By Sally Furrer
In case signage can be a very helpful tool to communicate with your customers while they are browsing, enhance your product and most importantly, tell a story. Always assess your signage to make sure that it is consistent with your store brand and image.
A few important notes to keep in mind: Too much pricing or signage combined with multiple slot trays create a “mall store” look. Less is more. Some pricing is recommended so your customer has a sense of affordability, but use sparingly, and use groupings of “starting at $495”, for instance.
If you have unique, interesting or proprietary product you will definitely want to highlight them with signage.
Here are a few more considerations to take into account for signage.
Signage Basics
- Signage could be a designer name, a collection name, a collection tag line, visuals and images, store features and benefits, or even pricing. Every showcase should have some kind of signage.
- The primary sign should be at the front and in the centre of the case. Other signage can be on or beside your platforms.
- Changing out your signage seasonally is another way of keeping your showcases fresh looking.
- Keep signs free of fingerprints or any evidence of wear and tear.
- Never use hand-made or hand written signs. Have a printer create them for you.
- Signage should always have a holder which matches your displays. An exception would be some pricing modules.
Tell a Story
- Each showcase, or platform within a showcase, should be a “storyboard” in itself.
- Jewellery should not be displayed based on their components: for example, all 1 pc. Semis grouped together, and all 2 pc. Semis grouped together. They should be grouped by look and feel (design), because that is how a customer shops.
- Group your product into collections that tell a story. For instance, you could display a collection of amethyst, citrine and smoky quartz jewellery and sign it “Brazilian Beat”. Add some gemstone rough, and you have a story that is relevant and interesting to your clients.
- A tagline gives the client more information about the grouping or Collection–ex: The Eclat Diamond Collection—“Superior Brilliance Your Eyes Can See”.
- Add a framed bio with image for each of your designers. Sales associates need to make a designer come alive, so these are a great prompt.
- Add framed visuals to each case—for example: A romantic sepia photo of a couple embracing in your bridal case. Or an image of a celebrity wearing large hoops with your hoop earring collection.
Positioning the Stories
- Always work from the centre out. The merchandise displayed should “flow out” from the centre.
- Assume the customer is standing in front of the case, so arrange the merchandise to face the customer. If a lighting baffle blocks the view, make sure the platforms and elements are toward the back of the case.
- Try to balance each story so that it’s not weighted on one side or another.
- Space items so that the eye is forced to focus on one item – or a group of items before moving onto the next group.
- Curves lead the eye more effectively than hard lines, so try to incorporate curved shapes into your story.
