How do you market to consumers who don’t watch the local news, receive regular mail or even live in their house for more than a few months a year?
That’s a challenge Susan Kiley, co-owner of Bay Breeze Patio in Miramar Beach, Florida, faces, as her location is a second-home/resort market. Yet, this February marks 20 years in business for the store, so Kiley is doing something right.
She tells Casual News Now the secret behind her success: community events.
“For our market, we almost solely use event marketing,” Kiley says. “We want to thank the loyal customers who own the houses and run the resorts around here because they keep us in business.”
The company holds two main events throughout the year to show its appreciation of the community. First is Eggfest — a gathering of people who love using Big Green Egg products. Kiley started her Eggfest event 10 years ago and has raised over $350,000 for local charities.
The two main charities Kiley works with are Fisher House, similar to Ronald McDonald House but for military families, and Food For Thought, which provides backpacks of meals to kids who need them.
“I look for causes to support that my customers support,” she says. “We donated 900 chairs to our local arts organization that puts on outdoor concerts. We donate Big Green Eggs to many different charities. And we also serve on boards and in organizations that our customers support.”
Nonprofit teams also enter and cook at Eggfest, and they can win money. These teams help bring people to the event because they want people to come and vote for them so they can win.
The second main event the store holds is an annual customer party every March. Back in 2009 when the economy was shaky, the company started to bring in entertainment, cook for people and show their appreciation through a good time. After more than 15 years, people look forward to the party and call to find out when it is. “It’s not a night for selling,” Kiley says. “It’s all about honoring the customers who have kept us here.”
This year, the customer party will also act as a celebration party for 20 years in business for the company, which has become one of the few outdoor retailers remaining in the area.
Going even further to connect with the community, Kiley says she has also started throwing a lot of nonprofit dinners in her home because she has space for 20 to dine outside. In April, the store will host its first charity wine auction dinner. “We’ll have 40 people sitting out there in our outdoor kitchen while we auction off dinners and bring in chefs to cook.”
Getting people to come out is a common problem with in-store events, but Kiley says word of mouth is the best way to get people there. “I’ve tried to put up posters around town but I think people are blind to those these days,” she adds.
Whether you’re in a second-home/resort area or not, community involvement is a critical component of retail these days.
“We’re a community, and you have to step up,” Kiley says. “We end up going to a lot of events to support organizations and I have found over the years that when we show up at these events, our customers notice and like how we support the same things.”
