As a business owner, you have a lot on your plate, but it’s often the simplest things that can boost business the most. Sometimes, all it takes is making sure that people actually turn their heads and notice your store when they drive or walk by.
Not to mention, zhooshing up the outside of your business can be a lot of fun! Especially if you’re feeling bogged down by content calendars, supply chain issues, and other important, but dull, business-related tasks.
Here are five clever ways to help your business stand out from the curb.
Signage is important if you have a physical shop, but not just any sign will do. A floppy canvas sign will make your business look unprofessional, while a pole sign might look professional, but it also looks boring.
Design a cool sign instead!
Channel letter signs are a great choice because they are three-dimensional, which will add interest to your storefront. In addition, they are completely customisable. From the font to the lighting and colours, you can design an eye-catching sign that boosts brand recognition and catches the attention of passersby.
Blade signs are another, more modern choice, while sign cabinets can be an economical choice. What matters is that you design something cool enough that it forces people to take notice.
The outside of buildings may look nice, but they aren’t necessarily interesting. That is especially true when it comes to modern buildings. When everything is grey, white, and tan, it’s easy for your shop to melt in the background, which definitely isn’t what you want if you need more customers to walk through your door.
Try painting your storefront a bold colour. While you’re at it, choose a colour that has been proven to boost sales, like:
Just make sure you check local regulations before painting, as many strip malls and commercial buildings will only allow you to paint the building certain colours.
If you can’t paint the exterior of the building the colour you want, see if hiring a muralist is an option. You can also hang artwork on the wall outside, as long as you remember to bring it in and lock it up at night.
A top tip for making your storefront more noticeable is to create interesting window displays. That’s true, but you can get even more attention if you put something recognisable in the window.
Nostalgia is a powerful feeling that you can tap into when creating window displays. Use a prop from a beloved movie, like a Beetlejuice sign for a Halloween display or the leg lamp from A Christmas Story in a Christmas display.
Popular toys, like Barbie and video game characters, can turn heads, as can current pop culture trends, like a Beyoncé-inspired display.
Landscaping is a big part of having curb appeal, but if you really want to get noticed, you have to have fun with flowers.
Container gardens are an easy way to make your storefront look more appealing, especially if it’s all cement. Try incorporating unexpected plants, like corkscrew grass, or edible plants, like artichokes.
Putting flowers in interesting containers is another great way to call attention to your storefront. Try nestling moss and succulents between the spokes of a wheel that’s hung on the wall or place small potted plants on the rungs of a ladder.
There’s a lot to be said about making sure that your business looks open. That means hanging an open sign that’s easy to see and making sure the exterior and interior of the building are lit up properly, but one of the best ways to welcome people into your shop is to leave the door open.
This isn’t always possible when the temperature is extremely hot or extremely cold, but during milder weather, make it a point to prop your door open. It makes it obvious to those passing by that you’re open for business.
With so much to do to increase your business’s chances of success, it’s easy to let your store’s curb appeal fall to the bottom of your to-do list. Make it a priority, follow the tips on this list, and watch more customers come to your store than ever before!
