FRESH TIME TO GET

In the fast-paced world of retail, keeping up with customer expectations is key to maintaining success. And that is especially true in our industry, says Laura Daly

These days, brides need certain requirements to be met if their shopping experience is going to be deemed at least acceptable.

I think we all know by now that we bridal retailers should be continually adapting and updating our stores to meet these expectations because, if we don’t, then someone else close by almost certainly will, and that could hugely impact on our footfall and, ultimately, our sales.

Quite how we keep reinventing ourselves however, is another matter! Undoubtably, in recent years, the importance of creating a unique and memorable in-store experience for customers has been paramount, and we all know just how many bridesto-be are looking for an experience that goes beyond simply purchasing a dress. They want to feel special, pampered and celebrated. Woe betide us if we don’t deliver!

So, how do we keep our shops and boutiques up-to-date without bankrupting ourselves? The way I see it, we have two options; we either totally refurbish and refit our shops every couple of years like the big, corporate fashion brands do – which, let’s face it, is an expensive path to go down – or we establish our brands, our colours and our identity and work around that.

Again, there are a couple of ways to go about this; one is to engage a design and branding company to draw up a complete plan which you either execute yourself or pay them to implement – or you sit down and tackle it yourself. The DIY option takes a lot of self-discipline, because you’re probably going to want to go mad on the bits you need to rein in and then economise on the bits that need to be done properly!

Firstly, you need to be really sure of who you are and who your target bride is, and you need tounderstand her language. You may love flowers, greenery and trees but, if your target bride is a cool metropolitan minimalist, then you need to take direction from her. Otherwise, however lovely your dresses may be, they will always fight with their surroundings. I’d concentrate on shop layout, functionality, customer flow and good lighting, spending a good chunk of the budget on classic bigticket purchases. For example, rails, wardrobes and fitting rooms that can be repainted and refaced.

Don’t scrimp on mirrors. Not only do they give the appearance of a larger area and create more light but, naturally, your customers always want to be able to see themselves –preferably from every angle. I’d advise choosing a neutral pallet which, whilst complementing your brand colours and identity, doesn’t scream a particular year or moment in history. Of course, even neutrals change with time, but you’ll get more mileage from them than from particularly fashionable colours – however lovely they are for the five minutes that they are on trend!

Consider the flooring at this point, all surfaces have their strengths and weaknesses, but ultimately need to match your ‘vibe’ and be functional and easy to keep very clean! Into this mix, I’d then add an interesting statement piece or feature unique to you and your brand. This doesn’t have to cost the earth, but it does have to make people remember you. If you position it correctly and space is a premium, this feature can double as a selfie wall or backdrop. Whatever you create needs to be well-lit and very photogenic so that all your customers want to take pictures of it.

I’ve seen amazing feature walls, fountains, ball pits, fully-stocked bars, little tea rooms, interactive screens – the list goes on, but the secret is that they have to be a bit of you. They need to be representative of your brand and they have to grab the attention. Otherwise, don’t go there.

Once that’s all in place, add in the décor of the season with smaller throw away pieces and soft furnishings. When I say throw away, I mean fashionable chairs, coffee tables, lamps and all the little extras that make it bougie and unique. If this all sounds daunting, believe me when I say that if you make a plan to do a bit at a time, you can transform any space. I’m well known for my ninja decorating skills – you’d be amazed at what you can do over a bank holiday weekend – you just need a plan!