Five Ways to Increase Your Brand's Visual Impact

People always ask me how to create fabulous displays...
but the truth is, your visual impact as a business
starts BEFORE you ever put products in your store.

When I work with clients to design their retail environments and displays,

I start with this principle: ‘Tell Your Own Story’ in all visual communications.

Make your brand a consistent expression of your business’ individual mission, purpose, style, and products or services – and then leverage that brand by using it in every visual medium at your disposal. This is the main opportunity for you to show your potential customers why YOU are different than others – be proud of your individuality and build on it.

Let me explain that concept this way: Have you ever tasted a Cabernet wine?

If you were to taste one each from Walla Walla, Yakima, Horse Heaven Hills, Indian Wells – all regions in the Eastern half of Washington state – you’d find that not all Cabernets are created equally. The vineyards each have distinct variations in soil content, rainfall, sun exposure, and other conditions, which cause the vines to grow grapes that have vastly different sugar and acid levels, affecting their taste (‘palate’). When harvested and fermented, those variances result in wine that is unique to that grape varietal in that particular location – a Cabernet from Walla Walla is not like a Cabernet from Yakima, or Italy, or France, or Napa, or anywhere else. Your business is not like any other – no matter what you sell, you’re unique because of all of the distinct variations and characteristics that make up your business.

In the wine industry, this concept is called ’Terrior’ (Tehr WAH) – loosely translated, it means ‘Pride of Place’. Or, ‘I’m a proud product of where I come from’. Wineries utilize this concept in the marketing and positioning of their businesses within the industry and to the consumer, by capitalizing on the uniqueness of their terrior. They combine their location, history, resources, processes, mission, and ultimately their product, to create a brand identity that Tells Their Own Story. It’s much the same concept as selling designer jeans or mineral makeup or floral design services – your competition is selling the same basic thing, and it’s your brand image that talks. Be a proud product of ‘where you come from’!

continue reading for steps you can take to implement this information...

Trade Show Booth Concept Design

here's a look at something you haven't seen much of on my design blog: the design concepts i create for NON-retail spaces.

i've shared a few trade show booth shots before, including the display setups i've created for wholesale gift shows in the USA. i've also shared the redesign i undertook with my daughter in her 'Heeling Sole' barefoot massage studio in Texas several years ago. (i'll link all of those posts at the end of this one)

when you combine those two things, you see Deb designing a trade show booth concept for her daughter to set up at the national convention of her industry...

i'd like to share the project with you with the goal of helping you prepare for any trade show, convention, even pop-up space that your business might have as you promote what you do.

continue reading for my narrative and Jeni's input on our process and how those goals were met...

before & after: retail display solutions

A successful retail display doesn't just happen.

it is the result of a combination of knowing the science of retail principles

and the art of composition and placement. 

Both combine to create a 3D work of art that invites customers in - 

and results in sales of product.

There are some retail display design principles that are oh-so-perfectly illustrated

by the following 'before and after shots',

and to discuss them means that I have to critique the 'befores'.

So while I point out all of the flaws in the design below,

know that I realize someone worked hard putting it together...

they just didn't know the most effective way to do so.

continue reading as i describe what was wrong -
and how easily those challenges were addressed...

Containing Community & Commerce

I love watching the changing face of retail...

over my 45 years of involvement with the industry, 

I've seen many 're-inventions' and new concepts rolled out.

Some fail, some succeed.
But I am always wondering 'What's NEXT?' for retail.

I recently had the chance to see a concept that has every reason

to become a successful way to create shopping experiences all over the globe...

The Las Vegas Downtown Container Park 

is probably one of the most unique retail spaces I've seen.
Located on Fremont Street, just a few blocks away from a neon-lit tourist mecca of casinos,

 it's an open-air shopping center and entertainment venue  

that was built in 2013 from 43 re-purposed shipping containers

and 41 locally manufactured Xtreme cubes to create individual retail spaces. 

Situated on three levels,

the center offers wide open spaces along with retail and food service space:

The shops range from boutiques offering a variety of apparel, jewelry and accessories 

to art galleries, home décor and fixtures, 

and a barbershop housed in a retired boxcar and caboose. 

The park also includes restaurants and bars with indoor and outdoor seating, 

a park and raised stage for entertainment, and spots for a quick treat - 

including cupcakes, an old-fashioned candy shop, a gourmet popcorn store, and more.

In all, there are 39 retailers located within the complex.

At first glance, it's a cool industrial vibe.
On second thought, it's a brilliant way to re-purpose shipping containers - 

which too often simply rust away to nothing in salvage yards.

I wonder how many of these centers of commerce and community

could be created in areas around the globe, in virtually any economic setting,

to offer cost-effective venues for merchants, artisans, growers and makers? 

Include service providers - hair, nails, tanning, massage, urgent care, pet grooming - 

and you've another group of small businesses to serve.

We're in the midst of National Small Business Week, 

and I can imagine that this creative and economical kind of structure

could have a far-reaching effect on small businesses in communities everywhere.
What are your thoughts?
Would YOU embrace this in your community? Would YOU rent space like this?

information for this post was gathered from this source

Magnolia Silos Retail, Part Deux

Okay, Y'all.... I promised you MORE photos from my recent visit

to the Magnolia Silos in Waco, Texas...... Here they are!

.

The 2-acre site was formerly an abandoned agricultural property,

then Joanna & Chip Gaines reclaimed, rehabbed, remodeled, revived, and re-branded it

into a retail village, right in the heart of downtown Waco, Texas.

They've made use of the existing structures and architecture in an appealing way...

The first thing you notice when you walk into the development is that it's BIG.
Not just the land... but everything ON it! BIG BIG BIG!

 

 As a matter of fact, it's so BIG that you need directions to find everything. 

There's a MAP for that!

Very smart, if you ask me.... you don't want to miss anything while here,

and the map (located in front of the main retail store from my last Magnolia post) makes sure that you don't.

Along with that main store, there are two other retail buildings on site
(with a third in progress - inside one of the silos!)
The Silos Bakery:

The patio area outside of the bakery is a very nice touch - and it was FULL!

I was unable to visit the inside of the bakery, 

because the line outside was two blocks long

and I wasn't going to ask my family members to wait two hours for me

to get a cupcake and snap some photos.
(but those musta' been some REALLY amazing cupcakes!)

Another building is the Garden Store:

 Signature decor touches and merchandising style reflect the aesthetic of the main store.

This area is much less busy than the main store, but has a nice selection of 

branded apparel and garden tools & accessories.
If you want to take home a Magnolia souvenir but hate waiting in long lines,
I recommend shopping in this location ;) 

Near the Garden Store, across the beds of flowers and vegetables, 

is the Garden Shed (not accessible to guests)

The garden area is decidedly less busy than the large (faux) lawn and picnic table areas,

so it's possible to sit in a willow tree chair and find a bit of silence amidst the crowds...

The facility functions as a community space, 

with room for lawn games, picnics, and stopping to smell the roses

along with - or instead of - shopping for retail treasures.
The only issue is limited parking.... on Friday & Saturday, it's gonna' be a hike.

There is ample space on the grounds for a weekly gathering of gourmet food trucks,

and the twice-yearly 'Silo-bration' event,

where the Gainses invite purveyors of handmade & vintage goods to sell to their customers.

Personally, I think that's smart - it's a way for the loyal Magnolia fans to

get their hands on authentic vintage goods along with the Silos experience - 

because the store's main offerings are 

brand new, mass-produced, home decor accessories, which are available on their website,

with a few handmade items sprinkled in.

.

All in all, I was very impressed with what the Gainses have created,

how it is true to their brand and style,

and how they have brought their tv show to life so that people can experience it in a new way.
They are 'Telling Their Own Story', so to speak... 

which is something I've been advocating in seminars, articles, and blog posts 

for over two decades now.

That's just smart business.

For more about Magnolia Marketplace, the Silos, and Fixer*Upper,
visit the Magnolia website.

.

#MilesToMagnolia

As a retail store designer and visual stylist, I love great store design ideas.
And right now in retail, there's no one with more ideas coming to fruition

than Joanna Gaines, of HGTV's FIXER*UPPER show!

Her Magnolia Empire, built with hubby Chip Carter Gaines, 

includes the massive Magnolia Marketplace in Waco, Texas -

a block of renewed and revived buildings in the center of 'downtown'

(including two giant silos, which earned the development the nickname 'the Silos')

Last weekend, I made the pilgrimage to Waco on my own #MilesToMagnolia adventure

( approximately 1385.8 miles, btw!) 

and while there, I snapped a load of photos of the retail & public spaces at Magnolia Market.

There are a LOT of great ideas that are prefect examples of how retail space planning & design

and simple merchandising practices can elevate a shopping experience.
But it's not just shopping...
Fans of the HGTV show, subscribers to the magazine, antique hounds, and decor mavens

travel far and wide to see this place in person AND to catch a glimpse of Chip & JoJo,

bonafide celebs in a little town that they've helped to revive.
They may have a giant enterprise now, but the Gaines' are entrepreneurs

who have a heart for their small town... much like many of you reading this.
And since so many of my clients are small town biz owners, 

I know you'll find inspiration in what these two have created.

OK.... on to the photos!

I love the way Joanna designed her store around a neutral palette... white, black, and wood tones.
It sets the stage for merchandise of any color in any season to stand out - 

AND it makes those seasonal display changes much easier to accomplish.
Jo switches up the mix of light and dark to create visual impact throughout the space.

Learn more about Jo's design philosophy for her store in her own words,

here on her Magnolia Journal blog.

See how those pops of color bring the displays to life?
Many of the props you see here are made from paper - my favorite cheap material!
Using one material in many areas and in varied ways helps to unify the visual style of a store.

There is continuity of design throughout not only this space, which is the main retail store,

but the entire development.

Notice also that displays 'speak the brand' - reflect the singular aesthetic that Joanna curates

in her design work, product creation, and merchandise mix...

The entry display holds the current issue of Magnolia Journal Magazine - 

and the props perfectly reflect the cover image style and palette. 

THIS is brand image!

I was impressed with the space allowed for aisles and near the cashwrap & shipping counters.
Nothing will ruin a great store faster than narrow aisles that you can't get down.
Even packed with people, this space WORKS for traffic flow and access to the products...

because if your customers can't get close enough to the displays to grab something

and then get processed through checkout in a timely manner,

it doesn't matter HOW gorgeous your store looks.
Retailers entice, engage, entertain, inspire - but we must SELL!

Because I took SO many photos, I'm going to save some for another post....

where we'll look at the other buildings on the property and how they have been incorporated

into the story that is being told at Magnolia Marketplace...

Need help pulling together a visual design plan for your store space or show booth?
Shoot me an email and let's talk shop!
debi.wardkennedy@gmail.com

On Creativity...

This is so true, no matter what it is that you do as creative work.

And it is also true that many people never hear this information... 

they just toil away in silence, hoping and wishing for 'a break' to come. 

Scribbling and drawing, doodling and writing, scratching out sentences and paragraphs.
First drafts become fiftieth drafts... 

and the struggle to reach their lofty visions goes on.

This is how it IS, and how it is SUPPOSED to be. 

Those stories of 'overnight successes' are bunk.
Celebrity can come in an instant - and the instant is often quickly over. 

The phrase 'Fifteen minutes of fame' doesn't lie. 

[Though, admittedly, many celebs outlive that fifteen minutes somehow].

Creativity is a commitment to a pursuit.

You have a dream, a goal, a vision.

You work toward it every day. 

Maybe you can only squeeze in five minutes a day to be creative.

Great!

Snap a photo. Write a sentence. Sketch a scene. Flesh out an idea.

It builds your skills, your ability, your 'eye', your vision - exponentially.

Much like accrued interest on a savings account, 

this kind of devotion to the practice of a craft, an art, a creative work,

is what compounds daily and increases the value.

You just keep getting better at it the more you do it.

[Have you heard about the principle of Ten Thousand Hours?]

Just keep working.

[paraphrasing Dory there...]

Keep writing, or drawing, or snapping photos.

Whatever it is that you create, keep creating it.

And forget the 'published' or 'exhibited' credits...

Even if no one ever sees the work, it's building your vision.

It doesn't matter how long it takes.

One day, you will look at your own work

and smile 

and say out loud to yourself,

"Hey, I'm GOOD at this!"

(now get ready for your moment and cue the paparazzi)
________________________________________

art·ful

ˈärtfəl/

adjective

1. 1.

   (of a person or action) clever or skillful, typically in a crafty or cunning way.

   "her artful wiles"

   synonyms:

   sly, crafty, cunning, wily, scheming, devious, Machiavellian, sneaky, tricky,conniving, designing, calculating; More
2. 2.

   showing creative skill or taste.

   "an artful photograph of a striking woman"

   synonyms:

   skillful, clever, adept, adroit, skilled, expert "artful precision"

.

credits: original quote by Ira Glass . graphic image (top of post) by Sawyer Hollenshead

Published: A Pro Tip from Deb!

*NOTE: please read 'UPDATE 2020' below this post for important info about links *

I was contacted this week (June 2016) by Allan from Fit Small Business.com - 

an online resource for small businesses.

I'd never heard of them (Sorry!) but after he proposed a collaboration, 

I went to the site to check them out.

TWO HOURS LATER.....

Seriously, they have an abundance of resources and materials

featuring educational information for the many varied facets of owning a small business!
I am very impressed - including with the comprehensive coverage of topics.
The articles & posts (this encompasses a website AND blog) are well-written
on a plethora of subjects that apply to many kinds of businesses - including retail.

...and there's SO much more...

Allan had come across my past blog posts on cash wraps (find them here and here)
and wanted to ask if I would consider adding the Fit Small Biz post about cash wraps to mine.
After reading their article, I was already leaning to 'YES!'...

Then Allan offered to insert content from me into one of their top-ranking articles!

Excellently written by Jason Rueger, their post is on the subject of store planning & design - 

and my recently published article in Gift Shop Magazine also focuses on retail space planning, 

so the concept of Zone Design was a perfect fit.
I pulled some information together, sent it off to Allan, 

and just a few hours later he emailed to tell me it's live. ALREADY!
I'm even MORE impressed now...

After reading his email, I went to their site to check out the article (and grab a few screen shots)...

They've chosen to add me in as a 'Pro Tip', with a link to my website.

I immediately clicked over here and added the Fit Small Business link 

to both of my own cash wrap blog posts, 

as well as their blog link in the 'Resources' sidebar section.
And I'm giving them a shout-out in a dedicated post because honestly,
anyone who can do business in a manner that is beneficial to both parties

and that benefits a LOT of readers deserves a spotlight.

I highly recommend them - so head over to Fit Small Business.com right now,

and plan to spend a couple of hours perusing their content.
Including the store planning post that features my Pro Tip!
You're going to learn a LOT.

the article appears at http://fitsmallbusiness.com/planning-your-store-layout/
see update 2020 below.

Thank you again, Allan, for the opportunity to collaborate with you on this.
I look forward to working with you again!

UPDATE 2020
Fit Small Business contacted me in a flurry of emails last week
to 'ask' me to remove ALL of my links to their site.
on January 2, 2020, the original article penned by Jason Rueger was edited (AND re-attributed),
with the content of MANY small business contributors deleted. Mine included.
So all of us who provided our expertise and insight in content to FSB,
with no pay and with agreement in good faith for a live link to our own sites, were erased.
Even my COMMENT on the article was erased.

I have deleted the live links to the FSB site from every location on my blog.
The link to the article that this post refers to has been changed to a typed reference rather than live link.
The photo above shows how my content appeared originally.
If you visit that article on their site now, you will see it is missing.

It doesn't escape my attention that the re-write of the article contains NEW 'tips' with live links 
that lead to very large corporations selling products and services. 
FSB claims they support small biz, but they only promote giant corporations instead of the small business owners who have given of their time & talent to support THEM.

I can no longer support or recommend FitSmallBusiness as a resource for small business owners.