Retail trade secrets that improve store profitability
Are you familiar with the Pyramid Principle of visual merchandising? How about the Rule of Three? Decompression zone? National retailers are and they use these practices among others to improve their bottom line. Today’s growing customer preference to buy local puts your small business at an advantage.
Amplify your competitive edge. Red Pony Creative will help by bringing the expertise big brands employ to design stores, create merchandising stories, communicate with customers and build their brand…to your business.
Branding | Store Design | Visual Merchandising | In-store Marketing
Why Red Pony Creative?
“Karen was the mastermind in bringing L.L.Bean’s iconic brand to life in our growing brick and mortar channel. From store design to in-store marketing and product presentation; she keeps the customer experience first and foremost. She possesses a great balance of creativity and business sense.”
“Karen is a skilled and creative merchandising and visual design partner who brings a unique viewpoint and important expertise to project teams. I’ve always appreciated her passion for the business and, more importantly, her integrity and commitment to excellence.”
“Karen’s expertise coupled with responsiveness and flexibility helped Coldwater Creek navigate a transitional time as the Brand positioned itself for successful retail channel growth”
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About Me
MY NAME IS karen
I see so many missed opportunities when I visit stores, and I wish those business owners could know what I know. For over 20 years, I’ve studied the science behind the shopping experience. As an executive specializing in retail design for iconic national brands like L.L.Bean and Coldwater Creek, I have brought to market flagship stores, boutiques, pop-ups, kiosks and everything in between. I have collaborated with the giants of the design industry like Big Red Rooster in Columbus and RGLA Solutions in Chicago, and I have intertwined their knowledge with my own. Over my career, I learned to pivot and adapt to the ever changing retail landscape to ensure I brought success to my organizations. Now, I bring passionate expertise paired with my drive for results to small businesses with a special emphasis on local enterprises.
My purpose at Red Pony Creative is to take the proven tools and techniques big brands have paid top dollar for, and set them to work to put SALES in your register.
How I Help
Small business owners must know many aspects of their business, but most of us aren’t experts at all of it. Here’s what I know that sends more shopping bags out the front door:
Branding
Much more than just a logo and a name, your business needs a distinct personality that is uniquely your own. EVERYTHING the customer will experience within your space must reflect and build on that. Anything less is disruption, and you don’t want that in the mix. I reveal all the components within the store that make up a brand and unite them to create a lasting impression that belongs solely to you.
Store Design
How you showcase your brand and merchandise to your customer makes an instant impression about the quality of your products. There’s plenty of research behind this so, yes, it’s pretty important when you’re convincing someone to buy from you. A thoughtful design brings life to your brand, creates an experience for your customer, and helps your business operate efficiently. I compose space in a way that will best achieve all of this and more.
Visual Merchandising
A blend of art and science, visual merchandising is the ultimate, on-going, never-ending, 24/7 presentation practice that sets you apart from your competition and gets results for your business. It creates a captivating journey that will move your customer through the store and connect them to product. It directs their attention where you want it, draws them in and ends at your register. I know strategies, tools and techniques that engage your customer and persuade them to buy.
In-store Marketing
Imagery and copy are communication tools that illustrate your brand and help your customer understand your product. The quantity applied is an important balancing act when marketing within your store to ensure your customer, and your product are not overwhelmed by messages. Through years of practice, I can seamlessly inform your customer while reinforcing your brand to drive them toward your ultimate objective...a SALE!
