Visual merchandising can make or break a retail store. If you are planning to renovate your existing space, pay careful attention to your visual merchandising strategy. What you eliminate and choose to put in its place will have an impact on your sales as well as how well people like coming into your store. There are certain elements you can use to your advantage when you renovate your existing space. Choose a contractor with experience when it comes to visual merchandising. You won’t be disappointed.
Choose a Focal Point
Choose a focal point that adds something a little extra to your business. Once you have your focal point in place, surround it with your most popular merchandise. After all, it is what you are trying to draw attention to. Add a spotlight, a strobe light, or something that makes your store stand out in comparison to the others. Accentuate your best products and give them some sparkle to attract attention. Remember, you want your focal point to pop!
Coded By Color
Color sells. Use color to divide your departments. Add different colors of carpeting for each area of the store. Shoppers like it when a store is organized and things are easy to find. Using colors to identify sales and events will also draw attention to your products. Offer a “red, white, and blue” sale for the Fourth of July or a white sale at Christmas. Use bright colors to your advantage and kick things up a notch.
Placement, Presentation, and Promotion
Always remember the three “P’s” of visual merchandising. Place items where they are easily seen and present them in such a way that people look forward to buying them. Finally, promote them in as many ways as possible. Put featured items in the display windows and tell a story that will capture a shopper’s attention. Use the story to promote your products in conjunction with a local event or festival for added exposure.
Use Light to Your Advantage
Lighting can be your best friend when it comes to visual merchandising. Subtle, ambient lighting will attract just as much attention as a spotlight showcasing an item hanging from the ceiling. If you have several large windows, take full advantage of the natural lighting they have to offer. When you use certain types of lighting, remember that shadows can be useful as well. Talk to your contractor about using recessed lighting or spotlights to highlight specific products.
Attack the Senses
Smell, sight, and sound work together to catch a shopper’s attention. It’s been scientifically proven that a person’s behavior is affected by what they see, smell, and hear. The right music, the perfect display area, and a specific smell are all capable of improving a person’s mood and enticing them to start spending money. Visual merchandising is not only about sight. It’s also about how a shopper associates what they are hearing and smelling with the things they are seeing. The right combination will make for a huge boost in your sales.
Visual merchandising is something every store owner should look into. It may not be the only way to improve your overall yearly sales, but it will go a long way in boosting your revenue over the next few years. Remember to make renovations that are evergreen. This means they can be used again and again simply by altering a few key elements. If you want your shoppers to like what they see, make sure to give them something they will enjoy looking at. Take advantage of every opportunity you can to showcase your brand’s WOW factor! Take it over the top and make your entire store layout shine!
