Outdoor display tips that will help bring your customers in from the cold

First impressions do last and as a retailer creating an ambiance that draws custom in through your door is crucial.

Here’s how to make your premises as attractive as possible with the first port of call being your shop window.

The window of opportunity

Make a feature of the window space or any outdoor signage that you might have promoting a latest offer or new product. Cable and LED Displays are simply a must have for superior window, wall or floor display. Easy to install and adjust, you can make light work of your display with a complete kit or build your own bespoke combination for your most innovative campaign yet. Floor to ceiling, wall-mounted or free-standing, LED light panels provide an exceptional distribution of light for flawless daytime promotions and brilliantly bright night-time illumination. The key is to refresh often, keeping customers reengaged, this will hopefully sway them indoors or urge an impulse buy.

Make plans on how you intend to alter your window month-by-month so you don’t miss out on core events and celebrations, allowing leeway for when new trends and fashions could work nicely with your product or service offering. However, be prompt on removing any out of date seasonal display and decorations, it can give the impression of lack of care and attention and makes customers lose trust and loyalty towards your brand.

Posters in frames on the walls and double-sided frames on the windows are simple and effective as well as being convenient, you can quickly change discounts and promotions according to sales, inform customers that your stock is limited, and incentive shoppers to hurry if they want to avoid disappointment.

Inside and out

Keep your proposition consistent, both inside and out, so if you are displaying a 50% off sale banner in the window, make it easy for customers to recognise that offer in-store too. Try to keep areas tidy and easy to view, if you can put exactly what your customers want right in front of them, they are less likely to hesitate and continue through with the purchase.

Make your biggest discount the main focus but keep each offering segmented and well-labelled with appropriate sale banners, shelf-edge tickets, shelf talkers etc. The clearer you can make your offering and where to find them, the better.

if you require your customers to wait outside, think about improvements to your queue management system for keeping some form of order. Simple barrier post kits can always be extended and are ideal for managing crowds and queues. If your venue is prone to super attention harnessed by the sales culture you may need to consider getting everyone in line and organised before you even open the doors. Another great alternative to the traditional barrier post system is a cafe barrier screen, used alongside banners and flags, these highly-portable, quick, convenient and cost-effective solutions can be printed with your brand, contact details, or in this case, your big sale presentation; ideal for exhibitions, events, retail displays and shows.

Studies show that leaving the front door of your shop open can help to make you seem more approachable and encourage customers to enter. Simple but effective and especially alluring when it’s cold outside! Give it try.

Practice what you preach

Location is king when it comes to retail but it can never be underestimated the importance of getting out there and being seen. So, get out from behind your counter and bring your product to the streets, in the direct view of passers-by, greet people and introduce your merchandise. We all like nothing more than a freebie, so if you have that ability with your product, hand out free tasters and samples, special offers or new product information packs, a novel way of enticing people into your shop, while building brand awareness at the same time.

Or consider hosting a demonstration, event, workshop or seminar to bring people to you. If you own a café, why not hold a cookery event? A greengrocer could introduce a local grower and explain some horticultural facts. If you’re a florist, host a flower arranging masterclass with a competition for the best bouquet. If you are a lettings agent, contact your regular high-volume landlords, present a seminar that explains the latest legalities or tax implications.

Sharing knowledge or encouraging people to learn about something new which is a direct source to your business offering, can help in a variety of ways. Not only do you get to show off your skills within your premises, there’s a chance to build a relationship with customers and gain additional lead generation. Collect their details and keep in touch, in time their will become advocates to your store or products.

Remember, ‘interaction and engagement’ is key; where people feel they are recognised on their own individual requirements or feel they belong by means of relevant communication they tend to react, and in turn, respond.

For more display and promotional solutions to make your January Sales go with a bang, take a look at our range of POS and Sign Display >