Keys to Visual Merchandising

Let’s take an afternoon trip through your community and examine the sales floors of your competitors; we want to see how they merchandise the goods and services they offer. Hopefully, at each business we will find quality items, well displayed and reasonably priced—these three being the essential components of how to successfully sell merchandise.

Because of the strong support given to businesses by product manufacturers, it would be nearly impossible to visit any specialty business without seeing manufacturers’ displays. Manufacturers have spent tremendous amounts of money creating displays, which they expect will assist the customer in making the decision to buy—whether or not a salesperson is standing with the customer. With so many choices before the customer, the manufacturer wants the customer exposed to its goods and services in order to get the customer to spend money on its items.

This is the good news, for there are few industries in which the manufacturer does such a quality job of creating point-of purchase (POP) displays. With the efforts of manufacturers accomplishing so much of what is necessary, too often businesses depend solely on these displays. That is the bad news.

Visiting numerous businesses while researching this article, this writer frequently found sales floors that were more a collection of manufacturers’ displays than a showroom for the goods and services offered.

Let’s take a look at a baker’s dozen of ideas that not only will increase your chances of completing the sale, but also will enhance your ability to distinguish yourself from the competition.

Let’s first look at Ideas Nos. 1 through 4, because they work together. The importance of the first one—having an attractive entrance—is supported by research stating that more than 50 percent of customers get their strongest perception of your business by the exterior appearance. Mother was right when she told us we get only one chance to make a first impression!

The second idea is to look at how merchandise is placed around your business. As they enter your sales floor, you want customers to immediately see the direction you want them to go. The traffic flow you have created should take your customers through the store in a manner that exposes them to all of the product categories you carry (that’s the third idea).

The fourth idea is to place your drawing card merchandise in the back of the store. Think about grocery stores—where do they place the milk, bread, eggs and meat? They are on exterior walls, far away from the front door. This layout ensures customers will see as much of the business as possible on their way to get these items.

The next ideas also work together because we are now looking at how to maximize the displays you create and make the manufacturers’ displays an important part of your efforts.

The sales floor needs not only to address the current season, but also should tell customers about trends for the next season. Just visit a department store to see how winter coats are displayed in late summer. This plants a thought in the minds of customers so that, when they have a need for a coat, they know where to shop.

Idea No. 6 is that your business should appeal to as many of the five senses as possible. Research shows customers are more likely to spend money when the store smells good, has pleasant music, and allows customers to see and feel the products.

While manufacturers already have done a great job of colorizing their merchandise (Idea No. 7), it is important you do the same with related items near one another (Idea No. 8) and having displays of add-on sale items (Idea No. 9). For each product you sell, anything to maximize the appearance, install the product, or give additional value should be placed near the initial item.

One of the best examples of this we have seen was in a business selling carpeting. Next to one display of carpet samples was a display of vacuum cleaners (a great add-on sale) and a sampling of carpet scent packets for the impulse sale (Idea No. 10).

As for floor displays, if a display has an unattractive side, it should be placed against a wall or backed up to another display. Merchandise needs to be seen no matter which direction a customer approaches from.

Merchandise a business so customers see things from front to back and back to front (Idea No. 11).

Completing our display discussion, the most important space in your business is the area at eye level. Using walls to their maximum effectiveness, you should display high-dollar items at eye level (Idea No. 12); and if you sell accessories to the whole goods you are selling, the whole goods should occupy the eye-level space (Idea No. 13).

Although we promised you a baker’s dozen of ideas, there is one more. This is done intentionally, because—just as in dealing with customers—you should give them more than what they expect.

Idea No. 14 deals with signs. Signs have been shown to substantially increase sales. Today you can easily use a computer-software program to create signs to introduce new products, explain the benefits, and tell your customers the services you offer.

Today’s customers have the advantage of being able to shop through a catalog, the Internet, or in many businesses. When they do come to your business, make sure your business gives them many reasons to spend with you and to return.