A business is a lifelong dream for some people. You scrimp, save, and sacrifice in order to achieve your goals and to be successful — every part must be considered, down to the minute details.
When it comes to the decor and layout of your business, there are more options available than ever before. The first step in creating the perfect environment for your livelihood to thrive is making sure the entrance captures clients’ eyes, and keeps them wanting more. Here’s how to set the proper tone for your business with a proper entrance.
In strip malls.
How your entranceway will look depends upon the building you’re in. If you’re in a strip mall, the sign with your business logo is going to be extremely important. The logo doesn’t just advertise what you’re selling, but it sets the tone for your decor. If you’re selling luxury goods, the logo needs to be sleek, sophisticated, and a bit minimalist. It’s the perfect gateway into the world you create inside.
If at all possible, find out what the building codes are. And if necessary, swap out the door from the usual windowed with a steel bar variety and find one that complements your logo. The key here is character and creating an experience that will sweep your customers away.
Or are you offering a service rather than a product? You’ll need to create a feeling of competence and safety if that’s the case. When a customer goes to a spa, they’re making themselves vulnerable, so while the vibe should be one of relaxation and calm, there should also be things to show that it’s a safe space.
Your door should be heavy and blend in with the rest of the room, but not loud when it shuts. Ideally, each room for massages, the sauna, facials, etc, should have their own doors as well, since your customers may be in various states of undress. Each room can have a theme, and your entrance should have a bit of all of them woven into it, to give the space a more cohesive and purposeful feeling.
Other settings.
If you’ll be operating within a mall, you’re dependent on much the same way of thinking as a strip mall. Your signage on the building must convey what you’re selling or providing, and give the customer an idea of what to look for so that you stand out from the rest.
From there, you need to consider all of the following: what are you trying to convey? Are your customers getting the service here or are they bringing the product home with them? Again, if you’re selling luxury items, you have to take safety into consideration for you and your customers.
By investing in commercial hollow metal doors, you’re making sure that, should something happen, you can keep a shoplifter in until help arrives, or keep someone dangerous out. Even if you’re not selling something that could cost what most people make in a year, it’s good for your and your customers’ peace of mind that they can be kept safe.
Surviving the elements.
Finally, if your shop stands on its own, you’re not just keeping in mind all that we’ve previously discussed — you have to recognize what outside influences can do to your building. For example, if you’re going to be operating in a space that sees extreme weather at various times of the year, you need to account for that in your construction and layout.
In an area that gets hurricanes, or in one that experiences high rates of tornadoes, be sure to have reinforced steel doors and windows that are on the thicker side of industry standards. Build on the high ground if there’s regular flooding, and reinforce everything that you can if earthquakes are a concern.
It can seem daunting to own and operate your own business, but by making your space one that your clients feel safe within, and that they can attain exactly what they’ve been looking for, the rest of your job will be that much easier.
