Many towns and cities in the UK now run competitions for the “Best Dressed Christmas Window” to encourage shoppers to visit, view the windows and buy from the local shops. As an added incentive to get involved, winners receive prizes of cash or donated gifts such as a weekend hotel break or a luxury hamper.
If you have a shop window you should, most certainly, create a Christmas window display. An attractive Christmas window display can really draw customers into your shop that otherwise might just have passed by.
Christmas window display does not need to be elaborate. For example, a local independent hardware shop has a much-viewed Christmas window, which basically consists of a festively trimmed window with a Christmas tree decorated with twinkle fairy lights. Around the base of the tree lie half a dozen presents, partially unwrapped to reveal handy gift items such as a power drill, a toolbox, a car vacuum, and a gardener’s hand tool set.
The point here is that creating your own Christmas window display isn't difficult. And in future years, you can use the same display or simply adapt it without too much time or effort. Here are a few tips to help you easily create your own Christmas window display:
1. Displays need harmony
Just putting a few items in a window does not comprise a display. The items need to have harmony. And the easiest way to do this is to select and keep to a theme. The best theme for your Christmas window display is one that relates to what you sell. For example, a furniture shop might choose a theme related to Father Christmas sitting in a fireside armchair unloading a sack of Christmas presents, or a toy shop may have a two elves loading a sleigh with toys and games.
2. Displays need a focal point.
In order to draw the shopper’s eye in, your Christmas window display needs one central item or feature. All other things are accessories that should be in harmony with the focal point, not in competition with it. In the two examples in 1 above, the focal point of the display could be Father Christmas.
3. Don’t overcrowd your displays.
What will have more impact? A single backlit mannequin dressed in an black evening dress or a window filled with mannequins dressed in black evening dresses? Effective window displays do not just comprise items of merchandise – they should include light and space. A spotlight is a simple touch that can have a huge effect. Remember less is more.
4. Sketch out your display on paper.
By mapping out your display on paper first you will find it easier to decide what should go where. Trying to move actual merchandise and props around in a window is often tricky, though it can be entertaining for shoppers! Time spent planning on paper will lessen the time it takes to physically assemble the display and help you to avoid mistakes.
Finally, your Christmas window displays do not have to rival those of Harrods! All you need is an eye-catching display that portrays the individual personality of your retail shop, and brings some festive cheer to your customers to put them in a Christmas spending mood.
