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Does Your Shop Front Fit Your Brand?
(This is a contributed post)
When it comes to building and showing off your brand, there’s going to be a lot of footwork you’ll need to get in first. You need to know who you are, what you’re selling, and what kind of message you want to put out there – it all counts towards your business sales and longevity, and you need to be sure you’re getting the maximum effect out of your planning process. After all, when you’ve got far too many ideas and no way to execute any of them, you’re going to be left constantly second guessing and double checking any product or marketing campaign you come up with. And even when a little bit of extra diligence like this is appropriate in the business world, it can do more harm than good if left unchecked.
And that means you need to take a second look at the store around you, and think about whether or not it fits your business aesthetic. Your shop front is what entices customers in, and what makes them immediately decide whether you’re right for their needs or not – let’s think about if your shop front is doing the best for your brand with the pointers below.
What does this display say to you?
Think About Your Message
The company you’re running has some values to uphold, and they’re probably ones you hold dear to your heart. After all, you can’t get a business up and running without a bit of motivation on your side, and these business values are the morals that keep you operating for another day in a market saturated in competition. So it’s time for you to take a look at your shop front and consider whether or not it carries the same kind of message you want all your customers and investors alike to know about.
Some quick examples to illustrate the point: If you’re a family run business, does your window display project that? Is it hearty and homey to look at, and offer a sense of nostalgia to people who gaze in to see your wares? If you’ve got a boutique on your hands, are the mannequins you dress up as stylish, and at the forefront of high street fashion, as you intended your business to be? You want to bring in a wave of vintage and chic, or contemporary and minimalist, clothes to the area you live in, and that means your shop front has to advertise that and that alone. No mix matched styles here!
Use the Space Properly
Of course you’re going to give your display a backdrop, and then you’re going to add some of your best items, in the colors that work best with the rest of your shop front (and that are aligned closely with your business already), and you’re going to sit back and admire the work you’ve done. However, you haven’t used the space around you as effectively as you might think
Look at the rest of the shops in your close vicinity. What do they look like? How does your shop stand out? Would you say it was an effective move, to look gaudy and different to the rest of the commercial markets around you? Are you more of a sore thumb than a trend setter?
Get Yourself a Professional Appraisal
Your shop front and the display window you’re trying to cultivate needs a second opinion from someone who knows exactly what it should look like. Of course, as the boss, you have the last say on what happens on the shop floor, but you should stop and listen too. Especially if you’re out of ideas or the physical marketing fund is starting to run dry.
If you have a professional designer, or some shop fitters on hand to help you out, you’re going to be able to come up with three or four designs at least, and then pick and choose what one to go with. You can brainstorm much more effectively, and understand more factors than you may have realised played a role here. Things such as whether or not you’re overcrowding the space, or if the security system you use is too visible and takes away from the impact. These are little things to consider, that go a long way in their effectiveness.
Your shop front might need a little work, but don’t worry, there’s a lot of ideas and methods you can employ to maximise on its effectiveness. Why not take a look at it now?
