Boost showroom sales

Steps for increasing sales by making your showroom more visually exciting.

by Greg Gorman

When that potential customer crosses the entrance threshold, you need to control what they see and how they experience the environment to promote sales. Properly planned “dangling carrots” and focal points captivate attention and encourage customers to buy.

A typical showroom should have three to four major focal points, typically on wall areas and secondary smaller support statements on the floor. Strategically planned and located, these points of interest will draw the customer through the space. They will also better educate customers to the merchandise assortments, branding statements and specific departments.

Step 1: Determine the focal points on walls and the floor.
Major - Standing at the main entrance to your store, look forward and to the sides. The basic approach would be to locate an 8-foot to 12-foot wide section in the center of a wall. In other words, create major focal points at the center of the rear wall, the center of the side walls, or two areas spaced equally apart.

Minor – Create minor focal points using floor fixture endcaps and freestanding open areas.

Rear wall – In most cases, the rear wall is visible from the front door. Make sure you use height and color to make the focal area more prominent.

Side walls – The center in smaller stores is a definite location for a major focal point. However, in larger showrooms, use two major focal points equally spaced from the front to the back of the space. Once again, these areas should be taller than the normal fixture and merchandise lines so they stand out. Change the color of the focals, add lighting and signage.

Endcaps of fixture runs – Always display new, necessary, impulse and seasonal merchandise in the front. Backs are secondary with the very far backs as clearance items. Clearance should never be in front.

Service counter – No matter where it is located, this is a main area. Customers require it to start and close a sale. It can also serve as an information point. So, pay attention to the walls behind and immediately adjacent to the service counter.

Since most customers tend to enter and walk to the right, I usually suggest locating the counter to the left, about 12 feet from the front wall or windows. (This is a general comment and each store space will vary.)

If you locate the counter as a floating unit in the center of the store, use the airspace above with signage and accent or task lighting.

Step 2: Attract attention to key areas you want 
customers to focus on by adding other elements.
Color – Rear walls do not have to be the same color as the sides and front. Vary the color for contrast and interest. Also, do not fear medium and dark colors vs. light. When choosing colors for wall paints, keep in mind that many areas will be covered by fixtures and merchandise.

Have FUN with color. Walls don’t have to be white. Changing color is as easy as grabbing a can of paint, a cheap disposable paintbrush, a pizza and a six-pack of soda. You can easily change the look of your showroom in a day or two.

Graphics and signage – Make a statement and deliver a message to support your business and company image. Signage that tells a story becomes dated, so replace it quarterly or twice a year. Or, relocate or rotate graphics within the showroom space to add interest.

Lifestyle statements – Pictures of people using tools and wearing the work clothes you sell, smiling faces and more introduce the human factor. They also offer a visual break, or mini mind vacation from the rest of the merchandise and fixtures.

Brand identification – If you want to promote a major brand or even a private label, say it with signage.

Marketing and service messages – Tell the customer what is important, what you do and everything else that makes you better than the competition.

Merchandise intensity – This phrase describes using merchandise boxes or the product itself, massed on shelves or other fixture components, to make a statement. Many boxes have colorful graphics and exciting labels that work great.

Fixture intensity - Fixturing can serve as major or minor focal points when you strategically locate a fixture with details or finishes and materials that vary. Height also adds variation compared to the basic fixtures used throughout the store.

Finishes and materials – Display fixtures don’t have to be the same color or finish. Mix it up for visual interest, display capacity requirements and flexibility required when merchandise changes.

Education – Teach the customer and make them feel intelligent. Customers don’t like to ask questions that make them appear stupid. Don’t overwhelm the customer with too much in-store information; let them take it home.

Display pamphlets and catalogs for customers to take with them. Make sure every piece of information that leaves the showroom has the business name, street address, phone number and Web site address.

Video monitors for tool demonstrations or safety tips also work well, and many product manufacturers will supply them free of charge.

Don’t make the customer search for new merchandise. They may never find it on their own. Use signage, new fixtures or simply color to draw attention to new products.

Interaction – Make the customer touch the displays in ways that extend their stay in the showroom.

Mannequins and forms – Mannequins wearing apparel that you sell or supporting specific products adds dimension and interest. Manufacturers can provide branded clothing to place within or next to a branded merchandise area.

Step 3: Add lighting, “The Final Touch.”
Lighting falls into three distinct categories: general illumination, task lighting and accent lighting.

General illumination - This category is the basic fluorescent strip lights or recessed fixtures in suspended ceilings. It offers general overall lighting in a space.

Task lighting - Task lighting over service counters helps the customer focus when signing credit card forms and checks, referencing a catalog or other business needs. Suspended lighting sources over the counter increases visual excitement.

Accent lighting - This typically refers to track lighting along walls or on the ceiling to illuminate endcaps or minor focal areas. Install tracks four to five feet from the front of wall fixtures, not five feet from the wall. This allows for better illumination of merchandise on the shelves and provides light deeper in the shelf space area.

Track systems offer different types of heads that use incandescent lamps, fluorescent wall washers and even low-voltage lights. Track heads increase the visual level since many track heads have colors, different materials and finishes. Studies show that displays with lighting increase sales. And, light will actually control the flow and traffic patterns of customers.

Step 4: Plan ahead to be best prepared.
Reinvent and introduce new ideas to keep your space interesting. It is especially important to keep everything fresh in order to appeal to repeat customers.

Determine a budget and planning schedule for seasonal fixtures, paint and merchandising updates. Plan these around new product purchases.

Don’t forget to budget for labor to move merchandise and set up displays. Setting up an effective display takes time, so assign someone to take care of details, such as removing the old merchandise display and replacing it with new.

Far too often, retailers wait until after the product arrives to start thinking about what to do with it. Begin planning when you place product orders. Know where you need to locate items. The last thing you want to do is have new merchandise sit in the back room because nobody knows what to do with it.

For example, locate new seasonal merchandise up front so it has the best possible exposure to the customer. Include a “swing” area, a designated location that customers recognize where they can find new seasonal items. This increases impulse sales.

You can also develop a schedule to replace fixtures, signage and lighting. You do not have to do everything at one time. Phase these items in as business and your budget allows.

You will discover that your customers will enjoy the new additions as they are installed. They look forward to coming in to see what you added.

Don’t forget to ask vendors for support programs with signage and display fixtures. Just keep in mind that they may vary greatly. This can send a confusing merchandising message to a customer. Evaluate the most important items for your specific needs and use standard uniform fixtures for everything else. Just because it’s free doesn’t make it right for every distributor and every showroom situation.

Wall and floor racks - Vendor wall racks don’t work the same as floor racks. Walls are best for signage and hardware. Some vendors offer 48-inch-wide wall units that sit in place. The actual heights may vary on each side, so consider signage to fill that void. You can place floor racks almost anywhere, depending on size. Smaller racks work well next to endcaps, as long as they do not block aisles and traffic flow.

Customer feedback – Ask customers what they think and listen to what they say. You never know when or where the next great idea will come from. Not all comments will be constructive, but never take them personally. Consider everything with a grain of salt.

Measurements – Evaluate changes fairly and apply those that prove successful. Don’t be afraid to test new ideas. Always allow enough time for customers to discover new displays and merchandise before determining something doesn’t work.

During regular staff meetings, allow time to discuss the showroom merchandising, signage, fixtures and other items of importance.

Be aware of your competition. It’s amazing how many distributors and retailers have never visited or peered through the windows of their competition. Send employees or even your spouse to report what they experienced or saw.

While this article introduced the basics of design and planning, there is much more to learn and apply. Following these tips will help make your showroom more visually appealing and boost sales.

If you remember only one thing, remember this: change is good.

This article originally appeared in the STAFDA 27th Annual Trade Show issue of Progressive Distributor. Copyright 2003.

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