The essentials for optimising your business
Once you have taken all the necessary steps to open your business, you will have to think about the layout of your shop, the choice of suitable furniture, and how you will present your products. In this article, we present you with some essential points to work on to optimise your business.
Having a neat vitrine
Good lighting is important. And even more so in your shop vitrine, because it is the reflection of your shop. It is the first point of contact with your customers. Focus on good lighting that will showcase the products in your vitrine. The lighting should enhance your products. Your products should be highlighted in strategic places in your shop window. Your lighting system should be able to be changed or moved according to the size of the products displayed and the desired atmosphere.
The products in the vitrine should be displayed weekly. These products must encourage your customers to walk through the door of your shop. The display must be harmonious. Your shop vitrine should be nicely decorated without hiding the products, as an overly decorated vitrine can be eye-catching and at the same time detract from the visibility of your products.
It is crucial to renew your shop vitrine frequently. Passers-by are eager to see something new. If they see the same vitrine display week after week, they will not be won over enough to pass by. That is why it is recommended to change the vitrine display every two weeks.
Focusing on a good shop layout
As we have explained in a few articles, a good shop layout is crucial. This is done in advance: choosing the right furniture according to the surface area, while optimising the shopping experience.
An optimal shop layout is one that respects the strict rules of merchandising. You can find a dedicated article here.
When a person enters your shop, they will always go to the right. Then they will go to the back and then back to the left of the store. This pattern is true for everyone. To increase your sales, think about this recurrence. Place your most successful products at the back of the shop. This will encourage your customers to walk through the shop, and therefore past everything else. On the right side of your shop, display your high margin or new products. These are the first products your customer will see. Don't forget the central area of your shop, which should not be neglected! This is the area where the eyes of the customer spontaneously land when they walk through the door. Place your promotional products there, it will be an ideal area!
Presenting your checkout area well
The checkout area is one of the most important areas of your business. As well as being the checkout area, it is also reserved for impulse purchases.
Presenting your checkout area well can be a science, but it is well thought out! Impulse products are often products that are complementary to an existing purchase. It is the kind of product that the customer would not have gone in for if that was all they had to buy. Inexpensive accessories allow you to generate more margin on products, and are ideal for displaying around your checkout. Smaller items are also perfect, as they are easy to grab. You can play around with the quantities to be displayed due to the small size of the accessories.
Opting for a POS display
POS, or point-of-sale advertising, is a foolproof way to communicate in your shop.
Point of sale advertising allows you to draw attention to new products or promotional offers. It also helps to promote a particular product or products. Impulse buying will also be encouraged. Think of chewing gum or magazines at the supermarket checkout. POS displays guide customers to the right product they are looking for, like the displays in the aisles of hypermarkets. Without these displays, we would still be looking for our aisle today!
Here are some of the advantages of POP displays:
- Focusing communication on a specific product(s) or commercial offer(s), with the aim of increasing sales;
- Promote a new product by presenting it and listing its advantages;
- Encouraging purchases at the point of sale;
- Organise or reorganise a sales area to highlight your bestsellers;
- Encourage the memorization of an advertising message on a product or products, or of your brand.
And that's it! Now you have (almost) all the keys to optimising your business!
