Time for Fall Displays!

 
Fall isn't here yet - but it's time for fall displays!

We're all in a summer vacay mode, I know...
but if you haven't begun planning and installing your fall merchandise & displays yet, get to work NOW and install them as soon as you can in August. That way you'll grab the attention of shoppers who are just gettin' in the autumn mood! 

Whether you own a brick and mortar store, an online shop, or sell in a booth at shows, it's always a good idea to look ahead. Consider it the same thing as watching the weather segment on the news to see the extended forecast - we want to know what's coming up, how to plan, and what to expect... 

In retail psychology, applying this to the presentation (visual merchandising & display) of your products also creates a sense of urgency - a reason to buy NOW: 'Get this season's products before they are gone, and be ready to get the next season's hot deals as soon as they release!' Being ahead of the curve by planning and getting those new products out on display BEFORE the new season is a must.

HOW do you do that for fall? Here are some of my top tips:

Fixtures made of warm wood or painted in natural tones will set off the merchandise - and the style is up to you. A rustic wood picnic table is the perfect setting for some woodsy tableware and linens with an outdoor or camping theme, while a sleek lacquered walnut bookcase can present books, food products, candles, and glassware with contemporary flair. 


Build a seasonal look for fall by bringing in the elements from outdoors in every display... one might have a large real tree branch with crisp leaves hung overhead to bring a mood to a table set beneath it, or a rustic planter with a real grapevine 'zhooshed' up with faux leaves and grape bunches, to set off the wine theme merchandise. Try adding a small stack of split firewood or kindling in a glass jar to a display of woodland scent candles... it doesn't take a lot!


The warm tones seen in nature and food in autumn are a perfect base to build on for the season... the hues of farms, fields, produce, and landscapes aging into faded colors add warmth as the weather begins to shift. The addition of books, pillows, blankets, candles, and other similar elements to displays will create a sense of layering, coziness, and warmth that your customers will want to replicate in their rooms and on their tables.


Continue reading for links to posts filled with autumn display inspiration... 

Red, White, Blue... #WhatsInYOURWindows ?

  

Summer is here (unofficially) and if you haven't done it yet,
it's time to refresh shop windows AND online photos for the season.
Gather up the red, white, and blue products & props in your storage room
and let's get you in motion to create effective displays!

Continue reading for classic summer display ideas,
created for a resale store in Southern California...
plus links to MORE posts with MORE ideas!

Art Show Booth Concept Design

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I recently had the joy of assisting Leah Nadeau, a contemporary artist based in Portland, Oregon, in making a huge leap forward in her career by helping her to design and set up her booth display at the renowned Palm Springs Modernism Show. 

(Yes, I AM still retired! The fact that I am not publicly marketing my services any longer doesn't keep me from stepping up occasionally to assist creatives and small business owners by using the skills that I have honed over more than half a century.)  When this talented artist posted on Instagram that she was in need of help at this show in my area, I volunteered. She graciously accepted - enthusiastically! And together, we created a concept and a plan, then put that plan into action as we met at the Palm Springs Convention Center on setup day before the show opened.

Let me share the design-to-installation process with you, along with some 'adventures' that were had along the way...

Design always begins with a goal.
While any activity involving the purchase of goods has an obvious goal (sales), in this case the main goal was to present the artist's artwork in the best way possible - in a way that reflected not just the style of her art, but what inspires her, what she communicates via her art, and how she wants the viewer to experience her art.  

In addition, this artist did this show to expand the exposure of her art, reaching new clients for the art on display in the booth and to reach more clients who desire custom commissioned work. This meant that her art displayed in her booth had to communicate in various ways to various groups of people... and this show attracts more than 15 thousand people over three days every February, and her efforts would be seen by all of them!

For those who came to purchase art during the show, there needed to be a variety of sizes, color palettes, and types of art available - from canvas & framing options to pricing levels, there had to be choices that would appeal to a span of potential buyers.

For those who came to the show to discover new artists with the goal of having custom commissioned work done later, her display needed to show some variety to grab their interest - and she prepared a GORGEOUS catalog with imagery and information about her commission process. It was one of the best pieces of marketing material that I have EVER seen. One of her friends helped her create it - and that's why we say 'It takes a tribe' to succeed. 

Another aspect of her presence at the show was to gather new contacts for her mailing list and to lead people to her website - where she sells more than just original paintings. She offers glassware, textiles, home & gift goods, and seasonal decor elements featuring her art online, but those weren't allowed to be sold at this show. She brought a few of those items and we used them as 'props' on the table in her booth.

You can see how multi-faceted the design for the booth needed to be to meet these criteria. With those parameters and goals in place, the design process began...

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...