On Display: Trade Show Tips

Are you going to be exhibiting jewelry at a gift or retail trade show this season? Do you plan to submit your product to a showcase display (often referred to as 'Launching Pad', 'New Product Display', etc.)? If so, here are a few tips to help you maximize the visual impact of your product, and make the most of this marketing opportunity:

1. Make sure that you choose STUNNING pieces of your work for the showcase. Think scale, color, composition, and uniqueness. You want items that will make people take notice. Don't be conservative! Go for 'WOW' factor.
2. Provide plenty of product for display designers to work with. 3 or 5 pieces are perfect for a display, so give them six items: Two large, two medium, and two small.

Here's the important thing: Your choices should coordinate, because the display designers can do MUCH more with a cohesive grouping than a slapdash bunch of leftovers. Provide six items that are all in gold metal, or turquoise stones, but each one has a different 'personality'... one is chunky and modern, another is dangly and feminine, yet another is classic and simple. You want impact here, not a hodgepodge of items. Get customers to notice your product, drive them to your booth with this display - then show them your selection firsthand.
3. Provide props or fixtures to enhance the presentation and viewing angles of your products. If you use neck forms, paint them your logo colors to tell your brand story. If you use natural materials - rough stones, metals, woods, shells - in your creations, provide rocks, sand, chunks of wood, or moss to enhance the elements of your designs. If your jewelry is modern, send glass blocks or bubble wrap rolls or tall glass vases to hang the necklaces & bracelets on. Display stylists will love you, AND your products will look better.
4. Be creative when you show off your products. If your jewelry is small, dainty, and hard to see, provide papers, cards, anything you can to help focus attention onto it. Photograph your delicate items and send large photos along with just one perfect item on a neck form. Better to show detail in large scale for impact than to have it overlooked.
5. This may seem to be a no-brainer, but when you drop off or send in items for the displays, make sure that your information is with your product! You company name, booth number, and show division should be included in the container. The name and cell phone number of a person at the show who can be contacted is very helpful - if something is broken, missing, or there are any questions about your product, you want the display stylists to be able to contact you/your employee on site for a solution. Calling the home office two states away isn't really helpful when a replacement part is needed.

6. Beat the submission deadline. If your items are supposed to be there by noon, get them there at 9 AM. If you are supposed to mail them in by the 10th, get them there by the first. Be prepared. Be early. Why? First come, first served. Your position on a list means nothing when it comes down to fitting it all into a small area. All trade show display stylists can tell you that the early birds get the best spots. (And no amount of wheelin', dealin', whining or bitching is going to make up for the fact that you brought us your product two hours after the deadline. Or on your way out of the show hall that night. Or worse, early on the morning that the show opens. You're in the back row, lower level, baby. And we don't care HOW many years you've been selling at this gift show - in which case, you really should know better.) This is your marketing.... take it seriously.

7. Check on your product. Early on the morning the show opens, go over to the display and look at your product. Make sure it is displayed properly (not upside down, etc.) and that your information is correct - your business name, booth number, and show division are all correct on the tent card provided by the show. If there is something that needs to be corrected, let the stylist know. NOW is the time to correct it, not in three hours when the stylist is done and gone.
Please do not walk into the display to do it yourself. Do not move another vendor's items to give yours more space. Do not add or swap items once the display is set. These are professional stylists who work hard to make your product and every other exhibitor's products look their very best. Respect their work, and thank them for their efforts.

8. Look at your competitor's products in this display. What did they send? How is it displayed? Does it express their image well? Does it catch the eye and stand out? Learn from what you see others doing.

Many of these tips apply to other kinds of products as well, helping to elevate your merchandise above the ordinary. With a little preparation and planning, you can take advantage of many free and low-cost marketing opportunities like display showcases at trade shows. It's a great way to add to your presence and square footage at a show.

Photo Credits: all taken by DWK at SGS & SFIGF 2007-8, of product displays created by DWK.

Four Star Displays!

To celebrate the Fourth of July, let's indulge in a bit of red, white, and blue eye candy:
Window Display above at Ralph Lauren; Photo credit and flag created by Swell Dame.
Vignette display by Today's Country Store.
Lifestyle display by Seabold Vintage Market.Vignette Displays at Poppyseeds Boutique.

Happy Independence Day to all of you independent retailers out there... you make America great!

Photo Credits: all but first one (credited in post) by DWK 2009, taken & used with permission of retailer.

Virtual Review: Shop Around the Corner

I was perusing some of my favorite blogs and ran across a recent post on 'Hooked on Houses' that showed photos of Meg Ryan's character's home in the film 'You've Got Mail'. I love that film, and not just because it has a few of my fave actors in it. It deals with the ups and downs (literally) of life as an independent business owner.

However, I'm not writing a film review blog here. When I saw one of these photos, I thought 'Why did they choose that paint color for the store exterior?' - and a lightbulb went on over my head.

I have this wacky idea to take retail shops shown in films and do a 'virtual review' of them. Meaning I'll post the photos here, and then talk about what really works visually and also what doesn't work from a retail standpoint, and make suggestions for changes. This, in turn, is supposed to inspire you when it comes to your own store visual impact. What do you think? Interested? Do I need a more compelling 'trailer' to hook you?!

Let's start with number one, and see how you like it....This shot inspired my original thought of 'Why did they choose that color paint for the store exterior?' It really doesn't enhance the architecture, draw the eye away from other things and TO the store entrance, or reflect the personality of the business itself. Which are all important considerations in your visual impact. But in films, setting itself is a character. It is a visual representation of the backstory and the plot. And this setting is a character that is slowing down, getting old, almost obsolete, is a little bit forlorn, and whose appearance belies the depths of what is going on inside. If it was shown as a person, it would be Kathleen's memory of her mother - growing dimmer, fading, losing focus. And once you realize that, you can see WHY the dark forest green was chosen. It hides a lot. It's probably the color that Kathleen's mom chose all those years ago, and she just keeps painting it the same color to honor that choice. (Which could have been made just because the paint was on discount in the OOPS pile and mama was on a budget, who knows?!)

The sign hanging on the building, however, is absolutely stunning. The use of exuberant script for the name and storybook character additions exemplify the childlike wonder held behind those sad doors, and draw you inside to discover untold wonders. Sounds like I'm describing Meg's character, doesn't it? Your signs should describe your business 'character' in the same way.

If this were my client's storefront, I'd talk to them about their business brand image, what they stand for, the mood they want to create in their store, who their customer is - and then I'd express those qualities on the exterior. Paint would be a soft yellow with crisp white trim, and soft green shutters on the windows. The door would be red- a nice warm orangey poppy red, not a hard fire-engine red. More approachable, less intimidating! These colors are sunny, happy, invigorating, and they appeal to children - and to parents of children. They also express the playful spirit of wonderment and exploration that we find inside. And you have to share that on the outside of your store - or customers will never know what you are all about inside. Oh, and I'd remove the trash and plant happy colorful flowers under the tree, too.
Look carefully at this photo, and you'll see Kathleen (Meg's character) bouncing in the door. She's opening her shop up in the morning, embracing another day. I'd bet almost every customer who walks in those doors experiences the same thing.... for just look at what greets them! Color, everywhere. An infinite selection of books with colorful covers (and we DO judge a book by it's cover, don't we?!) on display at many levels, so that customers of every age and height find something to marvel at. The floor is patterned and fun. There are many details to entice the eye, enchant children, and rekindle memories of childhood for older customers. And THAT is a powerful marketing tool: Memories. It's called 'Emotional Marketing', and it relies on recreating an experience or setting that will transport your customers to another time & place. Yes, it takes effort - but it pays off. Want an example? Disneyland. 'Nuff said.

The overhead light fixtures are large, and emit warm light to entice a slower pace, browsing, and an escape into the worlds that books open up to us. Here, there is no clock, no time (except StoryTime), and no hurrying. Smaller lamps are also placed within the shelving to add dimension to the book displays. Especially with overhead florescent lighting, it is absolutely imperative to bring in warm ambient light. Without it, colors look faded, details go flat, and moods deteriorate. Doubt that? Go to Kmart for half an hour. ;(

Stuffed animals, toys, and assorted merchandise is added to the mix as a contrast to the hard surfaces of books. In design, this is standard - offset hard with soft, smooth with rough, light with shadow. From a retail standpoint, this is a classic tip for increasing your per transaction totals: Offer the book and the companion CD, stuffed animal, or backpack, and most people will grab both as a gift, instead of just one. Make it easy, and it works. It also makes your displays look much more interesting.

What I would change here is those freestanding units in the center of the room. There are some low cubbies on them that are dark, not doing the products any justice. And even tho we want things to be reachable for kids here, the bottom shelves on the sides are located below overhangs - I can see a few head bonks happening. Better to bring in some nesting tables, which provide varying levels in which to display merchandise. It's a bit more flexible, and if you use colored tables, more visually interesting, too.
This shot shows a windowed alcove that houses Kathleen's office. I love this! She has some privacy, but is available to staff and customers as well. In some cases, it's absolutely impossible to do this in a business environment, but in a small independent store, you ARE your business. People want to know the person behind it all. Being available sends a very powerful message to your customers and your staff - even if it's just for a part of your business day, this is a smart move. The quirky touches added by the production design team here jump out at me: mini-lights are strung haphazardly (because we all know that Kathleen and her staff hung them late at night after closing when they were exhausted, because that's the only chance they had, right?!), little handmade red paper hearts dance along the shelf edges, and treasured old volumes of childhood favorites are tucked into the glass case by Kathleen's office. It's not generic, it's not cookie-cutter, it's not what you will find anywhere else on earth. And that is exactly what makes it work. Anything you can do to make your store stand out from others (in a GOOD way! ;0) ) is going to help you. This includes your product mix, too! Make it memorable.
This shot of the store's cashwrap shows some great tips:
*Create a large visual behind your cashwrap (register counter). When customers are looking at the staff member behind the register, what they REALLY see is what's behind that person. Is it expressing your store's personality, values, brand image? Are there interesting things to see, information, educational opportunities, or product for sale? Or is there a messy stack of something on a back counter, waiting to be put away? This is very valuable real estate, so use it wisely.

*Use the counter space near your register to display 'Point of Purchase/POP' merchandise, also known as 'impulse buys'. In Kathleen's shop, we see a few stacks of small books, what may be a container of bookmarks, etc., and behind her there is a hook with canvas book bags on it. These all relate directly to a customer's purchase of a book and are low-cost products, and therefore are an easy add-on to their purchase. (You remember sales 101, right? 'Would you like fries with that?' IN this case, it's 'Would you like a bookmark to go with that? How about a bag for the gift to go into?' They are already buying - it's not hard to add another item for a lesser price to that. The power of suggestion goes a long way.)

*Again we see a small lamp, casting warm light onto the counter, and fresh flowers in a cup. These add a softness to the hard counter surface & edges, and create a feeling of home, warmth, calm, and comfort. You want to slow down here.... which gives the store ample time to tempt you with those POP items mentioned above. This is also the place for flyers for your upcoming sale, event, or new product introduction. A nice idea is to offer them up in containers, rather than having leaning stacks of paper all over the counter.

*Even with all of this going on around & on the cashwrap, it is still important to leave plenty of room for customers to place their selections AND their purses or checkbooks. Don't make the space too small, or even one item that they buy will seem large in proportion to it - and that may make them reconsider their choice. A large, wide counter area will make their selection seem smaller.

You can see by all of this that retail is driven by psychology. It is by manipulating space, visuals, lighting, sound, smell, and mood that we influence customers to enter, stay, browse, buy, and return. It is an endless exercise in change, endurance, growth, education, and imagination that enables retailers to stay on top of their game and at the forefront of their customer's minds. Yes, what you sell IS important - but even the very best merchandise won't sell at full price if it's presented in torn boxes on dirty shelves. Visual impact is a huge part of business, and utilizing the principles that have been proven to work can help you build a better business.

If you liked this post, let me know! I've got a few other 'locations' scouted to bring you in future posts... and if YOU have favorite movies with shops, boutiques, or other kinds of retail sales venues in them, send me the title or link. I'll look them up and see what I can do to include them in this series.

Disclaimer: I'm pulling photos from other resources, but I'll be identifying and linking to those resources in each post, and crediting the film studios - as this is their property. I see this done a lot on blogs & web sites, and am under the general understanding that since I am not being paid for providing this info & photos, and am crediting the original and secondary source, I am ok doing this. If you know a solid and legal reason to refute that, please let me know. Thank you.

By the way, the saddest part of this film is when Kathleen closes her failed store. On the last night, as she leaves for the last time, she stands in the doorway, looks at the barren, empty space, and remembers 'Twirling' with her mother when she was a child, in that very shop that her mother owned. It is the death of a shared lifetime dream, and her deep despair leaps off of her face and into the viewer's heart. Anyone who has ever faced this situation knows that awful feeling. At that point, it's not about numbers or P&Ls or spreadsheets. It's about the soul of your business being let go....and a little bit of yourself along with it. Let's do what we can do together to keep you from having to face that particular 'end scene', shall we?

Photo Credits: found on 'Hooked on Houses' blog; photos and title property of Warner Brothers Pictures. Buy a copy of this film at Amazon.

Country Business Magazine Article

(Don't let that cover photo scare you! I'm not going to start talking about the Holidays quite yet!) Back in May, Susan Wagner, Editor of Country Business Magazine, contacted me about writing an article for an upcoming issue. They had a Display Challenge in the works, and wanted me to serve as the 'Retail Visual Expert' for it. I was asked to review each entry and write an article to accompany photos of each display. How could I pass that up?!

One of the best things about working in this facet of the retail industry is seeing how creativity and imagination can lift merchandise above the ordinary. The three stylists that were chosen to participate in this Display Challenge were all given exactly the same products and guidelines. They each added their own style and flair, resulting in three very different, successful displays. I was able to contact each of the stylists and ask some questions about their processes, then include that info in the article. I'd like to offer a special thank you to Country Business staff display stylist Nancy Borsodi for sending me a wealth of helpful information regarding display techniques - and I put ALL of it in the article!

You can read about their inspiration, process, and tips in the current (July/August) issue of Country Business Magazine. Susan, thank you again for the opportunity...

Great Displays In Small Spaces from VMSD

VMSD Magazine online has added a new page, featuring reader-submitted photos of displays in small shops and spaces. It's a fabulous new resource for inspiration.

Photos #46 and #47 show displays that I included in the Retail ReDesign at Poppyseeds in Stanwood, Washington. I submitted several to VMSD last month and was just notified that they used a few on this page. The Poppyseeds girls are going to love that!

Have you created some great displays in your store? VMSD is always accepting new content, and a link is provided on the page above for you to submit your own. C'mon, don't be shy - Send them in!

Retail IS Change.... and Retail Is Changing

My dear friend Sue Kirby has a tagline that I love: 'Why Do when you can OVERdo?!' (and you really have to hear Sue say it in her own inimitably enthusiastic way to appreciate it!). When it comes to visual impact, I'm in total agreement. Go big or go home. Go Overboard. Retail is Theater - Entertain them. We've heard those mantras for years....

But in the midst of our changing economy and retail landscape, there is a debate underway. It has to do with how far retailers should go to either scale back and slim down their approach to selling OR ramp it up and encourage spending. The author of a retail blog on the Visual Merchandising & Store Design (VMSD) web site, Kristen D, Godsey, addresses the question of what direction retail design should be heading:"Muted and serene, or financially obscene?"

In her opinion, "The design landscape needs both."

It's a very interesting subject with two vastly differing viewpoints. Ms. Godsey presents them in perfect balance... check out her post here. Great reading for designers and retailers alike, as the basic concepts discussed here extend beyond retail store decoration, and should get you thinking about what products to carry and how your customers are shopping, decorating, and living these days. Ready for another mantra? 'Knowledge is Power'.

Photo Credit: Image from Anchini Retail, of L.A. Store

Display Inspiration

A few more incredible displays to inspire you, from dealers at the Funky Junk Sisters Antique Show & Flea Market.... If you click on the links under each photo, you'll see more photos and info on the web sites & blogs of each dealer.

In the photo above, American Country & Swedish style combine in simply fresh displays from very gifted designer Liz, of Seabold Vintage Market . She needs to write a book!
Stellar use of vertical space in her displays and excellent use of color in displays and products, from Stacie Tate at Tate's Totes
More Americana with a touch of Shabby Chic combine to present a front porch feel, from the talented Amy & Khris at Today's Country Store
Another front porch scene, complete with swing, from the talented duo of John & Bob of JOHNBob cooljunk (no online resources, sorry - but look for them at Washington & Oregon shows!)
A warm, welcoming display of primitives from Luann & display stylist Tammy at Folk Art Gatherings.

Thank you to each of these vendors for permission to share the photos I took at the show. I believe we can all learn from each other, not by copying something we have seen but by being inspired and then letting our own imaginations take us to the next level. I also know it is important to acknowledge the skilled creations & presentation of artisans such as these... they don't do it for the applause, but they do appreciate getting it!

Now, go create something new in your store that will inspire your customers...

Columbia Winery Remodel: BEFORE...

These BEFORE shots are of Columbia Winery over the past few years. Take a good look....






.... scroll down to see part of the process and the amazing AFTER photos....

....During......

These photos show just a few of the components of the Interior Design Concept Plan that I created last fall for this project. I compiled all of my work into an entire book/binder, outlining the design concept, filled with content information, material recommendations & specifications, specific ordering resources, and reference materials. That book was delivered to the company on December 15, 2008. There are many more resources than this included in it, but this gives you the general idea of how a project goes from 'before' to 'after'...

Final Reveal: Columbia Winery Interior Design

On Friday night, Columbia Winery will celebrate the 'official' re-opening of their visitor center and tasting facility following a major remodeling project. A media event and then public unveiling will reveal what nearly a year's worth of planning, designing, and then construction has created.

Last December, I completed an interior design concept plan for the existing facility, and handed it over to the powers that be for the next phase. I've shared bits and pieces of the design project here on the blog, and now you can see the results of hard work by a team of very talented people.
Today, I went in to get a look at the finished project. Absolutely stunning! There were changes from my original plan, which is of course to be expected when others take it over. They made sense and added to the overall success of the remodel (a swap in the position of two rooms, placing the bride's room nearer to the restrooms and putting the VIP Tasting Room on the exterior wall with an additional access door).

The change is remarkable! What you experience now at Columbia Winery is a welcoming sense of hospitality, education, entertainment, and experience.... and a marvelous sense of vista, revealed when the fireplace block in the center of the room was removed.





A really great job was done on this project by Wilcox Construction and everyone involved through the whole process. This new environment tells the Columbia Winery story, honors their history, builds their brand, and presents the very best image of the company and the product - and every last one of those were my goals for the design that I created & delivered to them.

A toast.... to Columbia Winery!
__________________________________________________________________

Edited on 6/30 to Add: Perception of words is an interesting thing. They can be easily misconstrued to mean just about anything.

Several changes to this post have been made by me, in order to stop an incorrect perception.
To clarify wording:

Changes to my original post include my use of the term 'interior design plan' - I have added the word 'concept' for clarification of what exists of my contribution. It now reads as 'interior design concept plan' so as not to imply that there were not other people who took over the design details as the project proceeded. Whomever they were, they did a great job, as I have said.

I also changed the wording of the last paragraph, adding 'and delivered to them' to clarify that I was not taking credit for the entire design. Just credit for what I created in November & December and delivered to them in December of 2008.

I deleted the line that apparently caused the most furor: 'And if I may say so, great design by moi.' Again, my original contributions are evident. That's design work. If it reads as my claiming total control, my apologies to the offended. (And consider that it's also pretty offensive on THIS side of things to be told you had nothing to do with it when you obviously DID......)

I also deleted the final sentence of the original post, that read: 'click click click click.... That's me, walking out the door after a job well done.' I guess (for some who read this post on Friday night at the event) I need to explain that one: I went there on Thursday to see the final outcome. I took photos. I felt the job in its entirety had been done splendidly and was thrilled to see the final result, and even said exactly that to three employees whom I know that were there that day. I felt all along that my contribution to this particular project was the very best I had to give this company - a company that I have always given my best to as I created displays, event decor, and other facility plans for over the past five years. I then walked out the door, happy that I had something to do with the project.

I don't know quite how this all got turned into something it isn't. But this correction, clarification, and apology to those who may have been slighted is all I can offer. It's not enough for some, I know - there is more to every story, and that is true here, as well. But from a business standpoint, I've attempted to right the record. That is all I can do this late in the game.

The perception is that I was claiming total responsibility for this project. I did not intend to imply that in anything that has been presented here, but it was perceived that way. I have said that I created the original plan and handed it over in December, and others involved in the process of the project took it from there. Because I know only the name of the contracting firm and not the names of persons in corporate design or other trades involved, I offered a general comment that 'everyone involved' has done a great job in bringing the project vision to completion with their hard work. If this has demeaned or slighted any of those people, you have my most sincere apology.

The design style of the finished project embodies the design concept plan that I created for the company & delivered to them. This is how the design process works - it starts at one point and evolves. Just as during the two months that I was researching and creating the concept, things changed rapidly with phone calls, emails, and discoveries of new ideas to include, that also continued after I was done. Each phase brings more people into it, and although I was not involved in the entire building process, I am proud of my contributions way back in the beginning - I can see many elements, materials, fixtures, and space specifications in the final decor that are included in my design. I have also acknowledged that changes were made.

There are very few building projects that begin with one drawing and end up exactly the same - they all involve evolution and choices along the way. That does not negate the input that any one person has in the process. I said it started with my vision and went from there.... and it did. The fact that I stated my goals for the design concept I created for them is not a negative reflection on anyone, nor a claim of ownership. It says that when I was hired to design the new decor, I wanted to achieve these goals in what I did for them, and seeing the final reveal makes me proud. My name isn't on it and it never will be - I knew that when I handed over the design book in December and ending my involvement with the project. I was hired to design what the facility & decor would look like from a visual perspective, to serve as a basis for what the architect and contractor would develop. And I did that.

What the company did with my concept and resource materials after receiving them from me was up to them -that's the client's prerogative on any job. I've been told that because they made changes to it, I can't claim involvement in it at all. They have said that I wasn't at construction meetings, so I couldn't possibly have contributed to it. Someone called to tell me to take the photos of my design process and materials and the final rooms down from my blog. Where did THAT come from? Even the recommendation given to me by this company includes references to 'full winery design & floorplan'. (See my sidebar) They know the truth.

This post applauds the final project and the team that brought it into reality, shares my thoughts & photos of how I feel it embodies many of the elements and concepts I envisioned (indeed, I did say 95% in my Facebook post. And when I look at it, 95% of it looks like what I envisioned the whole facility would look & feel like when the project was complete. The spec sheets bear that out. The early concept drove the later choices made by others. How is that misleading or demeaning?), and says that I think Columbia Winery has a fabulous new facility. And I do.

Again, perception is everything.

This will be my last post in regard to work I have done for this company. I have promoted them freely here since the beginning of this blog, but in light of this recent treatment, I will no longer do so.