Five Minute Friday: Retail Design 101: How to Create an Experience That Sells

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Business can be a lonely game, but it doesn't have to be. Welcome to Boutique Chat where we explore community over competition and how to scale your company with the balance and the happiness that we all seek. We'll hear from product based businesses of all types, retailers, e commerce and wholesale brands, along with industry experts shaping the future of our industry. I'm your host Ashley Alderson from the Boutique Hub and I can't wait to chat.

Today we're talking about a common fear that we see in boutiques and boutique owners. This fear stems from the feeling of not being as good as your competition. This comes up oftentimes within your store look and your store design. There are new boutiques that pop up all the time and what they have that you may be lacking is is a new store design that incorporates on trend elements, branded moments, functional features and a good layout. So this is a fear that we see often. We actually have an example. We have a client who has been established for a very long time. Her store opened up 10 plus years ago and she sees new boutiques pop up in her community all the time. And what they have that she is lacking at this moment is a new store design. Now she also has outgrown her space and what she is seeing is these new stores have a better functional layout where they can have more product in their stores to market to their customers. And she is lacking that. So she feels like she's falling behind. She's comparing herself to others and she feels like her customers will end up going to shop with these other stores because they are looking for that experience that she is not offering them at this time. So oftentimes stores do carry the same merchandise. So what really sets you apart oftentimes is the design of your store. People want to go into a store that's really, really cute on trend, good fitting rooms, a very nice layout, good fixtures that they have, find easy to shop, a good layout that guides them throughout the store. All of these things are factors that keep customers coming to your store and gets new customers in your store as well. The three things that we want to talk about that will set you apart in your store design is just embracing store design. You want to have a store that is unique. So unique to you, brings in elements that your brand represents. Say you carry very classic dressy pieces that are at a higher price point. You want your store to reflect that. You do not want your customer to walk into your store and feel that your merchandise does not is not cohesive with the design of your store. And the brands that you carry, you want it to just be a cohesive feeling all throughout. So you want to have unique elements that set you apart from competitors. You want to enhance your brand into your store and you also want to have on trend items in your store. So we do have to keep up with the trends in the retail and clothing industry because customers come to you for inspiration and guidance on how to bring on trend pieces into their wardrobe, to keep them relevant and keep them up to date. Your store also needs to reflect that so you build that trust with them so they feel that in your store and they know that they can trust you. So you really need to embrace a good store design and that is your first step. So whether you are just opening up or whether you have been in the industry for a long time, you need to elevate and you need to either renovate your space so that you are keeping up with your competition and still offering your client that exciting and on trend experience. And if you are opening up a store for the first time, you really want to consider that. Because we see a lot of people that hire us not even a year after they've opened because they feel know they are missing that mark. They've invested in this space, but they have missed an opportunity. So the next thing we want to talk about is a good layout. This is super important because when your customers walk into your store, they want to feel guided and they want to have a nice flow throughout all of your store so that they can easily browse your fixtures, they can easily get to all the sections with ease. When I think we've all walked into a store before where it has just been overwhelmed, maybe too packed, maybe a really heavy fixture right off the bat. It's not welcoming, it's not inviting, you don't feel like you want to explore further and you may leave. So a good flow is super important and a good layout within your store. Now this is something that oftentimes is missed. Unless you are working with a professional, it's hard to know how to create a flow within your store. And this is all customer behavior that is learned over time. The third thing we want to talk about is functionality. So you can have a beautiful space. But if it is not functional to market and display your product, and also just for daily operations, you will feel that eventually and you will feel that you are missing out on sales and customers shopping in your store longer. So what that means is you really want to make sure that you have a functional store from the size of your fitting rooms, the Amount of your fitting rooms, where your cash desk is in location, how many fixtures you have, how many fixtures you have to bring you into all season changeovers with your merchandise, how much shelving you have. Are you maximizing the use of your wall space? How about your floor space? Is there a nice flow with the fixtures on your floor space? Are you having things like that? Like it is so important to have a functional space above all. So we get hired often times after a store has opened because a they've ran out of space or they know that their space is not being used in the right way. Like they are not able to showcase enough face outs or enough mannequins or things like that. They know that they've missed that. And that is bringing us back to our example of our client. She's completely outgrown her space and she recognizes that, you know, her merchandise is suffering because of that. She cannot showcase all of this beautiful merchandise she's bringing in because she is maxed out at her space and there is no opportunity to highlight the products that she wants to because there is no fixtures or space to allow for that. So all of these things are so important in your store design. And if you are incorporating these all into your store, then you will feel confident and you will not be worried about that competition coming through because you have what they have anyways and you are more established so you're going to be feeling great. So you need to embrace a strong store design, branded moments, unique moments. You need to have on trend features. And one of our tips is design your space timeless and classic the bones and then bring in the on trend elements with things like maybe the rugs or the wallpaper that you feature in an area or the curtains in your fitting rooms or the artwork that you have throughout the decor you have throughout. Make the bones timeless and bring in those on trend features so that it's easy to change them out and adapt when you need to. You know, updating these things every two years is a great opportunity for and something exciting for your customers and to stay relevant and on trend with your competition. The second thing is having that good layout. You want your customers to feel guided throughout your store and have that really nice flow that keeps them shopping longer, keeps them browsing longer. And then you also want to make sure that you're that your store is functional. So above all you need to have that functional store that grows with you over time, works and markets your merchandise effectively, is easy for your customers to shop and that you feel like your that is supporting your clothing and also your daily operations. So that is it. We wanted to talk about that fear and let you know there is a solution. You just need to either renovate your space, give it that fresh feel, bring in your brand and bring in a cohesive feeling with the clothing that you sell in the brand that you are. And there is a solution. If you're opening up a store, make sure you do not miss your mark and make sure you either work with professionals on it or have that knowledge and you're not missing those three key steps to success. So I hope this was helpful and we are JR Visual Design. My name is Joelle and we are your vetted resources for all things visual, merchandising and retail design. Hope you enjoyed this and I hope you have a great day.

That's it for five Minute Friday you guys. I hope you found some quick, actionable steps you can put into play in your business right away. As always, if you're not yet a member of the Boutique Hub, I would love to personally invite you to join us. It's where all of the daily conversations happen. The up to date what is working now in the industry conversations, the latest trainings, trend reports, discounts, resources and of course access to thousands of wholesale brands that you also know and love. So please take a minute, follow the link in the show notes and we would love to invite you to join us inside of the Boutique Hub.