HOW TO CONVERT SHOPPERS WITH WINDOW GRAPHICS

NOVEMBER 12, 2019| SpeedPro West Chester

Window graphics are decals or clings that are designed to adhere to windows and other glass surfaces.  They can face both outward and inward and can even be made with perforations to let plenty of natural light into your store.  Options for window graphics vary widely in terms of size, color, material, and lifespan.  Window decals can play different roles and serve valuable purposes in many different types of buildings, including offices, restaurants and more.

When it comes to retail stores, frosted storefront window films can be used to provide some privacy for shoppers.  Unlike the frosted glass look you might see on an office window or door, however, most storefront window graphics serve another important purpose.  Custom window clings for businesses are valuable marketing tools that can turn your simple storefront into a vibrant display that attracts and converts shoppers.

FIVE WAYS TO USE MARKETING WINDOW CLINGS

There is no one simple answer to how your store can convert shoppers successfully, so any strategic marketing plan will go at this challenge from a few different angles.  Take a look at five ways you can use window clings or decals to market to passersby on the street, as well as shoppers who are browsing your store.

1. DRAW IN CURIOUS SHOPPERS

If your store is situated in a location where it experiences a lot of foot traffic, or if drivers can see your store from the road as they drive past, then you have a valuable opportunity to market your store to passersby.  One way you can pull people in is by generating some curiosity.  Window graphics provide an excellent way to attract people.

When your goal is to make consumers curious enough to step inside your store, you want to give them some basic information about your store while piquing their curiosity so they want to learn more.  One way you can do this is with vivid graphics that depict what you sell and create some intrigue around your products.

Another way you can make shoppers curious is by creating a window graphic that includes a question.  For example, a mattress store could ask, “Have you discovered your perfect mattress?” or “When was the last time you had a perfect night’s sleep?”  A boutique could ask, “Do you feel beautiful today?”  The goal is to get people thinking and encourage them to step through your store’s front door.

2. ADVERTISE PROMOTIONS

Another tactic you can use to pull in would-be shoppers is to advertise sales promotions on your storefront windows.  Sales have long been a staple of retail stores and for good reason.  Consumers get excited when they know there’s a good deal to be had.  One survey found that 92% of shoppers are always on the lookout for a deal.  Some of these deal hunters will pass by your store, so if you want to market to these consumers, your shop windows provide a great way to do this.

You can use temporary window clings to call attention to current or upcoming promotions at your store.  These window graphics should be colorful, bold and simple so consumers spot them and understand them immediately.  Red is a popular choice for advertising sales, so it tends to be a good choice when you want to grab the attention of deal-hunters.

Simple text like “Biggest sale of the year” or “Save up to 50%” is your best bet for attracting shoppers and convincing them to step inside or come back when the sale is on for some potential savings.  If you begin advertising a sale in advance, remember to include the dates of the sale.

3. RAISE BRAND AWARENESS

A more subtle — and yet still very effective — marketing strategy is to highlight your branding.  Focusing on your brand can be an effective strategy both for passersby outside and for shoppers who are browsing inside your store.  Brand recognition can play an important role in attracting customers to your store and to maintaining customer loyalty, so the more you can reinforce your branding, the better.

Consider the successful stores in your community.  Can you picture their logos?  Do you know their slogans?  What colors do they use in their marketing?  What sort of voice or style do they use in their advertising?  These are all aspects of branding.  Once you’ve developed your business’s brand, reinforce it throughout all your marketing materials, including your window graphics.  Research shows that keeping your branding consistent can increase your revenues by as much as 23%.

Your branding should be prominent in your window graphics to create strong brand recognition and convert more shoppers.  Over time, even small businesses can build a brand that carries positive associations among consumers in their community.  Your brand can help to set your store apart from other stores, so leverage your uniqueness wherever you can.

4. FEATURE NEW PRODUCTS

Another great way to convert shoppers both inside and outside of your store is to feature new products in your marketing window clings.  New products can create some intrigue for consumers who have never stepped foot in your store before as well as for longtime repeat customers.  Advertising a specific product can help your sales across the board, not just for that product.  Once people step inside to learn more, they are likely to browse your other products and potentially make a purchase.

When advertising new products, feature an image of the product prominently and include just enough text to generate some interest and excitement.  For example, a tech company that has produced a new tablet could create a window graphic with the phrase “our slimmest tablet yet” or another phrase that points out how this model stands out from previous models.

A new product doesn’t have to be one single item.  It could also be a product line.  For example, clothing stores that have stocked a seasonal line can advertise this clothing line with a window cling.  Whatever the new product or products, a window graphic can help to bring it to life and generate interest in your store.

5. CREATE THE PERFECT ATMOSPHERE

While you can name the products on your shelves or racks, most store owners understand that what they’re really selling is something intangible.  For a jewelry store, this may be the glamorous feeling that the perfect piece of jewelry can provide.  For a sporting goods store, it may be that extra edge athletes are looking for through top-of-the-line equipment.  For a furniture store, it may the sense of comfort you can get from a favorite chair or sofa.

These intangible products are the motivation behind your customers’ purchasing decisions, and you can capitalize on those motivations with your window graphic displays.  For example, the jewelry store can feature an image inspired by vintage Hollywood glamour.  The sporting goods store can show a confident athlete using their equipment.  The furniture store can create a window graphic showing a family snuggled up on their couch, reading a book together.

These graphics help to create an atmosphere that motivates shoppers to buy your products.  The ambiance of a store is known to influence customers’ purchasing decisions.  Your store’s ambiance should help customers feel a certain way when they are browsing your store.  Whatever that feeling is, whether it be pampered, determined, relaxed or any other emotion, let that come through in your window graphics so you can create the perfect atmosphere for customers and motivate them to make a purchase.

TIPS FOR DESIGNING EFFECTIVE WINDOW GRAPHICS

Now, let’s talk about some general design tips that apply to any marketing window graphics you create for your business.  While storefront vinyl decals can be an excellent marketing tool, a lackluster design could limit just how effective they can be.  If you follow these six tips to create your window graphics, then you’ll have an eye-catching graphic that is sure to make a bold impression.

1. MAKE THE MESSAGE DIRECT

No matter how much space your storefront windows provide for expansive graphics, you always want to keep the text concise.  In most instances, you can boil messages down into just a few words.  Try to be as direct as possible.  Onlookers are more likely to read shorter messages in their entirety than they are a block of text on your window.

For instance, instead of listing the details of a financing promotion at a mattress store, you can simply say “Sleep on your dream mattress tonight for $0 down.”  Or, you could boil it down even further with a phrase like “$0 down financing available.”  If there are more details you want to communicate which would make your graphic too text-heavy, instead, prompt people to ask for more details inside.

2. USE BRIGHT, BRANDED COLORS

Window clings can be white or full-color.  White graphics are sometimes frosted, making them translucent.  These clings are a great option to consider when you don’t want to obscure your windows too much.  However, if you want to make a bold impression, go for large, colorful graphics.

When choosing the colors for your graphic, look for ones that are consistent with your branding.  You can feature other colors, as well, but you want to highlight your branded colors as much as possible.  You also want to make sure the colors you select contrast since it makes for a more eye-catching image.

3. MAKE TEXT READABLE

The text you include on a window decal is only worthwhile if people can read it.  Three main factors determine how readable your text on your window graphics will be:

• Size:  If you’ve ever had an eye exam, you know that some letters are just too small for you to read at a certain distance.  If you want people on the other side of the street to be able to read the text on your storefront, then you need that text to be large.  SpeedPro has a letter visibility chart that can help you determine just how tall your text should be.
• Contrast:  Contrast is especially important when it comes to text.  If your text is overlayed on an image, make sure the color of the texts pops from the image rather than blending into it.  Even if you plan to use only text and no images, consider which color would pop best against your windows.
• Font:  You likely have a font you use for marketing materials, and in most cases, you’ll want to incorporate your signature font into your window graphics for consistency.  The most important thing is to use a font that is easily readable.  Some fonts may look nice and work well for your logo, for instance, but be too difficult to read as an advertisement.  Choose simple, legible fonts on your windows.

4. USE HIGH-RESOLUTION IMAGES

When you’re using images in your window graphics, make sure they are high-resolution.  The quality should be high enough that they can be blown up considerably without becoming grainy.  Even large window graphics should look sharp and vivid. For graphic art, use vector images, which can be resized without compromising quality.  For photographs, be sure the output resolution of the image at the size you want is somewhere between 100 and 200 dots per inch (DPI).

Using low-quality images is one of the most common wide-format printing mistakes you want to avoid.  For maximum impact, stick to high-quality images.

5. CAPITALIZE ON SEASONAL THEMES

One of the great things about window decals is that they work well as temporary displays you can change out regularly.  Therefore, it’s smart to capitalize on seasonal themes in your marketing.  Retail stores can use seasonal changes and upcoming holidays to generate excitement among shoppers and draw them in to shop for the perfect seasonal clothing, decorations and gifts.

Even if your products don’t change with the seasons, you can still create a more fun and welcoming environment by including some seasonal inspiration in your window clings.  You may even be able to come up with some fun wordplay.  Examples include “it may be cold outside, but these deals are red hot” or “fall into great savings.”

CUSTOM WINDOW GRAPHICS FROM SPEEDPRO

If you want to make a bold impression with your storefront and use this space to convert passersby and people browsing inside into paying customers, then window graphics are the perfect solution.  Window decals can quickly transform the face of your store.

Consider partnering with SpeedPro, the nation’s leading printing and graphics franchise, for your next window graphics project.  Our studios are equipped with current printing technology and have access to a wide range of materials so you can create window decals that exactly fit your specifications.  Our expert staff is ready to help you choose the right materials and methods for your application.

Feel free to stop by our Studio on Bolmar St. in West Chester to see how we can help you.