After an earthquake, Glendale Galleria’s parking garage had to be rebuilt, adding to an already negative perception that it was difficult to park at the mall. A  promotion was developed to get the word out before the holiday season. Giveaways—including a new car, reserved parking spaces, and gift certificates—were promoted through direct mail sent to 135,000 households. Radio ads, greeters, and signage all helped reinforce the promotion. The campaign resulted in a 15% increase in sales, as well as a fresh database for future advertising thanks to 80,000 contest entries.

Rivercenter, like many downtown malls, wasn’t a stranger to complaints about traffic and parking. A two-hour free parking program showed that it wasn’t fulfilling its shoppers’ needs, so Rivercenter mailed out brochures featuring 12 free all-day parking passes, along with discount coupons and VIP cards. The program generated an average of 31 cars per day, creating $554,778 in potential sales. Overall mall sales increased 20 percent.

Layton Hills Mall incorporated non-traditional Santas into its holiday set. Five Santas—traditional, frontier, Victorian, Old World, and Father Christmas—alternated daily from Thanksgiving to Christmas Eve. Shoppers were receptive: photo sales increased 26 percent over the prior year.

Attempting to lighten up the annual merchants’ meeting, Baybrook Mall introduced a Jeopardy-style game show designed to test the merchants’ knowledge. The merchants had fun—those who didn’t attend requested another session.

Giveaway whistles help keep Mayfair Shopping Centre’s parking lot safe.

Marketing directors are getting creative when it comes to filling vacant spaces. Creating space for your community can increase traffic and sales.