Business

Merchandising 101: How To Take Business To The Next Level

Merchandising is something that you probably come across on a daily basis without even noticing. Stroll down the aisles of a supermarket or retail store and you’ll come face to face with visual merchandising wherever you turn. In essence, merchandising is the design, arrangement and showcase of goods in a retail space that aim to make a customer’s buying experience more attractive and fun. If your business isn’t currently utilising the art of merchandising, then this is the article for you. Today, we take a look at some of the benefits of merchandising and how it holds the key to taking any business to the next level, so read on to find out more!

1. Tell A Story With Your Products

One of the biggest perks of merchandising is how it essentially sets the stage for your products to narrate a story to your customers. As a retailer, communicating your unique brand story to your target audience is absolutely essential as it is a fantastic way of having your customers relate to your brand. Visual merchandising is by far one of the best forms of storytelling, allowing you to express how you wish to be perceived by your customers in an effective, easy-to-understand way. This will also help customers identify if you are the brand that is the best fit to solve their problems and offer them a rewarding experience that no other brand can offer. If this is something that you haven’t yet invested in, it just may be the perfect time to get in touch with a professional merchandising company near you.

2. Boost Your Sales

The ultimate goal of any business at the end of the day is to boost sales and revenue. Without this, a business cannot succeed in the long term which is why finding various avenues that can help boost sales is so important. One of the best ways to boost sales is, you guessed it, with merchandising. Displays, product packaging with luxury packaging solutions, arrangement and clearly marked prices are all fantastic ways of potentially driving sales up while at the same time improving the shopping experience for your customers. For example, having an image of a model wearing a particular outfit is a great way to showcase how your customer could potentially look in the very same outfit, thus increasing the chances of them making a purchase.

3. Advertising 101

One of the beautiful things about merchandising is that it also doubles up as advertising for your business. As a retailer, visual merchandising is a fantastic way of advertising your brand and products both at brick and mortar locations and even on online e-commerce platforms and social media pages. Merchandising will help you open the doors to using high-tech platforms such as Instagram Shopping that can help you interactively express sales and promotions.

4. Optimise Your Layout

High quality merchandising in most cases will require the rearrangement of shelves, display fixtures and the general layout of your retail store space. Doing so will also inevitably optimise your overall layout, allowing for better and smoother traffic flow that can direct customers to important sale items and significant displays. An effective, functional and more usable retail space offers flexibility and can help create an environment that is able to handle higher levels of foot traffic. This in turn is sure to please customers who won’t have to worry about tight spaces, bumping into items or even accidentally running into other customers due to lack of space.

5. Attract New Customers

Last but not least, merchandising is a great way to grab the attention of shoppers who may not have heard of your brand. With effective merchandising that draws positive attention, you greatly increase the chances of bringing in customers who may not be out and about for a shopping experience. Attractive visuals at your store front are a great way to attract new customers, but the merchandising journey doesn’t end there. To secure a sale, you will need to focus on pricing, product displays and in-store promotional activities that are the key to not just attracting new customers but also turning them into loyal brand advocates.

As you can see from the pointers above, merchandising is truly a gem of a concept for anyone who is looking to grow their brand and business. By utilising effective merchandising, you are sure to attract new customers, boost your sales levels and create brand loyalty that will propel your business to the next level of success.