3 visual merchandising
tips to increase
your store traffic

  AFI Branding       15th March, 2016

Visual merchandising is the voice of the brand, it’s the vehicle that grabs the shopper’s attention and asks them to feel a certain way about the product or service being offered.

Without visual merchandising, the shopper experience would be boring and uninspiring. We have all walked into retail environments feeling uninspired, and in most cases, we quickly walk out of the store, barely remembering the brand name. When done right, with the perfect mix of theme, colour, space, navigation and signage all working together, your VM strategy will demand attention and increase store traffic.

Follow these 3 simple tips to keep your visual merchandising displays creative, dynamic and effective:

Plan ahead

Planning ahead will always give you flexibility and choice, so create a calendar and plan your visual merchandising themes in advance. Take into consideration any props you will need, upcoming seasons, sale periods and trends. Planning ahead allows time for research. It’s important to know what the competition is doing, however, research will inspire you to think outside of the box.

Ensure your choice of signage and artwork is strategic

Signage is not just about making your store look beautiful. Your choice of signage substrate and creative direction should emphasise the benefits of your product and service. Signage is also directional, tell your customers what they need to look at. If your brand is loud and bright, you can't look past illuminated signage! Be creative and always be open to trying something new.

Be clear about your message

All great visual merchandising displays tell a story. It might be a sale, a new range, or you may want to provoke an emotion. It’s important not to overcrowd your display as customers might not pick up on the key messages. Be clear on the message you want to send when creating a display and let that message guide your strategy.

To find out how fabric can be an option for your next Visual Merchandising project, chat to the AFI Branding team.