Many local chain stores have traditionally posted leaflets on a regular basis, featuring details of every special offer they have on at the time, an idea which large supermarkets have picked up upon; which implies that it must be working well.
Identity
Every business has an identity, often referred to as a brand; this could be your shop name, a logo or colour scheme.
“A local or personal business will need a different identity to a shop that wishes to appear modern and expanding.”
If you are going for a local or personal appearance (E.g.: A family butchers), then you will need a different identity to a shop that wishes to appear modern and expanding.
The three main areas of identity that will affect how customers see your business are the name, the signage / logo, and the shop fitting and decoration.
Name – The name needs to reflect the type of products you stock and the type of customers you wish to attract. For example, giving your shop a modern sounding name is likely to attract younger customers, but may put off older customers.
Signage and Logo – People must be able to recognise your shop, if it blends in with other similar shops it may not get noticed. For most shops, a large bright sign will be most effective, and will help attract passing trade, although this will depend on the location and type of business.
A logo is the most important part of a sign, and is vital to how your business looks to customers; it must portray your name and business effectively. A good logo could simply be the shop name in writing, or it could be a bright set shape or symbol; but if it suits your business well it will help customers to remember you.
Decoration – One of the things customers will remember about your shop is how it feels, whether it has a pleasant atmosphere, or whether it is dark and unwelcoming. This is affected by the quality and style of decoration and fittings. You can help make your shop appear a nicer place by fitting good lighting, and avoiding the use of too many dark colours. By using set colours (such as those in your logo), you can help to make your shop’s identity appear stronger.
Display Promotion
This is the use of display points in your shop to promote further sales, or the use of outside displays (E.g.: Shop windows) to attract passing trade.
Point of Sale (POS) displays are sometimes provided by the manufacturer to help you sell their products, some manufacturers of food and drink will even provide you with branded cooling equipment if you stock only their products in it.
Shop window displays can be anything from piece of cardboard with writing on it to a professionally printed poster, for most small business shops the cost of the latter is too high to make it worthwhile. As long as the display is bold and clearly placed, people should notice it.
Word of Mouth
This is the cheapest form of promotion available. By providing a good service and giving people the products they want at acceptable prices, they are more likely to recommend you to their friends.
