It’s Spring Break time in my part of the world, and visitors with money to spend and time to shop are flooding in.

Consignment shopkeepers Becky and her sister, Kate Buck, make a photo op out of their mid-morning cupcake treat.

Maybe your area doesn’t get Spring Break action, but it probably does get an influx of out-of-towners some time during the year. A local festival, leaf-peeping, seasonal activities?

The best thing about visitors is that they are in a good mood and that they spend money.

The worst thing is they only come once a year. Or once.

The best thing is they have friends (and social networks.) And folks love to talk about the good time they had on vacation and where they went and what they bought.

So give them a reason to talk about your business right now. Like the photo above, in a bakery which very wisely, set up the perfect photo op area. Does your shop encourage photo-taking with a backdrop that includes the shop name, tag line, even address? Do your staff say Aw you guys you look so cute in your new stuff, want me to take a picture of you with your cell phone?

Gaspedal suggests providing shoppers with a postcard like this restaurant does. I’d go one step further and provide a stamp and maybe even a “Good Times Post Office” decorated box for their outgoing messages.

The best thing is visitors meet and bond with other visitors. Folks are relaxed and pen to friendship on vacation. Play on that by giving your out-of-towner a “guest pass”, good-all-week percentage-off shopping pass that’s good for “everyone who shops with you before Easter/ Thanksgiving/ the end of Snow Follies” which will encourage her to bring others on a second and third trip in. Or a pass for her, and one to give a friend back home for her to use on her trip to your town, even if it’s a year later.

The best thing about visitors is that they’re eager to explore and have the time for it. You will, of course, at least give your visitor your local resale group brochure… the one that says “Compliments of MyShop” big and bold on the front. Right? Oh, you say your area doesn’t have one? Then create one on your own. Fill it with handy tips about shopping second-hand and add modest mentions of your resale peers and lots of mention of your shop.

Or create a brochure of nifty-for-tourist info (your favorite local cafe instead of the chain restaurant), insider tips (the best park for kids/lovers/dogs), and all the “secret spots” you’d take a visiting relative. Brand the brochure with your shop name and info (and simplified map!) and you may even find innkeepers, B&B owners, and local concierges more than happy to hand these useful and unique tourist aids to their guests… thereby advertising your shop in the process!