Running a bricks and mortar business has its fair share of pros and cons, you gain the benefit of foot-traffic and can utilise space on busy highstreets and in commonly visited towns but must cover the cost of staff and building overheads.
There’s the internals and type of atmosphere you want to create to consider and once you’ve found your location, how best to use the space available. All of which add to the fun of opening your new business location but need to be carefully thought out to ensure you catch the eye of your potential customers.
When customers pass by your business, be it a cosy cafe, contemporary coffee shop or modern bar, you want to ensure you’ve got the look that leaves them intrigued and want to step inside to find out what you offer.
Part of this will be catering your external decor to your target audience, such as offering comfortable outside garden furniture (suitable for UK weather i.e. both hot and torrential rainy days!) for guests to sit outdoors and protection from the natural elements, complemented by providing ample signage to show you are open and what offers you have on at the moment.
Once you have settled on your location and are in the process of planning how to best set up your property, keep the following tips in mind to ensure you create the best first impression and attract customers to your business.
Use Colours Effectively
Consider your target audience and the atmosphere that they would prefer to sit in and build a colour palette that will reflect and add to the environment. For example, soft pastel colours and earthy, natural tones convey a calmer, more relaxed space, compared to bright, highly saturated colours that encourage feelings of high energy.
There are studies around colour theory in the hospitality industry, with proven results on how consumers react to certain colours such as red for simulating energy and passion, orange for indicating good value and yellow to encourage enthusiasm and happiness.
Plan Efficient Lighting
Lighting should be carefully planned as it can go a long way to creating an atmosphere and will certainly be the first thing customers notice when they walk in. While a romantic or late-night party atmosphere will require darker, moodier lighting to create the right environment, make sure areas of safety, customer interaction and amenities are well lit for safety and accessibility reasons.
Lighting should match the use of the location, if customers are going to sit and converse with friends or relax with personal items such as computers and books, you should make the area well-lit with daylight bulbs. Coloured lights can be used to highlight features, walls and artwork but can put customers off if they have to constantly strain their eyes.
Walk-In Feature
If your business is in a property with no space out the front, where space allows, have something in your walk-in area, that doesn’t compromise on safety or exits but catches your customer’s attention and attracts them from outside the building.
Some effective walk-in features include water features including wall-mounted waterfalls and small fish ponds, a ‘lucky’ statue that customers touch as they walk in or interesting pieces of art.
Have an Online Presence
These days, almost everyone has a smart phone in their pocket with access to the internet and will commonly reach for their device when they want to learn about something new, check reviews of a location or find somewhere to go.
You don’t have to go too elaborate with your online presence, but a simple branded website in matching colours with all the necessary information a customer will need such as opening times, information regarding your services or products and a way to get in touch with your business can help get your potential customers in the door.
Social media will help you reach out to a greater audience although does require resources to keep updated and in regular communication with followers.
First impressions are important, especially when attracting people to your property but don’t stress over intricate details to start, focus on providing somewhere that appeals to your audience and caters to their needs.
Complemented by quality customer service and building a strong rapport with returning customers will soon see your business succeed and grow.
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Thanks very Informative Article easy to understand. Good content and cachy lines is important to boost conversion rate.