Create Balance

• 1). Take a written inventory of what you stock in your store. Categorize your supplies by how they are used: yoga clothing, mats, bags and straps, inclusive kits, and other props such as blocks, socks and gloves. Don't forget to categorize instructional resources such as books, videos, artwork, journals and music. Also make note of what products are most popular with your clients.
  
  
• 2). Create a symmetrical, ordered floor plan for your store, with measurements to scale as best as you can. Think about how shoppers navigate the space. Zone the store into quarters, designating space for each of the following four categories: Clothing, including all the appropriate attire for class; Props, which includes such items as mats, blocks, meditation pillows and towels; Zen Accessories, such as incense and jewelry; and Resources, including DVDs, books, journals and music.
  
  
• 3). Organize the stock in your store according to your four-zone floor plan, creating "departments" that house the products from the four categories. In one quarter of the space, gather all the stock for the props department and separate it into large, wire floor bins and on appropriately sized shelves. In another quarter, set up racks for clothing and install wall-slat systems from which to hang clothing bars and shelves. In the other two zones, situate shelving and freestanding bins for accessories, and magazine and book racks and shelving for instructional reading materials.
  
  
• 4). Create a special area of space at the front of the store to temporarily display and highlight new items. This area should be attention-grabbing, so new customers will pop in on impulse and frequent shoppers will find new products of interest and come back often.