Retailers are always faced with the challenge of trying to figure out new ways to pull customers into their establishment. Your store’s appeal is very important as it is the first impression you make on the public. Establishments that are clean and that speak to the brand’s identity are always a draw for consumers in a marketplace that can be very competitive.
For retailers who are looking to get ahead of the competition, visual merchandising helps to create a picture of the brand’s values in the minds of consumers. Expert visual merchandising from Sparfacts and other marketing businesses can flesh out an entire image for a retail establishment by focusing on the store’s arrangement, individual displays, and campaigns to drive sales. Effective visual merchandising can be accomplished by ensuring that you take the right approach, focus on the important areas and learn to understand your target demographic.
Continue reading to learn more about how you can effectively use visual merchandising in your store to ensure you stand out from the crowd.
Individual Displays And Campaigns
When setting up a display to focus on a particular product, retailers should pay attention to a few key areas. For one, it’s important to keep things simple by taking a minimalist approach to organising your displays. Whether you are selling sandals, sunglasses, cell phones, or clothing, the best way to place the focus on the product instead of the picture is to make the product stand out on a simple background.
Be sure to show your customers the potential of the product when finalising your display designs and if the customer asks about anything in the display or campaign, make sure your sales associates are prepared to discuss the products, answering any questions they may have with confidence. When selling clothing, a mannequin can be used to present different combinations of current styles being sold by the store.
In furniture stores, the whole reason that the furnishings are accessorised with bedding and housewares is so that customers can get a visual of how the pieces might appear in their own home. Once you have highlighted your products to the customers, it’s then up to your sales associates on the floor to elaborate on the products if customers have questions.
A clever tactic, when setting up a display, is to consider choosing odds over evens. If you are trying to sell shoes, then as opposed displaying four styles choose three or maybe five. Typically, most retailers use the rule of three to create focus and attention around a product because asymmetry tends to create an off-balance look, which in turn makes the shopper continue to look at the item while trying to find balance.
Finally, interactive design is one of the newer ways that retailers are appealing to consumers. Tablets, interactive screens that allow shoppers to look for items while browsing the store, and in-store demos are becoming increasingly popular. These tools allow shoppers to get a better sense of the product while they are in the store shopping.
Store Arrangement
A major part of visual merchandising that contributes to the store’s appeal to the customer is how the brand’s identity is conveyed. More than just keeping the store clean, the visual appeal is a great part of shopping the store, which includes the store’s arrangement and lighting. These two features immediately show the shoppers the brand and the style of the establishment.
For example, many grocery stores have wide aisles and are well-lit. However, upscale or speciality grocery stores create a more intimate, cosy mood and are usually dimly lit. These visuals create the mood for shopping and key the consumer into the type of person who is likely to shop there and also gives an indication of the types of products sold in the store.
Effective Visual Marketing In Modern Retail
Retail establishments speak to shoppers on so many different levels. From the arrangement of the products to the store’s overall décor, consumers are wooed into making purchases through well-thought-out visual merchandising campaigns that are organised and that focus on the shopper’s line of vision. Whether you are selling flip flops or thousand dollar watches, the presentation in many cases is as important as the product and how you present this to the customer will ultimately dictate the success of your business going forward.
