Holiday Decorating Ideas to Attract More People to Malls

Once upon a time, malls were THE social hotspot for people of all age groups. However, with the rise of online shopping, it's been hard for malls to maintain their dominance in the retail sphere. People are visiting the malls less and less resulting in vacancies of over 40% in some malls across the country. The current situation in retail can seem a bit disheartening, but there's no need to worry. We have a solution that can help you bring people back to the malls. 

The holiday season is your time to shine. While online shopping seems to be gaining ground in general, most people still prefer to shop at malls during the holiday season.  As a matter of fact, in a survey done by Teen Vogue 65% of respondents said they would do the majority of their holiday shopping in-store. This is compared to only 35% who said they would shop online. The reason? People want to see what products they're purchasing and have the full shopping experience. By taking advantage of holiday shoppers' desire for an immersive experience, you can boost foot traffic for your mall. 

So, how do you create an immersive holiday experience? While shopping is a huge part of the mall experience, it's not the only thing that makes malls fun for shoppers. Food courts, entertainment, and decor also play a huge role in the quality of a shopper's visit. You'll need to take a look at each aspect of the shopping experience to engage guests. This is especially true during the holiday season. 

Not only do shoppers look forward to the huge sales and unique products associated with the holidays, but they also look forward to seeing how their local mall transforms for the holiday season. Decor elements; like trees, wreaths, lights, and even Santas; are some of the highlights of the holiday shopping experience. By strategically integrating holiday decor into your mall's design, you can make the most of what the holiday season has to offer your space and bring people back to your mall. 

Here are a few strategic ideas that can help you attract and engage visitors during the holidays: 

1. Play Music: One of the best ways to truly immerse your guests in the holiday experience is by playing holiday music. People LOVE to hear their favorite songs playing while they're working through their shopping lists. If you want to further immerse visitors in your holiday experience, you can consider bringing in a live band or creating a light show that's synced with the music. 
2. Create Holiday-Themed Goods: Several of your occupants may have their own holiday shopping bags or decor, but you should also consider creating something that you can give to the occupants who may not. Providing your occupants with unique, holiday-themed bags will help you leave a lasting impression on shoppers. If your occupants don't need bags for the holiday season, you can also consider setting up gift-wrapping stations throughout the mall. Not only will this create a new activity for shoppers, but it also gives you another chance to leave an impression on visitors. 
3. Plan Activities for Shoppers: People want things to do. Doing the same things year after year tends to get boring. So, to engage your shoppers, you should make sure that you have plenty of events and activities planned for them. A good mix of traditional activities, like Santas and Cocoa/Cider stands, with a rotation of newer activities will ensure that guests are engaged the entire time they're at your mall. 
4. Incorporate Greenery: Who doesn't love a good tree lighting ceremony? Not only will bringing a tree into your space help you with planning activities for your mall, but they also make for a great photo op. The younger generations are always looking to visit places where they can take photos to post on social media. Greenery also adds a much-needed touch of life to holiday landscapes. Trees may be the focal point of your holiday landscape but don't forget garlands and wreaths. Having a variety of greenery is crucial to building a stunning holiday landscape.
5. Light It Up: Nothing brings a holiday landscape together quite like good lighting. Lighting is key to setting the mood of a holiday landscape. String lights are the most common form of lighted decor, but there's also a variety of other lighted decor options that you can add to your mall. You can add lighted reindeer, elves, Santas, and a variety of other decor elements to your space. Some malls even use animatronics to truly bring their holiday landscape to life. 
6. Don't Forget the Exterior: Your interior design isn't the first thing potential shoppers will see when they pass by your mall. The first thing they will see is the exterior of your mall. Because of this, it's important that you put just as much thought into your outdoor decor as you do your indoor decor. Signs, marquees, and oversized decor elements are perfect additions to your exterior holiday landscape. Depending on the size and structure of your mall, you may also be able to make use of animations and rooftop decor. 

You may not have the budget to include each item on this list in your holiday strategy. But, that's okay...

What's most important is creating a warm and engaging holiday landscape that allows your shoppers to immerse themselves in the holiday spirit. 

Retailers are investing more time and thought into creating holiday experiences that attract more people to their brick-and-mortar stores. However, getting holiday decor right, especially in larger spaces like malls and department stores, can be difficult. That's why some companies have begun working with design consultants to bring their holiday landscapes to life. 

Increasing competition from the internet makes it incredibly important that property managers and retailers put significant time and thought into their holiday landscape. The holiday atmosphere is what attracts shoppers to the malls during the winter. Having a holiday landscape that people will remember and talk about is key to gaining more foot traffic year-round. 

So, as you start working on your holiday landscape, let us help you create a design that brings the holiday magic to your mall. Take a look at this free lookbook to get some ideas to help you get started. 

Get holiday decorating ideas in this free guide!