How Smart Digital Signage Can Save Time, Money, And Effort

In-store signage speaks to your customers. But digital signage speaks far louder than outdated paper signs.

Why?

Because digital signage is versatile. The content can rotate, flash, include rich elements, and play sound. It jumps off the screen, grabs customer attention, and holds it.

In other words…

Digital displays are a highly effective marketing tool for today’s retailers. As an in-store promotional channel, digital signs are cost-effective, and they drive actual results. But now, you can take it a step further with smart digital displays… And well the sky’s the limit.

Digital signage will save you time, money, and effort… and we’re about to tell you how.

What Is Smart Digital Signage?

Here’s a retail example:

Nordstrom created an interactive denim kiosk. The kiosks had a purpose: To help customers find the perfect pair of jeans.

The kiosks included interactive elements. This gave them a 360° view of pants and let them explore how the jeans looked on various body types. It was a transformative shopping experience.

Compare that to the static signage you see at Big Box stores above the endless racks of denim.

Which sounds more appealing?

Smart digital signage integrates cutting-edge technology into traditional signage systems for a better customer experience. Static displays bring awareness, but smart digital signage attracts crowds, drives engagement, and leads to sales.

These systems combine three features to create a unique customer experience:

• Automation and VR
• Interactivity
• Provides a 360° view

Grow with Signage. Our advanced digital signage management software offers user-friendly tools to design, manage and automate in-store signage. Request a demo today.

Features That Make Up Smart Signage Technology

Here are some of the features that ensure great digital signage delivery:

1. Automated Content Management

Automated content management allows businesses to create, schedule, and update content from a central location.

Therefore, with digital signage automation you can set it and forget it. You can build a signage campaign month out and manage the schedule from a centralized dashboard. Automated content management ensures your signs are timely, relevant and consistent.

2. Accessible Remotely from Anywhere

Advertising with digital signage provides the convenience of remote access. This means that content can be managed and updated from anywhere.

This offers flexibility at work, real-time updates, and effective communication. Remote access can also help with better control and performance visibility without being physically present on the site.

3. Seamless Integrations and Cross-Device Communication

Mobile responsiveness and flexible content uploads are the needs of today’s world. It is where your customers are! Lucky for us, smart digital signage can seamlessly integrate with various devices and platforms, giving businesses the best chance to connect with their audiences. Moreover, it ensures a unified communication strategy, and a consistent message is visible across all the platforms.

4. Interactive Capabilities

In-store smart digital signage interacts with its audiences in ways traditional signage cannot. Bright colors, digital designs, visually appealing touchscreens, etc., can effectively enhance user experience and capture effectively.

5. Decision-Making and Intelligent Functions

The most crucial aspect of any campaign is data and analytics. By leveraging that, digital signages can make informed real-time decisions to affect their business operations positively. A few of the updates, based on data, can be:

• Changes in promotions/offers
• Content tweaks based on customer’s response
• Add/change graphics based on campaign performance
• Target a specific audience based on sales response

6. Robust Software and Device Security

According to IDTheftCenter, there were 716 total breaches and 614 cyberattacks. This data highlights the importance of robust software. Fortunately, smart digital signage addresses this by having strong (bullet-proof) security measures that protect the company and customers from potential threats.

Applications Across Industries

Digital signage features are continuously evolving to be compatible across all industries. The digital signage industry is growing at a CAGR of 7.20% for 2023-2031.

Here are some of the industries where digital signage can make a significant impact:

1. Retail

The retail industry is growing, and the competition is fierce! One way to stand out is by connecting with the customers and providing personalized offerings. Digital signage in retail helps with:

a. Customer-Facing Benefits (e.g. Dynamic Product Promotions)

Digital signages help create captivating product content and can share real-time updates and promotions. This way, shoppers are always informed about the company’s latest offerings, which captures their attention throughout. Ultimately driving sales.

b. Business-Facing Benefits (e.g. Queue Management and Customer Navigation)

Digital signage can help provide an exceptional customer experience that every business needs! It also helps manage long queues, navigate customers during rush hours, and assist them with seamless floor maneuvering.

c. Other Benefits:

• Customer engagement
• Targeting advertising
• Brand awareness
• Launch of new products
• Streamlining operations
• Educate customers about products & services

2. Corporate Environments

Have you recently walked into a corporate setting to observe a colossal television broadcasting corporate-related news, statistics, company updates, new joiners, etc? This is how digital signage works in corporate settings. They enhance communication, and corporate employees feel a sense of inclusion.

a. Internal Communication and Announcements

Create a transparent communication environment by installing digital signage for your internal announcements. Through smart signages, deliver important updates and connect with your employees on time.

Fun Fact:

56% of the companies are considering using smart digital signages to conduct internal communications

b. Meeting Room Management and Wayfinding

Smart digital signage in corporate environments is the best and most visible way to schedule meetings and improve office navigation. It helps all the team members be on the same page and more organized, and it is a fun way to enter a meeting!

Fun Fact:

Presentations that use visuals and graphics are 43% more attractive and persuasive than non-graphical presentations.

3. Hospitality

Digital signage in the hospitality industry can transform guest experiences and showcase their services in a better manner. As the hospitality industry caters to various services, from food and beverages to event management, smart digital signage can effectively promote all the services.

a. Interactive Guest Experiences

Keep your guests informed about the latest information, entertainment, and personalized services with interactive digital displays.

b. Event Promotion and Updates

Smart digital signages can keep guests informed and entertained! You can share current events and your availability and promote events by sharing real-time updates.

How to set up digital signage for your business?

• Establishing Objectives
• Choosing Suitable Digital Signage Hardware
• Picking the Appropriate Software
• Configuring and Training Users

Why Is Digital Signage Important?

Smart digital signage brings out the best results from the efforts made. Every business is looking for newer and trendy ways to stay ahead of the market and deliver a unique customer experience. Smart digital signage is the answer!

Here are a few of its importance and impact on various industries:

1. Enhanced Visibility and Brand Recognition

A study shows that digital signage has a 47.7% impact on brand awareness, thus making it a valuable asset to the company. It replaces static displays and provides the same information in a much fancier manner. Thus, attracting customers and boosting sales!

You can expect real-time updates, company news, content changes, product/service information, tailor-made promotions, etc. A smart digital signage’s dynamic functionality and presentation skills leave a lasting impression and ultimately enhance brand visibility and recognition.

2. Elevated Customer Experience

Digital signages can work on various verticals such as:

• Content creation and management
• Personalized messages
• Interactive element (e.g.: click here to view the menu)
• Creating campaigns and promotions
• Display product/service information (e.g.: Item name, price, ingredients, etc.)
• Curate content based on sales and performance data

All these activities act towards creating an exceptional customer experience, adding life-long loyalty and a positive shopping environment.

3. Budget-Friendly Advertising

Is cost one of your primary concerns? You may think that advanced technology brings in additional expenses. Well, the good news is smart digital signage is more cost-effective than traditional signage.

Here’s why:

With the ability to update content in real time, businesses can save on printing costs and take advantage of a more flexible and adaptable advertising platform.

4. Immediate Communication

Digital signage gives businesses the freedom and convenience to convey essential messages instantly. This helps companies launch campaigns without worrying about timing, audience, etc.

For example, your retail store is launching a new product. As it was a sudden inclusion, the campaign was unplanned. Now, during the traditional signage age, you would have to wait for a few days to get the banner prints and decorations. This meant delaying the launch. But, with digital signage, you don’t have to wait even a few hours!

• Is your product ready? Yes
• Do you have digital signage software? Yes

Create a new banner in the software, edit content, and you are good to go! It’s that easy!

Thus, smart digital signage ensures employees and customers are informed about events, urgent announcements, discounts/promotions, etc.

5. Increased Sales and Revenue

Every business ultimately works on increasing sales and revenue. The impact of smart digital signage is undeniable. To boost sales, you can perform the following activities:

• Targeted promotions
• Product showcases, such as name, ingredients, MRP, discounts, etc.
• Launch of new product range
• Interactive displays, such as ‘Order Now’ and ‘Check the Menu’ signages
• Display best-selling products and last-moment deals

Fun Fact:

The average purchase amount can jump by 29.5% with smart digital signage.

6 Ways Digital Signage Can Save Your Time and Money: Best Practices

Time is money. We all know that, and many corporates live by this rule! So, have you ever wondered how smart digital signage can save you time and money? Here’s how:

1. Reduce Repetitive Customer Queries

In-store screens offer the quick delivery of information to shoppers, reducing the need for staff to answer repetitive queries. Each display can alert customers to multiple ads, promotions, and incentives because the content can rotate if programmed.

The fully customizable content is built within a centralized software control system. Because the store owner is in control of the content creation–we’re talking pre-made templates, too–their expenses and effort are cut, which saves them time

2. Eliminate Paper Usage

It’s estimated that it takes 24 trees to produce 2,000 lbs of paper. We’re talking only 400 reams of paper… In both the short and long runs, what costs the planet costs your business’ bottom line, and vice versa.

Significant financial impacts are associated with using paper, cardstock, signage boards, and other paper-based materials for your in-store signage.

If we look at the big picture, since 82% of US companies rely heavily on paper, that translates to an annual expense of $8 billion.

Depending on how many promotions you run at your store and how often you need to swap out an old ad for a new one, your expenses could be up there, especially when you factor in graphic design and other professional costs.

Digital signage, as an alternative option, will instantly eliminate these design and printing costs.

It creates a more sustainable environment by eliminating the need for printed materials. Moreover, it aligns with eco-friendly initiatives and reduces operational costs associated with paper usage.

Book a Demo. Automate your digital signage from a central location! Explore our multi-store digital signage management tools now.

3. Reduce Printing Expenditure

When comparing time spent between static signs versus digital content creation, digital content creation always wins the race. Think about it. If you’re using static in-store signs, you will never avoid the logistical and administrative aspects of working with a printer.

Even if you’ve established an effective, professional working relationship with a printer that you’re happy with, the time and money invested in emailing the graphic files, making sure the files open, waiting for the proof and approvals, and then waiting for the actual print job. This could take days!

The overall time you’ve spent seeing one single promotion from start to finish is massive.

Now, compare that with digital signage. Digital signage software empowers you to put your ads and promotional graphics together without relying on anyone else.

You don’t have to wait near the phone or your computer email. You don’t have to “catch” the printer before 5 pm when they close shop because they function under regular business hours.

In the comfort of your office or home, even in the middle of the night, you can open the cloud-based digital signage software and put your in-store ads together.

4. Boost Productivity and Store Efficiency

Digital signage screens are versatile, and any given display can be used for multiple purposes, such as:

• Displaying time-sensitive promotions and sale items
• Advertising your store’s customer loyalty rewards program
• Alerting your customers to pertinent information
• Depicting menu boards and high-quality photos of meals along with prices

These applications are just the tip of the iceberg for making your in-store digital signage work.

Display the winners if your store has contests, drawings, and games. This increased awareness can lead to enhanced productivity and efficiency.

If you’ve set up social media accounts for your store’s brand, project the social feed directly to your in-store displays.

Even practical uses like wayfinding and displaying the date, time, and outdoor temperature can enhance your customers’ shopping experience without you having to lift a finger.

You only need to schedule your displays on the back end using the software dashboard.

5. Encourage Employee Involvement

Celebrate employee achievements and recognition with your interactive digital displays. This fosters enthusiasm to perform better and have a positive work environment.

Moreover, it also encourages active employee participation.

For example, the Uplift program.

This program tracks employee participation and offers incentives for their participation. This way, employees feel included in the process and actively participate in their growth and the store’s success.

6. Decrease Operational Costs

Let’s weigh costs in terms of time and money. Conventional signages require tons of paper, printing costs, a slow-paced communication and approval process, and much more.

On the other hand, digital signage ultimately contributes to decreased operational costs. The only two costs associated with getting your in-store digital signage up and running are:

• Hardware (the LED, LCD, or other screens),
• Software (the computer programs to generate the ads, info, and promotions that will be displayed)

Moreover, you can adjust your software plans according to your requirements.

You can sign up for a monthly subscription that will cover these bundled expenses at one flat rate, no matter how many times you change the content of your in-store digital signage.

Why Choose FTx Digital Signage for Your Business?

Here are digital signage solution providers that offer the holy grail trifecta of “good,” “fast,” and “cheap,” and we’re one of them.

Of course, rather than “good, fast, cheap,” we prefer to call it FasTrax’s high-quality, user-friendly, and competitively priced Digital Signage packages.

We’re so proud of our digital signage and 100% confident that any business owner who tries it will love it. We’re just crazy enough to offer AdPro FOR FREE! No, we haven’t been drinking… any more than usual…