A shop window display is just as important as the cover of a book. Sure, your products and services might be amazing, but without a front that entices and engages, customers just aren’t going to be that interested. It may seem shallow, but appearance really does matter.
It is vital that your retail window dressing is up to scratch and catches the attention of passers-by, so we’ve put together a little guide to help you out.
Stay OriginalThis may seem like an obvious point, but it’s so crucial to a good shop window dressing that it needs to be included. To get noticed, you need to go against the norm and create a display that surprises customers with originality and inventiveness. Use unexpected materials for everyday items or create large-scale versions of small products to create a surreal display. Be whacky and create something people will want to stop and look at, and even take pictures of, before being lured into your shop. At all costs, avoid cliché seasonal themes – there are enough of those already!
Be Bold and BrightDisplays that are bright and colourful are instantly more noticeable than bleak, grey windows. Don’t be afraid to use colour – and lots of it! Pick a colour theme of a few bright colours to base your window around, or go completely out there with a rainbow palette. People are attracted to colour so make the most of it. Just be sure that, if you are using a lot of colours, they all work well together and won’t give passers-by an instant headache; be tasteful with your tones.
Think About the ViewIt’s important when shop window dressing that you consider the view from the street. Windows aren’t usually at ground level, so from the inside where you’re working, the angles and height will be a lot different from where the passers-by are looking in. Head outside and mark out where eye-level is on your window from the street (you could use wash-off markers or tape) and base your display around that point. This will make your window a lot more visually pleasing to viewers, and you can set the focal point directly in their eye-line.
Don’t ClutterHaving a cluttered display is a big no. If you have too much going on, your display will just look busy and confused, and passers-by will struggle to spot what you’re actually advertising. Stick to advertising a few key products rather than trying to get your whole shop in the window display, and make sure that whatever you’re trying to get across to the customer is clear.
Keep it FreshDon’t ever stick with the same retail window display for months on end; it’ll end up just fading into the background as passers-by will have seen it so often. If you want to keep people looking to your shop, you need to keep things fresh. This means that you should be changing it up at least every one to two months – more frequently if possible. A new display means more attention, and that often leads to more customers.
Your shop window display is absolutely crucial to attracting new customers and enticing passers-by into your store, which is why you can’t get it wrong. If you think you need some help, or just want to stay on the safe side and ensure you’re getting those customers, get in touch with VM Design. A visual merchandiser can make the difference between a floundering and a flourishing business.
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