You walk in to open shop. You set your keys down, you set down your coffee, your briefcase and then you turn to cut on the lights. What do you see?
Probably the same thing you have seen since you first open shop, that is if you haven’t remodeled. How are you keeping your showroom vibrant? Once they are up (your displays), they are up. How are you keeping them new? They are your silent partner. Unlike a car showroom, you can not move them around in to position and highlight the latest model. No, you have to run with the same displays and I want to know, how are you keeping them fresh?
Lead Horse
Is your best display out front? If so, how maintained is it? That upfront display is your lead horse. Even if you are in a “Big Box” store, you know the one I am talking about. Is she your go to general? Is she amazing? Or, is she cluttered. Is there lunchboxes or coffee cups, tucked away inside the cabinets. Is she properly displayed? Hows your lighting? Are all your bulbs working? Are they positioned properly. Are you highlighting some features, or just lighting up an area. Is there an inch of dust anywhere?
I have seen some killer displays in my time. From lighting displays to outside gardens and at times I am so impressed at how well some individuals capture the essence or style of their showroom. There is nothing like a K&B display that captures your attention. How it bleeds through to even the slightest detail. It’s that front vignette that leads the pack. In the Big Box stores, even if customers sneak in from the back of the showroom, if that front display is doing it’s job and they are looking, they will stop. Keep it fresh, it is speaking for you.
Props
Now you may not be able to move your displays around, but your props can be moved from vignette to vignette but make sure they match. It does not take much to re-freshen your displays. I personally, stay clear of mats or rugs, just because they become a liability. Someone trips or slides and it could get ugly, but every Kitchen has a bowl of plastic fruit, like every Bathroom display should have towels displayed somewhere, in a cabinet, on the counter, or on a towel bar.
If you can control your lighting, that is a plus but if you cannot, do not worry about it. Just make sure that the spotlights (if any) are positioned to accent the specific features of the display as a whole, for example, the finish, the center of the display whether it be the sink or an appliance, or an island. Lighting is there to highlight or accent, make it work for you and not against you. I mean, really have you ever wondered into a showroom and wondered what that light is doing? I mean it’s pointed in my face or into a wall with nothing on it, maybe someone hit it and never repositioned it into place so it is on a vacation. If you by chance have one put it back to work for you.
Maintenance
Growing up, I am one who heard, “A clean house is a Godly-house”. We cleaned every Saturday. I know it is unrealistic to clean on Saturdays, which should be one of your busiest days of the week. You should know your down time, take that time to do some dusting, mopping, or windows (glass). How can your clients trust you to detail when details like that are neglected. Remember, your displays are speaking for you, and what are they saying?
How is your signage? I mean, if someone has an “L-Shaped” Kitchen and your display is an “L-Shaped” Kitchen with the perfect measurements, can you give a quick quote from a listing that breaks down the pieces and pricing, or do you have to walk over to your workstation and look-up each individual piece, to give a quote? I used to have that information tucked away in a clear sleeve inside the first or last wall cabinet, for easy access.
I am just trying to touch on some items of interest that can be tweaked to help in sales or efficiency. Sometimes time and life itself can get away from us to where we may miss attention to details and lose the power that those details possess. Take the time to tweak your approach to your displays and keep it fresh. Yes, you see them everyday, and yes your customer may be seeing if for the first time, but what are you missing? Sometimes, your competition may hold the key to a fresh feel or look to a thing, have you walked their showroom lately? If not, do so...I do.
Hope this helps and make it great.