Why people walk past your shop – and seven simple ways to invite them in

You have probably seen it many times: someone slows down in front of your shop, looks at the window for a few seconds, and walks on. Not because they don't need what you sell, but because your door didn't answer their questions quickly enough. The good news is that most of those questions can be answered before a customer even reaches the door.

The questions every passer-by asks

Before anyone decides to walk in, one or more of these questions goes through their mind, even if they don't notice it:

• Is the shop open right now?
• Will I have to wait long?
• Is there something new, or an offer worth stopping for?
• Is this place for someone like me?

Every question left unanswered becomes a small reason to keep walking to the shop next door. Let's go through them one by one.

1. Make "open" obvious from a distance

It sounds obvious, yet many shops look closed while they are open: reflective glass, dim lighting during the day, or a small sign you can only read up close. Put a clear sign for your status and show your opening hours where people can see them without stopping. If you close for a break, say when you'll be back. A customer who knows you reopen in twenty minutes may come back; one who finds a closed door with no explanation usually won't.

2. Tell the truth about waiting

In barbershops, restaurants and anywhere with a queue, a wait you can't estimate usually feels longer than one you know about – most of us know this from our own experience. Hearing "about fifteen minutes" is easier than walking in and knowing nothing. If a seat is free right now, say so clearly; if there is a wait, give an honest estimate. Honesty builds trust here: a customer whose wait matched your estimate is more likely to believe you next time.

3. Show one clear offer instead of ten

A window crowded with posters means the eye sees nothing at all. Choose one offer for the week or for the day and present it in large letters with a clear photo of the product. If the offer ends on a certain date, say so – a clear end date often helps people decide. And remember that an "offer of the day" has to actually change every day, or it loses its meaning.

4. Keep your window changing

People who pass your shop every day eventually stop seeing your window at all, because it hasn't changed in weeks. Small updates are enough: a new product at the front, a different colour, or a message that fits the season. During Ramadan, Eid and National Day, people's mood and interests change, so let your window change with them.

5. Speak your customers' language

In cities like Medina, Jeddah and Riyadh, visitors and residents from many countries pass your shop. Showing Arabic and English together on your shopfront means more people understand what you offer. Keep the message short in both languages, and don't settle for a word-for-word translation; write what a visitor understands at a glance.

6. Think about the evening, not just the day

In many neighbourhoods in Saudi Arabia the streets are busier in the evening than in the midday heat. A shopfront that looks great in daylight can disappear completely after sunset if it isn't well lit. Test it yourself: stand across the street at night and check whether you can read your name and your offer from there.

7. Make the next step easy

Not everyone who is interested will walk in right away. Some are in a hurry, others want to ask first. Add a QR code that opens a WhatsApp chat, your location on the map or your social media accounts. That way a customer takes your shop with them and comes back when they are ready.

Where a digital screen helps

Everything above can be done with paper and posters, but it takes time and constant reprinting. This is where a screen at your door that you control from your phone helps: it shows "open" or "closed" automatically according to the opening hours you enter, shows the waiting time you set from your phone in barbershops and counts it down live, and puts today's offer on the full screen, changed with one tap. And if you don't have a designer, you can turn a photo of your product into a finished advertising poster in a few minutes.

Start with one step this week: stand in front of your shop the way a customer does and ask yourself the four questions. The first one without a clear answer is the first thing to improve.