6 Top Tips for Visual Merchandising

When you’re selling things, your usual goal is to sell more. Now, that’s clearly a lot easier said than done, but there are a number of things that can help boost those sales. Discounts, promotions, social media campaigns, loyalty cards – these are all tried and tested ways of earning new customers and keeping old ones. And they all have their uses.

Less common, probably because it needs a bit more thought, a bit more imagination and a bit more creativity, is visual merchandising. In this article, we’re going to be taking a look at some of the best ways you can use visual merchandising to sell more.

But let’s tackle the big question first.

Visual merchandising is essentially the art of displaying or presenting your products in such a way that it makes it more likely that they will get the attention of potential buyers, and then encourage them to investigate further to the point where they make a purchase.

Now, that may still sound easier said than done – and of course it is – but nevertheless there are things you can do today that could make that outcome far more likely.

Here are some of our favourites.

Even outside of the specific market you’re operating in – fashion, gift items, homeware etc – you’re still competing for the attention of a large number of shoppers and potential customers who may not all know what they’re looking for. Make your shop window the very best you can, because that’s the best way there is of catching people’s attention and drawing them in. And don’t forget to refresh it at least once a month.

Things often go well together, so that if you sell one item, it may well give you a better chance of selling something related, whether that’s an accessory, a bolt-on or just a matching fashion item. Don’t assume that people have the imagination to work it out for themselves, make the connection obvious at the outset, because that’s the best chance you’ll have of making that extra sale.

People are often lazy or in a hurry, and if you don’t use every trick at your disposal to draw their attention to what you want them to see and buy, you may lose them before they've even had a chance. Good signage points your customers where you want them to go and draws their attention to things like promotions, sales and new products. Don’t forget to make sure that the style of your signs fits in with your overall branding, though.

If people keep popping their heads into your store and seeing the same things in the same places time after time, they will pretty soon give up. If they’re coming in on a regular basis, they’re clearly interested in what you have to offer, so give them something different to see. Like your shop window, you should be looking to change it monthly – it doesn’t have to be a complete change, just enough to bring different products to the fore.

Be creative, be different, and learn what works and what doesn’tDon’t be afraid to try something different every now and then, because you never know what might catch people’s imagination or attention. Of course, if it doesn’t work, you can put it down to experience and not do it again.

Most of what we’ve been talking about applies to shops on the high street – but many of the principles can equally be applied if you’re running an online store. You’re still using what your customers see to encourage them to buy what you’re selling, so refresh your home page, feature different products, and use big and bright signs to advertise sales and other promotions.

Being creative in the way you display your products is a large part of the battle when it comes to visual merchandising, but you still need the tools to make that work. That’s where we come in. Morplan is the one-stop shop for retail supplies and can help with all the units, shelving, mannequins, point of sale and other product display and promotion solutions.

Call us today to find out more.