To be able to offer the lowest prices possible, big box stores and other large retailers tend to be focused on cutting every extra possible; elaborate window displays are usually out of the question. Fighting hard to compete on price, small physical retail stores often try to cut back on the extras, too.
For such stores, emulating large retailers at cutting costs is a losing game -- especially when it comes to areas that help them stand out. Beautiful, artistic window displays can draw in cost-conscious customers in spite of themselves. They don't need to cost much if you do them yourself. If you have no idea where to start these steps should help you.
Think of a story to theme your window on
Many window display decorators make the mistake of working with nothing more than a general theme - Christmas, Valentine's, Thanksgiving and so on; to start on a concept so large and amorphous, though, doesn't help the creative process. Instead, you need to think of a specific story to do with one of these themes. It could be a scene to do with gathering the harvest, a scene that shows love around the world, or, if it is Halloween, a scene from Michael Jackson's Thriller. You'll find that your creativity becomes much more accessible when you have a specific story to go on.
Decide where the focus of the display should be
Step out on the street to look at your window, and determine where the eye naturally falls; this is where passersby will look, coming and going. You need to place the most interesting part of your display at this point. If possible, the main product that you are promoting should find a spot in this area.
Be bold, but tasteful
Most people walking by your window display will probably be messaging someone, taking pictures of something, watching the dog they are walking, or checking out their health bands. With attention spans taken away by these distractions, your display will need to be really bold to merit a look at all. As long as you are consistent with your brand's message, you should go with a design that's daring or even controversial.
Keep it simple
If you're looking for a foolproof creative principle to base your work on, you should look closely at going with simplicity. The more uncomplicated and visually direct you force yourself to be, the more honest your efforts at finding beauty will turn out.
Once you have a simple display design idea to execute, you need to make sure that you arrange it in a way that has visual balance -- you don't want any one part of your display to be busier than any other, seem brighter or more colorful. An even spread is important to a pleasing overall feel. Trust your gut for how you feel about what you've created, and move things around.
Don't forget the lighting
As with interior design, retail store lighting can be crucial to the effect that you achieve with what you create. Light and shadow can achieve wonderfully intriguing effects. You only need to give your curiosity a free hand, and experiment.
No matter how wonderful the concept you have, a lot can go wrong in the actual implementation. Once you have your display together, you should go out the street, and walk by your display the way passersby are likely to. When you do this repeatedly and at different times of the day, you will usually come to think of areas that could benefit from a few tweaks.
Creating window displays is an art, and you need to give yourself time. In the end, though, you will have results that let your personality come through. Customers always connect well with that.
