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May
Including commercial digital signage in your marketing strategy can pay dividends in the long run. It is designed to capture attention and engage potential customers. Digital signage can be programmed to display graphics, video, or any content you’ve chosen to upload from small screens to large display walls. Interactive commercial digital signage can take engagement to a new level by encouraging customers to participate in market research, locating inventory, or browsing product offerings. Some commercial signage goes as far as allowing potential customers to digitally try out products or services. If you’re considering investing in digital signage, you’ll want to gather as much information as you can before making a decision that can impact your business for years to come.
What Is Digital Signage?
Using integrated technology to enhance business offerings is a new trend and is not going anywhere. From chat boxes on your website to commercial digital signage that helps customers choose a new outfit, interactive technological advancements are enhancing the customer experience everywhere. In its simplest form, digital signage refers to any electronic sign that is used to convey specific information for commercial purposes. It can utilize LCD, LED, or a projection screen to display information that educates, entertains, or engages customers.
With the new and advanced technology, commercial digital signage continues to quickly evolve and provide a multitude of purposes. The idea is to deliver your message to a wider audience as one of the most effective means of communication between your business and the customers you serve. In a world where large inventories and low price points are not enough, creating an engaging customer experience is now a top priority.
Benefits of Digital Signage
What is digital signage without multiple applications that enhance business operations? Commercial digital signage is becoming the new competitive advantage for businesses around the world with a brick-and-mortar presence. While having an online presence is still critical for business sustainability, traditional physical locations will continue to play a major role in the marketplace. For this reason, the competition for grabbing your target market’s attention will become more fierce. That’s where commercial digital signage steps in and offers an interesting and engaging display that is hard to ignore. Some of the benefits of digital signage are:
- Self-service – Studies continue to show that online customers prefer self-service rather than using a customer service number to answer their questions and meet their needs. This can be translated into self-service digital signage that allows the customer to search inventory or ask questions. It is a cost-effective and fast alternative to traditional or in-person customer support that would otherwise keep the customer waiting. Having an effective plan in place for providing the information customers need quickly and easily will make them feel comfortable making a purchase.
The last thing you want is a customer waiting around for help and having a bad experience. They may proceed with the purchase but may never return again. The following statistics show that efficient customer service is vital for business success and what happens when the impact of a poor experience:
- 56% of customers will not return
- 25% of customers will tell others not to visit
- 20% of customers will write an online review
- 14% of customers will talk about their experience on social media
Online shopping is now shaping the customer experience and the pandemic was a great example of seeing this in action. Now, major retailers like Amazon are the blueprint for fast and convenient shopping and customer service. Employee interaction is no longer a requirement for shopping.
- Adaptability – One of the best digital signage benefits is the ability to change the information at a moment’s notice from anywhere in the world. Almost all displays come with software that allows you to change the messaging at your leisure and track engagement. When you’re ready to announce a new product offering or event, you can easily create a new advertisement and upload it to all digital displays at once. This feature is invaluable in building brand awareness with consistency. In contrast, when an old advertisement needs to be improved or completely removed, it can be fixed quickly. Unlike traditional billboards or posters, commercial digital signage does not need to be removed and replaced, saving time and money. It’s important that the same enhanced experience resonates throughout all of your business locations. Without consistency, your brand messaging may get lost in the shuffle of
- Automation – Digital signage comes with software that allows you to automatically upload new information or create a program of scheduled times to display several pieces of information at once. Rule-based software makes this an easy and simple process that many retail businesses take advantage of. They can showcase specials, promotions, or discounts simultaneously or on a weekly basis depending on how the advertisements are scheduled. This software can be adjusted to display specific types of content at pre-programmed intervals. It is especially useful for displaying price changes.
- Exposure – Another important aspect of digital signage benefits is the amount of exposure that is generated. When attracting a passerby, digital advertising has been shown to be the most effective marketing tool. According to a study conducted by Intel, commercial digital signage generates more than 400% more views than traditional, static displays. The research also shows that spontaneous changes in direction can influence and elicit potential customer responses.
- Recall and retention – Bright digital displays are more memorable and current research backs this up. In another study conducted by Arbitron on the impact of digital billboards, 83% of individuals were able to recall an advertisement they saw in the last 30 days. From this group, almost one in five people discussed the advertisement with someone else. This is the result of combining display movement, content, and graphics for a highly impactful effect that generates word of mouth advertising with improved recall and retention.
- Wait times – If you’re like most people, you don’t like to wait in long lines and are likely to leave the store. Usually, customers will return at a later time or go to the nearest competitor to make the purchase. This is one of the main reasons companies create self-checkout services but sometimes lines can’t be avoided. Research shows that during these wait times, customers are more likely to wait if they are occupied. In a study conducted by VentureBeat, 69% of shoppers consider lines as the most aggravating part of shopping. From this group, 89% of shoppers claimed that watching digital displays helped them pass the time during the wait. If you have a waiting area of any kind, commercial digital signage is an excellent way to keep your customers occupied.
- Analytics – Commercial digital signage can be especially useful for industries that collect customer behavior data like inventory searches and purchases. Installing a display that tracks customer engagement can help your business determine when it’s time to lower the price of a product. Cameras that monitor customer eye movement can reveal the displays that attract the most attention from customers. Analytics is one of the digital signage benefits that can be applied in a number of ways throughout the business.
Our Full-Service Commercial Digital Signage Process
What is digital signage without customer support? We provide full-service commercial digital signage using a process that includes the proposal, research and design, permitting, engineering and planning, construction, manufacturing, installation, and ongoing maintenance. As recognized leaders in the signage industry for over 50 years, we are committed to making the most of our clients’ and business owners’ time and money. Using this process, we create win-win partnerships that raise organizational visibility and enhanced ROI.
Schedule a free consultation today to get started!