It’s a bustling world out there in retail. Competition is fierce and attention spans are fleeting. As a result, businesses are constantly seeking innovative ways to catch the eye of potential customers. One way of getting noticed has revolutionised the way retailers engage with their audience: digital signage.
These dynamic displays offer almost unlimited opportunities to communicate messages effectively, increase brand visibility, and drive sales.
In this blog, we’ll outline:
- Why use retail digital signage?
- Choosing the right solution
- Finding the best location
- Creating an eye-catching design
- Writing compelling copy
- Improving customer service
So, let’s explore how you can leverage retail digital signage and leave a lasting impression.
Why use retail digital signage?
Digital retail signage delivers content and information in a retail environment, such as a clothing store, an electronics shop, or a supermarket. They come in various forms, including wall-mounted screens, interactive totems, kiosks, A-boards and digital window displays.
Introducing digital signage into your retail space can attract attention and enhance the overall shopping experience. The digital display also creates opportunities for targeted advertising, real-time promotions, and brand storytelling.
Digital signage has been proven to increase footfall and sales. Statista states that around 80% of consumers have entered a store because they saw a digital sign.
It’s been stated that businesses have saved up to 76% of advertising costs by using digital signage. Digital advertising removes the need to print leaflets and other point-of-sale materials to promote your offers. You won’t need to pay for hard copy marketing collateral every time you want to promote a new offer, product range, or loyalty scheme; it can all be updated quickly and easily from your laptop when you’re ready to go live.
Choosing the right digital signage solution
When selecting a digital signage solution for your retail store, consider factors such as your budget, brand identity, and specific objectives. Here are some examples of the types of digital signage available.
Video walls create a large, dynamic display that shoppers can’t miss. Large-format display screens can be anything from the size of a large TV to a full wall several metres high and wide.
Interactive touchscreens can improve engagement with your brand. They can be used for wayfinding maps, providing information, and helping customers explore your products in more detail.
Digital window displays attract passers-by with content on bright screens built to catch the eye. These high-bright screens are especially powerful in the daytime, as they are easy to read in sunlight when people are out and about. In the evening, they also shine out and pull people in.
Estate Agents Linley and Simpson worked with us to add digital window screens to their sun-facing windows. Check out our case study to read more about how we provided digital displays that were bright enough to be seen during the day.
Digital A boards are great for competitive retail environments. Lightweight and versatile, they can be positioned on the street or just outside your shop to capture customers with your latest offers and critical messages. These are available single or double-sided to attract people in both directions.
Remember to invest in high-quality displays with crisp resolution and vibrant colours to ensure your content stands out and captures shoppers’ attention.
Each signage solution comes with a cloud-based content management system (CMS), allowing you to control your offering and update content when needed. Each product has a three—to five-year warranty to give you peace of mind in knowing your purchase is protected against unexpected expenses. We’re also here to support you along the way if you need any assistance, whether maintenance-related or problem-solving. Our dedicated team is always on hand to help.
Placing your retail displays in the right location
The success of your digital signage campaign hinges on its placement within your store or in the surrounding area. Consider placing displays in high-traffic areas such as entranceways, checkout counters and product aisles to maximise visibility and engagement.
It would be best to consider your displays’ viewing angles and sightlines to ensure that they are easily visible to customers from various vantage points.
By strategically positioning your digital signage, you can effectively capture shoppers’ attention and drive them to take the action you want them to take.
Advertising indoors and outdoors
We recommend slightly different treatment regarding your internal versus external content.
Indoor displays such as wall-mounted screens and interactive kiosks are ideal for showcasing product information, promotions, and multimedia content to encourage people to take specific actions when they are already in your shop. This could be to check out a new range on display or to sign up for your loyalty scheme, for example.
On the other hand, outdoor signage like A boards and window displays can attract passersby and drive footfall into your store. You could promote discounted products, special offers, and other incentives.
With weatherproof designs and readable screens in daylight, outdoor screens are an excellent solution for reaching a wider audience, especially in open, busy, public environments.
By strategically placing digital signage inside and outside your store, you can create a cohesive brand experience that resonates with customers at every touchpoint.
Creating an eye-catching digital design
A compelling design is essential for capturing viewers’ attention and effectively conveying your message.
When creating digital signage content, consider the following tips:
- Get the right aspect ratios: Ensure your content is formatted correctly for the display screen to avoid distortion or cropping out of essential words or pictures
- Choose on-brand images: Incorporate eye-catching visuals that resonate with your target audience and help tell your brand story
- Ensure a clear picture: Use high-resolution images and videos to ensure crisp, clear visuals that grab attention
- Consider messaging hierarchy: Prioritise key pieces of information and ensure they lead the reader to a clear call to action
- Get the layout right: Keep your layout clean and organised, and follow the messaging hierarchy to guide viewers’ attention
- Tell readers what to do: Include clear and compelling calls to action to prompt them to take the desired action, whether it’s making a purchase or visiting your website
Writing compelling copy for your advertising
In addition to attention-grabbing visuals, compelling copy is essential for engaging viewers and driving them to act.
When coming up with the text for your digital signage content, consider the following strategies:
- The power of storytelling: Craft a narrative that resonates with your audience and evokes emotion, helping to build connections and foster loyalty.
- Brand messaging: Communicate your brand values, USPs and identity, talking about what it is that sets you apart from the competition.
- Clear communications: Keep your messaging concise and straightforward, avoiding jargon or ambiguity that may confuse viewers.
- Promote customer success stories: Showcase testimonials or success stories from satisfied customers to build credibility and trust.
- Highlight complementary items: Encourage customers to explore additional products or services by highlighting complementary items or promotions.
- Personalisation: Tailor your messaging to specific audience segments or demographics to increase relevance and resonance
Improving customer service with digital signage
Digital signage can also serve as a valuable tool for enhancing the customer experience and providing valuable information and assistance. For example, interactive kiosks can provide product recommendations, wayfinding assistance and self-service options, reducing wait times and improving overall satisfaction.
Additionally, digital signage can be used to provide real-time updates on inventory availability, store events and promotions, keeping customers informed and engaged throughout their shopping journey.
Examples of creative retail digital signage
To inspire your own digital signage efforts, here are some creative examples of how retailers are leveraging digital signage to stand out from the crowd:
- Interactive product showcases: Allow customers to interact with virtual product demos or customisations through touchscreen technology, providing a hands-on shopping experience.
- Augmented reality experiences: Use AR technology to bring products to life and allow customers to visualise how they will look in their own space.
- Dynamic pricing displays: Display real-time pricing updates, limited-time offers and promotions to encourage impulse purchases and drive sales.
- User-generated content displays: Showcase user-generated content such as reviews, testimonials and social media posts to build social proof and credibility.
Retail digital signage offers endless opportunities for retailers to stand out from the crowd and create memorable experiences. We’re talking about creating eye-catching, jaw-dropping displays that captivate audiences and drive sales like never before.
Are you ready to revolutionise retail digital signage and leave the competition behind?
Get in touch
Call our team to discuss your retail signage needs and we can help you achieve your business goals.
For more information on how digital signage has transformed the retail industry, read our case study from Yours Clothing and discover how our installations brought their products to life.
