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The business environment has evolved and requires entrepreneurs to stay in touch with the latest trends. You cannot be using the old marketing techniques that involved static displays and expect to remain competitive. People now more than ever are drawn to exciting and engaging photos, videos and multimedia. Our brains are wired to respond to visuals faster, which is what digital signage is all about. Naturally, we process visuals 60,000 times faster than text.
Any business or brand should be looking to engage their customers and potential customers through multiple platforms inside and outside their store. Every small business needs a solution they can rely on to increase awareness and customer engagement. Digital signage gives you access to limitless opportunities but comes with some challenges as well.
OPPORTUNITIES
Allows you to attract customers
The good thing with digital signage solutions is that they enable you to reach customers who are already inside your business and pull others into your location. You can do this by creating a window or street display, more so if your small business is located somewhere with extensive foot traffic. Digital signage allows you to capture passers-by's attention using a captivating display that faces the street from your store. It is free yet useful instead of paying for some space in a billboard. You can also show off other stores in various locations to the customers already within your business and encourage them to try your other properties.
To educate
Once you have your customers' attention, be it in the store or outside, take the opportunity to educate them. This is where the digital signage software comes into full swing. It allows you to showcase your products and services. All you have to do is feature your products or service on a prominent digital sign and have your customers get all the necessary information from the platform.
Likewise, digital signage is an excellent software for educating customers on how to use various products. You can create demos showing a product in action or display a short infomercial. Guiding customers on how to use a particular product that can be hard to describe is a significant opportunity for small businesses to reach as many people as possible.
Reducing waiting time
By having this solution in your premise, you are guaranteed to entertain your customers as they wait for their turn by providing the useful data, like latest news, weather forecast, social media feeds and etc. along with an information about your brand. Remember, we are in a digital era where people are not used to waiting. Everything is instant, and when you have people in your business location, you either keep them occupied or they will become irritated or even finally will leave. Use a digital signage player to display something interesting on your screen, not just to show them what they should know about your brand but also what they most likely would like to watch. Get creative because the moment your customers feel like all you are trying to do is get them to make a purchase, they will leave.
Promoting retail sales
Every small business should prioritize increasing its customer base, and there is no better way of doing it than through adverts. Using remote management powered by reputable system software, you can have strategically located displays to ensure maximum viewer exposure to promotional content. Having a constant stream of ads and product information shown on your screens enables shoppers to find the best deals of the day. By doing that, small businesses increase sales while enjoying higher stock turnover and reduced costs of advertisement.
CHALLENGES
Every business solution has its positives and challenges. Digital signage software has the potential to give every business undeniably cool retail experience. However, it is not something that you should rush into, especially if you are on a strict budget. A slight mistake can prove to be costly. The following are some challenges you need to know and avoid when incorporating digital signage solutions for your small business:
Rushed planning
Most small business owners fail to maximize the opportunities provided by digital signage due to incomplete or rushed planning. Understandably, it is hard to ignore using a digital signage system when the competitor next door has it already installed. You don't want them to have a competitive advantage over you, which is where the temptation to install any solution as soon as possible comes in. Like any business strategy, you need to plan before deploying your digital signage project. The last thing you need is an unclear vision when you are pushing for brand identity.
Labor
As much as digital signage is quite effective and easy to maintain, it will not run itself, no matter how well-designed the system is. Creating and approving content, troubleshooting technical issues, and also wiping dust off screens requires personnel. Those tasks require your effort. They need people to run smoothly and ensure there are no complications along the way. While a digital signage software will bring your small business many benefits, you will end up with stressed employees and poor content on display if you lack adequate human resources to allocate to various tasks.
Bandwidth
Any small business that wishes to integrate digital signage into its network should be ready to deal with the difficulties of providing sufficient bandwidth for its systems. For instance, if you are using the internet or local VPN to stream your content, there is a high possibility that you will have challenges with your ISP, which tends to limit the bandwidth available for a particular user. In such cases, your display screen might occasionally go into offline because your ISP is cut off. It is a significant challenge that most people do not consider. Make sure you understand your needs and go with a setup that will serve you well.
Installing digital signage solution is a significant investment for any business and comes with great rewards. However, if you want efficiency, the execution has to be done right. You must research and select the solutions that meet your business needs and purposes without straining your budget. Take your time and let digital signage transform your business.
