Advertising makes all the difference. In the weeks preceding the event, I made a press release and sent it to every TV, radio and newspaper in a fifty-mile radius. I also put in several ads in the local paper as well as having an in store radio broadcast for two hours the day of the event. What I got back in response was astounding, full front page (and back) with color photographs in the Pantagraph, our local paper before the event. I did a TV interview in the Peoria market (45 miles away) with a follow up interview for another TV station. I had a banner made with the FCBD logo but without the date so I can use it next year. I also got purple, black and white ballons in the colors of the banner for outside the store. I tied them to a big trade paperback rack that I wheeled outside. Thank goodness I did.
We had a local pizza place giving away free pizza and a gourmet cookie place giving free samples as well. With all the customers, a TV crew, radio crew and free food my store was jammed full. This allowed me to give out almost 90% of the 4,000 comics I ordered for the day as well as brought in triple the sales of a Wednesday. People were lined up an hour in advance! I have less than 200 comics left and already made the money back I spent on the day, as well as snared a few new repeat customers. I also have received many new calls for folks seeking to sell their comics, toys and video games to the store. All of this happened at my store while the shop across the street didn't even participate (for the second year in a row). It is all in the advertising! I have even had return calls from the newspaper to ask my expert advice on upcoming movies.
