The holidays are quickly approaching, which means it’s time to prepare for an increase in customers, sales, and eyes on your product displays. To take advantage of this busy time of the year, make sure you have updated all of your displays to incorporate different elements from the season. Here are some visual merchandising tips for the holidays to get you started:
1. Target all of the senses
Merchandising tends to only focus on what customers see, but what about the other senses? The holidays are closely associated with very specific scents and sounds, so try to incorporate them into your display to create a better experience for your customers. Spritz a cinnamon or pine tree scent into the air around your holiday displays, and pair it with light music playing in the background. This will activate all of your customers’ senses and create a more enticing display for your merchandise.
2. Tie in local charities
Celebrate the season of giving by tying local charities into your displays and encouraging customers to get involved in the community. For example, work with a local chapter of the Adopt A Family organization and find out what items are on the wish lists of needy local families. Then, group some of these items together and display them in your store with an informational sign telling customers how they can buy these items to donate to Adopt A Family. If you can, you should try to match donations or give back in some other way so customers don’t think you’re doing this for the sole purpose of increasing sales. Using a charity in your merchandising strategy is a great way to connect and give back to your community with an engaging product display!
3. Focus on impulse buys
What products are you currently displaying near checkout? Most of the year, you might use this space for gum, small candies and magazines, but the holidays are different. During this time of year, customers will be looking for small gifts that can be used as stocking stuffers, and the checkout aisle is the perfect place to display these. Use the checkout aisle to sell candies in holiday-themed packaging, small toys, and gift cards, which are all perfect as stocking stuffers. Just don’t forget to add a sign that creates a sense of urgency by reminding customers they still need to buy stocking stuffers for the little ones in their family!
The checkout aisle is also the perfect place to put items that customers frequently need during the holiday season. How many times have you run out of tape while right in the middle of wrapping presents? Don’t let it happen to your customers by keeping tape, bows, and other gift wrapping essentials within arm’s reach of the checkout counter.
4. Be nostalgic
Most of the time, retailers and grocery store distributors try to make displays seem as modern and innovative as possible, but that’s not necessarily the best strategy during this time of year. Around the holidays, people tend to think a lot about their childhood. Tap into this emotion by incorporating visuals that look a little vintage or old-fashioned into your displays to make customers feel nostalgic. If your merchandising reminds customers of their childhood, they may start having positive memories about spending the holidays with their family and associate these positive feelings with your products. Think about using muted reds and greens, along with images of families around the dinner table to get through to your holiday shoppers.
Are you putting together special displays for the holidays? Remember to use these tips to incorporate a holiday theme into your merchandising for increasing your sales.
Featured photo credit: Good Housekeeping via ghk.h-cdn.co
