The past 20 months have proved that no one really knows what is around the corner, and any businessperson will agree that running your own company brings with it a constant set of changing goalposts and ever-evolving internal and external hurdles to overcome at the best of times. Add to that a pandemic, where a whole host of businesses were turned on their heads, and the challenge became even greater.
Now things are finally starting to get back normal of sorts, the mindset required when ploughing through the trials of the past two years are still with us and many business owners will be looking for ways to develop their operations to suit the new style of shopper. Where some floundered, others flourished and though some new types of business saw great success during lockdowns with their online presence and swift deliveries, they are now having to evolve again now that consumers are back out and buying in person.
Businesses are always on the look-out for ways to diversify their output to keep consumers interested and to increase loyalty and repeat trade, with the end goal obviously being to increase profits. One aspect of business we’ve seen more of in recent years is the use of temporary set ups, used by both start-ups and multi-national companies, and there are many reasons why a company may wish to utilise these to attract shoppers.
Why might you need a temporary retail space?
Temporary retail showrooms are used for a range of purposes, and they offer a flexible approach for businesses who are just starting up right through to large companies who are already well established but who are perhaps looking to branch out into a new area.
Companies like Smart-Space provide showroom buildings and extensions, both temporary and permanent, to their clients whether as a working environment or public space. Maybe your business is expanding quicker than you expected and you need an additional building to house staff, stock or to be used as a working space. Maybe you are building a dedicated space and you need a showroom to tide you over until that permanent building is completed, there are so many reasons why temporary retail showrooms can work for your business.
One big draw for the less permanent space is of course the fact that you aren’t tied into a long and costly lease – they can be more cost effective to run – something businesses are always looking for when thinking of the bottom line. They are a fantastic way to create a buzz around your business, too, especially if consumers think they have a limited time to get your goods.
Perhaps you are looking to expand from an online offering or wish to discover the best location that will work for you, maybe you are looking to undertake some market research, or it could even be an innovative marketing tool to direct customers to your online shop.
What type of temporary retail showroom do you need for your business and how do you make the most of it?
Whatever your reasons for needing a temporary retail space, there will be something to suit your needs. Whether it’s a dedicated building or a space for a pop-up style shop, think about your company’s particular needs and decide what will work best. The location will play a massive role in your decision – is it a mall you are going into, an existing shop or do you even have a piece of land that you wish to build upon to open up a car dealership, garden centre, food outlet or other retail venture?
The most important thing to do to attract customers is to make it look inviting. Whether you are hoping for drop-ins or have customers intentionally making their way to you, your space needs to look and feel good. Make it inspiring and use technology, tie in other aspects to keep customers there if you wish, make it a welcome space, a positive experience and those customers will come back, and importantly, tell others about it, too – the type of marketing you could only ever wish for.
