Lifestyle Center Decor by www.blueskydecor.com
In the world of retail, there really is no substitute for the splendor of the holidays. However, with the economy tightening and management budgets being stretched further than ever before, many shopping centers are looking for creative ways to reduce their holiday decorating expenditures.
It was only a few years ago that many commercial Christmas decorators would be fabricating and installing pole decorations in the parking lots of strip centers, installing giant Christmas trees in center courts and building lavish Santa sets and Christmas displays in the mall. Now, just a few years removed, the same shopping centers are looking for ways to reduce the annual installation and refurbishing expenses of those decorating programs and in some cases looking to get rid of the budget all together.
There are alternatives to not decorating, or even trying to use in-house staff to install existing decor. That alternative is to get creative, not by way of outlandish, but by way of setting an attractive holiday environment on a limited budget. Blue Sky Commercial Decor (www.blueskydecor.com)
Founder Joe Brandano is a veteran of the commercial Christmas decorating industry and offers an insiders look to the industry. "We have really created a niche within a niche. Professional Christmas decorators tend to operate top heavy companies that require them to bill clients without discount so they can stay afloat throughout the year. When we started Blue Sky Commercial Decor, the idea was to stay lean at the top and win contracts on our creativity of providing attractive decor at affordable prices. When we set out in the market place, we quickly gained market share by selling complete decor packages for less than a one year rental program offered by our competitors. Our ability to do this was greatly based upon the creativity of our product and and our ability to operate without a lot of overhead.
We learned of Joe and his company Blue Sky Commercial Decor after seeing him quoted in an industry newsletter where he shared these ideas:
"As planning for the holiday season approaches, we always share a few creative ideas to increase traffic and positive exposure for our clients that goes beyond our décor packages. For example, we try and encourage our clients to choose a couple days each season to provide a greater experience for children with special needs to meet with Santa. A good example is to provide a Santa that knows sign language for a day. There are strong communities that support these efforts and the life experience for a one-on-one conversation with Santa is something all our children deserve. It is a great way to give back to your local community.
In economical terms, we also encourage our clients to take advantage of long lines at the Santa booth by adding face painters or balloon twisters to the experience. The added face paint encourages parents to purchase pictures as the moment is less likely to be duplicated later in the season, and the balloon twisters make for a more jovial atmosphere while waiting in lines and discouraging walk offs."
When asked about his thoughts in regards to shopping centers not decorating for the holidays, Joe adds "Well, I don't think any of us decorate for ourselves. It is a gift that we enjoy giving back to the children of our communities, so they can share in the same memories we were given in our childhood. If we do not decorate, Christmas shopping would kind of be like going to Disney World without the theme and characters, who would go?"
Regardless of Joe's enthusiasm for the holidays, many shopping centers are left to ponder if the decorations themselves will result in increased revenue. In addition to attracting customers, some would perceive that any shopping center not decorating for the holidays could be in peril which could also devalue it as an asset. Others meanwhile perceive commercial Christmas decorations as a wasted expense and do not impact the behavior of consumers. I would say...it's a good thing Walt Disney never thought that way.
