Deck the halls on a budget
As temperatures start to dip and mince pies once again grace our shelves, it can only mean one thing, Christmas! That special time of the year when we see our high streets transformed with twinkling lights and festive tunes can be heard from the doorways of small businesses as they entice shoppers on the hunt for gifts, a celebratory meal or seasonal sweet treat. It’s time to “get your festive window on”.
There is something quite magical about Christmas including the positive impact on many businesses bank accounts. Therefore, a show stopping window display, creating a holiday feel and capturing customers interest is key.
But with budgets stretched thinly where do you start?
Choose a theme & products
Christmas is the perfect time to tell a story and a winning window display gives a visible narrative to showcase your services or products. These displays should encourage passers-by to stop, look up from their screens and immediately know what they could purchase from you and the value for their money.
· Having a consistent theme across your business frontage, window display and interior draws customers in and can be continued all year round with the changing seasons
· When selecting a theme, don’t just think about the products you sell, look at ways of highlighting how they were made and where they come from. Be loud and proud of your locally sourced produce and products, customers love knowing the story behind the items. Make sure your theme represents not just your products, but the personality of your business. Are you aspirational, luxury or do you represent friendliness or creativity?
· Find inspirations from fellow retailers. Think about window displays that had a big impact on you, but remain unique, always make it your own reflecting your personality and brand. If your small business is based on affordable dining, clothing or gifts avoid using expensive pieces to create your display, your design theme should match your menu or items available in store.
· Look for products that will spark interest or shopping ideas, enticing customers through the door to where higher valued items may be displayed.
· When selecting the best products to display, consider your consumers. Are they looking for the perfect present, Christmas dinner accompaniments or perhaps a well deserved treat for themselves?
· Showcasing your seasonal menu or in store products helps build a visual shopping list for customers.
Dress your window
Your window is your small businesses billboard, and the cost of purchasing decorations can stack up. Be creative and cost savvy by using everyday items for your Christmas design.
· Transform your high street business into a real winter wonderland, shoppers love the escapism of Christmas. Decorate it for the holidays without going over the top, you don’t want to detract from the products or seasonal menu offering.
· Sustainability continues to be important to customers, vintage and recycled items bring nostalgia and are easily sourced from second hand and charity shops: look for retro items such as old photos, well-travelled suitcases, vintage cameras, and other items that match your chosen theme.
· Make use of your empty stock boxes or crates by wrapping in festive paper adding a colourful bow or spray painting. Not only sustainable, but also effective at providing interesting height to a window at minimal cost. Decorations don’t have to be extravagant; simplicity brings charm and nostalgia and that’s what many people want around the holidays.
· Borrow props, like an old bicycle, a quick spruce up and its ready to go. Recycling and recreating Christmases gone by highlights your artistic flair and brands heritage.
· Be creative with items you sell, a shoe shop could build a Christmas tree out of shoe boxes topped with a sparkly shoe or boot, a gift shop could decorate a tree with gift ideas and clothing store could dress a snowman in accessories they sell, all available at little cost. Cafes, restaurants and bakeries could utilise cutlery and cooking utensils as tree decorations, wreaths or simply suspend them in the window for a unique and effective way of creating an eye-catching display.
· Think about your customers, are they walking past or driving by, can your shop, café, restaurant, or bakery be seen at a distance? You may wish to add signage, lighting or a bold decoration that attracts the eye from afar. Twinkling fairy lights are an easy and cost-effective way to make everything thing look Christmassy and as dark nights draw in and late-night shopping starts, effective festive lighting will ensure your window stands out. With soaring energy costs and potential shortages consider illuminating on a budget and reducing energy consumption. Swapping normal light bulbs for 75 percentage more energy efficient LED lights with timers will help keep costs down coupled with being more sustainable, without compromising on festivities!
If you have a pavement or outside dining area, dress your chairs with faux furs and rugs to keep customers cosy and create the festive feel.
· Food themed decorations such as cinnamon sticks, candy canes or dried oranges slices scented with yuletide essential oil not only look good but smell great too, all helping to create the holiday atmosphere.
· Placing a QR code in your window pointing to a page on your website with all of the items in the window will encourage additional sales from window shoppers. Be sure to highlight in your window if you offer a click and collect or ring and reserve service, helping provide a stress-free shopping experience.
· If your window is Insta-worthy use hashtags on your window to interact with your customers and encourage them to share your display online. #windowwinterwonderland #winterwoolies #coolyule #festivefeast #greatgifts Excite customers and get them to spread the word.
It’s good to note,
· Your window display should promote your products, not outshine them. Make them the star of the show.
· Don’t obscure the window fully. Ensure customers eyes can look beyond what is on or hanging in the window and see what is in store.
· Keeping the height of the displayed stock to a minimum allows a clear line of sight into your business, enabling passers-by to see into your premises. This also allows you and your employees to see out and spot potential thieves loitering and take appropriate action.
· Give your window a Christmas clean, it needs to showcase your yuletide offers in the best way possible.
· It’s never too early to plan ahead, purchasing festive decs at the end of the season will save a pot of money.
· Make sure decorations meet safety standards and your shop, café or restaurant is welcoming, clean and safe, reflecting the care and attention you place on running your business along with ensuring Christmas shoppers are protected.
Managing any risks to those affected by your business lie with you. Carrying out regular health and safety risk assessments over the festive period will help you take the reasonable steps required to alleviate potential risks and keep customers safe.
We at Expression Insurance can provide the specific level of Public Liability required by your individual business up to £10 million.
Sharing the Christmas spirit
Christmas spirit is when businesses come together, support one another, share ideas and have “pride in place”.
This coming together and supporting the high street community forms part of an initiative by Holly Tucker of holly.co who has announced for the second year, Colour Friday 2022, encouraging the nation to buy Christmas gifts from creative small businesses. This initiative, is “an exciting annual alternative to Black Friday in November reminding us all to celebrate the colour and creativity that small business bring to the UK”
No matter how you choose to decorate your window this Christmas, just being part of the festive season will put you in good stead for having a Merry Christmas with all the trimmings!
If you want to find out more about how Expression supports independent business owners who love their business visit www.expressioninsurance.co.uk