With the influx of online shopping options, the real reason a customer chooses to go in person to a store is to have the experience of shopping. They want to experience the brand identity of the stores they frequent. Because of this, it’s more important now than ever to make sure your brand identity is fully displayed in your storefront. This will let customers know what to expect out of the shopping experience and let them know what you have to offer.
The first step in putting your brand identity in your storefront is realizing what your brand identity truly is for customers. It is more important to align with the feeling customers identify with in your branding. If you have a gift shop, do you offer extras such as wrapping and have a staff that will help them select the right gift for the right occasion? Do you have a small grocery store that uses locally grown produce? Or do you have a more traditional retail spot where you order and carry items that other stores don’t have?
Depending on which is true, your branding will greatly vary. For instance, a smaller mom and pop shop that prides itself in the community should go for that feeling. Images should reflect the reason customers come into the store rather than trying to mimic the feeling of a big box store. This same feeling should be reflected in other channels.
For instance, having one persona on Twitter than having a totally different look and feel in the brick and mortar location of your business will leave customers confused. If you bring in new leads through those other channels, they will be expecting to have a similar interaction but in the physical form. Staying consistent is, therefore, one of the most important aspects of building a brand identity.
Some ways to ensure you are as consistent as possible include:
- Document your brand identity such as what voice you use, your mission and guidelines about logo usage. This will make it easy to convert messages from one platform to the next.
- Have your staff help police your brand and ensure you are consistent in all channels. Sharing the documents of the brand identity will help everyone stay on point.
- Select a target audience and trim your brand identity around them. If you sell items for mothers, it makes sense to only target mothers. If you sell outdoors equipment, it doesn’t make sense to target those who stay inside a lot of the time.
Once you have your brand identity targeted, contact us. We can help bring your brand identity to life in your storefront displays.