How to Make Sure Your Storefront is Accessible
Did you know that persuading customers goes beyond marketing? How your business looks can equally affect your sales. Your storefront should make a good initial impression on passers-by. It should make someone want to consider going in as soon as they see your sign. Adopt the following strategies to make your storefront more accessible and increase foot traffic.
Train the Workers
Accessibility is a wide topic. It’s more than getting people to enter your store. It’s about showing customers who you are as a brand and establishing connections. Instruct your employees to be helpful and polite to all visitors. Advise them to be patient and become active listeners. Instead of offering suggestions, they should listen to the customer.
Instruct your workers on how to communicate with clients that have disabilities. Accessibility means your store is open to everyone. There should be an employee that understands sign language to assist deaf clients. Another should learn how to assist blind customers. Your employees should be welcoming to everybody.
Have an Accessible Door
Your commercial door should be wide to handle vast foot traffic. There should be an enormous sign outside your storefront that says ‘Entrance’. Show people how they’re going to access your store.
The door should look good to create a good first impression. Make sure it matches the store’s color schemes. Aluminum doors are great for this purpose because they can be modified and painted over.
Choose a door that’s durable and not easy to break into. Your door’s locking system shouldn’t be easy to replicate. Secure the keys in a safe or have them with you all the time. That way, nobody can make duplicates.
If your budget allows you to spend more on the door, install automatic glass doors. These doors are convenient for disabled shoppers. Automatic doors limit touching, which helps to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Make the entrance accessible by a wheelchair by installing a ramp.
Improve Visibility
It should be effortless to move around your store. Make sure everything is visible. Invest in led lighting to boost visibility. Install massive windows to permit natural light.
A well-lit space feels extensive and welcoming. People will feel more comfortable going around the store.
Make the Isles Less Crowded
When you have display shelves only 5 feet apart, it limits movement. Some people will avoid the store because they can’t be accommodated. Therefore, rearrange the store and leave more space in between the isles. That way, people with wheelchairs can easily move around.
Install Large Signage
Your store’s name should be visible from across the road. Use large and visible fonts for the store sign. Add lights to make the sign visible at night.
Inside the store, there should be signage to show people what’s on the shelves. The signs should be above every aisle. They should be visible and well-lighted.
Since people are going to want to use the washroom, there should be clear signs to show them where they can go to relieve themselves. Use both wording and images for the signs. If you have elevators, there should be a sign showing where they’re located.
Boost Website Visibility
There are two types of storefronts: physical and online. To make your online store more accessible, it should be visible on search engines. Use search engine optimization to improve your organic search rankings. Use paid ads to boost general online visibility.
The website layout should be user friendly. The process of finding an item should be straightforward. The search bar should be placed on top where it’s visible. The website should have fast loading times to make for a better user experience.
Your website should be mobile-friendly because most people use their smartphones to browse the internet. Implement best practices when building a mobile site.
Make your storefront visible on local search results. Register your business name and location on local search engines.
