When you become self-employed and start running your own business, there are some skills you learn along the way. Dressing a shop front is usually one of them. Unless you’ve had experience in retail previously, you may not know how to do this effectively to draw in customers. Your shop windows need to intrigue and inspire people off the street to enter your premises and buy from you. If you aren’t getting people through the door, you need to put the time and effort into making it more appealing. Follow these quick and easy ways to enhance your shop frontage and improve your sales.
Get your lighting right
Lighting is one of the most crucial things you need to get right when creating an attractive window display. If your customers cannot clearly see your products or signs, they won’t know what your business is all about. Good lighting can draw attention to particular items or area and pique the interest of passersby. So start thinking about whether your current lighting is working the way you want it to. Spotlights are a popular choice for shop owners as they can be adjusted and create a professional lighting finish. You could also consider having hanging pendant lamps or using LED light strips. If you have an unusual window space, why not have bespoke lighting made to emphasise its uniqueness. Keep your lights on during the evening to make them stand out more and to continue enticing customers.
Less is more
When you are creating product displays or dressing mannequins, it’s important to remember that less is more. Disorganised and overwhelming shop windows are more likely to confuse your customers than encourage them to buy. So instead of putting every new product you have in the window, think about it strategically. You could display items in odd numbers or theme your windows each week. You could base the theme on a colour, pattern or season. For instance, if you are selling women’s clothing and it’s predicted snow next week, only display boots, coats and scarves. In addition to this, you should take the time to experiment with the layout, so it continues to look fresh each time.
Refresh your shop signage
The name of your business should take pride of place at the centre of your shop’s frontage. Otherwise, potential customers won’t know who you are or what you are selling. Check your current sign and consider whether it looks appealing to customers. Broken, faded and unclean signs are never going to achieve this. So if yours isn’t looking it’s absolute best, get a professional to clean, repair and paint your sign. You could also consider adding window decals, chalkboards or metal signs to your shop frontage. This will give the customer more information while also giving a glimpse into your personality and style.
Overlooking the importance of an attractive shop frontage is a mistake many new business owners make. Take note of how other shops use layout, lighting and product arrangements to make the most out of their frontage. With these tips and a little guidance, it shouldn’t take long for people to start taking notice.
