Running a successful business is by no means easy, and getting a chocolate shop to stand out amongst all of the others on the high street can be a difficult task. Taking a business to the next level can require some imaginative thinking, so here is some advice for helping you to make your chocolate shop stand out from the crowd.
Decor
One of the most significant aspects of a face-to-face business is the decor, with the decoration of the walls and the furnishings being highly noticeable to customers. Customers will gain a first impression of a business based on how it looks at first sight, so catch the customer’s attention with appealing decorations and a selection of your most tantalising products being clearly on display. You should consider decorating the walls in a way that brightens up the room and draws the customer in, possibly using some bright and vibrant colours or patterns.
Whilst many shops will go for solid floorings such as hardwood or laminate, you could allow some extra personality to be shown by laying down a cowhide rug that can be bought in a range of colours and styles. Rugs are able to bring warmth and texture into a room where solid flooring is being used, and are more easily maintained than full carpeting. Cow print can be a good way of adding patterns whilst also reflecting the dairy that goes into many chocolate products – which can be an interesting way of promoting your brand through the interior decor of your chocolate shop.
Theme
Chocolate shops can be found just about everywhere, but ones with a unique theme can be harder to come by. Perhaps you could theme your chocolate shop after a popular film or TV franchise, or incorporate a historical theme such as the medieval period. The good thing with themed stores is that they allow a business to more visibly stand out from their competitors, providing customers with something different that they can’t find elsewhere. If you choose a theme, this could be incorporated into the decoration of your shop and the uniforms your staff wear – whilst your chocolate products could also revolve around the selected theme.
For instance, if selecting a Harry Potter theme the shop could be decorated like one found in the movies whilst staff could be dressed in costumes that are synonymous with the franchise. Products could focus around Harry Potter themed chocolates sold as gift-sets – with items from the movie being shown in the shapes of the chocolates, such as broomstick shaped chocolates. Themes can be fun and offer a wide and varied way of catering your chocolate shop business towards a more niche area of the market.
Running a successful business takes a lot of hard work, and standing out from competitors being a major part of this. When trying to launch a successful chocolate shop, consider what the existing market in the area is already like and try to decorate the store in a way that is appealing and different to the others. Also, consider incorporating a theme.
