By far, the most important part of the design and marketing of your shop will be the shop front.

The signs, displays, structural glass and building facades are the first sights any potential customers will see, and within seconds they will have made a decision about whether or not they want to shop there.

Many city and borough councils will have specific design guides related to shop fronts on their main roads, but outside of these locality-specific requirements, here are some top tips and considerations when designing your shop front.

Stand Out Harmoniously

The reason why many local planning authorities have specific standards and regulations for their shop fronts is that they want to ensure that different stores have designs that have an overall consistency, rather than a mix of traditional and ultra-modern shop designs.

As a result, the first step is to look at what the stores next to yours are doing with their shop design and ensure your plans are commensurate with the stores around you.

Take advantage of existing features, ensure your signage matches the style and location of other stores and use similar materials.

Tell Your Story Through Colour, Designs and Displays

What would you do if you were asked to tell your life story in just a few seconds? Your shop front display needs to do exactly this, but thankfully there are many forms of marketing shorthand to help you here.

Your colour scheme should match your branding, for example. Your displays should not be too cluttered and should contain a mix of products, imagery and marketing material that encapsulates what the store is all about and grab people’s attention.

Bear in mind that colours often have meanings for customers, such as the calmness of blue, the intensity of red and the natural connection green implies.

Do Not Forget Security

Ultimately, your shop front does have a practical consideration as well. The glass and metalwork need to be strong to deter potential burglars and the locks should be security rated.