WINNING Windows

Creating first impressions that make lasting customers

By Erinn Morgan

Ennco Display Systems creates windows with the intent to increase store traffic

Why are window displays so important? For starters, in today's ultra competitive marketplace, they are an ECP's most important calling card.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

“Window displays provide that crucial first impression and create a positive and memorable image for new and returning customers,” says Richard Winig, president of Eye Designs. “They also help to communicate your brand to your customers and advertise product.”

Beyond pure product, windows can engage people and convey your message. Gai Gherardi, co-owner of l.a. Eyeworks, says the company's windows function as a dialogue with the public.

Jan Ennis, president of Ennco Display Systems, agrees. “The goal of window merchandising is not to sell the actual product, but to lure in the potential client,” he says.

Experts contend that window merchandising is a critical tool for engaging customers. Pictured (top to bottom) are window displays by Eye Designs, Fashion Optical Display, and Magic Design

The beauty of window displays is that they work hard day and night.

“You can draw the customer's attention, drum up business, and make a statement even while you are closed,” says Dacie Lewis, owner of Bright Display.

According to display experts, a few basic rules apply to winning windows.

THE RULES OF ATTRACTING

■ Simplify. Reducing clutter is key. “Absence yourself from it as much as possible,” says Gherardi.

Additionally, keep product and signage to a minimum, suggests Winig, of Eye Designs.

“If the display appears cluttered or disorganized, customers will tend to ignore it,” he says. “Instead, create a balanced look using light and bright colors.”

■ Consider Scale. A big window and a small product can create presentation challenges. At l.a. Eyeworks, scale is integral to effective window merchandising. Which is exactly why most window displays at their two Los Angeles-area retail stores do not show eyewear products. Instead, they convey messages to passersby through oversized words and visuals.

But there are practices who prefer to keep their goods in the window. Since eyewear is such a small item, displaying it effectively can be challenging. When showing off actual product in windows, theatrics can play a part.

“Success with showing off a small item like eyewear all comes down to staging,” says Ken Whittaker, marketing director at Bates Display. “Pick a theme and color scheme and change it up on a regular basis.”

One recommendation for making frames pop in window displays is by creating contrast in color and texture.

“Display metallic frames on suede, wood, or stone, not on other glittery objects that compete with the sparkle of the frames,” Sloan says.

■ Present a Focused Message. Determine your message and create a window around this, says Ennis.

■ Keep it Lit. Keeping your window display lit throughout the night is a smart move. Experts recommend track lighting, especially if you are not using a showcase in this area. “If you are worried about cost or wasting energy, then consider low heat, energy alternatives for your window,” says Bright Display's Lewis.

“Currently these options are more expensive but over time you can break even on the energy savings,” she notes.

■ Look Inside. Some ECPs, depending on focus and clientele, may want to offer a glimpse inside the store. “If you put up a big banner or photo that covers the entire window, then all that is seen is that image,” says Dan Sloan, designer at Fashion Optical Display.

■ Change it Up. Experts agree that fresh window displays keep customers engaged. Gherardi, for instance, aims to change windows every four to six weeks.

And while complete change is good, ECPs can woo passersby with small window tweaks weekly.

“If you have a retail front downtown, see how often your neighbors are changing theirs,” says Sloan. “Keep in mind that once you come up with a good window display layout, you don't need to change everything about it each month.” Instead, change the color accent or a prop or two—and always make sure the display is clean. EB

Catch an Eyeful

Windows that pack a punch don't necessarily even need to include eyewear. Brent Zerger, director of communications/retail operations at l.a. Eyeworks, provides a few insights and anecdotes about the company's creative displays: BEHOLD…BE HELD 1 “Trying to make a holiday window that isn't a cliché. Here, we use basic word play to contrast concepts of the ‘grand’ with the ‘intimate.’ The window features abstract shapes designed for l.a. Eyeworks by Los Angeles artist Joji Okazaki.” HONK IF YOU LOVE COWBOYS 2 “Window designs can respond to local conditions. Since Los Angeles is, after all, a movie town, we made a window in dialogue with the much-ballyhooed release of the film ‘Brokeback Mountain.’ And drivers did, indeed, honk…a lot!” GET OVER IT 3 “An early 1990s dialogue that provides double entendres related to feminism, obsession with augmented female ideals, and wearing our underwear out!” CREATIVE ACCOUNTING…FULL DISCLOSURE 4 “Can the political be hysterical? We think so. Outrageous props illustrate a searing indictment about a hot topic of the time. A gigantic pair of white underwear (Creative Accounting) contrast with a smaller pair of briefs (Full Disclosure) as the Enron scandal unfolded in the early 2000s.”

NERDVANA 5 “At l.a. Eyeworks, frame talk is fashion talk. When words like ‘retro,’ ‘vintage,’ and ‘geek chic’ inundated the optical world to the point of meaninglessness, we made up our own vocabulary. ‘Nerdvana’ talked not only about a current trend, but more importantly, about the idea of glasses as transformation. We have recreated this window for l.a. Eyeworks accounts in New York, Paris, and the Netherlands. A giant frame front, rendered