Notifications
The business world runs on ideas and innovations that tackle daily problems. And with the market becoming more and more open, with the assistance of technology, competition is also on the rise. Obviously, different brands would tackle the same problem differently and with varying expertise, but solutions alone don’t arrive the business forward. There is a number of factors both conscious and unconscious.
But there is one factor that is always at the forefront of customer engagement and loyalty, regardless of industry and problems. That being emotion. When all is said and done. More customers gravitate toward the things that make them feel. Thus, to keep your brand relevant and growing, it is always a good play to get a visceral reaction or emotional connection to establish with your customer.
A retail store is no different and thus for any agency providing retail store planning services needs to forge an emotional connection with the customer which can be done in the following ways through design.
TELLING A FULFILLING VISUAL STORY
The human brain is drawn to hidden logic and patterns even if they are making the important decision, the same logic and patterns are often ignored. But as far as establishing an emotional connection goes. Giving a customer what is more than what’s evident at the face value will make the customer connect with the brand better. And even if the customer can’t articulate the visual story, they can still feel it and can certainly feel its absence.
FOCUSING ON THE INDIVIDUAL
One driving force that is unique to people is to stand at the forefront of the masses. And even if this driving force is not as strong. There is an inherent desire to be treated as an individual. Thus, it is important that when interacting with the customer, the brand conveys, through its operations and procedure, that they see the customer as an individual and not just as a part of a demographic. And so, it is essential that the retail design reflect that by focusing on accessibility and intuitive layout design.
ENHANCEMENT THROUGH BONDING
The emotional connection is good for a lot more than closing the sale. Genuine human connection can also enhance the retail experience. And the bonding through design can be done by expanding extensively on accessibility. Going beyond intuitive layout and proper wayfinding design. It is essential that the customer realizes that the brand is looking out for them. Accessibility in retail store design is a semi-hidden factor. Its fulfillment might not raise any praise but falling short would definitely cause disconnect and will cost the brand its customers.
All in all, despite our best efforts at logic and reason we more often than not choose the option that makes us feel good. And the best effort about an emotional connection is a two-way gamble. It is harder to earn, harder to break if it is established, and almost impossible to recover once the customer’s faith in the brand is shaken.
