5 Steps to Successful Digital Signage Marketing
It’s safe to say that marketing and advertising in general has become more difficult. It seems as though people are almost immune to traditional advertising. A cheesy jingle might raise some awareness, but how do you get patrons through the door. More importantly, what brings them back?
The experience is what brings them back. How did they feel, how were they treated, and what did they see? Do they have a reason to come back? These are loaded questions that every marketer is (hopefully) already thinking about. I’m just here to tell you how digital signage can help!
1. Make the Investment
We all know marketing budgets are the first to get cut and every penny must be accounted for. We know it’s wise to find the cheapest route to the best means. A digital signage system might put you in a bit of sticker shock, especially if you’re looking at something interactive. When I speak with a client I usually ask them how much they’re already spending on print media year round including the employee time it takes to design, print and implement. Now cut that in half. That’s what going digital can save you, if not more.
However, when I say “make the investment” I don’t mean just finding the funds. I mean invest time and energy into a comprehensive marketing plan around your digital signage. Especially if you are going for something complicated that you may not be able to update without a professional coder, such as an interactive kiosk. You want to design it right the first time so you don’t have to invest even more time into it later. Think of it like a website, if you quick throw something together, you will just have to fix it later.
2. Stay on the Cutting Edge
As mentioned before, we’re entering an age where the people decide what they want to pay attention to. It’s easier than ever to switch the channel during a radio commercial or even better, pay a small fee to never hear a commercial again. The only way to capture someone’s attention is provide them with information in a way they aren’t used to. Something as versatile as digital signage allows you to stay ahead of the game when it comes to marketing materials. Use of video and animation is an automatic attention grabber and keep up with digital signage blogs that can provide you with the latest in content creation.
3. Combine Print and Digital Signage
Who said print and digital can’t get along? While digital is here to replace signage that needs to be changed and updated often, print and digital advertisements tend to complement each other very well. By combining print and digital you can cover a large audience. Some generations tend to ignore print all together while others are the complete opposite- combine to bridge that gap.
When it comes to interactive signage, a static/print sign directing guests to use the touchscreen may help increase clicks and usage.
4. Placement
Placement of your sign is a topic in itself. First and foremost, what is the dwell time of your desired location? Waiting rooms and lines are prime locations to deliver rich messaging. Captive audiences are much more likely to pay attention and digital signage improves perceived wait times. If your location is bustling with people on the go, trim down your messaging to only a few seconds.
It may seem like common sense, but don’t hang your sign too high or too low. No one will want to strain their neck to look at your sign. Keep in mind ambient lighting, but remember just because a room has a ton of natural light, doesn’t mean you can’t put a digital sign there. It comes down to NIT (measure of light emitted per unit area). Something with a higher NIT will be required for a room with an abundance of natural light.
Pictured: Empire Digital Signs’ 3×3 in-house video wall.
5. Tracking and Adjusting
If I can suggest one major thing in your digital signage marketing efforts its this:
Do not invest in a digital signage software that doesn’t track analytics.
It’s something as consumers we should be demanding from software companies. The digital signage market is made up of hundreds of software providers, but do your research before choosing your provider. Analytics are key to investigating your campaign. For standard digital signage, some software subscriptions will provide information on number of engagements, missed opportunities and even anonymous analytics regarding age, mood and gender. You can then tailor your messaging to meet your target audiences’ needs. For interactive signage, you can track which buttons are getting the most use and then expand on those subjects.
When all is said and done, if you take your digital signage marketing efforts as seriously as you would a website, you’ll see the results you want. Do your research, partner with a reliable digital signage company and get creative!
