Exterior signage can greatly impact the success, or failure, of any retail brick-and-mortar store. In fact, according to a University of Cincinnati Economic Center study, about 60% of businesses reported that changing or enhancing their exterior retail store design had a positive impact on sales.
“There’s no question that attention-grabbing signage has the power to pick up new customers and get business moving. Effective signage is not limited to the front door. It encompasses everything from in-store materials, to car clings, to posters and banners.”
— Randy Scarborough, Vice President of Marketing, FedEx Office
The exterior design of any retail space represents two key opportunities for the retailer: to convey information about what is inside the store, and to create or reinforce a perception about the business. And in the age of omnichannel retail, ecommerce and mobile shopping, brick-and-mortar stores have to fight harder than ever to stay relevant amid an increasingly competitive retail landscape. But before any retailer dives into the storefront design process, they should consider these questions first.
Question 1: Who are my customers, and why do they like my brand?
Most retail stores have a broad understanding of who their customers are. However, understanding the target audience on a more granular level is a crucial first step in revamping the retail storefront. Age, demographics, common interests and purchasing patterns are all ways to step outside of what leaders think the brand can or should attract, and step into what the brand actually attracts. Once business owners have a more thorough understanding of this, they will have more insight into which elements of their visual merchandising to play up and which to leave out.
Question 2: What is my brand now?
When undergoing a storefront redesign, retail businesses need a clear picture of what customers see in the brand right now. Basic market research — what words do customers associate with the brand, why do they come into this store, what is this store known for — can provide a foundation for strategic planning.
This research will always be an ongoing process. What a brand meant to its customers ten years ago is not necessarily what it means to customers now. Moreover, how consumers interact with brands now is certainly not the same as ten years ago:
- 50% of shoppers use their phones in store.
- 59% use mobile to compare prices while still in the store.
- 50% use mobile to get product details when in store.
By understanding who the customers are, what they think and feel about the brand, and how they interact with it, retailers can take a data-driven approach to articulating the right message through their storefront.
Question 3: What do I want my brand to communicate, and what are my options?
Once retailers have the necessary information and data points established, they can start thinking through changes to store exterior elements. To begin, retailers should consider:
- Which storefront elements will communicate the right message about this brand.
- Which storefront elements this brand should avoid.
- Which storefront elements can be incorporated into an omnichannel retail strategy.
Depending on the brand’s look and feel, there are a number of elements retailers can incorporate in their exterior store design: point-of-purchase displays, posters, hanging signs, floor graphics, digital signs, window vinyls, window displays, murals, backlit displays, pillar wraps, banners and marquees.
Using a mixture of these signage elements can help retailers properly position themselves in the minds of their customers while standing out from the competition.
