Small business design tips that boost retail sales

By Cooper Klein

Small business and start-ups have a challenging and arduous journey ahead, as the road to long-term success in the overly competitive marketplace is full of obstacles. Even more so when you take into account the unfavorable position every small business finds itself in during those grueling months (and sometimes, years) spent building a trusted and reputable brand, all the while driving innovation and trying to retain a strong employee collective.

Needless to say, it is imperative to boost sales as soon as possible to establish a positive revenue stream and solidify your position in the market. This can be achieved with meticulous design that will help your customers create an emotional bond with your store. So, let’s take a look at the design tips every small business should follow on the road to success.

Finding the perfect location

It should go without saying that a growth-oriented retail store should be located in a pristine location with plenty of daily traffic. You need potential clients and customers to be aware of your existence in the heart of the city. Alas, not all start-ups can afford to buy or lease a prominent location in the business district or the main promenade.

Don’t worry – given the fact that the modern urban culture has created entire thriving microcosms out of the surrounding neighborhoods, by effectively shifting the emphasis from the heart of the city to the surrounding local communities, you have the opportunity to find true gems wherever you look. So, focus on meticulous market research, and find a location that is in close proximity to your exact demographic.

[amazon_link asins=’B004AP9TQM’ template=’ProductAd’ store=’succeedingi0d-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’1cad8ec5-8387-11e8-99e4-81bc38079412′]Devising a strong marketing strategy

Marketing is omnipresent in the modern world, and it has become an inextricable part of the modern lifestyle. There is no escaping it, both in the digital and the analogue plain. The design of your SMB goes above and beyond the design of your physical store, and ventures into the realms of online and offline marketing.

All of the pieces of the design puzzle need to fall perfectly into place, and this cannot be done without matching your marketing efforts with your physical store layout and your brand identity. To achieve this perfect synergy across all plains, you want to invest in building a strong online presence that will fully reflect your store’s identity, its visuals, its unique vibe, as well as its tone of voice. Spread this online identity across all relevant social media platforms and you will boost brand recognition significantly.

[amazon_link asins=’9491727656′ template=’ProductAd’ store=’succeedingi0d-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’db5ecf05-8386-11e8-9f67-e9de6bf1a8c2′]Optimizing in-store experience

Creating the perfect layout that inspires shoppers to explore and fill their baskets has become an art form in its own right. Ultimately, it will be the interior design of your store and the unrivalled shopping experience you create for your customers that will set you apart from your competition, and help you build a loyal following that will not only keep coming back, but will bring new customers with them.

This is not something you can achieve without research and professional backup. In creating the perfect floor plan that will guide customers on their shopping journey, designing lighting schemes that accentuate relevant focal points, and supplying the place with plenty of fresh air, consulting a professional studio such as Superdraft is essential. After all, experienced architects and interior designers are the people behind the success of some of the biggest retail brands in the world.

By combining deep industry insights obtained by market research with the expertise of professional designers, you can create a floor plan that is not only functional, but also influences the customer on an emotional level as well.

Upsell by guiding the shopper throughout

Interior designers map out the entire path a shopper should take, from the moment they step into your store, to the moment they reach the sales counter. A meticulously designed floor plan will not only create an aesthetically pleasing, decluttered space, but it will also help you boost sales by gradually upselling your products as the customer moves towards the checkout.

[amazon_link asins=’1780676875′ template=’ProductAd’ store=’succeedingi0d-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’e4375d5e-8386-11e8-a42b-6bb872b03e3d’]This is why you should use the path leading to the checkout to surround the customers with impulse-buy products that are relevant and would enrich their shopping experience. Just imagine what this could mean for your annual profit margin if every customer were to pick up a single affordable trinket along with their main purchase.

Small businesses don’t have it easy in the overly competitive marketplace where every brand is fighting for its piece of the proverbial pie. Nevertheless, by incorporating these design tactics into your business plan, you will have no problem boosting the sales and positioning your brand as the leader in the community.

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Cooper Klein is an entrepreneur with a degree in Marketing. He’s interested in real estate and home decor. To spend more time with his family, Cooper decided to take a break, and he’s currently working from home as a blogger for SmoothDecorator and several other sites.

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