This post is for local, independent retailers looking to explore new ways to improve the look and feel inside their stores and connect better with customers. No shopper likes going into a store that only has white walls and products on a shelf. They want to see colorful walls, products in action, and inspirational content.
Is your store inspiring customers, or boring them? In-store marketing is often the most overlooked and biggest missed opportunity for local retailers. Not only does it make your store look aesthetically inviting, but it helps shoppers decide what brands and products fit their need and boosts sales and profits.
If you're only focused on outbound marketing, this guide is a quick explainer on how to leverage the most powerful marketing channel that's completely free, your stores themselves.
Executive Summary
In-store marketing has become a powerful way for local stores to reach customers right where they shop. By placing ads in key areas of your store, like aisles, checkout lines, and entryways, you can capture customers' attention at important moments, enhance their shopping experience, and even create an additional source of income for your business.
Using marketing within your store can help encourage customers to make purchases, track what works through sales data, and understand the impact of your marketing efforts. While setting up in-store marketing can get complicated, careful planning can make the process smooth and beneficial for your store.
In-Store Marketing: A New Way to Engage Customers
Even with the rise of online shopping, 85% of retail transactions still happen in physical stores. But imagine an e-commerce store and all the rich content that it has that brick-and-mortar stores have traditionally lacked. Tutorial videos, product reviews and ratings, the stories behind the products and the brands that make them.
In-store marketing takes the same rich content that online stores use and it brings into physical stores. This not only helps customers find products they need but also makes their shopping experience more enjoyable and educational. The reality is, your sales associates can't recite ratings, reviews, or tutorials. Yet, surveys show that ratings and reviews are the single biggest driver of purchasing decisions in online stores.
What is In-Store Marketing?
In-store marketing involves placing educational content and promotions throughout your store to educate customers, aid them in their purchasing decisions, and ultimately increase sales.
You likely have some form of in-store marketing in your stores already. Whether that be simple signs of brands that you sell, or paper/cardboard displays that highlight products and features. In-store marketing has been around as long as stores have been around, but they have mostly been limited to what's possible in the physical world with analog, cardboard or paper based displays.
The Digital Opportunity with In-Store Marketing
Marketing within your store can ensure you maximize sales by ensuring a customer doesn't hesitate to purchase from being misinformed or having unanswered questions. You can use in-store marketing to both promote immediate sales and build your brand and the brands you sell. For example, displaying a sales promotion for seasonal products can encourage customers to buy more, while advertising a new product at the store entrance can generate excitement and interest in something repeat shoppers haven't seen in your store before. The key is to place the right content in the right spots to balance driving sales and enhancing the shopping experience.
Measuring Success
Measuring the effectiveness of your in-store marketing efforts is crucial for understanding their impact and optimizing future campaigns. Focus on the following key metrics:
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Sales Increases: We automatically track sales data before, during, and after ad campaigns to identify any spikes or trends related to specific advertisements.
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Number of Items Sold: Monitor the quantity of individual products sold to assess which ads are driving the most conversions.
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Customer Traffic: Use our view tracking to determine how many views each screen receives.
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Customer Engagement: Since our screens are interactive, you can gather feedback through surveys or in-store interactions to gauge how customers perceive your store.
By looking these metrics, you gain a new understanding of your physical store and the impact of the marketing messages.
How to Make Money From In-Store Markerting
The beauty of in-store marketing is that it benefits both you and your suppliers. But there's no reason you should give it away to your suppliers for free. You're paying for all that square footage that you can use to market products and sell more, but why should you absorb all of that cost for free? Your stores are a markeing channel for brands too. If a shopper sees and tests a product in your store but then purchases it online, your store was simply used as a free marketing channel.
However, digital in-store marketing provides ways to have brands and suppliers pay to have their marketing displayed next to their products. Here's how it works:
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Automated Leasing: Software allows your suppliers to lease signage time in your store based on their marketing calendars and promotional cycles. The entire purchasing process is automated, eliminating the need for manual negotiations and administrative tasks.
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Content Management: Time is divided between suppliers and you. If you want a 50/50 split, screen time purchased by your suppliers is equally shown next to your content. Suppliers upload their ads, set their desired time slots, and manage their campaigns without any hassle or involvement from you.
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Control and Restrictions: You maintain full control over which suppliers can lease screen time. Set restrictions to ensure that only approved brands and content appear in your store, maintaining the integrity and relevance of the marketing.
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Seamless Payments: At the end of each month, you receive a consolidated payment for all leased screen time, minus our fee. This streamlined payment process ensures you get paid promptly without the need for tracking multiple transactions.
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No Additional Work: The entire process is automated, from scheduling to billing, allowing you to focus on running your store without getting bogged down by the complexities of in-store marketing management.
AdSprout offers the only digital in-store marketing platform that can effortlessly turn your store into a revenue-generating space while enhancing the shopping experience for your customers.
Formats to Consider:
- Static Images: Simple, eye-catching visuals that convey your message quickly.
- Video Content: Dynamic videos that can demonstrate product features, showcase customer testimonials, or tell a brand story.
- Interactive Displays: Touchscreen ads that allow customers to engage with content, such as browsing product catalogs or accessing special offers.
- Rotating Ads: Automatically cycling through multiple advertisements to keep the content fresh and engaging.
AdSprout: Helping Your Store Thrive with In-Store Advertising
At AdSprout, we help local retailers turn their stores into engaging, educational spaces that helps your suppliers better connect with shoppers and sell their products. Our solutions include easy-to-install hardware, flexible ways to sell ad space, and tools to measure your advertising success.
Why Choose AdSprout?
- Easy Setup: Our system either works with existing screens you already have or affordable screens that are so easy to install a 10-year-old could do it. We'll install the first 5 stores for free and screens are only $85 each after that.
- Flexible Options: We offer various ways to monetize your store space to suit different areas of your store. Whether you want to lease screen time to suppliers or display your own promotions, AdSprout adapts to your needs.
- Clear Results: We provide easy-to-understand metrics to show how your content is performing. Views, Sales, that's about it!
Get Started with AdSprout
Transform your store into a dynamic marketing hub with AdSprout. Whether you're looking to enhance the shopping experience, boost sales, or create a new revenue stream, our in-store advertising solutions are designed to meet your needs.
Contact us today to schedule a free consultation and learn how AdSprout can help your local business thrive.
Stay tuned to our blog for more tips and insights on making the most of in-store advertising for your local business.