Lucy - BQ Magazine EditorIf you’re someone who still believes in the power of a brick-and-mortar store, then you’re one of the few unsung heroes left. And, if you’re thinking of opening a new one, you’ve got a lot to think about to make it work. With so many stores shutting down these days, many companies turn to online sales, which since the pandemic, has grown massively.
In fact, in 2020 alone, online sales grew over 47%, which is the largest on record. But don’t let that put you off; there are still millions of people who prefer the experience of shopping, so let’s take a look at what you need to keep in mind before opening your store.
The layout
While the layout of your store needs to make some sort of sense (categorised and flow well), you’ll also need to be clever when it comes to how you arrange your store. You want people to come in with an idea of what they want but leave with much more. That’s why you should consider adding end pieces to your shelving with products that people might not expect there.
Make sure you’re aware of which products are going to benefit you through sales and highlight them in those areas. Remember that sometimes smaller items might be worth showing off as it may be more beneficial to sell a lot of one cheaper thing than very little of a more expensive item.
You can also look into implementing a variety of creative retail displays throughout your store to help engage customers. This will allow you to grab and keep the attention of your shoppers and hopefully increase sales. It can be anything from developing unique and enticing POS displays to showcasing an Instagram-worthy wall.
Enticing customers in
Next, you need to think about how you’re going to get your customers into your store. While you still might have an online store for people to shop, you need to find ways to get people through your doors.
You can do this by sending employees out with free samples to then direct people into your store, and you can also do it using well marketed and clever signage that entices people in. Think about what your business represents, and make sure it matches your brand too.
In-store discounts
Another way to ensure your brick-and-mortar store’s success is by offering in-store-only discounts. And you can make it fun too! Post online and advertise in newspapers or on the radio about special offers that people can get if they come and visit you in person.
You can make it fun by asking them to say a special phrase or find something within your store. Not only does this help engage more people, but it will help sell more of your other items along the way too.
Uniforms
Finally, you need to think about how you’re going to represent yourself as a business through your uniforms. You might not want to come across as a corporate company, but you still want to look professional.
Having uniforms that match your brand’s palette and your store colours is a great place to start, but you can also personalise t-shirts by adding text and logos that will help make your brand more recognisable. And, when this happens, people are more likely to come back to your store for the experience many of us miss very much.