By Lizzie Weakley

A successful store is literally built around good products. Of course, the ultimate goal is to provide customers with what they want, but sometimes it takes factors beyond the product to make sales happen. Your store is a big part of that process; when it’s attractive and inviting, you are more likely to be able to draw in customers and get them to buy your products. Here are five little things you can do to create that inviting atmosphere in your store.

A sharp appearance for staff

A common complaint of retail customers is that they can’t find help when they need it. Some businesses like to allow employees to wear their own clothes with a store-provided name tag, but that can make it hard for customers to recognize them. Using nice work uniforms will keep your staff happy while making the experience better for customers.

Using your products

The best testimonial is a product in action. Customers who see you using your products in the store will assign you greater credibility because you are willing to let them see how a product looks, works, and holds up. If you sell musical instruments, play one of them. If you sell apparel, wear it. Let customers see things in use. You might not be able to do this during the workday, but give your employees discounts and other opportunities to familiarize themselves with the stock of the store. That way, they will be able to more easily recommend products to customers.

Illuminating featured areas

Our eyes are naturally drawn to light. When we see things brightly lit, they draw our interest. A simple way to bring customers to your featured products is to set up track lighting, a lamp, or some other form of lighting to draw their eyes toward those particular products. You should put thought into your lighting scheme and how you might use to draw the customer’s eye, while ensuring that everything is easily visible.

Sounds & smells

Many buildings have their own distinctive aromas and sounds. They may or may not be conducive to sales. Introducing controlled sounds and smells can help set a more pleasant tone for shoppers. It could be a streaming music channel or just the sounds of nature, accompanied by scent diffusers of some kind. What exact combination you should use depends on the aesthetic of your store, but don’t forget to think about what can best fit with your store.

Merchandise carriers

Customers can only buy what they can carry. Although we typically think of discount and grocery stores as the main places where this applies, it’s true in smaller stores as well. A simple basket or a reusable bag can free up the customer’s hands enough to make the visit more comfortable for them and more profitable for you.

The pursuit of better sales should begin with the pursuit of happier customers. When your store is inviting, comfortable, and helpful, your customers will spend more time and money with you. Small details can elevate your store from good to great.

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Lizzie Weakley is a freelance writer from Columbus, Ohio. In her free time, she enjoys the outdoors and walks in the park with her husky, Snowball.