How to Create Customer Dreams in Your Store

Have you ever walked into a store and fallen in love?

It’s as if the store was created just for you. It smells heavenly. The lighting is beautiful. Each display is exquisite. The products are calling you. It’s perfect.

You imagine…

…what that table would look like in your kitchen.
…what you’d look like in that sweater.
…how the bbq would look on your deck.

You dream of the day…

when you’ll be able to go home with a table, sweater or bbq like those.

For now, you’re happy to take home just a little piece of the dream. A table cloth, scarf or bbq accessories. Shoppers want to take home the dream.

Even if it’s just a small taste of the dream.

You can help your customers dream

There are three methods you can use to help your customers dream:

Vignette displays
Varied price points
Visible pricing

1) Vignette displays

Vignette displays are small scenes. The purpose of a vignette is to show shoppers how products work together.This type of display works best with stores that sell furniture, home décor or gifts and tableware. When you have furniture or housewares, it is easy to create a scene that could be a part of someone’s home.

Set up a vignette in one section of the store, or as a window display. Using furniture, linens and décor items, create a scene that looks like a room in a house.

Vignettes can work for other stores too

Vignettes can be used in stores selling clothing. Pet supplies. Books. Tools. All it takes is a little thinking. And maybe a few props. A vignette doesn’t have to spell out all the details. It can just suggest a scene.

A clothing store could create a vignette that suggests a bedroom at night. Hang clothes on hooks on a wall. A chair nearby has a coat over the back, and a sweater folded on the seat. A pair of shoes are lined up neatly next to the chair. It looks like clothes laid out for the next day.

If you sell pet supplies instead, create a vignette to suggest an outing to take the dog for a walk. Include a leash, treats, clothing and toys.

Vignettes don’t have to be large displays

A few books stacked on a table, with a pair of reading glasses and a teacup are enough. The glasses and teacup add personality to the display.

A magazine opened to an inviting page demonstrating a building project can be transformed into a display. Add a toolbelt and workgloves with a circular saw, a handful of nails, hammer and some small scraps of lumber to suggest a building project underway.

Vignettes like these are just one way to help shoppers dream. That brings us to pricing.

2) Varied price points

How you price items in your vignettes can attract or repel shoppers. To attract shoppers to dream about your products, use a variety of price points.

High price

Large, key pieces in the vignette will be the high priced items. These are the products that attract the customer to the display. They are visible from a distance.

A home décor store would use furniture, such as a table and chairs. A museum shop would use a beautiful artwork. A clothing store might use a beautiful coat, or a leather jacket. A hardware store could use expensive tools.

The high price items command attention. But a display that consists only of high ticket items will quickly turn off many shoppers. They won’t stick around if everything is priced out of reach. Mixing some lower priced items into the display keeps the attention of aspirational shoppers.

Low – medium price

Fill in the vignette display with small items affordable products. Lower prices don’t mean lower quality. Maintain the same high standards for quality and design in your lower priced items.

Some customers may not be able to afford the table and chairs, but perhaps they can afford the vase. Or the wine glasses.

The museum shop would display high quality art notecards, calendars or books. The clothing store would use a scarf. The hardware store could use copies of Fine Woodworking magazine.

Customers want to take a piece of their dream home with them. The high priced items are what they dream about– the table and chairs, the artwork, the leather jacket. But they can take a lower priced product home today. When they use that item,they remember the dream. And savour it.

But, what good is affordable pricing if shoppers can’t see the price? That brings us to the third method for helping your customers dream.

3) Visible pricing

Shoppers want to know the price of the items on display. When prices are hard to find, shoppers turn away.They assume that if products aren’t priced visibly, the items must be expensive.

To attract shoppers that will dream about your big ticket items, and save up for them–you need to tell them the price. Pricing the items clearly will let the customer know that the products have a range of price points. They’ll realize that not all the items are out of their price range.

Create unobtrusive, but visible price signs that complement the identity of the store. Use custom hangtags attached with string. Or elegant tent cards. Or a price list in a picture frame.

Why would you want shoppers who can’t afford your key products?

These shoppers browse. Or buy one or two small items. They aren’t the most profitable. So why would you want to attract them to your store? Loyalty.

Not the kind of loyalty that is given in exchange for earning points on a rewards card. I mean real loyalty. The kind that keeps customers coming back to browse, week after week. Year after year. They might just buy one or two small items now. Or next week. But you are building value, trust and dreams.

These customers develop a relationship with you and your store. Treat these aspirational shoppers well when they buy just one item. Or come in just to browse and dream.

Where will do you think they will go to splurge on a luxury for themselves when they land that new job? Or get a promotion? Where do you think they’ll shop when they save up the money for that new sofa? Or a piece of art they’ve been eyeing in your store?