Last week’s big wedding (you know the one I’m talking about) left young girls around the world wistfully yearning for their chance to be a princess. For some of them, the opportunity to live that dream is just around the corner. That’s right – it’s prom season!

 

Shopping for the perfect prom dress (or tuxedo, for the princes out there), has always been a very social activity. Today’s teens are always connected. They’re not just shopping – they’re Tweeting, posting pictures to Facebook and uploading videos while they’re in your store. This is the perfect opportunity for merchants to leverage social commerce to enhance the experience and engage with these young customers.

 

The obvious place to start is by encouraging shoppers to “like” your business on Facebook. A contest is the perfect incentive for customers to follow your brand and repost their loyalty in their newsfeed. Offering an exclusive time just for fans to come and try on dresses gives you the opportunity to pamper these young debutants. If you make their shopping experience special and meaningful, they’ll definitely gush about it to their friends and family.

 

 
Encourage your customers to post videos of their hunt for the perfect dress on your company’s YouTube site or Facebook page. Or, have them dig out photos of their mom and host a contest for the most hideous prom dress. Actually, since mom is most likely footing the bill, anything you can do to involve the “Queen” is a good idea – perhaps an in-store draw for mother/daughter spa treatments?

 

*Sigh*