Debunking the Fear of Digital Signage in Retail
Are you looking to increase customer engagement and improve the shopping experience in your retail store? Maybe you want to influence purchase decisions, push new promotions, and boost your curb appeal with eye-catching window displays?
You need a digital sign.
Now, don’t recoil at the prospect – that’s what this article is all about, after all. There’s way more to those digital signs than those old-fashioned red LED scrollers.
This article is all about the benefits of digital signage for retail stores. And hopefully, we’ll debunk some of the fear related to this burgeoning technology. Digital signs are easy to use and customize, and they’re a lot more affordable than you might think.
Pain point #1: Digital Signage Is Too Big an Investment
Digital signage solutions are more affordable than you might think. But, of course, there is an initial investment.
However:
80% of brands that use digital signage in bricks-and-mortar stores recorded an increase in sales of up to 33% after installing their digital signs.
Most businesses still rely on print media and static signs as their principal marketing tools. And, in the past, those have usually served us well.
But print media quickly goes out of date and generates a lot of waste.
A print run for a single marketing campaign may cost a couple of hundred dollars and might feel like a small investment.
But, over the lifetime of your business, it adds up to thousands – maybe hundreds of thousands. And that doesn’t sound like such a great ROI, after all.
Like most new tech, digital screens have become more affordable over time. For example, the costs of installing and maintaining a digital sign network halved between 2004 and 2010.
And it’s continued to reduce as time goes on.
The Solution
Ultimately, it’s essential to look beyond the initial investment and consider how much digital signage will save you in marketing costs over time.
Digital signage has a remarkable recall rate – 83% of people can recall a message they saw on a digital screen far longer than traditional print. And digital displays gain 400% more views than static displays.
Digital signs are capable of delivering still images, video, animated text, even high-quality audio. Grab the attention of passing foot traffic and entice new customers into your store with attractive and engaging content.
Remember, digital signs:
- Increase the average purchase by 29.5%
- Boost customer satisfaction by 46%
- Generate around 33% growth in repeat sales, and
- 75% of travelers recall seeing a digital billboard within the past month
Consider the cost savings of reusable digital displays. And with libraries of excellent templates available with digital signage software solutions, creating your digital content saves money on design.
Painpoint #2: Content Production Is Expensive
Although the costs of maintaining your digital displays are minimal once you’ve invested in the technology, the content doesn’t create itself.
Great marketing content helps increase sales – we all know that. So, you might be forgiven for believing that digital marketing for your physical store is expensive, time-consuming to create, and too much hassle.
Remember, digital signs are super-versatile, and with very little technical skill you can easily create content for:
- Wayfinding – directing shoppers, employees, and visitors to the correct department or area of your store
- Social media interaction – display your social feed, sharing customer recommendations and increasing customer engagement.
- Product information – sharing the benefits of new items or services
- Real-time news and traffic information – offering live content and news broadcasts that enhance your customers’ store experience.
The Solution
Yes, there are costs involved in creating multimedia content that engages video and animation. If you’re creating video, you need to shoot, edit, and format the content to work with your digital display’s (often unconventional) aspect ratio.
But you’ll be surprised at the versatility of digital signage software, making it easy to update and interact with your content. Some wireless interfaces even allow you to control your digital sign from a smartphone or tablet.
It really couldn’t be easier.
Of course, the more elaborate your content, the more likely you’ll need to spend on creation. But, remember, digital sign software comes with beautiful, customizable templates that are simple to update, delivering a professional finish for your content with very little prior know-how.
Painpoint #3: Installation Is Too Complicated
Who wants MORE computers in their store? After all, don’t computers crash all the time?
Maybe your retail store is small? Perhaps you run a kiosk in a mall or station? You probably don’t have the IT infrastructure to support a new tech installation.
Digital signs are brilliant for kiosks.
And installation and maintenance isn’t the nightmare you might assume it is.
The Solution
Just as digital signage has evolved over the past several years, so too has the ease of installation.
Digital signage vendors have streamlined their set-ups to the point that even large-scale signage networks are installed quickly.
Quality digital signage providers carry out thorough on-site surveys and personalized assessments to determine the optimal placement of signage mounts.
And emerging wireless technologies, such as cloud-based networking, connect with consumer tools that you already use.
You’ll find that a turnkey digital signage installation is well within reach for any retail establishment – large or small.
Painpoint #4: Maintenance and Support Are Time-Consuming
Of course, installation is just the first step, and – for the most part – you’ll find your digital signage solution a relatively maintenance-free endeavour.
But that doesn’t stop people worrying when they hear about integrated network architectures and wireless connectivity.
Like any technology, you may occasionally experience an outage. But if you rely on a high-quality digital signage supplier, you’ll get world-class technical support every step of the way.
The Solution
We believe that a product is only as good as the support package that accompanies it. And quality digital signage vendors keep their technology working for their customers.
When the unthinkable happens, your digital signage supplier will come to your aid, preventing as much downtime as possible.
Aside from regular device upgrades and warranties, the care offered by your signage provider should include:
- Around-the clock-tech support
- Training on the basics of system architecture
- Lifetime support that gives retailers peace of mind
This commitment to quality is fast becoming the standard in the digital signage world, making maintenance and troubleshooting a breeze.
Are you ready to explore further?
We love to help at Mvix. And we’re always here to offer advice and project support for any company considering an investment in a digital signage strategy.
Ask for a personalized software demo today.
