Visual Merchandising Consultancy Top Tips
This month I have been working again with Nagwa, a confectionery brand based in Kuwait. It was great to work with the team at Nagwa again, we first worked together in 2015. This month I carried out online visual merchandising consultancy with their team, to assist them with designing the new store design concept. We worked on creating a window concept which will change monthly to highlight seasonal promotions, linking the window campaign with an impactful in store hot spot area, designing merchandising planograms to assist their staff with implementing effective Visual Merchandising techniques and creating a hospitality counter space at the rear of the store, to assist with successful customer flow.
Following on from supporting Nagwa with online visual merchandising consultancy, I wanted to share my tips with my blog readers for successful window dressing and connecting your windows effectively to your in store hot spot spaces ;
Window Display
Your store window should communicate your brand message, ethos, and story to the customer.
Consider what is your brand story? and what elements of this you would like to communicate within your window.
Your store windows should change regularly to create regular newness for your customers. Most retailers I work with change their window displays every 4 – 6 weeks. If you are buying stock in small quantities, you may find you will need to change your stock in the window every 2 weeks however, the creative concept or theme can remain for 4 – 6 weeks.
Retailers usually plan their window schemes a year in advance, I recommend to my retail customers to compile a 6 – 12-month window plan. Consider seasonal events, brand launches and promotions you would like to feature in your window schemes.
Your window should contain PUSH products (products customers have not planned to buy) so choose products which are new/seasonal/ promotional to feature within the window display.
Create a consistent brand message by matching your window display scheme to your digital campaign. Both physical and digital campaigns should launch at the same time.
Connect your customer to your website by adding a QR code to your window.
Connecting Your Window to Your In Store
The purpose of creating an in store hot spot or promotional area is to create a direct link from your window display, creating a consistent message for your customer as they enter inside your store. Hot spots should be located within the main entrance of your store, so that the customer can locate the window merchandise with ease. Your hot spot should be merchandised, if possible, with the entire product range shown within the window display, this will increase the possibilities of link selling.
I would recommend connecting the window scheme in store by using connecting graphics, colour ways or similar prop elements within your hot spot space, as seen in your window.
Ensure your hot spot area is located slightly back from the main entrance, to allow for clear space around the store entrance to encourage effective customer flow. Your hot spot, if possible, should be located centrally within the floor space. If this is not possible observe which side your customers are approaching first as they enter your store space and locate the hot spot on this side wall bay.
Your hot spot feature should change every time you change your window scheme.
For more information on how I can support your business with either in person or online Visual Merchandising Consultancy, please get in touch ;
Email sarah@visualmerchandisingconsultant.co.uk
Mobile UK +44 7976 575847
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