Recent volatility in the retail sector, coupled with the gradual shift from brick-and-mortar stores to e-commerce channels, has promoted many store owners to consider new approaches to promoting their brands through bespoke digital signage. The traditional high street retail model may be far from dead – many consumers still prefer the tactile face-to-face shopping experience that online stores cannot offer – but businesses are, nevertheless, seeking ways to create a more distinctive experience that draws customers away from the digital channels.
Retail signage design has a key role to play in shaping the future of the high street, but what is it and what are the benefits?
What is digital retail signage?
Increasingly, we are surrounded by digital signage in many forms. Digital signage in retail consists of signs and screens that are positioned around a store, displaying customisable advertisements, videos, customer announcements, or instructions. Digital signage can be customised, for example, to display seasonal promotions, and can be altered quickly so that the face of the store is constantly changing.
Indoor digital signage displays capture customer interest on the shop floor once people have chosen to enter; conversely, exterior shop signage is valuable for attracting new consumers (‘passing trade’) and enticing them into the store.
Digital signage can offer important benefits for retail stores in the changing face of the high street:
1) Boost Customer Engagement
Successful shops foster a relationship with consumers that evolves over time. Digital signs are far more effective than static printed signs in many circumstances: when they are interactive, they boost customer engagement, enabling you to target particular demographics with carefully designed messages. You can even gain control over footfall in your store, persuading customers to visit specific areas where enticing offers are available.
2) Maximise Sales Opportunities
Digital signage can significantly increase sales. In surveys, 70% of consumers have been exposed to digital advertising, while 68% confirm that digital signage would make it more likely they would purchase advertised products. In retail stores, signage can play a crucial role in promoting particular product lines and increasing customers’ uptake of these items.
3) Merge The Online and In-Store Digital Presence
The current retail landscape demands that successful stores maintain a digital presence, online and in-store. Rather than relying on a separate website and a brick-and-mortar store, retailers can use digital signage to link social media with in-store events and promotions, for example by advertising online activity or displaying links to the website or social media channels.
3) Improve Communication
Finally, digital retail signage can improve communication with staff. Key messages can be easily shared in a way that is more likely to be observed and retained. Unlike printed memos, which are rarely read and often discarded, digital communication, in communal areas such as staff rooms, increases engagement and stimulates discussion amongst colleagues.
At Image Technique, we can assist with every stage of improving your retail store’s digital signage, from design and creation to installation and maintenance. If you’re looking for commercial digital signage displays for your shop, please get in touch with Image Technique on 01527 578533 or click here to arrange a free, no-obligation quote.