What is your store communicating?
If your store had a voice, what would it say? How would it describe itself to passing shoppers? What tone of voice would it use to attract your attention? Is it soft or loud? Insane or intelligent?
As your store lacks the vocal ability to convince customers through it’s threshold, storefront and interior decor are the next best thing. Do you know if your store is communicating the right message? Do your customers receive a different message than the one you intended?
The Lomography Store in L.A. is a perfect example of a focused delivery of brand awareness and overall clarity. From the showcase of cameras, to the ceiling-high wall of photos, it is hard to miss the message. The interior is designed to promote the joy of photography; and will charm any passerby who isn’t a Lomo fan already. What may seem like a simple task, is actually the hardest challenge for most retailers today. Many stores will send mixed messages in the hopes of attracting different types of customers, but end up only confusing them (boutique or outlet, high-end or cost friendly, made locally or national reseller, choose one) By minimizing or removing distracting products, services or elements throughout your store can help focus your message. For the Lomography Store, the product display was obvious, but the challenge was to avoid becoming a museum of general photographic history. Lomo photography is a low-entry camera designed to make quirky and original images, the store should reflect that and nothing more.
Stand outside your store (or another) and listen for the message.
GlobalShop 2010
Creative Solutions is packing up for a road trip. We will be attending this year’s GlobalShop held in Las Vegas. The first time we attended was in 2006 in Chicago and were blown away by the amount of resources there. We’ve been yearning to go back to see what’s new ever since.
GlobalShop hosts the latest vendors in retail and store design. Everything you need from lighting to signage and mannequins to fixtures. It is a visual merchandisers heaven.
Take a look at some photos of previous shows. We will be micro-blogging while there and will upload tons of photos upon our return. Follow us on Twitter, @iheartcs, for more images and tips from seminars we will be attending.
Alesco Booth
Infinity Booth
Musak Booth
‘Tis the Season
Oh, it’s that time of year again, Christmas. For Creative Solutions, Christmas begins in July. Our crew begins the process of bringing out our clients decor, testing the lights, re-stranding garlands and trees, dusting off ornaments and making sure everything is in working condition.
If we are designing a package, we begin the process in January. Recently we headed to Atlanta for the Christmas Market in search of new ornamentation. It is amazing the amount of decor that is offered. Over three floors of vendors! We are kids in a candy store.
I love walking from showroom to showroom and seeing all of the wonderful pieces.
We aren’t always able to use items that we fall in love with, but at least we can share some of our findings.
We will be posting images of our installation this season so check back. And if you pass someone covered in glitter, remember Santa is coming!
