What are you featuring in your windows and front zone displays right now? Have you restyled them to reflect the season, new merchandise, and new inspiration? It's simple to refresh existing merchandise to look new and appealing to customers...

It's important to get a fresh start after the holidays - your customers will be coming in with gift cards, gift certs, and money they received, and they deserve to see fresh new ideas. Inspiring them to buy what you offer can be as simple as taking what you already have and combining it in a new way to reflect the season...

How are your plans for Holiday 2009 coming along? Yes, I said the H word. Holiday. 'Where did summer go?' I hear you gasping!

There is always change happening in the trade show industry. Just as in retail, there are sales, mergers, acquisitions, and closings taking place everywhere - some we see and hear about, and some are held pretty close to the vest. Recently, I learned of a few changes that will affect many of my clients who shop the West coast shows....

Is it worth it to revamp your business environment? From a small improvement like new paint or a restaging of the contents to a full-scale remodel of a facility, I can unequivocally say YES. Investing time, effort, and sometimes money into your environment can present your business, services, and products to the public in a whole new way - creating opportunity for success.

A lot of talk is circulating about 'How to get customers in the doors'... well, let me ask you this: If they are not coming into your store, where are they going? According to Country Living magazine, many of them are chosing to shop at events termed 'the new retail wave' (July issue).

Over the past week, I've been working with a local retail client on a Retail ReDesign. We've completely redefined their brand image, and are expressing it through our choices for environment, display, and logo design. It's all about using what they have to maximize their visual impact and their bottom line: for the most part, we haven't spent anything more than a few bucks on a can of paint!

Have you heard about this growing movement? As independent merchants, it's a cause you can certainly get behind. The 3/50 Project espouses support for local businesses and contribution to local economies.

How? It's a simple idea with a profound impact:

It's been interesting to read the results of the recent GHC poll, which reveal why some members here don't use Facebook to market their businesses....

36% don't think their customer base is on Facebook.

31% don't know how to get started on Facebook.

18% don't see the value in having a profile for their store on Facebook.

16% use their personal profile to advertise their store (I believe that this means that they don't see the need to have a separate Business Page for their business).

Every year, I manage to make my annual pilgrimage to my own personal retail 'temple': Disneyland.

One of my recent projects was to redesign a showroom at the Pacific Market Center (formerly the Seattle Gift Center), and I thought it would be helpful to share some of the design principles involved in a project like this. Whether you have a showroom, a show booth, or a retail store, I hope this information will help you with your layout/design development.