Kudos to this shop for thinking about a way to convert those Facebook “Likes” into shoppers in their store.
They created this graphic to announce a traffic-building simple promotion for their shop, then put it on the shop’s Facebook page. On a Monday morning, so fans could talk their work-mates to coming with them… Here’s the text:
Call your Friends … it is time for you to have a sale on [a] day that is right for you! All counts include you:
3-4 friends 30% off
5-8 friends 40% off
9 + friends 50% off
Call TAGS to tell us your day..Same day is ok! Woot!
Easy and Fun!!
Tags, owned by Tanya in Oakdale CA, is motivating their Facebook fans to gather up a car- (or a bus-)ful of their friends to mob-shop. Notice that this is not an after-hours shopping party, doesn’t involve prior planning, invitations, refreshments or added staff hours. Just Find as many friends as you can to bring and earn a nice, fat discount on whatever you buy!
Additional kudos to Tanya for planning this month-of-June promotional boost: She announced that it was upcoming, starting in mid May, and pinned it at the top of the shop’s Facebook page.
Great idea, isn’t it? Could you use this idea in your shop?
(Tip: To pin a post on FB, see here. You can also pin in a group; you can’t on a personal page. Enjoy!)
Update: To find Tags on line, search for them in Facebook. Their web site is on hiatus.
Auntie Kate The Resale Expert 
I love the idea but 50% off everything in the store with only 9 people! Is there a minimum purchase required? Does the store cover the discount for the consignors? You said that this is not an after hours event, so how do you handle other shoppers in the store when they don’t get the discounts?
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Julie, for details you’d have to contact Tanya. I can venture to say: The “mob” is asked to call ahead, so the names of the members would be at the sales counter, as re giving the discount. (I can envision greeting the mob at the entry, giving each a nice laminated “name badge” to wear around their neck during their visit. This would have the added benefit of having other shoppers ask “what’s that lady over there with the Invited Guest pass?”, thus motivating THEM to gather their own mob!)
I will assume, since Tanya is a TGtbT The Manual fan and a very dedicated shopkeeper, that she follows my professional advice that ALL non-scheduled discounts such as these come off the shop’s portion of the proceeds. (She’s possibly also following my pakaway and BOR advice, so 50%, while generous, doesn’t mean she is losing all profits.) Also note this event is for a limited time, which is their slow traffic time, and their time right before (I assume again) their blow-out clear-out seasonal sale (more on that here: Bag Sales, Dollar Racks & BOGO Deals) when discounts will be at at least that level.
I am also assuming that, since it involves a LOT of work for your fans to find multiple friends to come shopping TOGETHER, that the motivation has to be 30-40-50%, and likely ends up being 30% most of the time, what with no-show friends and the like. The MOTIVATION absolutely MUST be there… that’s why the higher-than-average discounts offered. If your fan talks to 20 people in her office, that’s 20 people who have heard a personalized one-on-one endorsement of your business… even if only 2 or 3 of them want to join the trip. That’s WOM for free!
And finally: the effort to turn a one-time shopper into a regular is a crucial part of such a promo. That new face MUST be turned into a regular through exemplary service and follow-up (think thank-you notes), at which point a one-day discount of any amount pales in comparison to her yearly purchases.
In summary: LOTS of side benefits that are worth every penny in the long run. Hope that helps!
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