Great displays don’t have to break the bank. Inexpensive materials like string and paper shavings add color, texture and interest to a wood display at Spirit of the Hand Gallery in Dandridge, Tenn. Credit: Marc Ward.

Let’s face it: in this age of e-commerce, lightening-fast Internet connections and 24-hour online customer support, most consumers’ attention spans are shorter than the amount of time it takes you to log on to Facebook. They want it all, and they want it all NOW—many are turning to online shopping for its convenience, speed and endless selection.

Start setting the scene before customers even enter your store. This handcrafted sign hangs beside the front door of Spirit of the Hand Gallery, helping visitors anticipate what they can expect inside. Credit: Marc Ward.

What can you, the humble gallery owner, offer? An experience. A break from the day-to-day fingernails-clacking-on-the-keyboard monotony of their routines. With a few quick, inexpensive embellishments, you can improve your store’s design, draw more customers, and keep them inside longer.

We’ve gathered ideas from visual merchandising and design experts, as well as ordinary gallery owners just like you, to find out what works.

First, You’ve Got to Get Them Inside

Would you ever go see a movie if the preview bored you to tears? Your window display should act like a movie preview: colorful, vibrant, easy-to-digest, hinting at what to expect of the main attraction. “Your display windows can do more to attract new customers than any single design element you can place inside your store,” says Eric Fairbanks of Trio Display, a shop-fitting firm in La Jolla, Calif. “Don’t scrimp, and always be consistent.”

Add height to floor displays without shelling out the money for custom fixtures. Barbara McCormick, owner of Poppy in Columbia, Mo., stacks small tables atop larger ones, and uses buckets to create metallic pedestals.

Keep things simple in your window displays: don’t try to fit in too much. The entire display should work together to communicate a single message. Focus on portraying the lifestyle that can be achieved by owning the featured products. Display pieces at varying heights, keeping smaller pieces at eye level so passers-by can easily see them without stretching or bending over. A good window display doesn’t require a lot of props, just a plan. Spread a colorful tablecloth directly on the floor of a raised window, then set a full table of handcrafted items right on top. Add some dramatic lighting, and you’re set. (Click here for more lighting tips.)

Just don’t keep running the same preview. Change your displays frequently; Fairbanks says once a month is a good rule of thumb.

Once They’re In

Find inspiration right in your own backyard. A tree branch is a natural jewelry fixture at the Village Artisans Gallery in Boiling Springs, Pa. Credit: PJ Heyman.

Sure, getting customers inside is half the battle, but now you need to hold their attention. “All the devices of the façade are preludes to the entrance itself … there should be some sense of transition from the public world outside to the special world of the retailer inside,” says retail design expert Rodney Fitch, who is quoted in the new book Basics Interior Design: Retail Design ($32.95, AVA Publishing).

The folks at Trio Display argue that the entrance is not a good place for your cash register; you don’t want customers feeling immediately confronted when they walk in. You do want to give them a second to pause and absorb where they are.

Try having your store logo inset into the floor with tile or paint, or do the same with an overhead ceiling graphic. The entrance is the best place to display your newest merchandise. Try setting up a large seasonal table display here, then carrying the theme throughout the rest of the store with smaller elements.

Big Punch in a Small Package

Even small stores can have a big impact if you play your cards right. Most important? Don’t overcrowd. Trading up merchandise frequently prevents customers from getting overwhelmed, and keeps things feeling new. “Our work is always highlighted in different ways so you never seem to see the same thing twice,” says Katherine Wing, owner of Spirit of the Hand Gallery in Dandridge, Tenn.

Make the most of limited space by going vertical. You don’t need expensive customized fixtures—Barbara McCormick, owner of Poppy in Columbia, Mo., stacks small tables atop larger ones to add height to displays, and tops inexpensive metal buckets with glass to create pedestals. Trio Display suggests using mirrors beneath or behind items you want to showcase. Just don’t go overboard: “Too many reflections can look tacky,” they say.

Think Outside the Box

Spirit of the Hand Gallery also uses nature as a muse, adding reeds and dried flowers to glass and metal vessels to punch up this wall display, and help customers picture the pieces in their own homes. Credit: Marc Ward.

You can save money, and add interest to your displays by rethinking traditional fixtures. PJ Heyman, owner of Village Artisans Gallery in Boiling Springs, Pa., uses a large copper tree to display holiday ornaments. The same tree could be used at other times of year to display handbags or silk scarves in a fun and compact way. Heyman also mounts tree branches onto a base to display countertop necklaces and bracelets. Talk about cost-effective: you can start collecting these fixtures from your backyard this afternoon!

Tapping into some of your customers’ other senses is a terrific way to enrich their shopping experience. “As you open the door to Spirit of the Hand, the many craft objects sparkle and delight, a subtle fragrance fills the air, and soft music fills your ears,” says Wing.

The sense of smell is a powerful motivator—Trio Display points out that Westin Hotels has developed a signature scent to be sprayed in their properties around the world, and matching the right scent to the right product is a $100-million-a-year business. Not ready to invest in your own signature scent? They recommend stopping by places like Pier 1 Imports or Restoration Hardware. Both offer pleasant room deodorizers that function more like fragrances.

Think beyond traditional holiday displays. The Village Artisans Gallery uses a large copper tree to display ornaments. It can be kept in the store year-round. Credit: PJ Heyman.

And then there’s sound. “Would you rather shop in a store where your toes are tapping or where the only sound is the salespeople snapping their chewing gum?” Trio Design asks. Sound encourages customers to stay in your store longer, so investing in a decent stereo system is worth the money. Hook up that iPod, or just tune in to a radio station with limited commercials. Be consistent in the way you use store music, and keep it low enough that it isn’t the first thing customers notice when they walk in the door.

Display as an Art Form

Don’t make the mistake of “letting the art speak for itself.” Yes, the work you sell is beautiful, but in this market, the way you showcase can make all the difference in closing a sale or not. So come up with a plan, and treat store display as what it is: one of your strongest salespeople. “We strive to present every artist’s work to its best advantage, feeling that the display of the work is an art form in itself,” says Alison Brooks, owner of Handscapes Gallery in Beaufort, N.C. Now that’s the right idea.

Additional Resources

Still feel a little lost when it comes to the basics of display? Check out Basics Interior Design: Retail Design ($32.95, AVA Publishing). Author Lynne Mesher, a retail designer and educator, leads you through the basics, from flooring and lighting to climate and sound. You can also pick up additional display ideas, or contact Trio Display’s experts, by visiting their website.

To learn more about color in display design, click here.