Are you running a shop, restaurant, cafe, bar, entertainment venue, or any other kind of physical premises that relies on footfall to make money? Then you’ll always be on the lookout for new techniques to attract customers to your business.

From social media advertising to building brand loyalty, there are loads of opportunities for modern businesses to build up consumer interest. But what about pulling in newcomers directly off the street? 

What can you do to attract customers that happen across your business while out and about? Exterior and interior design can play a huge part in attracting customers. Discover four design hacks that can lead to increased traffic for your business and more opportunities to sell. 

Introduce Plants

Plants have become an integral part of contemporary design. Greenery features heavily in almost-all modern design plans. And for good reasons. People love plants. They’re proven mood enhancers that promote feelings of happiness.

People like to be around plant life, which means they’ll be more inclined to visit your premises. 

Given that most stores, restaurants, and other commercial locations are in urban settings like shopping centres or highstreets, the opportunities for providing greenery may seem minimal, but there are ways around this.

Commercial planters allow businesses to create exciting and eye-catching green spaces that promote nature and attract customers. Planters allow you to provide a greenhouse, garden vibe that draws people in, without being anywhere near nature. 

Add Sustainability 

Environmentalism and sustainability have never been so important. 88% of customers are looking to buy from businesses that are making a difference and pushing for more eco-friendly practices — so much so that they’ll pay more for products and services if they’re sustainable.

If you can demonstrate to customers you’re a sustainable business, they’ll flock to your doors. How can you achieve this? It’s all about the visual representation of ideas associated with sustainability and environmentalism.

Introduce solar panels, clad your building in recycled timber, or use it for tables, chairs, or shelves, add sustainable lighting, and be proud of your work towards eco-friendly design. Shout about it. Put it on signs. As restaurants display their hygiene rating, so too can you display your excellent energy performance rating. 

Monitor Design Trends

Design trends are in constant flux. For example, in 2020, real plants are in style, while fake plants are seeing a decline in interest. What people like is changing; it constantly differs.

From modern aesthetics to industrial vibes, there is always a new on-trend design. Humans are fickle creatures and our tastes shift like the tide, but if you want to attract more business, you’ve got to move with the flow, instead of bracing yourself against it.

It’s a basic concept, but it’s one that is oft-overlooked in favour of personal preference. Customers are attracted to things they like. If you can portray your business through design choices that are attractive to consumers, they’ll be more likely to engage with your premises.

As an example, a new restaurant design fabricated around modern ideas of minimalism is likely to be more attractive to consumers than one that hasn’t been updated since the 90s. 

Unique Window Displays

Window displays are nothing new. They’re a practice all retailers will deploy as part of their marketing strategy. But many fail in the execution. Window displays are a prime opportunity to sell your business, yet that’s not going to work if they don’t stand out.

Consumers become blind to familiarity. They’re very good at ignoring things that don’t grab their attention or interest them. In much the same way that consumers have programmed their brains to ignore advertising, nobody is going to bat an eyelid at a generic window display.

It might show your product and brand beautifully, but if it doesn’t add something new, it’s just another grain of sand on a beach. Standing out is always harder than it sounds, but through smart design choices, you can make it happen.

Experts at Shopify recommend bold storytelling based around a clearly defined theme. One that has a clear message and a focal point, while balancing a captivating display with relevance to your product.