digital signage small business

How Adopting Digital Signage Can Boost Your Small Business

Author:
Kevin
Published on:
December 12, 2015
Published in:
Blog

digital signage small businessDo you feel like the big boys of business have the advantage in advertising and signage? Not any more. Digital signage is the way to go in promotional innovation and budget is no longer the dominating factor.

Digital signage is all about consumer engagement. It levels the playing field, promotes the uniqueness of your business, and helps ensure small business survival.

Let’s explore the many benefits of digital signage for small businesses. This interactive form of promotion is interactive, engaging and will explode in popularity.

Huge, Dynamic Tidal Wave

A 2011 study by ABI Research predicted the global digital signage market to grow  from nearly $1.3 billion in 2010 to almost $4.5 billion in 2016. It is well on the way.

Versatile displays are popping up in restaurants, coffee shops, doctor’s offices, drug stores, retail outlets, pet stores, even coin op laundries.

And instead of just one large, rectangular installation, expect to see multi-display installations of different sizes.

Uses

Use digital signage so your small business can communicate, inform, educate and engage. The possibilities are almost endless and everything is a snap to update.

  • Display information: Menus, events, offers, messages, policies, discounts, wait times, product origins, etc. As visitors walk in, your display can show the featured service or special of the day.
  • Identify things: Products, prices, specials, etc.
  • Directions: Show key locations and how to get to them – facilities, restrooms, fitting rooms, extra tables, discount/clearance area. With digital arrows on the signage, you can change things whenever you need.
  • Interact: With touch screen displays, customers can search for information and even place orders (meals, products, services, etc).

Build Trust

Use digital signage to show what your small business is all about and the values you operate by. Never underestimate the power of images.

If you have a waiting room, build trust by displaying helpful content (and not CNN). Offer tips related to your business, display news articles with helpful information, and even put weather updates on there.

In-store digital displays can enhance a customer’s experience and thus trust. For example, a retail clothing store could use interactive digital displays that allow customers to see the clothes being worn in video sequences. Use the videos to highlight features of the clothing, thus enhancing understanding of your product and helping to eliminate potential purchase barriers.

Build More Trust: Display Proof and Examples

Show off the work you do and have done. Provide social proof by showing others enjoying the benefits of your work. Focus on the happy clients because that is a powerful way of convincing others to try your services. Use video, photographs, testimonials, you name it. The digital signage is a compact and engaging way of revealing how your small business has helped the lives of others.

Small Business, Big Solution

Using digital signage is a huge leg up for “mom and pop shops” wanting to be noticed. Place this affordable modern technology really well and you’ll show you’re anything but a mom and pop operation. Sizes available range through video walls, large screen TV size for mounting, small units that can be fitted to fixtures and displays, even handheld touch screen units.

A massive display – like in an airport or atop a building by a main road – isn’t necessary. Digital signage doesn’t have to be extravagant. Smaller signage in closer proximity to people on foot provides a more personal, intimate and fun opportunity, which is far more powerful in converting sales than a huge display at a distance.

Boutique style digital signage is easy to set up and customize. It’s also a good investment for reaching new customers and much more cost effective than printing materials for each new display or campaign.

Engage People Personally

Samsung said “Digital signage allows companies to more personally engage with customers through targeted messaging and integrated social media, two factors that resonate with shoppers and drive long-term relationships.” They’re right.

Static messages and signs are dull and ignored. Digital signage offers interactive experiences to engage with. Touch screens are even more interactive and fun.

Dynamic Frequent Content Changes

Being a small business can be a major advantage with digital signage. You can change content or messaging regularly or on a whim, without board approval, making your business flexible, proactive and responsive to clients’ needs and desires. Quickly change brand messaging and compete more cost-effectively with larger businesses. As stock levels change, your signage can even promote new discounts.

Enjoy Being a Small Business and Market Who You Are

Be proud showing who you are. For example, show in your signage that everything is made in the shop, or that you use only organic, or what you support, or even feature employees and their achievements. You get the chance to make it personal and personable. Forget chalkboards. People’s eyes are drawn to screens, making them more effective for displaying your message than boards.

Training

For training, instead of having staff watch a video or listen to a talk, invite each employee to take part in interactive training via your display system. Definitely include touch screen elements in this process. There could even be an interactive quiz to engage team members in the training process and help them commit their training to memory.

Reduce Pressure on Sales Teams

Signage can be used to help answer frequently asked questions that customers usually address to sales teams. This empowers the customer within the process and allows a small business to focus its resources on lead generation and other higher return processes.

You can see there are a large number of benefits to using digital signage in a small business. Get in on the action now. It’s proven to be a very effective way to engage customers and visitors, and there are many different display options to choose from. Support is available to help you get set up and start really growing your business.

New Era Electronics Brian LuckmanBrian Luckman is the President of New Era Electronics. He has worked in the industrial OEM market for over 25 years, serving a variety of different industries, gaining a strong reputation for his expertise and a thorough understanding of how to properly service OEM customers. In 2000 he began New Era Electronics and the company continues to grow. He’s a husband and father and enjoys exploring the outdoors.
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