Before you’ve even got the keys to your first shop, you should be thinking about how you maximise your window display and get customers through the door.
As is true with all modern-day shoppers, high street visitors want to be wowed, enticed and inspired before heading indoors to spend their hard-earned cash. In this fiercely competitive business, first impressions really do count.
But don’t fret – tempting customers to browse your fine garments, products and accessories need not cost the earth… all it takes is a little creativity.
Show off your USP
Do you sell more varieties of cupcake than the other local bakeries, offer jewellery from all over the world or provide a service unlike any others on the high street?
Customers are more likely to visit your store over the competition if you give them a reason to pop-in. Guaranteeing them the best, latest, weirdest, coolest, newest and greatest products will have them queuing out of the door.
Play with light
Whether your store is on the front of a busy high street or down a narrow cobbled alley, make sure you use lighting to your advantage.
Shine a spotlight on this week’s best seller, install a fibre-optic background for an ever-changing look, integrate fairy lights for a seasonal touch or leave the lights on overnight to drum-up after-hours interest are all popular lighting display techniques.
It’s worth investing in lights you can leave on overnight as your store will illuminate the street and encourage shoppers to return in the daylight hours to browse. Use lighting to create mystery, intrigue and amusement both day and night.
Set the eye line
If your store is on the front street, make sure you take into account the eye line of your customers.
Especially if you have steps into your store, your display may run the risk of being higher than where your customers are looking and you are less likely to catch their eye. It is best to give a good mix of high and low features as well as centre/eye level focus to add interest and curiosity.
Keep it regular
It is widely-known within the retail industry that the more you adapt your window display, the more people will look at it.
At the very minimum, try to change your display every two months to keep your customers interested and up-to-date with your latest stock. Take advantage of seasons, occasions, national holidays and current news stories to stay topical and relevant to your customer’s needs.
Make a statement
Using bold colours is a great way in inject life and interest into any window. You can also play around with unusual props aside from the standard mannequins and sale signs to make your display stand-out from the crowd.
However, if you stock products as opposed to clothes, you can use display models to show your items in action; accentuating the benefits as well as the features of your product. Make a play on the ridiculous poses they can be adjusted into or challenge yourself to use them in inventive ways. i.e. use this golfer mannequin to advertise your florist, sweetshop or other non-clothing related store!
Anything weird and wonderful is bound to catch the shoppers’ eye from across the street and generate a buzz around your store.
For more inspirations and to learn about how to hone your window dressing skills, there are visual merchandising courses to get up-to-scratch on the latest design trends and techniques proven to grab attention. Window displays are a great way to show your products best side to use it wisely and to its full potential.
This helpful business information was sponsored by Shopfitting Warehouse.
