Have you been past a shop that gave you a certain vibe? Felt like it was going out of its way to deter you from going in? Did it seem dingy or uninviting? Or if you went in for a quick browse to see if it was better on the inside, had they used boring signs instead of using these bright and effective digital signage solutions? If so, it sounds like they haven’t moved with the times, and are perfect examples of stores where the owners haven’t taken pride in their store’s appearance, or simply haven’t had the cash to make it look pretty. Here is how to avoid a similar fate.
1. First Impressions
They say you only get one shot at a first impression, and that’s true enough. The look of your store from the doorway should invite a customer to come in. Making sure everything is brightly lit, safe and warm, neat and tidy within is a big help. One way to ensure this is to hire professional shop fitters – and there’s plenty around, take Sydney shop fitters TU Projects for example – to come in and make the place look presentable.
2. Draw
Who does your business appeal to? What is your target demographic? Building the look of your shop to appeal to that specific subset of customers is ideal. It lets them know what you’re about and that you’ve got what they’re after. This doesn’t act as a deterrent for prospective customers outside of that demographic – in fact it may be enough to draw them for a look around, opening up more potential business.
3. Trust
A clean, bright, well-designed shop makes customers feel like they can trust you. Keeping everything well lit makes it seem like you have nothing to hide, keeping everything clean makes it clear you take pride in your appearance and good design means that customers will be able to find their way around more easily, making for a more pleasant shopping experience.
4. Drive
This ties into the previous point. Drive aisles are a part of any good shop design – they are created by arranging your shop fittings in such a way as to send customers to parts of the store you want them to be in, or to aid in helping them find their way around. Think of a department store – they arrange lots of their best deals along either side of the store’s main aisles to attract your attention, making it easier to find what you want.
5. Character
Injecting character is a great way to separate yourself from any competitors because it makes you memorable. Simple things like amusing signage (check out sign shops such as National Signs to get one designed) or interesting stock arrangements, tend to stick in the minds of your customers and if they like what you’re doing, then they might definitely be back. You mustn’t be intrusive or obnoxious with it though – that’s a turn-off and may do you more harm than good.
Image credit to artur84 and freedigitalphotos.net
There are so many facets to finding a look that’s right for your store, but these fundamentals will allow you to build trust and rapport with your customers before they even step through the doors. And getting them through the door is half the battle. Dressing your store for success will go a long way to building a customer base and generating repeat business. What draws you into a store? What turns you off? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.
This article was provided by http://www.genuinesuccess.co.uk
