Branding is a central part of any business’s marketing strategy and these days, digital marketing is one of the most effective ways to build a brand. By connecting with potential customers on social media and crafting a personality for your business, you can start to create a very strong brand.
But that strategy isn’t applicable to businesses that operate mainly in the offline world, like retail stores, for example. If you are running a retail store, you can still benefit from digital marketing but your main branding efforts need to be made in-store. When people step through the doors, they need to instantly recognize your brand and know that they are in your store. Without that strong brand, your business will be forgettable, and you will struggle to find repeat customers.
If you are running a retail store and you don’t really know where to start with branding, here are some of the basic elements that you need to get right.
Signage
Signage is the first thing that you need to consider because it’s the first thing that people will see when walking by. The right signage can convince somebody to come inside and potentially become a customer. Make sure that you come up with a snappy name that appeals to the right kind of customer, and create a killer logo design. Try to keep it simple but striking, so it makes a great first impression. Signage doesn’t just refer to the sign above the door either. You also need your logo on carpets, banners, or floor graphics throughout the store. Get in touch with a company like art printing, who can supply all of these different branded items so you can ensure consistency throughout. By displaying your logo around the store, you help to cement the brand in the customer’s mind.
Color Schemes
Next, you need to choose a color scheme for your store, and this is so important. If you go into a Target, you see red everywhere and you instantly know where you are, but that wouldn’t work in another store and that amount of red could actually be quite jarring. It only works for them because Target made that color a central part of their brand identity. You need to find a color scheme that reflects your business and try to do the same. You also need to consider color psychology because different colors evoke different emotions. Red creates excitement, while green inspires a feeling of peace and relaxation. Spend some time learning about color psychology and think about the kind of atmosphere that you are trying to create in your store.
Music
Music is often overlooked, but it can have a big impact. If you are trying to attract a younger audience, you should play the latest hits and pump up the volume, so your store has a cool club vibe. But that isn’t going to work if your target audience are all in their 50s and 60s. With an older audience, you’d be far better off with some relaxing background music.
If you can nail these 3 basic elements, you should be well on your way to creating a strong brand for your retail store.
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