Auntie Kate The Resale Expert

It’s one of those buzz-words that comes and goes in a very short period of time: STAYcation…. rhymes with vacation, and indicates that folks are thinking of spending their vacation at home. And staycations can be a real plus for consignment and resale shops.

I heard the word first in the media, and then it became one of those annoying mosquito-whine words: at a restaurant the other night I overheard it three times (yes, I am a shameless eavesdropper when it comes to ideas for my resale shopkeeper buddies), in a parking lot, in a store: people are talking “staycation.” (Google count for “staycation”: over 88,000. )

Its short shelf-life (the word will die a natural death, I predict, by August 15 2008) and its prevalence make STAYcation the perfect focus for a simple, inexpensive way to promote your merchandise, make a great window, write a press release and get your shop in the news.

Too Good to be Threw‘s suggestions on how to use STAYcation as a selling point in your shop:

* Banner in window: STAYcation: The Best Kind! Merchandise: back-yard running in the sprinkler swimsuits (with the kids in the sprinkler 3 times a day, parents will need to stock up on dry shorts and tees, as well as extra bathing suits); capris and caftans for the missy shop, backyard BBQ and picnic gear in home-furnishings shops.

* Swing Shop: Home’s the best place to be. Everything your target audience will need to have a STAYcation at home, from beer mugs to books, chip-and-dip servers to hula hoops and horseshoes.

* Something to take with them to remember your shop by: Enjoy OurCounty! A list of local attractions, geared to your target audience (outdoor fun for the kids; unexplored art galleries, strange local museums, little interesting restaurants for the adult crowd; a craft workshop open to the public or maybe even a driving tour of indigenous architecture for a home-goods shop) is one idea. Even better: store-branded coloring pages (see TGtbT’s Kidswear Page for a couple!) that relate to your area; store-branded local outdoor-cooking recipes; store-branded list of DIY web sites for clients of your furniture shop who might enjoy a home craft project during their staycation.

* Offer your customer several copies of your “Best Bets in OurTown Presented by MyShop” handout to pass on to friends and co-workers. That’ll get your name out there… and of course, the last suggestion on all your lists is “Spend a cool afternoon at MyShop, where the temperature’s pleasant and so are the folks!” Because remember, deep down where you don’t mention it: people are enjoying “STAYvactions” because they don’t want to spend the money to get out of town…which means they’ll have more money and more time to shop local!

* Advertise and promote within your shop a weekly drawing for something local like tickets to the zoo, movie passes, restaurant gift certificates. That’ll keep your customers dropping by every week!

* A press release offering this handout to anyone who calls or emails for it might well make it into your local newspaper, and including the list with your press release might even nudge a reporter into doing a story on the “MyShop Choices for Fun at Home” which will get YOU on the air saying: “I just love OurTown, and there are so many activities and interesting places to see including, of course, the local merchants like MyShop…”