Running a physical business isn’t easy.
Customers nowadays can buy just about anything online, so it can be tough to get people to visit your store or venue consistently.
That being said, physical stores have some advantages over their online counterparts. One is that they can deliver interactive experiences to customers.
In this article, we’ll tell you why that matters. We’ll also look at some of the different ways that you can start bringing these experiences into your store or venue.
Let’s get into it.
Why interactive experiences matter
Interactive content forms a crucial part of many companies' marketing strategies.
In fact, about 88% of marketers say that interactive content helps differentiate their brand from the competition.
That means providing interactive experiences to your audience could be the difference-maker you need to start making more efficient progress towards your goals.
Additionally, if you’re trying to make your store or venue a more interesting and rewarding place for your target audience to be, then giving them interactive experiences is a great way to do that.
This is because interactive experiences are novel. They engage your customers in unique ways, which helps them build a stronger connection to your brand.
Ultimately, investing in delivering interactive experiences to your audience could help you improve your bottom line significantly––especially as the effects of that decision compound over time.
Interactive experiences that add value to your venue
So, now that you know why interactive experiences are important, let’s look at some of the ways that you can bring these to your store or venue.
Self-select product menus
It’s often easier for a customer to see everything that you have to offer on the internet.
That’s one of the reasons why nearly half of all consumers shop more on their mobile devices than they do in stores. But you can bring that same experience to your store by adding self-select product menus to it.
You don’t have to build a custom solution for this, either. Instead, you can use digital signage to display your website store. This lets customers get the in-depth product information that they want while also being able to purchase their desired product right away.
Interactive menus
Companies that sell food and drinks can use digital signage in the same way as the previous point.
It’s easy to create interactive menus that let customers see everything that’s available to them, look at ingredients and check out nutritional information, among other things.
This type of interactivity makes it a lot easier for your customers to find and order whatever they want.
When you provide this level of convenience, people remember it. Digital signage can be a great way to make your brand stand out, and boost your number of return customers.
Games that pull people in
Games are an effective way to engage and entertain your customers. They’re incredibly interactive and you can use them in several different ways.
For example, if you own a bar or casual restaurant, you could use digital signage to share games that keep your customers entertained.
Adding these to your store could make it a fun place for your audience to hang out, which could induce them to be there longer (and spend more while they’re with you for that extra amount of time).
You could also use games to teach people about what you do in a fun and engaging way.
For example, if you use special ingredients or materials in what you sell, you could create a game that teaches your customers about why those things matter. This can be an incredibly effective form of marketing.
Retail displays for the senses
Another idea is to create retail displays that you build to appeal to senses besides sight.
For example, stores that sell headphones will often set up a trial pair of headphones for customers to try out so that they can experience how they feel and sound.
This idea is a good fit for any business that sells products that appeal to senses like touch, sound and smell because it enables you to market these products with their best attributes.
Digital wayfinding
If you have a large venue, then you may also consider adding an interactive digital wayfinding display to it. These help visitors get quick directions for wherever they want to go.
They can also help to eliminate some of the stress and annoyance that a person may experience when they can’t find what they’re looking for, which, ultimately, makes your venue a more enjoyable place for them to be.
Digital check-in kiosks
If you require your guests to check in with you when they arrive, then you may also want to add digital check-in kiosks to your venue.
These are great because they reduce the amount of work that your staff members have to do, freeing them up for other tasks, and ultimately even translating into shorter wait times for your guests.
Contests
Contests are a fantastic way to get people engaged with and interested in your company. You can create interactive contests that people can enter while at your store or venue.
Another cool idea is to combine an interactive contest and an interactive game. For example, you could use digital signs to share a game with your customers and then offer a reward for whoever gets the highest score.
QR codes
QR codes are a simple way to help you combine your offline and online sales funnels.
If you’re interested in gaining more followers on social media, building a more comprehensive email list or getting more people to download your app, then QR codes can help you to do so.
You can use digital signage to create advertisements that include QR codes, which link to whatever you want. And you can entice your customers to scan the QR codes that you display by offering them something in exchange for doing so, or by creating a sense of intrigue about what the code might link to.
What technology is best for delivering interactive experiences to customers?
If you want to start providing more interactive experiences to your customers, then you’re going to need the right technology. In this section, we’ll tell you why digital signage is the perfect solution.
Why digital signage is your best bet
You may have noticed that many of the interactive experiences covered in the previous section reference digital signage––that’s no accident.
Digital signage enables stores and venues to provide a wide variety of interactive experiences to their guests.
For example, you can use digital signage to:
- Create self-select product menus
- Share games
- Provide digital wayfaring services
- Run contests
- Include QR codes on engaging ads
- And so much more
The bottom line is that digital signage may be your most effective solution for providing more interactive experiences because it empowers you to offer your customers so many of them.
What you need to get started
The good news is that you don’t need much to get started with digital signage at your store or venue. The three things you need are:
- Screens
- Digital signage software
- Digital signage player (only needed if you’re not using smart screens)
With these three simple components, you can put together a digital signage system that empowers you to accomplish all of your goals for delivering interactive experiences to your audience.
Setting up your digital signage solution
The way that you set up your digital signage system will have a big impact on how effective it is for you.
One of the keys to this is making sure that you have screens in the right locations so that people can see them no matter where they are in your store or venue.
The content that you choose to display on your screens is also really important. You want to make sure that you have a healthy rotation of displays alongside the interactive content that you want to share so that you never bore your audience with stale imagery.
To do that, you need to have the right digital signage software.
That’s where UPshow comes in. But whether you choose us or not, you’ll want to think carefully about the kind of functionality that you need to hit your goals before making your digital signage selection.
UPshow makes it easier to bring interactive experiences to your store with digital signage
Digital signage helps stores and venues bring more interactive experiences to their audiences. If you’re ready to invest in it, then UPshow is the partner that you need to nail your transition.
We sell digital signage software that stands out.
You can use UPshow to stream live entertainment, create a wide variety of interactive experiences and make your place of business a more interesting and exciting place to be.But don’t just take our word for it. You can schedule a free custom demo of UPshow today to see exactly what we can do for you.
