THE ART OF EFFECTIVE VISUAL MERCHANDISING By Pat Shirley-Becker AIFD TMFA Professional Certified Florists’ Program PUBLISHED BY Texas State Florists’ Association PO Box 170760; Austin, TX 78717 For Information: 512/834-0361 Copyright 2013 Texas State Florists’ Association PO Box 170760 Austin, Texas 78717 United States of America Revised 08/13 All rights reserved, including the rights of reproduction and use in any form or by any means, including the making of copies by any photo process, or by any mechanical or elecronic device, printed, written or oral, or recording for sound or visual reproduction or for use in any knowledge or retrieval system or device. 2 The Art of Effective Visual Merchandising Course Outline I. Introduction II. Conveying Your Message Through Your Store Design and Layout III. Always Plan Your Displays First IV. Forecasting and Creating a Display Calendar V. Selling — The Ultimate Object of Display VI. Presenting Merchandise Like a Story VII. The ABC’s of Effective Visual Merchandising VIII. Elements and Principles of Display IX. Additional Aspects of Display X. The Concepts of an Effective Window Display XI. Display Pointers XII. Merchandising XIII. Color in Visual Merchandising XIV. Lighting Display Areas XV. Signage XVI. Summary I. INTRODUCTION Visual Merchandising is the art of displaying merchandise in a manner that appeals to the eye of the consumer. It sets the context of the merchandise in an aesthetically pleasing fashion, presenting the product in a way that would bring the window shoppers into the shop and turn them into customers/buyers of our products. Visual merchandising in- cludes window displays, signs, interior displays, and any other special sales promotions. The retail floral marketplace is continually growing, expanding and changing. Competition is fierce; therefore, a florist must use many strategies to attract customers. Visual mer- chandising (display) is the most inexpensive way to attract those customers. In compari- son to the costs of other forms of advertising, visual merchandising is a bargain. When creatively and professionally executed, window and in-store displays will be more effective than costly advertising campaigns. The success of many retail businesses can be attributed to the mood or atmosphere cre- ated by exterior, window, and in-store displays. They encourage relaxed and thoughtful displays. Customers return to those shops just to see what is happening or what is new. 3 The ultimate goal of any retail florist is to sell products or merchandise as quickly and eas- ily as possible. In order to achieve this goal, customers must be attracted to the shop, and to the merchandise. The setting, placement, color, lighting and mood used to display prod- ucts collectively are known as visual merchandising. The florist must have a clear idea of the image they wish to portray. A commitment to a year round display effort is necessary to achieve results. This requires much more thought and effort than lining up products on shelves. It requires under- standing of display types and principles, fixture materials and options, and prop con- struction and placement, along with a variety of other details. Creative and exciting visual merchandising “connects” the customer to the salesperson, so that the stronger the “con- nection”, the greater the number of customers that will end up at the sales counter. The purpose of visual merchandising is to: • Make it simple for the customer to locate the desired merchandise • Make it easy for the customer to make a decision • Allows the shopper to coordinate and accessorize additional products • Highlight and demonstrate particular products at strategic locations II. CONVEyINg yOUR MEssAgE ThROUgh ThE sTORE DEsIgN AND LAyOUT One of the most important communications you have with customers is through your store design and layout. Remember, you only have one opportunity for a first impression of any window display, so this must be in complete harmony with your strategic framework. If they are not, you have wasted much of the time you spend developing a vision of your business. As a retailer, you must send a clear message to your customers. The store front and window display must be on the same wave length. If you are selling moderate priced merchandise, your storefront should reveal this feel. Should you be planning an upscale look and higher priced merchan- dise, this too should be conveyed in the overall design and display of your store. Space is one of the most costly items in any business and it should be utilized to use the maximum sales return per square foot. • The minimum average dollar return per sq. foot is determined by dividing the total cost of doing business by the number of square feet owned. • Good visual merchandising is the means by which your sales productivity and dollar return/sq. ft. will be significantly increased by better management of space in a con- trolled and appearance enhancing manner. A major factor determining whether customers will return to your store is how enjoyable and efficient they find the shopping experience. This begins with layout. our Y store de- sign should make it easy for customers: • to get in • get around • and check out 4 For this, you will need to have: • logical aisle patterns • locations for merchandise • service and support areas Developing a clear vision of your business touches on some of the most important aspects of store design and layout. Pay particular attention to the following factors: • The exterior should be inviting, with display windows that indicate to customers what your store is all about. • Change window displays often. Windows displays send a clear message of your professionalism. They communicate style, content, and price. • Outside signage should reflect the feel of your business whether contemporary, trendy, traditional or garden style setting and be very easy to read. • The most productive merchandising area in your store is a 20 foot semicircle just inside your front door. This area should be open and inviting. • Silent salespeople: 1. In-store displays can dramatically increase your sales. It is important to keep these tidy and reorganized regularly. 2. Merchandise signs are also “silent salespeople”. They help customers make informed buying decisions by adding to their knowledge of your products and services. At a more subtle level, signs also make customers feel smarter, help them make decisions faster, and let them know that they are making good choices, and thereby eliminating buyer’s remorse. • In store signage is important: Research has shown that signage can make a huge difference in selling merchandise. Consider the following data: 1. Adding a selling-price sign to a display can increase sales by 24 percent 2. Adding a descriptive or benefit sign to regular-priced merchandise can increase sales by 33 percent 3. Adding a benefit sign to sale merchandise can increase sales by 49 percent 4. Sales increase with the size of the sign especially when a printed sign is used instead of a handwritten sign • Consistent, professionally printed or desktop published signage changed often, will keep the look of your store fresh. • Any in store posters must also fit your message. • Walls are extremely powerful merchandising areas because you can display vertically. • The width of the aisles in your store should reflect both the scale of the store and your customer traffic. Industry standards suggest no less than 4 foot wide aisles. • The ceiling height should be as high as possible and unobtrusive so as to draw atten- tion to the displayed merchandise. • Fluorescent lights are great for economy but incandescent lights are by far the best for lighting merchandise. Additional track lighting is good for important display areas. • Floor treatments should be easy to maintain and clean. III. ALwAys PLAN yOUR DIsPLAys FIRsT Before actually setting up your display, plan it carefully. To plan, most visual merchandisers’ put their ideas and thoughts on paper and prepare sketches. 5 This way you know exactly where the various props should be placed and the effect they will have. This will also save quite a bit of wear and tear in moving items from one corner to another. Good results can only be assured through thoughtful preparations. • UNIFORMITy OF ThOUghT Only one central theme per vignette or display area • hARMONy In color and form • PROPs Use those, which are in proportion to the area, space, and designs • AVOID MONOTONy Use contrasts in rhythm, in color, line and form Use colors that fall in line with seasons • LOCAL/NATIONAL NEws Tie in displays with local or national events • sPACE Never crowd a display or vignette full of product. Always leave space around each item to show the merchandise to its best advantage • MAINTAIN CONsIsTENCy Do not mix styles or trends, i.e., ultra-modern with traditional • sIMPLICITy Limit the number of competing elements in the display • REMEMBER ThE PURPOsE Avoid anything that might distract from the Sales Message IV. FORECAsTINg AND CREATINg A DIsPLAy CALENDAR Few departments in any retail store have the natural appeal and attraction of a Profession- al Retail Florist – when the product is well merchandised. Spending a little time visiting other retail establishments will give you information on specific aspects of the competition that customers see every day. You will come back with a lot of ideas that will help clarify your vision of your business. The contrast should be evident. Flowers, plants, and related floral items are always an inviting product. The appearance of floral merchandise itself is the most important factor in creating an im- pression that will attract customers. This is why proper maintenance of fresh and perma- nent displays is so very important. It is important to give close attention to holiday merchandising. The amount of merchan- dise sold during the holidays varies greatly from those sold in a normal week.