Before you can impress customers with your stellar service and range of products, you first need to attract them enough to walk through the door. Once they’re inside, it’s vital to keep them equally interested so that they don’t turn around and walk out right away.
The design of both your exterior and interior can make an immeasurable difference in the amount of foot traffic you see and the volume of your sales. From the color scheme to the way you set up product displays, your visual appeal will help you win the favor of customers.
Here are some tips for how to improve the look of your storefront or other retail space.
Signage
The signs and banners for your store are the first impression you make with customers, making them particularly vital for marketing success. Invest time and money designing signage that reflects your brand, and is visually interesting enough to be memorable.
Use unexpected materials, like aluminum letters, to make your signs stand out. In addition to adding the signs to the front of your store, consider purchasing marquee space in your shopping center, when applicable.
This will bring your store to even more people’s attention. Advertise sales and specials in your window with signs that match the colors and marketing scheme of your overall brand.
Displays
Think carefully about the displays in the window of your store. The limited selection that customers see when they pass by will either intrigue them to go inside, or deter them from entering to find out what else you sell.
Put together arrangements that appeal to your ideal customer, offering a fair representation of the different products you sell. Think about who you are trying to attract, and cater your displays to that group. What does your ideal customer purchase the most?
Don’t neglect the displays inside your store. Racks and shelving must be organized and easy to shop, or you risk frustrating your customer. It’s also important to consider custom point of purchase displays to subtly encourage the sale of other products.
Bright Colors
Colors can either stimulate a customer or bore them, so choose your color scheme carefully. A bright color pallet on its own will make your store pop, but you can also choose just a few bright colors and juxtapose them with a more neutral scheme.
For instance, you might have a black and white foundation when it comes to flooring and wall color, but have pops of color throughout the space, such as one wall that is bright yellow. Don’t be afraid to mix different patterns with a variety of colors as well, as this will make your space truly stand out from all others.
Attracting more customers is about more than just offering a discount. The look of your store gives people an impression of your standards, and can either make people see you as credible or not worth their time.
Choose conspicuous signage, and carefully design your displays in the store. When people are impressed with how your store looks, they will be more likely to want to stay longer and take a look around.
About The Guest Author: Tom Grant is a business designer at Impact Signs. He loves sharing his corporate design tricks on small business blogs.
Shops and Galleries Photo via Shutterstock
