Shopping behavior is influenced by many factors, both direct and indirect, such as the atmospherics of an environment or effective calls-to-action.  As a result, an integrated in-store approach is necessary for any marketing strategy to increase sales. The versatility of digital signage allows for many of these factors to be addressed simultaneously across several platforms or individually in a targeted manner, and is becoming an essential part of an impactful communication strategy.

photo via TopSpinInc

Over time, the consumer’s “path to purchase” has evolved from a roughly linear progression (with few options and channels) to a more fluid and personalized approach.

Digital signage shares information, provides direction, reinforces branding, and influences decision-making at the point-of-purchase where it really matters. Since it has been said that 70% of purchase decisions are made in-store and 50-60% of these purchases are spontaneous and unplanned, the messages you communicate through your digital signage network need to engage consumers to make a lasting impact and convert shoppers into buyers.

One general rule of thumb is that the longer a consumer is kept inside a store, the more likely it is that they will make a purchase.

photo via Pointsmith

However, in order for it to be a worthwhile investment, digital signage needs to produce results by also driving people to take action. Just because someone is interested in what they have seen doesn’t mean that they will do something about it – great content alone can only go so far!

Better conversion rates can be achieved by using the following guidelines:

The Call-to-Action (CTA) needs to be:

  • Laid out in an attractive and professional manner
  • Clear and readable
  • Comprehended immediately
  • Fulfilled quickly and easily
  • Measurable

The last reason to use digital signage to guide the path to purchase is that you can use anonymous video analytics and compare it with transactional data in order to gauge the effectiveness of different messages and strategies, and then fine tune them to anticipate future consumer behavior.

Make sure to check back on our follow-up blog where we will focus on specific CTAs to use on your digital signage network to influence the path to purchase while improving user engagement.