Great design is great business. No matter how excellent your product or service is, there is no sustainable way to communicate that quality without quality design. While this certainly applies to graphic design, it also applies to the interior design choices of your brick and mortar store. Your physical storefront is an integral part of your brand, and one of the few brand touchpoints that your customers can physically interact with. With that in mind, below are 4 ways that good design attracts the right customers to your store.
1. It builds trust
Good design communicates quality. There’s two primary reasons that you would rather stay in a 5-star hotel than a sketchy motel. The first reason is that one promises quality and the other does not. The second is that the 5-star hotel communicates quality by excellent design throughout. The same principle applies to brick and mortar. Quality design presupposes a quality product. Even if your product is excellent, your customers will have a hard time believing you if your interior design is not.
2. It offers an experience
Part of the attraction of any brand is the experience that it promises. People loving walking into craft coffee houses because they offer a pleasant experience marked by community interaction, the promise of good coffee, and good interior design. Your brick and mortar space can offer the same thing. Excellent design that stands out from your competitors will allow your business to stand far above businesses offering similar products.
3. It builds your brand
Physical storefronts are excellent opportunities to reinforce brand imagery. An obvious example of this is Apple’s innovative store experiences or IKEA. Both companies implement consistent, engaging design that aligns with their overall brand image. The first five to fifteen feet of your store in particular is the most important area to get right.
4. It showcases your product
Interior design is an opportunity to proudly display the benefits of your product or service to your customers. Product displays, live demonstrations and signage can all communicate powerfully and draw the right customers into your store. In addition, creating paths in your store for customers to walk can encourage them to land in the right spots to find the products they need.
Good design allows your customers to interact with your store and builds a relationship of trust. Make sure you understand your target market and tailor your design to communicate with it. Good design has never hurt a successful business.