A Pop up shop is a great place to experiment with a new idea or concept. However making a pop up shop successful so it covers your investment takes planning,
There is plenty to do before your pop up shop becomes a successful reality.
Interior design.
It can be tempting to spend a small fortune on a custom made interior for your shop. Unless you are a known brand with restrictions placed on you. Remember this is an experimental retail space. Keep costs low with renting furniture, coat hangers, payment desks and plants. Simple ideas, like vinyl logos applied to walls will help to identify the store as yours and don't forget sound and smells are an important low cost way to take ownership of your pop up shop.
Press.
Press needs a lead time of a few months and if your targeting Christmas, you should really make your approach to any monthly titles in July! Get your article or interview into them early so they have time to feature you,
Social media.
Let your followers knows when and where your pop up shop will appear.
Website.
If you are already an e-retailer consider inviting your most regular customers to your store opening, nothing like a bit of VIP treatment !
Put your website URL on EVERYTHING, from receipts, window vinyls to swing tags on the products. Even on the T-shirts of your staff. You never know that sale may come from a customers home at a later date.
Emails.
You should email your own customers inviting them to visit and also consider buying space on other people emails, Many local newspapers and publishers will have email lists you can buy space in. Partner it with a special offer and see how many sales you can get.
Street signage.
If you are not going to be in a location long, consider how you are going to direct your customers to your store. There are loads of options from arrows on lampposts, cool "clean graffiti" on the pavements to sandwich boards on the corner the street ! Remember those "golf sale" boards, they were big bright and they worked !
Window Vinyls.
Most pop up landlords have no issue with pop up shops adding window vinyl branding to help their customers. As you are in a space for a short term consider something big bold and eye catching. This is a big poster site for you in a key retail location.