Christmas is long behind us, and now Valentine’s Day has passed as well. The next few weeks can be difficult for retailers, in part because there’s no major holiday on the horizon to prepare for. Don’t lose all hope, though – here are a few ideas for how you can keep traffic flowing in your store until the next holiday draws near.
Spring into action
You may be pining for the holiday revenue, but springtime can also be very lucrative for merchants. Your goal should be to capture and harness the excitement of the changing of the seasons – people are going to be eager to get out in the warm weather and celebrate the end of a long and dreary winter, so use that to your advantage. Revamp your store fixtures such as hangers and wall displays with new, brightly colored items, and be sure to showcase your hottest spring apparel in your store window, even if it’s still cold outside.
Keep in mind that many people will be taking part in spring cleaning over the next few weeks, so line your gondola shelves with items they may need while reorganizing. This works especially well for retailers that deal in cleaning supplies like brooms and mops, but even apparel sellers can get in on the trend by marketing some of their casual clothing as “spring cleaning wear.”
Next up: proms and weddings
Though it’s not a holiday, prom season is coming up, which means many high school students will be on the hunt for fancy gowns, rental tuxedos, and classy accessories to wear to the big dance. You can draw them into your store by putting jewelry displays in your front window, or using hair mannequins to show young ladies that you have the supplies necessary for them to create a fabulous hairdo.
March and April are big wedding-planning months, especially for brides and grooms who are preparing to hold their nuptials outdoors. A wide variety of retailers can use this to boost sales. It’s obvious how apparel sellers can benefit by dressing their adult and child mannequins in wedding-appropriate clothing, but home goods merchants can also rake in big gains. Now is the time to put up store signs advertising your shop as an excellent place for young couples to register. You can also create a mock wedding in your store window using mannequins, display tables and other goods to make it clear that you sell the makings for a great ceremony.
