that businesses across industries, from restaurants to personal care, believe virtual events will continue to be popular even after the pandemic subsides. As you look to the future, you may want to employ a few flexible tools that will adapt as your event does, allowing you to launch both in-person and online, or a hybrid of both.
Square partner apps help make event planning easier
Square App Marketplace offers a host of solutions that integrate with and elevate existing Square features. These are flexible apps that make tasks like assembling invite lists, sending ticketing information, or updating a live celebration to a livestream as easy as a few clicks. Here are a few that may be helpful as you plan your event:
Simpletix makes it easy to adjust your live event to the challenges of today. Create capacity limits with timed entry tickets, accept contactless ticket scanning through QR code, and set up contact-tracing tools (if needed, it’s easy to contact all guests that were present at a given time throughout the day to alert them of any health or safety risks). Simpletix also has a direct Zoom integration, so attendees receive a unique link to view from home. There’s an easy “cancel and refund” option for cancelled and moved events, and a “postpone event” option which quickly alerts attendees that their entry tickets will be live at a later date.
Brushfire is a ticketing and event registration platform that will let you customize the information you collect ahead of time, set up an easy livestream option, add a chat feature for customer questions, integrate tipping, and more.
Ice Cream Social allows you to collect attendee information at your event and utilize it year-round. Send attendee incentives (think: Square Gift Cards) to invite additional guests to your event, and encourage sales throughout the year by turning customers into brand influencers.
Events can be a fun way to connect with your community and familiarize new customers with your products and brand. With the right tools, you can easily incorporate events as part of your overall marketing and customer engagement strategy.
Learn more about Square App Marketplace and tools that seamlessly integrate with Square.
