How to create a stand-out shopfront

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

Many small business owners who have a brick-and-mortar store know that the windows and entry to a shop is where the magic happens. A well-merchandised and branded shopfront grabs your ideal customers’ attention, draws them into your store and, ultimately, inspires them to get shopping.

But what exactly do you need to create a shopfront window design that attracts customers — and drives sales for your retail business?

1. Pull up banners

No shopfront design would be complete without a pull up banner. Pull up banners are an incredibly versatile tool for retailers; not only do they strengthen your branding, but thanks to their high quality level, they’re a marketing item you can use for years to come. And because they’re on the larger side, customers can easily see them when they’re passing by, even from a distance.

2. Window decals

Your shopfront design needs to be visually interesting to grab customers. But it also needs to be functional, giving customers the information they need to make their shopping decisions. And a great way to bridge those two needs? Decals.

A decal of your shop’s logo is a great way to add visual interest and strengthen your branding. But decals also serve a functional purpose, allowing you to share key information with potential customers (like your opening hours, contact information and social media handles). They’re the best of both worlds — and a must-have for your shopfront design.

3. Posters

Got an event coming up? Planning a big sale? Preparing to debut a new clothing or accessories line? Design some branded posters and place them prominently in your shopfront display to draw in customers and get them interested and into your shop. Add a QR code to the poster design so they can get details about your shop (and whatever the poster is promoting) right on their phone.

Tips to transform your shopfront into a customer magnet

Display a variety of products…

Every person that walks past your shop is a potential new customer. But to draw those potential customers into your shop, you need to give them a preview of what they’ll find once they’re inside. In other words, make your merchandise a key part of your shopfront design.

Choose a variety of popular products that will give customers an overview of the items you sell in your shop. If you run a clothing boutique, showcase a few tops and accessories on a table visible from the window — or dress a mannequin in an on-brand outfit.

…but don’t make things too cluttered.

You want to give customers a solid overview of your merchandise. But if you try to fit every product in your shop into your shopfront display, it’s going to look cluttered and visually overwhelming — and rather than deal with the mess, customers may choose to walk right by. Plus, don’t you want to leave a few surprises for them once they’re inside?

When designing your shopfront display, keep things simple and streamlined. Showcase your products and your marketing collateral, but also leave plenty of blank space so your display doesn’t feel overwhelming.

Create a cohesive design.

If you want your shopfront to draw in customers, it needs to feel like one cohesive design. If all the different elements are competing, it could feel confusing to your customers — and send them shopping elsewhere.

Make sure that each element in your shopfront design fits into the overall design. For example, if you have multiple posters and banners on display, make sure the font and colour palette match your logo decal and overall branding. If you’re displaying different clothing items, make sure to choose colours and patterns that don’t clash or compete. The more cohesive your shopfront design, the more attractive it will be to potential customers — and the more likely it is that they’ll come inside.

Print logo stickers.

As mentioned, you’ll want to have a decal of your logo in your shopfront design. But why not give customers a piece of your shop to take home with them? Print smaller stickers of your logo and give them to customers when they make a purchase. It’s a win-win; your customer gets a cute (and free!) sticker to put on their laptop or water bottle — and you get another opportunity to get your retail branding out into the world!