Why I Include Planning in My Process

10 years ago I started out by sharing my visual merchandising expertise. That included window dressing and how to lay out a shop, where to put products and how to make the customer journey make sense. But without a plan, none of this makes much sense. Why are you choosing certain tactics above others? What are you trying to achieve?

Without a clear sense of direction and required outcomes, all the other aspects of retail become a game of chance rather than focused actions. It is entirely possible to change and increase your sales by how you implement all these other aspects but not without some purpose.

It all starts with the plan. It doesn’t have to be complicated, but it does have to be specific. What you want to achieve this year may not be directly a financial target, but I can almost guarantee that it will link to one. Starting with the plan and financial targets allows everything else to fall into place.