Shoppers have no obligation to spend time or money in your store. As a result, it is critical to create an inviting and pleasant atmosphere that will keep people in the store and coming back for more. With the recent growth in online retail it has become increasingly important for brick and mortar stores to distinguish their retail space with an attractive store.
Whether you are looking to promote a product or service, announce a sale, or brand your store, having high quality graphics is vital to creating the perfect, eye catching in-store display. If your store is too bland, too boring or simply unpleasant, people are going to go to another store to get what they need. Customers can get anything they are looking for at their fingertips so you really need to separate yourselves from your competition and give them a reason to buy from you. By putting in a little extra time and effort into the atmosphere of your store, you can create a space that people actually like. By doing this, it will also make employees happier and more enthusiastic about working there.
First things first, if your store is having an identity crisis, it’s time to sort it out now! Your customers will respond better to your store when it has a distinct personality and a unique style. A great way to pinpoint the overall image you are trying to portray is by thinking about your ideal customer. What kind of store atmosphere would appeal to him or her? Would your customers feel more comfortable in a sleek, modern store, or would they be happier in a more traditional feel? Does background music make sense, or would it be a distraction? These might seem like small things to consider but they are extremely important point that will help you develop a unique atmosphere for your store.
Work from the outside in
The storefront is the first thing a customer sees before entering your store, so it makes sense to focus your creative energies on how the signage and storefront look. The business name should be clear and well defined. The sign should be refreshed and spruced up once in a while; since you obviously don’t want your customers to get the feel that your sign was made in the 90s when its now 2016. Most importantly your sign should be clear and visible from a distance. If you have trees around the store, make sure they do not obscure the view and should be trimmed regularly. The signage should also be very well-lit in the evenings and made to look clean and well taken care of. Not only does this give your store an edge over your opposition, it also represents the store’s inclination towards welcoming its customers.
Store ambiance
This rule is simple: make the store ambiance inviting and comfortable. The goal is to keep your customers around as long as possible. The longer they hang around looking in your store, the more they will usually spend. Even if they don’t buy you still want the customer to enjoy being in your store. To do this, make the store atmosphere welcoming, attractive and friendly. Storeowners should make an attempt to decorate and provide a visually interesting space. Elaborate displays are not the only answer to decoration. Appropriate lighting, well painted walls, neatly stacked racks, attractive décor, friendly yet unobtrusive sales people, soothing/peppy music are a few things the store owner can look into in the hope of increasing foot traffic. Research has shown that 70% of purchase decisions are made in-store, and these are largely influenced by the placement of merchandise, in-store signage, the décor, etc. The signs inside should convey the stores message loud and clear. It should always be informative enough for a customer and should educate the consumer on what they are looking at and to direct them at what they would want to locate.
Remember there is never a second change to make a first impression. After reading this, you need to understand that neglecting the store environment, inside or out can have serious implications on the sales of the store. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that an emphasis on store ambiance, design and feel will ultimately influence the purchase decision of a customer.
