Advice for retail businesses on how to design a front window that bring more customers.
1) Recognition
2) Enticement
Recognition is part of what will bring your customers back and how customers will refer others to your business.
The concept of recognition is broken down into three aspects: name, logo, and other information (namely address, and store hours). Although this information may be on your door instead of the window, it still blends together to form your storefront. This is your first chance at making a visual impression on prospective customers.
Your front window, or door, should have your business name and logo large enough to be seen clearly from the opposite side of the road. The address should also be prominently displayed (generally on the door) along with the business hours. Make sure your posted business hours are accurate! Too often, I have heard from people who have gone to a shop during posted business hours, only to find it really is closed.
Handwritten signs taped to the door are also unacceptable. These are unprofessional and tacky. Computers can be used to print signs on quality card stock or to make window decals or stickers, and are easy to use for those wanting to do it themselves.
Whatever is in your windows will tell customers more about what is inside your business - don't give them a chance to form a bad or false impressions at first sight. Enticement is the second major concept you need to deal with when planning your window design.
Use your windows to give customers a peek at what's inside your store. Select a variety of items to show off in your store window - include products from different price levels, from inexpensive to pricey. Use best selling products and those that are uniquely different from what other stores, especially those near you, have to offer.
If you have shelving available to use in your windows, go for it. Glass shelving works best, but you can use wood or some other material if that is all that you have available. The key is to not over do it. Glass shelving usually is not as thick as wood or plastic, therefore taking up less space and leaving more room for products.
With window shelving you can place items so they face the window while placing others behind them that face the inside of the store. If you don't have window shelving available you can still use the window ledge to build beautiful displays.
To make the most of your window space you can also hang items from the top of the window. One of the simplest, yet very effective and beautiful, methods of hanging items in a window only requires a couple of hooks, a small tree branch and some fishing line.
Hang the branch from hooks in the ceiling with the fishing line. You can then hang lightweight objects from the branch. Use several branches for different kinds of items and hang them at different levels.
This creates a beautiful, natural look - just make sure your branches are clean, and if you like - sanded and stained.
Make your window special. Make it exciting. Make it change with the seasons, the holidays, or other special events that may be taking place in the area where your store is. Changing displays draws attention to your store, and brings in customers as they stop by to see what the latest window looks like.
Window displays also do not have to be expensive. You can usually find decent seasonal decorations at second hand stores, and if you happen to be a resale store, the decorations will come to you. Set some of them aside to use when decorating your window.
A window that frequently changes and shows creativity is a crowd pleaser. People flock to some stores, just to see "what's in the window now?" It's a great advertising tool, a great attention getter, and it can give you a major opening into gaining new customers.
Your storefront window tells people what your store is, and why it's special. Make sure you take this opportunity to show then in a big way.
