Classy, not Cluttered

Customer service is more than just helping your customer find something; it’s about letting the customer enjoy the whole shopping experience. There are lots of books and experts who are willing to spout their version of how a store should be designed and windows displayed. However, when the principles of design are used to serve your business instead of following what everyone else does, then your store will stand out.

Breaking the Rules

A design myth that continues to flourish is to paint all the walls a neutral color. When walls are all one color, it can lack a warm welcoming feeling, which would make a customer want to linger. By painting an accent wall, it not only creates an illusion of the wall receding which makes the area look larger, but creates an area of interest.

"It pays to make an effort to break from the norm," says Debi Ward Kennedy, an Orange, Calif.-based retail consultant. "Take those principles of design and bend, break, configure or camouflage them to serve your business instead of the opposite, where you… are held hostage by rules of interior design."

Smaller retailers think they may not be able to afford professional help. If you're unable to afford professional help for the whole store, choosing some services can help you make a better choice, and doing the work yourself can cut costs.

Achieving Creative Displays

When you work to make the most of your space, it means being strategic with the design and organization of merchandise. Thinking outside the box and using eye-catching items not usually associated with display purposes will spark interest visually. For example, using an open hutch to display crystal glassware or a jelly cabinet to show off candles is a unique way to display your merchandise. Because these pieces are being used for different functions, it will grab the customer’s attention. The one thing to avoid though is a cluttered look. If neutral colors are used for larger merchandise items, such as couches or chairs, the brighter, smaller merchandise can be used as accents. Also make sure there is enough spacing between the items so it doesn’t look crowded. You can place items at various levels which appeals visually to customers such as placing items from the ceiling to the floor to draw the eye up and create a larger sense of space.

Making Window Displays Work

When doing window displays, don’t overdo it. Less is more and you don’t want to overwhelm the merchandise which you are trying to sell. By making the merchandise the focal point, you can draw the customer in. Thinking vertically instead of just horizontally is another option which can be used. Stacking merchandise or placing it in a pyramid can attract shopper’s attention and make the display more intriguing. Using mannequins can be both creative and fun. By creating interesting poses and making sure the display is well lit and visible to the customers will make a big difference on perception.

The thing is you don’t want to replicate what has already been done. You want a fresh unique look that is all your own and can identify with your store and your store’s brand. Originality and sense of what you stand for is what you want for your store identity.

Photo courtesy of morguefile.com