Tips to keep things looking fresh
Businesses are caught in a war for the attention of customers.
They have more choice than ever.
And online shopping is growing, capturing an ever bigger slice of retail sales.
That means blending in with the crowd isn’t an option for high-street stores.
Your business needs to stand out, grab attention, and get people through the door.
A great shop window display is one way to do that.
It’s often the first impression potential customers have of your business, so it’s an invaluable chance to cement yourself in their memory.
With that in mind, here are 5 key tips to ensure you make the most of the space and the opportunity you have.
Create a narrative
The best displays don’t just showcase your products, they tell a story. Sometimes, that story is as simple as “it’s Easter!” Other times, there may be more nuance. Maybe your homeware display perfectly captures the essence of cosy winter days in by the fire.
Maybe your bookshop highlights a great read for each season, or your hardware store shows a fully-stocked home workshop replete with tools. Try to incorporate your products as props in a scene rather than items on display, and you’ll find customers will be drawn in naturally.
Incorporate your values
If you’re not sure where to start with your story, think about the key values of your company. What are the non-negotiables in terms of how you do business and what you offer your clients?
Perhaps you have excellent sustainability credentials thanks to your low-waste processes and eco-friendly products. Great! Make that a part of your story, showing how your business is in harmony with nature.
Is charitable giving or the local community important to you? Tie that into your window display. Highlight links to local makers or suppliers. Create something that features your latest charity initiatives. This is a chance to show your most positive qualities.
Catch the eye
Once you’ve determined the story you’re telling and the values you’re showcasing, it’s time to think about the physical design of the display. Too many shop windows feature the same uniform selection of products jostling for space and attention. But with some clever tricks, you can make your display stand out.
Negative space can be one effective way of drawing the eye towards key items, and it’s a principle regularly used by high-end brands. Less is more when it comes to these displays, with each product given plenty of space so it has its own spotlight on it. Think pieces in a museum and you’ll see why this setup has connotations of luxury.
Block colours can also capture attention from passers-by. Complementary or even contrasting shades help to make your products stand out in a way that can stop potential customers in their tracks. If being bold is part of your brand, this can be a great method to say it.
Measure what works
As with any change you make to the way your business works, the best decisions are going to come from a trial and error approach that iterates over time. It’s unlikely that the very first shop window display you create is the best one possible. So try to find ways to quantify the impact each one has.
Track footfall using a door counter and conversions using your sales records. See if items sell better when they feature in the display. And encourage your employees to keep an eye out for anyone that’s drawn in after seeing something in the window.
Update regularly
Even the best ideas will grow stale over time, particularly if your audience sees your shop on a regular basis. If they walk past daily, and the display never changes, they are likely to grow tired of even the most impressive design.
So make sure to keep trying new ideas, measuring what works, and implementing changes based on what you learn. With time, you can craft better and better window displays that will lead to increased interest, better conversions, and a more profitable business.