Builders merchants are at the heart of their community
They provide a vital service to construction companies, tradespeople and the general public. They are a place where buyers come not only for project supplies but for valued advice and consultation from knowledgeable experts.
Whether you are managing a branch of a reliable national chain or running an independent merchants offering a personalised service, the experience you create for customers in-store should be a priority. The difference between a tradesman popping in once for a single product and them coming back repeatedly for all their future supplies is parament to the success of your business. There are a number of ways you as a merchant can increase the likelihood of repeat business and introducing digital signage at your store can help towards this end.
What Is Digital Signage?
This term simply refers to digital screens used for marketing purposes. This could include traditional TV screens on walls, floor-standing kiosks and even touch screen displays. They aren’t just limited to internal marketing either. High Bright screens can be placed in windows to drive footfall and outdoor displays are available too. So how can digital signage benefit merchants?
#1 Increase Sales and Promotion Uptake
Most builders merchants are usually running one promotion or another. It could be clearing stock to make way for new lines or relaying limited time special offers from suppliers. A lot of the time, merchants are sent media and sales material directly from their suppliers which can be displayed on screens in a more eye-catching way than a brochure stand. Recent studies have shown that digital signage can increase sales by as much as 29.5% with 1 in 5 people making unplanned purchases after being prompted with product advertisements. Are you leaving sales on the table?
#2 Help Customers Find What They Are Looking For
Digital signage doesn’t have to be directly ‘salesy’. If we return to our goal of improving the customer’s experience, one of the biggest pain points often cited is having difficulty finding what they came in for. Screens can assist with wayfinding in a variety of ways. This could be straightforwardly labelling an area of the store or using arrows directing to highly sought after aisles. If merchants wanted to take this further, touch screens can be introduced with interactive store maps. These solutions can feature search functionality and route mapping.
#3 Share Product Expertise
One of the qualities builders merchants pride themselves on is their expertise. If customers have questions or need advice for undertaking a project, staff are on hand to help. The trouble is not everyone feels comfortable asking for assistance, perhaps worried about asking a silly question. Digital signage above your trade counter or in other key locations can be a great way to address FAQs and make your sales team feel more approachable through personalised profiles highlighting areas of expertise.
#4 Showcase Invaluable Testimonials
Nowadays when buying something online, we all trail through product reviews to make sure we are 100% confident with the decision. When walking into a store, this luxury isn’t always available to us, without pulling out your mobile phone. This can make us more reluctant to pull the trigger on a purchase without first shopping around. Digital signage for builders merchants can overcome this anxiety by showcasing customer testimonials. Well placed screens can bolster your brand and product reputation with messages from happy customers.
#5 Promote Services Like Fitting and Installation
Builders merchants often offer a wide range of services in addition to their products. For instance, design consultation, fitting and installation. As consumers, we like the idea of getting everything sorted in one place for easiness. It’s therefore important to make people aware of exactly what you offer. Without effectively advertising your services in-house, customers could be going elsewhere when they would rather deal with you. Digital displays are a brilliant way to pitch and up-sell labour or consulting.
#6 Generate Additional Revenue Through Advertising
To continue the theme of increasing revenue, digital signage can help you stand out from competitors in the eyes of your suppliers. A screen network around your premises represents a unique advertising platform. The same suppliers who are already sending you brochures and demo units will jump at the opportunity to play videos and product adverts on your screens. It allows them (as well as you) to maximise the ROI from existing marketing activities such as creating content for social media. Once you invest in a screen network, you can then charge suppliers and other businesses to advertise to your customers. This can create a significant additional stream of income that will easily cover the initial investment.
If you haven’t considered going digital in your builders merchants before, hopefully, this article has given you some ideas on how you can modernise and ultimately increase your sales.
