Thursday, December 8, 2011

The Psychology Behind Visual Merchandising

By Expert Author Romeo Cliff Richards
Why Apply Visual Merchandising?
There are times when products that were thought to be of high quality, that every market test and analysis concluded were going to be a hit with the market failed miserably. When that happens, there is a tendency to either blame the producer, the market research company or even the economy. However in many cases, it turns out that it is not just about the quality of the products; presentation of the product is also an essential component of the sales process.
Sales are dependent on good marketing. A huge part of retail marketing is visual merchandising. Those retail organizations that understand this concept are the most successful in the industry today. Retailers who fail to make the link between good visual merchandising displays and sales continue to struggle.
The most important element of visual merchandise displays is the psychology behind the process. People buy emotionally even though they justify their decision rationally. Consequently, it is imperative that the psychological aspect of visual merchandise display is given prime consideration in any retail organization.
What Is Visual Merchandising?
Visual merchandising displays are the presentation of products, packaging and pricing in a way that it appeals to a target market. It is a way of promoting the sale of products at a retail store incorporating the principles of: the right merchandise sold at the right place at the right season, at the right price, at the right time.
Beauty may be in the eye of the beholder however, we can influence shoppers behavior and predisposition to buy our products by the way in which it is displayed. It takes passion, creativity and dynamism to create an effective display that captivates the mind.
Merchandise displays must convey the goals, philosophy and brand of the retail organization. It also needs to tell a story that relates directly to the prospective buyer.
With so much merchandise available for consumers to choose from, every retailer must understand that the psychology of visual merchandise display is pertinent to them achieving their objectives of enticing the customers and persuading them to buy.
How to Implement an Effective Visual Display using psychology:
Below are steps to follow to create an effective visual merchandise display:
Step 1- Set a clear objective of the visual merchandise display. Is it for promotional purposes, or to create brand awareness?
Step 2- Identify your target audience: their age group, gender, profession etc. and create a display that appeals to that particular target audience.
Step 3- Make your display tell a story; the story of your brand and the products in your store.
Step 4- Ensure the display stand is accessible and never empty. The display must be neatly arranged however, it does not need to be so neat that the prospect feels that no one is buying it.
Step 5- There must be a balance between creativity and customer understanding of the display. If it is too designee it could end up confusing the prospect.
Step 6- The display must be refreshed frequently to give the feeling of newness to the look of the display. Ensure you use adjustable props that can be rearranged to look different.
Romeo Richards is the CEO of The Business Education Center: http://thebusinesseducationcenter.com/The_Retail_Education_Centre/visual_merchandise_blueprint/ the consultancy division of Richards International Group. The Business Education Center provides the most in-depth and comprehensive business coaching and training to professional such as doctors, lawyers, accountants, business consultants, private security firms and retail executives.
Romeo holds a Master's Degree in International Relations and is the author of eight ebooks, a book and numerous articles, whitepapers and best practices on retail loss prevention and profit protection. His upcoming ebooks and books on Retail Store Design, Visual Merchandising, Retail Loss Prevention and How to make 7 Figures Annually as a Lawyer, Accountant, Business Consultant, Private Security Firm, Private Dental Practice, Private Medical Practice and NGOs & Public Sector Finance Management will be published in January.

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