Starting a shop front from scratch is the dream of many. But actually doing it is more challenging than many people think. It involves considerable planning and setup, meaning it isn’t something you want to jump into overnight.
Here’s how to plan a shopfront from scratch and everything you need to know.
Outline What You Will Do In A Business Plan
The first step is to outline what you’ll do in a business plan. This document can seem superfluous when you go through the motions, but it becomes critical later on.
Business plans serve two primary functions:
- To keep you on track
- To check your business plan is valid
Setting up a storefront can work, but it usually requires careful planning and adjustment to get right. It won’t happen automatically in most cases.
Choose A Location
The next step is to think about your shop location and design. Thinking about where you will locate it is essential if you want it to take off.
Think about where your customers are first, and the permits you require to set up your operations in the area. You may require health, sales, and tax permits, along with business licenses, depending on your location.
You also want to think about how the shop will flow and whether it will encourage people to enter, based on footfall. Being closer to competitors and other businesses drives traffic and makes it more likely you will succeed.
Set Up Your Point Of Sale
You should also think about your point of sale system and which POS terminal you will use. Proper systems make it more straightforward for customers to pay you.
These days POS systems are essential in almost all businesses. Companies require them to facilitate transactions. Cash isn’t suitable in most cases.
Gather Inventory
You also want to gather your inventory and supplies. Collecting everything you need before opening is essential.
Start by asking which products most closely align with your company and what you want to achieve. Consider your strengths and what will appeal most to people passing by your shop front window.
Also, consider inventory management. Putting a system in place to track what you have to hand can be enormously helpful and avoids over and understocking issues.
Check that the two are complementary and that you can build a relationship with suppliers. Work with teams who understand how your business operates and what is likely to help it most long-term.
Consider Customer Service And Staff Training
Customer service and staff training are further essential elements of setting up a store. These can differentiate you from other retailers in your area and make you stand out from the competition.
Training staff how to talk to customers is the most important thing to do. You want them to be friendly and helpful, but not pushy (in most settings). Giving them these abilities allows you to build customer loyalty and assemble a first-class team.
Customer service assistants can provide customers with a better experience than your rivals, helping them remember you.
Article and permission to publish here provided as Contributed Content. Originally written for Supply Chain Game Changer and published on October 4, 2024.
Cover photo by Linh Nguyen on Unsplash.