While your building houses a significant part of your commercial property, the outside can be just as valuable.
Not only are they crucial impression setters, but they can also be repurposed into a functional space for various purposes or events.
If your current outdoor space is underutilised, now’s a better time than ever to elevate it and add some functional touches.
When you make your outdoor space look nice, you can attract new customers, keep current ones happy, and increase the value of your property altogether.
There are a lot of benefits you can get when maximising your commercial property’s outdoor space.
Here are seven ideas to inspire you in your quest to beautify your outdoor space.
1. Decorate Your Shopfront
Would you rather walk into a shop with a bare and slogan-less shopfront or one that clearly lays out what it’s all about out in the open?
The answer for many is clear—most people would feel secure wandering into the latter.
A well-decorated shopfront can effectively exude the vibe of the store, which can make it accessible and welcoming to the right customer.
As such, if your storefront is a bit on the bare side, consider embellishing it—even if it’s just by a little bit.
Decorate it with an eye-catching display that reflects what your business is all about. You can use neon lights, roller banners, posters, or a nicely carved wooden sculpture. Choose whatever fits your business’s branding and theme.
You can also put an eye-catching signpost that shows the deals and services that your place offers. This can help in potentially drawing the attention of interested customers and generating more sales.
2. Repurpose Outdoor Space into an Events Venue
If you have a wide, open outdoor space that’s just field and grassland right now, consider turning it into a suitable outdoor venue.
The best part is that going this route can be cheaper than undergoing a renovation in your commercial building since you don’t have to build an entire structure in this space.
Simply contact a shade structure installation company like Greenline, have them set up a shade structure, flatten the floor area, and voila—your space now has a new use, all at a fraction of the cost of building a shed or building.
This venue can be used to host private events and community gatherings, or even just be used as a waiting shed. Regardless, adding a shade structure is necessary to keep the outdoor furniture dry and free from the barrage of the elements.
3. Make a Beautiful Outdoor Garden
Is the space outside your commercial building not big enough to house a shade structure? If you still want to make something out of it, then consider beautifying it with some lush greenery.
One of the best ways to beautify a space with greenery is by incorporating order into it and creating a garden. Gardens are pretty and appealing additions to any space, no matter the size of the land it occupies.
Besides adding an array of flowers, shrubs, trees, and other cool fauna, consider adding some tiny decorative elements like gnomes, fountains, and other neat details too.
A beautiful garden can get people to stop and look at your property, enjoying the sights. For the more curious individual, this could lead them to wander into your property and potentially engage with your business—which is definitely a boon for all businesses.
You’ll have to hire someone who can tend to your garden regularly, though. An unkempt garden can repel people quite quickly, so ensure that your garden is presentable day and night.
4. Utilise Eco-Friendly Lighting
Maximising your outdoor space entails customers and employees seeing or visiting these areas of your commercial property at any time.
To facilitate that, you should consider installing lighting in these regions in your outdoor space. Lighting illuminates areas that could otherwise be dark and dangerous to traverse. It also makes a space more inviting, which could help lead customers or even passers-by into your place.
Should you choose to install eco-friendly lighting like streetlights around your outdoor space, consider using LED lights. This is a good type of light since it’s fairly sustainable and doesn’t waste a tonne of energy.
Alternatively, you can use motion-detection lights. These lights have sensors that detect movement within a certain radius, allowing you to harness light whenever needed and conserve energy when not in use.
5. Host Periodic Outdoor Events
Once you’ve built a suitable outdoor space, consider hosting outdoor events on it. For example, you can consider hosting a Christmas party or business anniversary lunch in these spaces. This can make the place seem more lively and well-used.
You don’t have to make it exclusive to employees, either. You can consider hosting public gatherings like potlucks, seminars, fairs, and other fun events that can draw in a crowd. This can help you broadcast your commercial space’s place in the community publicly.
Of course, you have to ensure that your space is equipped with the furnishing and furniture to facilitate large gatherings. Getting a bench and some picnic tables usually can suffice.
If these events are successful, they can feel compelled to go into future events, which puts them in proximity to your commercial space. This can lead to potential sales and can ultimately help you generate more revenue over time.
6. Leverage Seasonal Decorations
If you don’t want your building to appear dull or fall behind on recent trends, consider decorating it according to the trends of the times.
For instance, if it’s Halloween, consider manifesting the spirit of it by decorating areas of your outdoor space with some Halloween-themed costumes and props. You can put up a scarecrow, a ghost, or a replica skeleton in the middle of the field, as a start.
If it’s Christmas time, the same philosophy applies. Consider decorating with a Christmas tree with lights and various ornaments.
You can also add a rotational art installation to make your space more visually appealing. This can serve as a way for people to appreciate art, all while giving your space a distinct cultural identity.
Being “in” on the times tells the public that you’re a company that’s not completely soulless or devoid of life. This can make them feel positive towards your company, which can in turn make them more inclined to purchase your products or services.
7. Harness Strong Eco-Friendly Features
Maximising your property’s outdoor space isn’t only about being showy and pompous with how it looks, it’s also about being as sustainable and eco-friendly as possible.
Property owners can achieve this through multiple ways. One way is by recycling rainwater and using it to landscape and water the plants in the garden and lawn.
Another way to be eco-friendly is by incorporating recycled material into designs in your outdoor space. Decorating your space with reclaimed wood and plastic bottles can give your space a unique and refreshing look, all while reducing environmental impact.
You can also consider using solar energy to power what needs to be powered in your outdoor space (or building, if possible). This can help reduce your consumption of non-renewable energy, which is a positive step in reducing climate risk.
