Holiday Display To-Do List

Your holiday displays are an important part of your marketing plan for the season. Use this checklist for ideas and to make sure that you don't forget to do something that could cost you sales.

Retail window displays need to be eye catching and interesting to stop traffic. You only get one chance to make a first impression. Lots of people that normally don't shop will be walking past your store throughout the holiday season. They will likely be in a hurry, put off by the crowds, or on a mission to find a specific gift. It is your job and your challenge to find a way to make your window display pop out and grab their attention.

Check the windows of the stores around you. Make note of what caught your eye. Think about the season and what makes it special for your shoppers. People get great satisfaction from giving. When they find that special gift, they get a certain feeling, an excited feeling, about making someone happy. They want to feel special in when they give. Using this knowledge, you can come up with some really grabbing displays.

Think about lighting, situation, the scene and the feeling. Use decorations that go with the season. Christmas lights are great for bringing a mystic feeling to a store window. Mannequins are great for getting human feelings across.

When your window display is done, don't stop there. Continue the mood into the store. Hang decorations that go with the theme. If you use spotlights in your windows, use spotlights to highlight your clothing racks. You can decorate a garment rack with Christmas trees, rotating stars, whatever you can imagine. When people turn the racks, the decorations will draw attention from other customers and people walking by.

Giving your displays motion and depth with lighting, human emotion, and even literal turning motion is a great way to keep your store stimulating and interesting. Create special displays that merchandise your inventory in a way that makes people think about giving. Fluffy sweaters, belts, funny t-shirts, whatever is popular, are all great for promoting during the holiday season.

Don't forget to create a display that attracts attention to your gift cards. Companies make a lot of money off of gift cards. When the recipient of the card comes to your store to use it, they will usually spend more money while they're there.

There are many ways to promote yourself during the holidays. Just remember to start with the first impression and move back into the store from there. Involve all of your displays, including your clothing racks, dressing rooms, art, mirrors, promotional materials from vendors, and your lighting.