Speaking at The Global Travel Conference in La Manga, Spain Helen Goodwin, co-founder of Made You Look, said shop window displays were “a powerful selling tool” for agents, and should be used to create strong first impressions.

Goodwin, whose company teaches retailers about window dressing and visual styling, said: “We all have extremely busy lives. People will often only look at a shop window for two seconds, so it needs to provide allure for customers and stop them from moving on.”

She encouraged high street agents to create an eye-catching focal point in their window display, which should be at eye level.

“Good displays are often based on pyramids, with a focus at the top, and the customer’s eye filtering down to the bottom right,” Goodwin explained.

She added that good lighting, clean windows, and a brightly painted interior were also helpful tools for drawing customers in.

“Agents are selling a lifestyle with their window displays,” said Goodwin, who suggested using balloons, flags, plants or furniture to create an intriguing shop window.

She encouraged agents to look through magazines and marketing material for inspiration, or to scour Pinterest and other social media channels for ideas.

Goodwin also advised agents against using handwritten signs, as they tended to look less professional when compared with printed material.

“Use the whole depth of a window in your displays and play with height – don’t just stick stuff on the windows,” she added.

She also encouraged agents to change their window displays weekly for maximum impact and to help increase footfall.