For owners of bricks and mortar stores, effective advertising is an essential tool. People who are shopping are very much a captive audience. They are far less likely to be only browsing than someone who is looking online, so are primed to buy.
When store owners catch their attention and present them with tempting offers, the chances are high that they will buy. Often, they will spend more than they originally intended. A study conducted by First Insight in 2019 perfectly demonstrates this fact. They found that 71 per cent of shoppers spend $50 or more in-store, whereas online only 54 per cent spend that amount.
In-store advertising can be expensive
However, retailers must use the right type of advertising for it to be effective. It is not cheap to create and deploy promotional materials across physical locations. So, retailers need to be sure that they are not wasting their money or time resources.
Below, we take a look at the pros and cons of the different types of advertising and explain how to leverage the most effective of them.
Digital signage is the most affordable and flexible option
We start with digital signage, which is actually one of the lowest-cost ways to advertise in-store. The cost of buying or leasing and running digital screens has fallen drastically in the past few years. So, most retailers can afford to run several of them in each location. What is being displayed on a digital sign can be changed quickly. Provided the content has been created in advance it takes less than a minute to do so.
All kinds of promotions can be shared via digital screens. Including images, short demo videos, social media posts, memes and much more. Many stores successfully repurpose the advertising content they use online or on posters for use on their digital screens. The best digital signage providers include a huge package of images and videos as part of their deal. The drag-and-drop software they sell is so intuitive that even someone who has never created a promotional image before can easily do so. This makes it possible for a store owner to take photos of a new item that has just arrived, create an effective ad, and show it on their screens. Or, if they have products that are not selling well create an offer to sell it through.
Paper-based advertising still has a place
There is no doubt that digital advertising is effective. From an early age, we learn that screens are a source of important information and entertainment. As a result, our eyes are naturally drawn to screens, and we quickly absorb and process what we see there.
However, it is important to remember that paper-based advertising can still be effective.
Pamphlets
For example, if things are quiet in the store, a member of staff can easily be sent out into the street or mall to hand out pamphlets. If they include an offer, for example, 10% off for people who shop immediately, that can attract a lot of potential customers to pop in. The pamphlets can be printed with the date and time being left blank, which can be filled in by staff. Using an old-school date stamp, a hundred pamphlets can be created in just a few minutes.
Ads on till receipts and posters
Posters, shelf-edge ads, and promos printed on till receipts are also effective. Even advertising on trolleys works. However, it is important to change things up regularly when using these approaches. If a customer who comes in every day sees the same offer each time, they will completely switch off.
Tap into the power of QR codes
Adding QR codes to ads displayed in these areas is also highly effective. When someone scans it, they can be taken to a page online that gives them more details and highlights other related offers.
Presentations and tasting experiences
In-store demos can be highly effective. This is especially the case for practical products which make difficult tasks much easier. For example, an innovative piece of DIY equipment.
For food retailers, tasting events are a good way to introduce new products. They provide them with the perfect opportunity to speak directly with their customers and get feedback.
In-store displays
Showcasing products is a good way to get customers to notice them and be tempted to buy. It could be as simple as grouping complementary products together on an end-of-aisle display. That could be all of the ingredients for a dish that has recently appeared on a popular cooking show. Or the items needed to put together a nice outfit. Doing this helps people to make extra connections and buy several instead of just one item.
Offer extras at the checkout
When someone is waiting to pay, they are very much a captive audience. They have finished their shopping so are not preoccupied, which means that they are usually more receptive to special offers. Displaying low-cost items around that area is an easy way to tempt them to buy more. Cashiers are perfectly placed to make people aware of upcoming sales or to highlight the benefits of the stores’ loyalty scheme.
Tempt in-store customers with online offers
As often as possible, in-store advertising campaigns should include collecting the contact details of customers. This opens up the opportunity to upsell to them at a later date. For those retailers that have an e-commerce store that can include sending them details of online offers. Providing the business with two chances to sell to each person.
Use social media in-store
Physical stores should still be using social media to stay connected with customers and create their brand. Those who have digital signage in-store have the opportunity to create buzz by sharing popular social media posts on their screens. When customers see that a specific offer or product has attracted a lot of likes or shares, many of them will be motivated to check it out while they are shopping.
Keeping this fresh is the key to success regardless of which advertising mediums are used. Often, staff will have interesting and effective ideas, so retailers should encourage them to speak up.
