Page 248 - AmericasMart: Market Magazine July 2017

PRESENTATION IS EVERYTHING:
INVITE CURIOSITY. “Beauty will draw people in, but you want them to keep moving through the store. For the most part, we mix merchandise on fixtures such as tables, hutches and étagères. We’ll place a fixture in a certain direction to inspire people to keep walking, to keep looking.” She buys fixtures with an eye to enhance her products, and sometimes customers buy them.
KEEP IT FRESH. “We change our fixtures and displays all the time. We recently bought some tables made of barn wood with modern metal accents that fit well with our lake-living location. We’ll paint old pieces of furniture to fit the season or display theme. You can work wonders with a fresh coat of paint.”
GET IT OUT, WORK IT IN. “Our deliveries are staggered, but we get product onto the floor quickly. We can always add to a display later to change the look and spark new interest.”
START WITH A FOCAL POINT. "A large item or a color theme will draw the customer closer to look at what else is nearby."
MAKE IT WELCOMING. “A display should be pleasing to the eye, but approachable. We’re not a museum. We want customers to feel free to pick things up. Sometimes we add little signs that say, ‘please touch.’”
REMEMBER THAT LESS IS MORE. “Be selective. Give people ideas, but don’t overwhelm. Things are easier to view when you leave a little space in your design."
Jane Marski owns Hannah’s Home Accents in Antioch, Ill. For more information, visit hannahs.com.
Images: Hannah Massey
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