Often,
store owners become "copycats" and copy someone
else's store design, and, in worst cases, copy the store design
of someone else in another City and demographic market area,
without realizing that, every individual store in every City
and every demographic market area has its own unique characteristics
that serve its own local market! DO NOT FOOL YOURSELVES AND
THINK OTHERWISE. No such market is alike. Such a "copycat"
is due to fail. Because one store is successful with what
it does, not necessarily the same can happen with a "copycat".
BE YOURSELF as your customers are not someone else, but the
UNIQUE THEM!
Every demographic market has to be addressed on its own merits,
needs, population character and traffic patterns. In the same
way, every store operates based on its own character, services
and its customer base it serves! "Your retail store business
is as unique as your targeted customer is!"
Focus to JUST BEING YOURSELF,
IDENTIFY AND UNDERSTAND WHO YOUR CUSTOMERS IS!
As you consider yourself
knowledgeable with your craft, your type of business and merchandising
departments, you need to keep the same in mind when it comes
to retaining the services of an experienced store design professional.
Make sure first you feel comfortable working with him/her
and you can trust, make sure he/she understands your business
and your type of merchandising departments and he/she is practicing
in the store design business.
Remember, you design a new
store or redesign an existing store only once every 10-15
years; so, do it right the first time by retaining the services
of a design professional trained to identify and develop the
best possible store design for your store business and market
and who will work for your best interest.
Avoid the "second
hand" store designer whose primary business and of
course best interest is anything else but store design! And,
if a design service is offered for free as part of
whatever they sell and/or do, just ask yourself how many times
anything for free has been really just that; free! Never of
course!
GOOD PLANNING and GOOD DISPLAYS lead to
STRONG RETAIL SALES!
