How to Design In-Store Branding That Boosts Sales

Did you know that 82% of purchasing decisions happen while a person is inside the store? No matter how great your online ads are or how amazing your product might be, what customers see and feel in your physical store is still a big factor in their buying behavior.

This is why in-store branding, i.e., the way you design, layout, and present your store, is crucial to your success.  

And great in-store branding is more than just choosing a pretty chandelier or getting a trendy wall splash. It’s all about communicating your brand story, setting the right mood, and subtly showcasing your products in a way that can drive more sales. 

Curious to learn more? Join us as we explore how to design in-store branding that can turn a visit into a sale. 

7 Tips to Design Great In-Store Branding

Here are the best practices to keep in mind when designing your in-store branding:

1. Define your brand identity

Your store serves as a physical extension of your brand. That’s why, before you even start decorating, you should understand what your brand truly is. 

Ask yourself the following questions:

• Who are my target customers?

• What are my brand’s core values? 

• What personality do people tend to associate with my brand?

• What story do I want to tell?

This helps you understand the direction of how your store should look and feel. Should you go chic and luxe? Warm and approachable? Playful and whimsical? And so on.  

2. Create a cohesive visual identity

Now that you know the look that your store is going for, it’s time to build the elements to convey it. 

These are your colors, fonts, icons, illustrations, photos, materials, and other visual elements.

All of these elements should work together to reflect your chosen identity. For example, a brand focused on sustainability can go for wood or bamboo materials, combined with colors like cream, beige, tan, or green. Meanwhile, a luxurious clothing store can go for a minimalist black and white palette, combined with high-fashion photos and elegant cursive fonts for their displays. 

Unsure which colors to use? You can refer to color psychology for more guidance. For example, red increases urgency, which is why it’s typically used in retail stores and groceries. Light lilacs are seen as relaxing, which is why they’re a popular color for wellness centers and spas. 

Fonts can have this kind of psychological influence as well. Serif fonts like Times New Roman and Garamond are seen as traditional, professional, and authoritative. Sans-serif fonts like Arial and Helvetica are seen as friendlier and more modern. Meanwhile, handwritten fonts can convey that your brand is homemade and organic, while blocky fonts can evoke a retro appeal. 

3. Consider the atmosphere

Visuals aren’t the only thing that can influence the overall vibe of your store. 

One example is the lighting. Bright lights enhance a product’s visibility and appeal, while also creating a more upbeat atmosphere. Meanwhile, softer ambient lighting can make the space feel more intimate or luxurious.  

Scents can play a huge role as well. This is because scents can influence a person’s emotions, which will impact their buying behavior. 

Lavender, basil, and citrus are relaxing. While peppermint, thyme, and rosemary are invigorating. Chocolate and licorice scents are seen as romantic, while rose can uplift a person’s mood. 

Last is the music. Pop music can energize while slower music can encourage people to linger. Your playlist should also reflect your branding. For instance, soft jazzy music can be great for brands that are aiming for a relaxed vibe. 

4. Be strategic with the layout

A beautiful store design is useless if the layout confuses or frustrates your customers.

Plan your layout carefully. The entrance should be open and wide enough for people to go through without any issues. Wide aisles and ramps are also great since they give your customer more space to explore. Make sure to also add clear signage and directions to help guide your customer throughout the space. Lastly, checkout counters should always be visible and easy to get to, to avoid frustrating your customers. 

Your layout style will also matter. For instance, grid layouts are best for groceries, while loop layouts are great for clothing stores.

The layout can also be used to subtly convince your customers to purchase more. Try displaying your important products on the right side by the entrance, as customers tend to go there first. High-value and best-selling products should be placed at eye-level to make them even more visible to your customers. 

5. Leverage visual merchandising

How you present your products is also crucial.

Make sure to dedicate space for your hero products and new arrivals. Putting them front and center makes them more visible to your customers while also serving as a focal design point. Don’t forget to change up these displays often, though, to keep things fresh for your customers’ eyes. 

Seasonal touches, such as Christmas-themed decor or Valentine’s displays, can also make your store more relevant and up-to-date for your customers.

Try to arrange your products in a specific theme or context as well. For example, grouping items for a “home office upgrade,” “back to school,” or “summer getaway.” This approach can help your customers visualize real-life applications of your products as well as subtly encourage upselling.

6. Integrate with technology

Seamlessly blending your digital and physical experience is important in modern-day branding. 

Technology like interactive displays, self-service kiosks, or QR codes in your business cards that link to online catalogs can enrich a shopping journey. AR features like virtual try-ons can also add novelty and convenience, especially for beauty and fashion brands. 

“Instagrammable” spots, or spots with unique backdrops, branded installations, or full-length mirrors, can also encourage people to take photos or videos while inside the store. This not only enhances the in-store experience but also drives organic online exposure.

The reverse also works. For example, adding a link in bio on your brand’s social profiles can connect customers to special in-store promotions, loyalty cards that can be stamped per purchase, or in-store pickups.

7. Track and analyze

It’s impossible to get the perfect in-store experience in one go. Most brands test out different concepts first and learn from how the customers react.

Track insights such as dwell time, foot traffic, sales, engagement rate, and product performance by display location, among others. You can also ask for customer feedback and reviews. Do they find it easy to navigate your store? Do they like the design or lighting?  

You can then use these insights to further improve and refine your in-store branding. 

Conclusion

Effective in-store branding is not about spending more or piling on tons of decorative items. 

It’s all about designing smarter. Does the design convey your brand’s identity? Do the elements work cohesively with each other? Does the store layout make it smooth and easy for your customers to navigate through? Do you provide experiences that make shopping more seamless? And so on!

Your store is more than just a place where you display your products. Think of it as an extension of your brand itself. Do that, and your in-store experience can promote your brand better than any ad could.