Digital and Interactive Signage: Where digital strategy, store branding and the consumer meet

--Guest blog Written by Jason Ault, Principal at Coffman Media, a strategic channel partner for Blind Acre Media providing digital and interactive signage hardware and software solutions--

Today's consumer is better equipped to make on-site purchasing decisions faster and more confidently than ever before. You know you've done it yourself, standing there in Best Buy, Target, Kroger, or even an auto dealership right in front of a product, thumbs furiously navigating your smartphone in search of better prices, coupon codes, and consumer reviews. Maybe you even scanned a QR code off of a shelf to watch a demo or review more product specs.

That habit of researching (and even buying) online while in store has become so prevalent that marketers are scrambling to name it - "scan and scram" and "showrooming" are the two most commonly attributed terms. Call it what you will, this emerging consumer behavior started getting more attention in December 2011 when Amazon offered a 5% discount to buyers who first scanned a barcode in-store and then purchased from Amazon after the scan. One recent Pew Internet research study even showed that 52% of polled consumers used their phones to conduct research while in store, and ended 19% made a purchase online.

But retailers should panic not! This doesn't highlight a need to fight against the interactive tools available to increasingly empowered shoppers. Rather it emphasizes consumer desire to interact with products and product information in store, and presents an opportunity to engage them in a more meaningful (and behavior-influencing) way.

The retail (and even restaurant) market is pushing to become "omni-channel," focusing on a seamless approach to creating a profound and personalized brand experience through all available consumer channels. To borrow from the old saying about Rome, "All brand engagement roads lead to the consumer." Nowadays, there are just more roads from which to choose. What it boils down to is selecting the best route to select and meet your customers at the intersection of digital strategy, in-store branding, and interactive engagement. Among the most important "roads" to follow are:

           Digital Strategy Blvd.

Digital marketing is about reaching your customers and facilitating meaningful, two-way interaction. There are so many digital tools at your disposal, including websites, social media, blogs, search engine marketing and optimization (SEM/SEO), pay-per-click advertising, online ad placement, and more. We could go on and on. Nearly all of these digital tools live online or in the form of native apps.

           Physical Branding Ave.

In-store and on-site branding is more than the simple materialization of a company's logo and color scheme. A true "brand" must be physically designed, communicated, and merchandised properly to create an engaging, behavior-driving, physical space. Three key company functions must work in unison if success is desired: Design/Planning, Marketing, and Training/HR.

Digital Signage Way

Digital signage is the use of in-store and on-site digital displays to create an interactive experience for your customers. This is where online digital strategy, physical space branding, and the consumer really intersect and positively drive "showrooming" in the direction you want it to go.

The dynamic digital content may be controlled from a central location via a web-based platform such as SignageLive ,for example, which Coffman Media is one of a very few U.S. distributors of. Digital signage can then integrate into POS systems, social media feeds, in-store touch screens, product databases, merchandising displays, anonymous video analytics (AVA), and other applications a network owner may use in creating a truly engaged experience for the viewer.

Take, for instance, Macy"s "Beauty Spot", in which they seamlessly integrate their digital strategy and physical branding through digital signage. They created an experience in a helpful and fun way that allows consumers to evaluate different brands of cosmetics at the same time, providing the latest informational tips, product offerings, and specials. This information can then be downloaded to a mobile device through near field communication (NFC), RFID, or a mobile application. They are facilitating show rooming in a way that adds value to the consumer, rather than ignoring it and hoping it doesn't?t effect sales.

Kraft Foods also used an enticing digital experience in their approach to product sampling. Using AVA, the digital signage display, and a vending station, they were able to determine the age bracket of the viewer and then offer complimentary samples of the product "Jell-O Temptations" to adults who approached the station.

Today, more than ever, there is a genuine need to innovate new approaches to branding and marketing. For a brand, the opportunity to reach and connect consumers with relevant compelling media has never been more possible, or more important. Your digital and on-site brand engagement strategies can no longer be two separate silos.  Brands need to create a holistic approach between the channels and capture the consumer with a truly engaging experience that connects with the smart, on-the-go customer. With 70% of Americans spreading their shopping wallet across channels - in-store, online, mobile - complete integration is a necessity.

Always consult with a reputable firm that is capable of and experienced in deploying the size of project that is being planned. If done correctly, an effective "omni-channel" strategy has the ability to enhance your brand and your bottom line.

What other omni-channel efforts have you seen or used? Share your answer on our Facebook Page.