If your business consists of a premises that has a ‘shop front’, then you have one huge advantage of many other businesses out there. You have an open canvas in which to show the world what your company is all about with walking traffic that is literally passing by outside your door. With an effective window display, all it takes is one quick glance for something to catch a person’s eye, and instantly an image or association is created. And if it’s good, there’s a fairly high chance of them either walking in the door or at the very least, jotting down your name, number, or website details to come back and check out later.
There is a certain art to creating a beautiful and enticing window display. Adding in too much, will simply make the window look cluttered, yet not enough will leave them wondering what they’re looking at (or simply ignore it altogether). The following are a few helpful do’s and don’ts when creating your next window display:
Do’s
- Develop a theme. All the best ideas start on pen and paper so don’t be afraid to do some brainstorming before you begin. Sketching out your window display before you begin could save you a whole lot of time and money later down the line. The chances are if the idea looks good on paper, then it will look even better as it comes alive in the window. But without any kind of prep or preview, you’re likely to set yourself up for failure, and end up with a window that looks odd and out of place.
- Be bold. A window display is all about the visuals. It’s a way of communicating to your existing and potential customers without actual words. So, there’s no point in being subtle with a window display as no one will understand what you are trying to say. On the flips side, don’t go too overcomplicated that your message or theme gets blurred. So, bold and beautiful, but too the point.
- Set the mood. Creating an effective window display is so much more than just throwing a few bits and bobs together and hoping for the best. It takes a lot of skill to get things right. For example, lighter looking items should always be displayed at the top to avoid your window looking top heavy. Big and small items should also be balanced out evenly.
- Light up your display. Lighting is another area to consider when it comes to setting the mood of your window display. With the right light, you can highlight certain pieces over others, or set a dramatic scene for display. It may cost you a little more in electricity, but the right lighting is very good at capturing people’s attention.
Don’ts
- Clutter. This is the number one thing to avoid when creating your window display. You want to highlight certain products or services and cramming too many into a small space will have the opposite effect. So, in this instance, just remember that less is more.
- Get sidetracked. Creating a good window display is all about conveying a certain message to your customers. Therefore, you need one idea and one theme only. Don’t give your customers mixed messages or too much to look at.
- Leave displays to fester. Always keep your window display fresh and up to date. If you’re a retail store, there’s nothing worse than displaying a product in your window that you no longer have for sale. What kind of message does that give? Similarly, if you offer a service, make sure any offers are kept up to date.
Creating an effective window display is not something that should be taken lightly. It takes a lot of planning and needs constant monitoring to ensure you’re always giving out the best message to your customers. But, for those that are lucky enough to have these showcase areas, it can make a tremendous difference to sales provided you get it right.
If you’re confident enough to give it a go, then great. Simply refer to the above tips and start planning your window display. Just take your time, do your homework, and get it right the first time.
If, however, you’d prefer to leave it to the experts, and don’t want to end up with a window that’s nothing more than an eyesore, be sure to give IPW1 a call, where they’ll be more than happy to discuss all your window display requirements to find a solution that works for you.