What’s Your Window?
Make people slow down and take notice.
I used to work in high-end retail and every month HQ would send a “window stylist” to our shop to create that month’s masterpiece. And they really were. Sometimes elaborate and ornate and sometimes subtle understated. But always perfect to the last detail and eye-catching to everyone who passed by.
The shop had a big front door that was always wide open and everyone could see inside if they chose to. The company could have saved a lot of money by forgetting about the huge windows that needed monthly styling and just put up a solid edifice. After all, everything that made the company money, and for what their brand was known, was inside. Surely with great stuff inside and the doors wide open people would come in, right?
Well, the truth is, they don’t. They walk on by, leading their busy lives. Sure, our regulars came back and some wanderers would pop in, but an open door with great stuff in side isn’t enough to make people stop in their tracks. Our windows were, though. People stopped, looked, pointed, and took photos. It made them curious and forced them to wonder what was going on in there. It’s that sense of wonder that made the windows effective. That, and the fact that they were expertly designed and executed.
As the window at the top of this post stopped me in my tracks and made me look, point, and take a photo, I was reminded of the power of that sense of wonder. I had no idea what that store was, but I wanted to find out. It was a huge store with doors everywhere and tons of stuff inside. Stuff the purveyors think is great and probably ought to sell itself. But they know that no matter how great the stuff inside is, they need that sense of wonder to stop in their tracks busy people with much to do and many options.
So, retail or not, what’s your window? How do you get people to slow down for a minute and take notice? How do you make them wonder what’s going on in there (literally or figuratively) and make them care enough to find out? It’s a challenge we’re always working on at my company, Dialsmith, and this window brought it full circle for me, so I thought I’d share. Hope it helps.
Thanks for reading! If you liked it, please hit the heart below and share the love. I’d also really like to hear your feedback in the responses on how this story relates to you, or hit me up at david[at]dialsmith[dot]com. Thx, again : )
We can also connect on:
Other stories by David…
Helping > Closing (Part 2)
Stop closing, start helping, and watch what happens.
Dial Testing the Presidential Debates
Learning what people think, in the moment.
Helping > Closing
Stop closing, start helping, and watch what happens.
From Balance to Integration: A Work-Life Story
Trying to balance anything is a losing game. Time for some integration.
Ice Cream Moments
Enjoy life before it melts.
I Want to Have Breakfast…With You
What a 10 year-old can teach us about customer happiness.
