Why and How To Host In-Store Events in Your Quilt Shop

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A quilt store should be a place of creativity and connection.

It’s where quilters can gather, meet like-minded people, be inspired, and grow their skills. A key ingredient for creating this kind of environment is in hosting in-store events like classes and workshops. These events create a sense of community, bring more customers into your store, and promote your products and brand, which leads to increased sales.

In this blog, we’ll explore why hosting in-store events is important and give you a step-by-step guide to help you create successful events that draw a crowd.

Let’s get started.

Why You Should Host Quilt Store Events

There are a variety of advantages that come with hosting in-person events at your quilt store. Let’s look at some of the most significant benefits.

To Increase Foot Traffic

First and foremost, hosting events gets people through the doors of your quilt shop, including existing and new customers. If you can get a large group of people in your store, sales tend to increase. By giving people an occasion to visit, you boost awareness of and interest in your business.

To Showcase Products

In-store events are a great way to market your products — from fabric and thread to patterns, tools, and anything else you sell at your quilt shop. Simply by being in your store, attendees can get a good look at what you have to offer. You can promote them even further by hosting classes and workshops that allow your customers to see your products in action and understand how they’re used to make quilts, clothing, and accessories.

To Build Customer Loyalty

When events are planned and executed well, customers learn skills, build friendships, purchase supplies, and get closer to finishing the projects they’re working on. These positive experiences make them more likely to attend future events at your quilt store. Over time, their loyalty to your business grows and encourages them to choose your store over a competitor. By creating a community of loyal customers, you ensure your store’s long-term success.

How To Host Quilt Store Events: A Step-by-Step Guide

1. Plan and Promote Early

The first step to planning your event is to determine what type of event you want to host.

Here are a few examples of common quilt store events:

Classes and workshops
Fabric swaps
Guest speaker events
Show-and-tell for sewing projects
Quilt charity auctions

No matter what kind of in-store event you choose, begin planning far in advance and promote it to as many people as you can. When an event is thrown together at the last minute, customers can tell. If it’s a sewing class or workshop, know who’s teaching, what project they’re making, what materials you need to provide, and how much to charge. Set the date of the event early, so customers can plan their schedules ahead of time.

You can promote the event using social media as well as text (SMS) and email marketing. Send out messages advertising the event to customers, and share posts and videos on social media to give users an idea of what to expect. Being proactive in the planning and promotion of an event leads to maximum attendance.

2. Create a Seamless Registration Process

Try to make the process of registering for an in-store event as simple as possible. This is especially important for customers who are less comfortable with technology. Modern point of sale (POS) systems often have features to help you organize events, including managing registration. You can send out links to register for an event by text or email, and add the link in your business’ social media profile.

To increase attendance, you can also use text and email to share registration confirmations and reminders as the event approaches. This keeps the event fresh in customers’ minds and makes their attendance more likely.

3. Introduce New Products

Events like tutorials and workshops are a great opportunity to introduce new products. Whether it’s a new batch of fabrics or a new gadget that makes sewing easier, an in-person demonstration gives customers the chance to see the new product up close and learn how it works. This encourages them to pick one up.

4. Offer Exclusive Event Discounts

You can add an extra incentive to an in-store event by offering an exclusive discount just for those who attend. You might discount a certain product featured during the event. If you’re working with a certain type of fabric or a specific tool, try marking these items down by 25% to motivate attendees to make a purchase.

Or, during a larger event with more attendees, you can implement a store-wide discount for a limited time. This prompts more people to buy your products, but don’t offer these discounts too often. If the discount truly only applies for a limited time, customers feel a greater urgency to make a purchase during the event.

5. Provide Take-Home Materials

An event is more memorable if attendees have something to take home. If you’re all making the same project together — like a blanket, quilt, or article of clothing — each customer can go home with their piece, whether it’s finished or still in progress. At events like fabric swaps, speaking engagements, or special sales, consider giving out complimentary patterns, fabric squares, or a sheet of quilting tips to add extra value for attendees.

6. Follow Up and Seek Feedback

Sending follow-up messages to attendees after an in-store event inspires them to come to more events in the future. Thank customers for participating in an event and offer an exclusive discount to encourage them to return to your quilt store soon.

In these follow-up messages, you can also ask your customers for feedback about an event and your business overall. You can send them links to surveys about an event or to pages where they can leave your business a review. Event feedback helps you identify what aspects resonated with customers.

By asking your customers about an event’s strengths and weaknesses, you can adjust your strategies to better serve them.

Host Great In-Store Events With Like Sew

Hosting memorable in-store events is a great way to boost your quilt business. These events help you get potential customers in the door, advertise your best products, and build a community of loyal customers. By following these tips, you can host the kinds of events that customers are excited to attend.

Remember to plan and promote your event well in advance and make it easy for customers to register. You can improve classes and workshops by offering an exclusive event-related discount and providing take-home materials. And don’t forget to follow up with customers afterwards, including asking for feedback. A POS system helps you successfully implement these strategies — especially one built just for your business needs.

Like Sew is a cloud-based POS solution designed specifically for quilt stores. Our software offers features for event planning and registration, as well as marketing tools to help you promote your events through social media, emails, and text messages. Plus, these tools allow you to seek feedback from customers, so you can improve your in-store events.

By leveraging the extensive features Like Sew has to offer, you can host great events that build customer loyalty and be fully equipped to run the rest of your business.

To see the difference Like Sew can make for your business, schedule a demo today!