
Granted that e-commerce continues to grow in popularity, there remains a place for in-store shopping. Customers visit business websites and social media pages, but with the right incentives, and for various reasons. They are also keen on visiting brick-and-mortar stores. Successful retailers are deliberate about delivering an excellent and memorable in-store experience for their customers.
Integrating digital signage into your business’ advertising and marketing plan is one of the most effective ways to improve your offline sales. A great digital signage platform will allow you to create and add content from your tablets, other mobile devices, and laptops. In addition, you can customize and optimize templates to create the content. Integration or connecting to an external feed lets you get real-time updates on, for example, the weather and news.
You can then use the platform to schedule the display of your content across multiple screens and video walls. After a successful deployment of digital signage retail, you can use analytics to track how well your digital signs are doing and the corresponding ROI.
This post will get some insights into how digital signage influences customer experience and boosts sales. What can digital signs do for retail stores? Is it a worthy business for players in the retail sector?
1. Automatically Captivate and Draw in Shoppers
Eye-catching and dynamic digital signage retail will easily capture customer attention. The more attractive your displays, the better the chances of turning even the most casual window shopper or passer-by into a customer.
Traditional printed signs will only capture shoppers’ interest for as long as it takes to read them. On the other hand, digital signs are dynamic and changing, which comes with a longer dwell time. The signs pique and keep the interest of shoppers and will no doubt increase your foot traffic.
Additionally, some features allow you to deliver targeted messages. For example, facial recognition driven by sensors will see you display the right message based on gender and age. This will certainly boost your sales numbers.
2. Share Product Information
You can display so much product information with digital signage solutions. Interactive displays give shoppers the additional information they are looking for. Throw in some product comparisons, and you can help customers make a more informed purchase.
This allows your sales associates to focus more on encouraging sales, helping customers in the dressing room, and more. In fact, they don’t have to spend time answering the same questions over and over again.
Additionally, you can display recommendations, including product advertisements for new products and ongoing promotions. This provides the perfect opportunity for upselling and cross-selling.
3. Share Your Brand Story
In an increasingly competitive retail environment, you need to really stand out. Your brand will put you ahead of the competition. Digital signage for retail allows you to tell your brand story to shoppers in the most visual and engaging way possible.
With printed signage, there isn’t much interactivity, and the story will not be as visual or appealing. Similarly, you can only say so much with the limited space. Digital signage solutions take care of these limitations, delivering a captivating brand story with graphics that will draw in and keep customers.
Connecting with your brand story encourages brand loyalty. Throw in great loyalty programs, and you will have long-term loyal customers and brand ambassadors.
4. A Unified Commerce
With interactive digital signage retail, you can blend and maximize your e-commerce and in-store experiences. You will then be able to deliver a more cohesive and smoother customer experience.
Your digital signage platform can display items that may not necessarily be on display on the shelves, for starters. Shoppers can see if the item they are looking for is in stock, even though it may not be on the shelves, or whether that item is available at your other store locations. If it is in stock, the shoppers can purchase it immediately and have it delivered or collected.
In addition, you can leverage on integration with mobile devices in your store. In fact, using QR codes, shoppers can download coupons and product information onto their phones. Even if the customer doesn’t buy in-store, they can easily do so later on, be it in-store or on your e-commerce platform.
5. Increase Engagement
Have your pick of your best online content. This includes reviews and positive posts from customers on your social media pages and other online platforms.
Now imagine the impact viewing this type of content in-store would have on shoppers. It will certainly drive more sales, as shoppers will always trust what others have to say about your business.
Shoppers will also be curious to know more about what others are saying about you online. They will also want to know what you, as a business, have to offer on your social media. In this way, you will increase engagement as more customers follow your social media feeds.
6. Save on Staffing
Deploying interactive digital signs eliminates simple and repetitive tasks such as providing product information and availability. This significantly reduces the overall workload, and you will not need to hire as many sales associates. Cutting back on your staff can mean significant savings, which will, in turn, improve your bottom line.
7. Better Customer Experience
At the heart of great customer experiences are interactivity and customer engagement. Digital signage solutions deliver on both fronts better than any of the traditional marketing or ads. Moreover, the digital signs provide product information and address questions around product availability and prices.
This frees up the customer support team and sales associates to be more attentive and cater to complex needs. Getting attentive and personal attention counts towards a great customer experience, which will keep customers coming back.
8. Effective Internal Communication
Digital signage retail is not just for the shoppers. You can communicate effectively with your staff deployed across various stations in your store through messages on your screens. Most importantly, they are great for scheduled staff meetings as well as real-time updates at any time of the day. Effective communication promotes better productivity and team collaboration.
A Look at the Numbers
Up to 68 % of customers say that they are more likely to buy products advertised on digital signs.
Another 44% states that digital signage retail would influence their decision to buy the advertised product instead of the product they originally intended on buying.
Looking at these numbers, it is easy to see why any business in the retail sector cannot afford to neglect digital signage. It works, and customers agree as much.
Businesses which have deployed digital signage retail solutions report upwards of a 30% boost in their sales. In other words, it certainly pays for itself. This, of course, gives a resounding yes, to the question about whether digital signs are worth the investment.
In Summary
Deploying digital signage retail solutions in your brick-and-mortar store comes with many advantages and possibilities. You can promote your offerings, better serve your customers, and boost staff productivity. By doing so, you can enhance store experience and take your business to the next level by boosting your sales.
With this in mind, whatever the size of your business, or your niche, you can make digital signage work for you. Above all, pay attention to the analytics, and modify your strategy for the best possible outcome.