We often hear the term “curb appeal” regarding residential property. However, curb appeal is just as important for restaurants, retail stores, and service-based businesses. Businesses that look rundown or that have dilapidated signage are unappealing, causing customers to run to your competitors. Here are some ways to improve your store’s curb appeal.
Landscaping Can Create an Inviting Atmosphere
Businesses surrounded by a vacant lot with no greenery are not inviting. Adding shrubbery, flowering plants, and decorative elements puts a friendlier human face to the business. Foliage can create a path to the door. Businesses that have little grass around them may consider using green rock gardens. They are eye-catching, inexpensive, and low maintenance.
Your Parking Lot Says A Lot about You
If your parking lot looks shabby, it can dissuade potential customers from leaving their car outside your business. This could cause them to not stop at your store and visit your competition instead. If the parking lot is full of cracks and missing pieces, consider having repairs done.
Parking lots get cracks and potholes when they are not properly maintained. Doing preventative maintenance to your parking lot is key. Making this relatively small investment can pay back dividends, especially since the market is currently focused more on image than anything else.
New Concrete Work
If your sidewalk or entrance way is full of chips and cracks, hire a concrete company that can replace the damaged areas. Having a chipped or cracked sidewalk is not only off-putting visually, it can also be a liability issue if customers trip or otherwise hurt themselves. Customers appreciate having an attractive and safe walkway when they are entering a business.
Use Signage That Is Clear and Easy-To-Read
Exterior signs let your customers identify your business. Signs tell when your business is open, what forms of payment you accept, and advertise your brand/logo. Your sign speaks for you long after you have left the shop. A good sign should state your business’s name. It should make the purpose of your business clear. Consider adding an image to your sign that further clarifies what you sell. Create a sign that has bright colors and that sits in contrast with the exterior of the business. Contrast is appealing to the eye and makes it easier for customers to read information quickly. Customers should be able to see your sign regardless of the side of the street they are on. Investing in high quality sign material that will not fall apart or fade when exposed to the elements is a competent business decision.
When you improve your business’s curb appeal, you will help draw in customers. An attractive exterior offers an inviting image. A dated, dingy exterior can damage the reputation of your brand and cause potential customers to look elsewhere.
Brooke Chaplan is a freelance writer and blogger. She lives and works out of her home in Los Lunas, New Mexico. She loves the outdoors and spends most of her time hiking, biking, and gardening. For more information, contact Brooke via Facebook at facebook.com/brooke.chaplan or Twitter @BrookeChaplan
