8 Retail Display Tips for Boosting Traffic & Sales

Your store is your baby, right retailers?! You want to make it the best it can be with gorgeous products, displays, and lots of customers! From time to time you might wonder “How do I get more foot traffic?” or “How do I get customers to explore my entire shop?” From the importance of lighting to creating focal points, check out our top eight tips from Tammy Hickel, our Executive VP of Sales, to attract new customers and keep them coming back for more. Check them out below! 

1. Create focal points throughout your store to draw your customers’ interest. Many shops make the mistake of placing all their eye-catching displays up front. While window or entryway displays do attract attention, you don’t want the shopper’s focus to peak too early and cause them lose interest in shopping the whole store. 

 

2. Displays can feature a single product, multiple related products, or a mix of products that tie into a theme. Use at least one surprise element in your displays to create the unexpected, but be careful not over-prop – your customer should always be able to identify what you’re selling and what’s just for show.

 

3. Remember, less is more! A customer’s eye needs a restful place to land, so don’t pack too much merchandise into an area where products will spill into the next display. This goes for signage, too - keep your messaging simple. Don’t forget to add signs with pricing unless individual prices can be easily seen.

 

4. Lightening DOES make a difference! Brighten up dark spaces within your store by using a mix of lights to illuminate and highlight the products on display. 

 

5. Color can be an easy, inexpensive way to create a compelling display.Try painting an accent wall in this season’s “Color of the Year”. You can also use blocks of color throughout your store to help draw attention to certain products or create a display using only products that tie into your color of choice. 

 

6. Don’t forget to take a walk around the exterior of your store. First impressions count and it’s important that the outside of your shop promotes an invitation to see what’s inside. 

• Make sure the exterior is clean and in good repair.
• Add Art Planters with lush, beautiful flowers and a MatMate with a “welcome” message. 
• Paint your front door a memorable color and unleash your creativity with your store name.
• Depending on your location, place a pet bowl with water, a bench, or a small display of colorful products such as garden flags just outside your entrance to attract attention and give shoppers a reason to pause.

Photo credit: @ompranayoga in Parkville, MO

 

7. Another area that’s often overlooked is the cash wrap. Don’t let your checkout area become cluttered with phone messages, reminders, old invoices, or to-do lists. Step in front of your cash wrap to get a good look at what your customer sees. Cash wraps should be well organized with bags and tissue paper as well as gift boxes and ribbon to put your unique signature on those special gift purchases. 

Don’t forget to strategically place a few key items near your cash wrap to entice customers to add to their purchase. Featuring the latest trending “pick-me-up” product or a suggested “item of the day” gives you another reason to engage in conversation with the customer as you wrap up their purchases, which will many times include one of these items!

 

8. A few last-minute touches that go a long way – appeal to the senses of smell and sound. Whether it’s a favorite candle or diffuser scent, air spray, or warm cookies you may serve, make sure your store has an inviting aroma. You can also develop your own personal playlist – change it up based on the time of day and activity that you may have going on, or create a set of signature playlists that reflects your store best.

I hope these tips inspire you to dive into your store and see what needs tweaking. Let me know which tips you’ll be trying in the comments! I can’t wait to read what you have planned. Have a great day, everyone!

 

- Ashlee Xavier, Marketing Specialist

 

If you’re looking for more display tips, check out some of our past posts: