Attracting Customers to Your Shop With Feng Shui

Having trouble attracting clients or customers? Having trouble getting people into your shop?

I was I Sydney recently for some Feng Shui consultations and while I was there I had the pleasure of working with a lovely lady who owns an eyewear shop in Waterloo.

The energy in the shop is so warm and welcoming, so vibrant and alive. However, she was struggling to get people through the door and into the shop!

(Read on for tips for attracting customers into your store!)

There were a number of factors such as other shops in the complex and the design of the complex itself that were deterring and even blocking the energy from entering the shop.

As I was initially walking to find the shop, I walked straight past while looking for it! There was nothing to catch my eye or draw me in or tell me it was there.

If I did this and I was actually looking for the place, imagine what people are doing who aren’t even aware that it is there!

One of the first suggestions I made, was to move a hanging sign with the brand name, which was hidden on the side of the ramp leading to the shop, to the front of the ramp instead, where it may be more eye-catching.

Within the complex, a number of the other shops were surrounded by greenery and plants in the form of a mini feature garden with a wooden feature in the middle.

Greenery, plants and wood, which represent the wood element in Feng Shui, all bring energy and life into a space. They symbolise growth, embody yang energy and introduce uplifting, upward moving energy. Great to have around a business!

The end of the complex where my client's shop is located, however, is all metal and concrete, harbouring a very yin - cold, stiff, stale environment and energy.

Next door to the eyewear shop is a yoga and pilates studio, which from the outside does not look very welcoming or inviting. It didn’t feel like a relaxing place where you go to meditate, connect with your body and be at peace; it felt like it was sucking the energy out of the place.

The eyewear shop and the yoga studio are somewhat detached from the other businesses in the complex, separated by a large (and very boring) pillar. The pillar feels to be creating an energetic wall, separating the shops on one side (the shops surrounded by the shrubbery) and the eyewear store and yoga / pilates studio on the other side. So the energy is essentially blocked by this energetic "wall".

Additionally, the eyewear shop and the yoga studio are at the end of the pathway, which runs into a wall, creating a dead end where the energy has nowhere to go. A dead end can often create stagnant, "dead" energy in a space and this appeared to be the case here.

So we have a cold, stale, metal, clinical environment, where the energy of the yoga / pilates studio is bringing everything down and feels like it is sucking the life out of the place, coupled with a dead end, where the energy has nowhere to go and as a result, becomes stagnant.

Uhh…No wonder no one is coming down this end of the complex!

The recommended remedy for this was to decorate the pillar as much as possible with colours and something eye-catching, preferably something related to my client's business. Apparently, my client had a poster there previously, but it was taken down so the pillar could be repainted. She is going to put it back up.

Also, I suggested hanging a crystal from the awning that hangs in between the pillar and the shop entrance. This is to help the energy circulate and spread evenly through the space and into that end of the complex.

In order to counteract the dead end created by the wall at the end of the pathway, I suggested placing a small mirror and also placing pot plants in terracotta pots. The mirror will act as a window, creating an opening for the energy to move through to help prevent it getting “stuck” and to open up the dead end, giving the energy somewhere to go.

The plants will bring in new energy of growth and life and the terracotta pots will embody the earth element to ground the energy and keep it purposeful within the space, rather than floating, lost and “dead”.

In the space just outside the shop, we want to project the glorious energy that already exists within, out into the world. I suggested adding plants outside the shop as well, once again to bring in new energy, but also as something to catch people’s eye - to attract people’s attention.

I also recommended, as much as possible, creating some kind of product display outside the shop.

The idea and my main focus for the shop and for my client was to project the incredible energy within the shop out into the surrounding space to draw attention to the shop and get people inside!

Funnily (or divinely) enough, while we were out the front of the shop, brainstorming ideas for bringing the energy out into the space, two paying customers walked in and made purchases within the store! Amazing the power of intention!

Another feature that caught my attention was the ramp leading up to my client's store; a concrete path with metal railing, which was actually detracting for energy and for people.

There is a straight, paved path next to the ramp, which runs directly to the entrance of the business on the other side of my client's (not the yoga studio).

The energy doesn’t have to work at all to get to that shop, whereas, to get to my client’s shop, it has to weave and twist and wind its way up the ramp, just to get to the entrance of the shop! Or it has to break through the “energetic pillar wall” if it comes up the straighter, adjacent path.

If you have to make an effort, so does the energy! Which would you prefer; twisting and weaving around a ramp, or walking straight up to a shop and in the door? That’s what the energy prefers too!

(The neighbouring shop also had items on display out the front of it and was supported by the green shrubbery).

Interestingly, the building across the road is also being demolished in a few weeks.

Renovating any space can have significant energetic effects on that space and on the people residing or working within it.

Renovating or demolishing is metaphorically - and on some level, literally - tearing down or ripping up a part of one’s life or livelihood.

A huge factory-like building being knocked down, such as in this example, can have major effects on the energy of the shops, businesses and homes surrounding it.

The addition of terracotta pot plants at the front of the shop (recommended above) will also have a strong protective effect against any un-grounding or un-stabilising energy that may result from the demolition.

The plants will act as a screen and create a barrier against the energy of the demolition, while at the same time, the terracotta pots will help to ground the energy and keep it stable, rather than letting it get sucked into and be affected by the changes across the road.

Within the shop, we also made some small changes.

Of particular interest was a fire hose in the Fame and Reputation area.

This area dictates the reputation and image of a business and the supporting element for this area is fire. So here we had the double connotation of fire, but also of fire being dowsed by the fire hose - specifically intentioned to put out fires!

To remedy this, as I would normally do with a drain pipe under a sink or attached to a toilet to stop energy running down the drain, I tied a piece of red ribbon around the plumbing pipe leading to the fire hose.

This was for two main reasons; firstly, to add red, representing and strengthening the fire element and secondly, to reduce the energetic effects of the water in that area of the shop and therefore to reduce the energetic effects it may have been having on the reputation and image of the business and of my client.

Also worth noting was the staircase that sits directly above my client’s shop, creating a slanted ceiling within the shop. It slants towards the back of the room, compressing the Prosperity gua (where the desk is located) and part of the Fame and Reputation area.

Energy can often get trapped between where the lower end of the slant meets the vertical wall to which it attaches. Slated roofs can also encourage energy to move in a downward direction, so you can have a landslide of energy dumping on you, basically.

Ideally we want the energy to move up the slant, not down it. This can be accomplished by adding crystals or items that encourage people's focus (and therefore energy) to look upwards.

My client had a beautiful sculpture of numerous hands, each holding a pair of glasses, hanging on the slanted ceiling. With the positioning, it looked as if the hands were reaching out of that part of the roof. These hands directed attention and energy upward and helped to create an invisible energetic roofline, which was more flat horizontally than the slanted one.

My client decided to move these hands to the Helpful People and Travel gua, with the intention of helping hands reaching out and touching other people and helping people by suggesting certain eyewear frames. A beautiful place for this sculpture!

She has chosen to replace this hand sculpture with a painting of herself that she was given. It has the Italian flag as the background (my client is Italian) and a portrait of my client wearing a pair of sunglasses and surrounded by glasses frames.

This is absolutely perfect for this area, as this perfectly represents herself, her brand and her company! Excellent item for the Fame and Reputation area of the shop! The painting is also eye-catching and will draw attention (and energy) upward!

At the bottom of the slanted ceiling, in the Prosperity gua of the shop, my client had a hanging / suspended desk. It was a dark, wooden desk, chained to the ceiling with white, metal chains. Here we have a number of things to consider.

Firstly, it is important if you have a suspended desk that you make sure you feel grounded and supported and like you have a strong foundation beneath you.

Secondly, chains represent being tied up, chained down, trapped, imprisoned, restrained etc.

Is this the kind of energy you want to have surrounding you when you are working and in this case surrounding money and finances, as this is located in the Prosperity gua?!

My client also noted that the chains often get in the way when she is sitting at her desk opposite a customer and they are peering around the chains to make eye contact.

Finally, there are conflicting elements here. The wooden desk represents the yang element of wood, while the white, metal chains represent the yin element of metal.

In Feng Shui, certain elements support others (constructive cycle) and certain elements destroy or contradict others (destructive cycle). In the destructive cycle, metal cuts wood.

So while wood is auspicious (good) as a supporting element in the Prosperity gua, the metal element is cutting that wood, undermining its positive effects in these area.

The idea of “cutting” can also apply to the finances in this case, as once again, this is located in the Prosperity gua.

Basically, it may be advisable to replace the suspended desk with a more solid, sturdy one with legs, in this case, which offers the feeling of a strong (financial) base and foundation and which makes one feel supported.

Additionally, there was also a mirror in the Prosperity gua on the wall next to the desk.

Mirrors are ambiguous items in Feng Shui and can take on many different meanings. In this instance, it is their association with emotions, which concerned me. Mirrors in the Prosperity gua and Relationship gua, in particular, can introduce strong emotional attachments and reactions to changes in those areas. I suggested relocating this mirror.

My client had also recently moved a white, leather chair from in front of her desk (where it was positioned in the Fame and Reputation gua) to near the shop entrance (Career gua). I advised her it may be beneficial to move it back, as leather (any animal product for that matter) is a powerful element that supports the Fame and Reputation area.

I made some additional suggestions, based on Feng Shui principles, however the the points of interest outlined above were the main factors we addressed during the consultation.

Tips for attracting customers into your store:

1. Project your store's energy outward Put displays or eye-catching, attention-grabbing items out the front of your shop to attract customers' attention. Add plants to encourage upward energy of growth, life and expansion. Have a welcoming entrance. Make people want to enter your shop!

2. MAKE SURE YOU CAN BE SEEN AND FOUND EASILY! If customers have a hard time finding you, so does energy! Vice versa, if the energy is slow coming in, or passes your store altogether, then people and customers will do the same thing.

3. Enhance the Fame and Reputation gua.

Adding objects that represent the element of fire, such as the colour red, in this area will help to strengthen the reputation and image of your business. Placing any campaigns or advertisements for your business in this area may also help to promote your business. Additionally, any (positive) reviews or ratings placed here may help to project a positive business image and reputation.

4. Avoid suspended / floating desks While they may be aesthetically appealing, beware of feelings of instability or a lack of support, feelings of being left hanging, of being strung up or chained up, of hanging by a thread or any other connotations along these lines.

5. Play with lighting

Lighting is a fantastic means of setting and controlling the feel of a space and its energy. Low, dimmer, warmer and hanging lights can bring in a yin energy, while bright, upward facing, tall lights can foster a yang energy. Ever heard of mood lighting? Set the mood and the tone for the customer's experience in your store using lights. Make sure there is enough light to see, but perhaps not so much light that it is blinding. A lot of the warm and buzzing energy in this shop I consulted was created by lighting!

6. Keep your workspace and shop clean

Declutter! This is not something I mentioned in detail in this blog entry, however, I cannot stress the importance of decluttering. A clean and well-kept shop is more attractive to customers than one that is untidy. Don't overstock and clutter the space you have. Make sure there are clear pathways and it is easy for customers to move around the shop and view items. Clear out the storeroom and keep it as tidy and organised as possible.

The main focus of the consultation was projecting the warm, welcoming, vibrant energy from within my client’s shop out into the world to catch people’s attention and to attract customers into the shop.

To do this we discussed breaking down the invisible “energetic pillar wall” by adding some colour and something to attract attention and also by hanging a crystal to allow the energy to spread and pass through this wall.

Adding plants and visual displays out the front of the shop to attract attention and draw people into the shop was another

recommendation. Also, repositioning the brand sign in a more visible location to let people know the shop is there as they are walking past!

Although the yoga and pilates studio has its own (not-so-welcoming) vibe going on, displays and plants out the front of my client’s shop may help shift the energy in that area. Additionally, using mirrors and plants near the wall at the end of the path may help to combat the “dead end” created by the wall, which is producing stagnant, “dead” energy.

The painting on the slanted ceiling will help to attract energy and attention upward and the addition of a desk with legs to replace the suspended one may provide a sense of grounding and of being supported with a strong foundation.

Removing the chains supporting the desk may remove the conflict between elements (wood and metal) and may also remove sensations, connotations or feelings of being trapped, chained up, tied up etc.

Such an amazing consultation! Such a beautiful, loving, kind and giving lady and such a wonderful and inviting shop! I would not change anything about the energy in that place! Absolutely magnificent! Now it’s just a matter of projecting it outward and attracting more customers!