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Building A Business In An Up And Coming Area
With Brooklyn, Staten Island and South Bronx featuring highly on this year’s up and coming lists, have you considered a more unusual neighborhood for your business premises? Whether you’re just starting out or expanding an existing client base, buying in developing areas obviously creates an opportunity to take advantage of lower prices, and to be seen to be on-trend, but they also carry a degree of risk. Appearance matters in business, and if your neighborhood is seen to be dangerous or has a downmarket reputation, it can reflect badly on your brand, no matter how much you spend creating a beautiful interior to go with your strong business plan. So what can you do to protect your brand?
First impressions
Up and coming areas can sometimes carry the baggage of previous crime rates and bad reputations, so it’s important to do all you can to make a reassuring, positive first impression. First up: maintaining a clean, well-lit shopfront. Recent MTA figures show that New York City Transit spent over $610,000 to remove graffiti last year, but thankfully the opening quarter of 2019 has already seen a 30% reduction in tagging. Staying on top of this issue and prioritizing a spotless, welcoming exterior should assure potential customers of your brand’s quality. It’s also a good idea to network with other local businesses so that you can build a strong, positive community feel in the area.
A rewarding customer experience
New York’s most exciting retail openings in 2018 focused on creating truly unique and exciting interiors for their customers. From a basketball court shopfloor for sportswear brand Preview to millennial pink and iPad points of purchase for beauty brand Glossier, businesses surprised and delighted their client base with a rewarding shopping experience. Whatever your product or service, if you have a brick and mortar presence, your customer’s visit needs to reinforce your brand values and leave a positive impression in their mind.
Representing your brand
Of course, as the business owner, how you present yourself says just as much about your brand as your shopfront does. As the New York Times reports, 50% of the US workforce will soon be remote, and this can leave employees and business owners unsure of the dress code rules. As an extension of your brand, think strategically about what you want clients to take out from how you present yourself. Creative industries generally welcome eclectic style, color and quirkiness; if you’re setting up as an attorney, a sharp tailored look may be more appropriate.
Your global shop window
Of course, one of the most powerful aspects of how you present your business is how you portray it online. New York’s shoppers are huge online purchasers, with 50-60% planning purchases over Black Friday and Cyber Monday in 2018 alone. If your brand’s home is in an edgy, up and coming part of the city, embrace that in your online presence. Commission strong photography which celebrates your new location; use a similarly fresh, forward-thinking tone in your communications. Social media promotions which encourage clients to seek you out and tag in are also a great idea; the more people find you safely and easily, the more quickly you can build a positive reputation.
Deciding where to open new premises is as challenging as it can be exciting. Choosing an area which is already well established and thriving can feel like a safe bet, but units in these places come at a substantial cost. By seeking out less fashionable, up and coming areas you can establish yourself and your business at the forefront of your market.
First impressions
Up and coming areas can sometimes carry the baggage of previous crime rates and bad reputations, so it’s important to do all you can to make a reassuring, positive first impression. First up: maintaining a clean, well-lit shopfront. Recent MTA figures show that New York City Transit spent over $610,000 to remove graffiti last year, but thankfully the opening quarter of 2019 has already seen a 30% reduction in tagging. Staying on top of this issue and prioritizing a spotless, welcoming exterior should assure potential customers of your brand’s quality. It’s also a good idea to network with other local businesses so that you can build a strong, positive community feel in the area.
A rewarding customer experience
New York’s most exciting retail openings in 2018 focused on creating truly unique and exciting interiors for their customers. From a basketball court shopfloor for sportswear brand Preview to millennial pink and iPad points of purchase for beauty brand Glossier, businesses surprised and delighted their client base with a rewarding shopping experience. Whatever your product or service, if you have a brick and mortar presence, your customer’s visit needs to reinforce your brand values and leave a positive impression in their mind.
Representing your brand
Of course, as the business owner, how you present yourself says just as much about your brand as your shopfront does. As the New York Times reports, 50% of the US workforce will soon be remote, and this can leave employees and business owners unsure of the dress code rules. As an extension of your brand, think strategically about what you want clients to take out from how you present yourself. Creative industries generally welcome eclectic style, color and quirkiness; if you’re setting up as an attorney, a sharp tailored look may be more appropriate.
Your global shop window
Of course, one of the most powerful aspects of how you present your business is how you portray it online. New York’s shoppers are huge online purchasers, with 50-60% planning purchases over Black Friday and Cyber Monday in 2018 alone. If your brand’s home is in an edgy, up and coming part of the city, embrace that in your online presence. Commission strong photography which celebrates your new location; use a similarly fresh, forward-thinking tone in your communications. Social media promotions which encourage clients to seek you out and tag in are also a great idea; the more people find you safely and easily, the more quickly you can build a positive reputation.
Deciding where to open new premises is as challenging as it can be exciting. Choosing an area which is already well established and thriving can feel like a safe bet, but units in these places come at a substantial cost. By seeking out less fashionable, up and coming areas you can establish yourself and your business at the forefront of your market.