Sales are a great way for retail businesses to encourage loyal patrons to shop, grab the attention of new customers, and clear out old stock to make way for new wares. During the warm summer months, sidewalk sales can make a shop more visible and attract foot traffic.

You can host sidewalk sales as part of larger events, like area festivals. You can also team up with neighboring businesses for cross-promotional events, saving all of you money on advertising, while bringing in larger crowds for the benefit of all involved. Before you start hauling your wares outside, however, there are a few details you’ll want to nail down to ensure a successful event. Here are some items to add to your checklist.

Signage

Signage is an important part of any retail sale, and sidewalk sales are no exception. Banners placed in windows leading up to the event can help to raise awareness and ensure a good turnout during the sale, and you’ll definitely want proper signage in place the day of the sale so people are aware of deals and discounts. This is especially true if you have different pricing for items on display, and if your sale doesn’t extend to items in the store.

Displays

The onus on you to create attractive and compelling displays is not diminished by the fact that the sidewalk is a less formal setting than the interior of your store. Don’t just dump sale goods in a bin and call it a day. Take the time to artfully arrange tables, racks, and shelving units just as you would inside the store, with attention to detail and visual appeal.

Don’t forget practical concerns, either. Passersby are going to riffle through items on display, which means you should try to make clear boundaries between goods—whether you use shelving, bins, or other means—to try to keep items separated in order to avoid any pricing confusion, for example.

POS Location

If you have a small retail store and limited staffing, you might not have any option but to make customers pay at a centralized point of sale. If you want to make things easier, having the POS by the entrance is a good idea. This also allows sales staff to keep an eye on both the interior and exterior of the store.

If you’ve planned for additional staff during the sale, consider placing an additional payment location outside for convenient transactions. This also means the salesperson stationed outdoors can manage security concerns, encourage passersby to check out the sale and the store, and answer any questions shoppers may have. All of this can only help to make your sidewalk sale a success.

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