Inheriting Visual Merchandising into Your Teams

In business, it’s key to recognize opportunities in the resources you already have and acknowledge where it makes sense to bring in additional support. When it comes to visual merchandising, how can you identify the right roles and responsibilities within your team?

Let’s start with your internal resources. How do you determine who does what in visual merchandising? One effective way is by splitting the roles into two personas: the THINKers and the DO-ers. Recognizing who best fits these personas within your existing team can help you structure a more efficient and successful visual merchandising operation.

The THINKers

THINKers are the strategic minds on your team. They are business-oriented, idea-driven, and thrive on analytics and data. Whether it’s sales numbers, customer behaviors, or feedback, these individuals excel at interpreting information and crafting actionable plans. However, they may not always be the most skilled or efficient at implementing those plans themselves.

The DO-ers

DO-ers, on the other hand, are the hands-on executors. They are quick, efficient, and skilled at turning plans into reality—as long as they have clear instructions. They are detail-oriented and have high standards in terms of image and presentation. Tell them what needs to be done, and they’ll make it happen. However, they might not naturally gravitate toward strategic planning or analyzing overarching business goals.

The Balance: Delegation

This is why both personas are essential. The THINKers create the vision, and the DO-ers bring it to life. Successful visual merchandising operations require clear delegation to connect the strategy with execution seamlessly. This balance ensures that ideas aren’t just developed but are also executed effectively in a way that drives results.

While a more experienced visual merchandiser would encapsulate all three of these areas, when you are starting fresh with incorporating these roles within your team, it will be likely that these personas are split amongst various people. This is how you may introduce more effective visual merchandising responsibilities internally, prior to making the investment of a full-time dedicated visual merchandiser.

A Quick Tip

Have you explored whether your business is eligible for the Canada-Ontario Job Grant? This grant can help fund your staff training needs, making it easier to empower your team with the skills they need to excel. Learn more here: Canada-Ontario Job Grant.

How We Can Help

At VM ID Inc., we’re passionate about helpingretailers build effective visual merchandising operations. Our expertise lies not only in execution but also in training and empowering your team to succeed. Here are some of the qualifications we bring to the table:

  • Managing National Visual Merchandising Training: Our founder, Ani Nersessian, led Adidas Group Canada’s national visual merchandising training program, training in-store merchandisers through nationwide conferences and monthly tasks.

  • Teaching Experience at Toronto Metropolitan University: Ani instructed the Visual Merchandising and Display course to School of Fashion students, sharing her expertise with the next generation of retail professionals.

  • Current Role at Seneca Polytechnic: Ani is currently teaching Visual Merchandising Arts students about digital space planning and layouts, equipping them with modern tools and strategies for success.

  • Providing bulk 1-on-1 consultations and group training sessions: We haves partnered with organizations such as Oxford Properties, Cadillac Fairview, Stackt Market, Toronto Market Week, Cangift’s Home and Gift Show, JLL, the One of a Kind Show and The Mode Market providing their vendors and retailers with group and bulk training in VM.

    Check out our visual merchandising portfolio to see how we’ve helped retailers elevate their in-store presentations. Our visual merchandising services are tailored to meet your needs and achieve measurable results.

Let’s Talk

If you’re looking to strengthen your team’s visual merchandising skills, we’re here to help. Whether it’s through tailored training sessions, strategy development, or ongoing support, we’ll work with you to find the right model for your business.

Book a commitment-free call today to discuss how we can support your visual merchandising operations and take your team to the next level!

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