Digital signage is nothing new, but the falling costs of this technology is creating a massive growth in the number of retailers using this medium to attract customers to their stores, and increase in-store sales. The digital signage market is expected to be worth $13.6 billion by 2016, according to leading market analysts MarketsandMarkets.com
High definition LCD screens sell for as little as £200 these days, and the software needed to create engaging digital content is being offered for free by reputable suppliers. Retailers can even run their own content to the LCD screens if the supplier includes your media player software, making the whole thing a lot easier for people to do it themselves. The reduced costs of digital advertising technology is also allowing retailers to run promotions, engage customers and drive sales while getting a strong return on investment.
Effective use of a digital signage system is crucial, however, for it to increase engagement, and translate that engagement into in store sales. Retailers would do well to explore the following ideas to get the most out of this technology:
1. Create a feature screen area in your store
A video wall will act as a central store attraction, where you can feature new product arrivals and display your current promotions. People are naturally drawn to high impact, visual content so this is a fantastic way of getting your promotional messages across. One retailer who has already installed a feature video wall in their New York flagship store is Diesel. They are using a six screen video wall to promote their new collections, because they understand that customers are far more attracted to dynamic video content than they are to traditional in store posters.
2. Product display areas
Consumers generally make a purchase based on the benefits the product will bring to them. Digital signage can be used to showcase the benefits the consumer will receive by owing the product being sold. Retailers could use engaging content to help create an emotional connection in the consumer’s mind and put them in the right frame to make the purchase.
3. Interactive Displays
Providing touch screen displays to allow customers to learn more about certain products is a great way of pre-selling by both engaging and educating people about the features and benefits of certain products, in a way that keeps them ‘interacting’ for far longer on average than a standard display.
4. Digital Demos
In-store product demos are very effective engagement tools, but the availability of equipment and space can make in-store demos difficult or impractical. By running a demo on a big screen, these difficulties are overcome and enables staff to get the message across to customers. Furniture retailer DFS has chosen its Tottenham Court Road store to trial digital demos this year, so pop down for a look!
5. Digital How-To Guides
The different features, uses and benefits of a product are not always immediately obvious to consumers for their personal circumstances. Digital How-to guides can be an effective, high impact way to show the consumer how the product relates to their needs.
Digital signage can play a significant role in engaging customers and driving sales, and retailers at every level are recognising this. Future store environments are set to change in a big way, but the monetary gains to be made are very much dependent upon how effectively the technology is deployed by store owners. Content must be visually engaging and presented in the right manner, on screens which are positioned where they will have the most impact. If the digital signage gives shoppers a more engaging and exciting retail experience, increased sales will likely follow, and in a world where brand association is a big part of the sales process it’s a very useful medium.
Reflex Av help businesses make the most of digital signage and audio visual technology, with a full consultancy service to tailor the package to your best needs
