https://www.bin-store.com/blog

If you’re looking for visual merchandising display ideas which can refresh the look and feel of your shop while boosting sales, one technique you may want to consider is what is known as “sensory branding.”

While investigating visual merchandising display techniques, a lot of people forget the fact that shoppers have five senses. It is easy to focus way too much on the visual aspect of merchandising. But shoppers also listen to sounds in your shop, touch products, and may even want to sample products (this is where taste and smell come into play).

The principle behind sensory branding is to target all of the senses. This is done both through your store’s general design and layout and through each of your individual retail merchandising displays. By appealing to all of the senses, you are able to evoke certain emotions, moods, memories, and desires. These help to craft your brand image, compel buyers to take their time browsing, and most importantly, drive sales.

How can you take advantage of this retail merchandising tip?
• Sight: This is what most merchandising tips and tricks focus on, and what you probably already know the most about. Integrate colors, contrast, lighting, balance, and space in your displays in such a way as to draw in the eye and create a pleasing visual effect. Think about the impact of the retail merchandising display products you use, the merchandise you are displaying, and the layout and theme of each display.

• Hearing: The music you play in your store sets the tone and can help you to appeal to certain demographics. You may also find opportunities to utilize sounds in individual product displays (especially if you sell electronics).

• Touch: Except for items locked in retail display cases, customers should be able to touch most of your merchandise. You should put some thought into this; try to prominently display items that are fun to touch (microbead pillows, silks, etc.)

• Taste: If you sell food or beverages, give customers a chance to sample what you have to offer. Don’t sell food or drinks? You still may be able to incorporate taste. Some boutique bookstores for example have free tea for customers. This creates a cozy, welcoming vibe, inviting buyers to stick around, read, and most importantly, purchase.

• Smell: It may surprise you, but there is actually such a thing as “scent marketing.” Scent is quite powerful because it ties into memory, so if you can use it in your branding, you can instill brand awareness and hopefully remind buyers of your store and products long after they leave. Pleasant aromas are also great for drawing buyers down particular aisles!

As you can see, a lot more goes into optimizing retail displays than just the visual aspect of merchandising. So by all means, focus on your visual design—but go beyond sight to incorporate the other senses as well. Do that and you will create powerful displays and a compelling environment which will draw in buyers and bring them back into your store time and again.