Even though we’ve only just emerged out of lockdown and started settling into our new normal here in Australia, the 2021 holiday season is already rapidly approaching. All of us are eager to gather with our loved ones and make up for lost time by bringing festive cheer and celebrating in a big way.
While this means that people are excited to get back out into the community and shop, COVID-19 continues to impact spending mindsets and behaviours. To help set your business up for success, we’ve compiled four key tips to help you utilize visual merchandising to differentiate yourself amongst other retailers and captivate the attention of busy holiday shoppers.
Get Ahead of the Eight Ball
Customers are keen to get their holiday shopping done earlier this year, whether it’s due to uncertainty around potential shipping delays, to avoid crowds or items being out of stock.
To meet this demand, retailers must roll out their 2021 holiday promotions as soon as possible. If there are products you’re hoping to move, now is the time to get creative and leverage visual merchandising to position them as excellent holiday gifts.
Make An Emotional Appeal
The holidays are emotional, so stop customers in their tracks by creating an engaging visual experience that tugs at their heartstrings.
Your store displays are the first touchpoint for your brand, and they need to stand out. Depending on your space, this could be your shopfront windows or the display right at the entrance. Appeal to their emotions by drawing on at least one of the five senses and creating a connection with your products that they can touch, smell and try on.
Showcase Your Values
Now more than ever, customers understand the power of their dollar and are being intentional about where they spend their money. While getting out into the community and supporting local businesses is a priority, this also means that customers are buying less and choosing wisely.
Wherever possible, retailers should communicate their brand values. Storytelling is the ultimate engagement and retention tool, so provide shoppers with an origin story so they can connect with your shop. Highlight handmade, local, sustainable gifts that celebrate inclusivity and give back, and use eco-friendly materials in your holiday displays such as dried flowers to combat unnecessary waste.
Remove the Overwhelm
We all know that holiday shoppers are on a mission, and time is of the essence. While it might be tempting to push as many products in front of customers as possible to capture every sale that you can, the reality is nobody enjoys navigating a crowded space.
Remove decision fatigue with strong visual merchandising that showcases your products in a clean, organized and intentional way – leveraging white space to create a relaxing, uncluttered atmosphere. By cutting customers’ options down in the form of curated holiday gift guides, you’ll make shopping at your store a convenient, enjoyable experience.
The holiday season has always been an exciting yet challenging time for retailers, but this year presents many new factors to consider. The best way to stay ahead of the competition is to get to work early in order to build brand loyalty. Incorporating a few fundamental visual merchandising principles into your 2021 holiday marketing strategy will help you do just that.
Need help prepping your visual merchandising for the peak season ahead? Our national team will create a tailored approach by spotlighting your product to enhance the customer experience and ultimately increase your sales and brand performance. Let's chat.