Visual merchandising is an important part of retail. The way we present and display our merchandise is an important ingredient for attracting cutomers into the store and for our brand recognition. Whether our line of business is fashion or not, mannequins can play a very important role in either showing off latest collections or to demonstrate an idea.

Mannequins are models and they communicate visual imagination to our customers in a way that words could not. They are part of an art installation – the shop window – which if done well, should turn the heads of passers by.

Using mannequins as silent sales people, they will happily highlight the latest collections and quietly influence our customers to buy. They can increase revenue and profit as part of an overal design scheme instore and even upsell on items such as accessories. Most consumers just cannot decide what would look good on them without trying it on. A mannequin can really help us and our customers by 3D demonstration. It is therefore important that our mannequins relate to our customers.

When dressing the mannequin – use this activity to help our customers understand what would look good on them. To maximise sales further it would be proactive and helpful to put those items in one area of our store. GET THIS LOOK as a slogan (whether written or not) springs to mind. It is the job of the visual merchandiser to organise this and make it easier for our customers. This applies to both on and off line retailing.

If you would like our advice on the right mannequins for you, your brand and most importantly your customers – please do get in touch. We have hundreds in stock and are able to adapt both new and recycled mannequins to your requirements. And we offer a unique Mannequin Hire opportunity for UK retailers to chop and change mannequins and window schemes to reflect trends, new collections and seasons. With the high street being a valuable point of sale, albeit competitive, let the mannequins give you a helping hand. Prices start from just £3 a week.*

*12 month contract. Prices from £3 per week per mannequin. Additional costs include renovations and resprays according to your needs, plus shipping and VAT. Please contact us to discuss this opportunity further.

Launching a retail outlet in a recession would be a major issue for anyone creative or indeed any retail creative team. Whilst the financial investment is large – the emotional termoil is even more demanding. But as Mary Portas starts her new series on Channel 4 – Mary Queen of Frocks – we get a unique chance to grab a peek back stage and watch Mary achieve the dream of her own shop.

Here are the key things from the first episode:

1. Identify the gap in the market. Mary has clearly done this by analysing what the high street offers her. She has put herself as the centre of her target market.

2. Vision. Mary demonstrates this of course through her experience, but by knowing what she wants and what it looks like – she demonstrates a really important ingredient for any business: ‘don’t settle for anything less than brilliant’.

3. People. If you were not inspired by Mary’s methods of recruitment then you clearly have missed the most important point and perhaps even the plot itself. Happy staff = happy customers. In Mary’s own words – ‘this is where it starts to get different.’

Congratulations to the show producers for managing to diplomatically demonstrate some key ingredients needed in order for retail to survive. We will of course be watching the series with a really excited pair of eyes.

Watch the series on Channel4.com