A lobby is an important area to think about for any establishment. For a business which is aware of this importance, it is also exciting to think of all the possibilities to make an impact here. For the new visitor, the lobby is usually where the first solid impression of the establishment is made. Utilizing digital signage in a lobby can have a significant impact on that impression.Â
Digital signage is also valuable when we think of the returning customer as it has the potential to deliver something new and exciting each time they visit while at the same time conveying the cozy feeling of familiarity and reliability!Â
1. Engage visitors
Digital signage in a lobby is an excellent tool to catch the attention of any customer or employee walking in. On its own, digital signage catches attention as a visual that’s in motion. It already gives you a head start. This is why the content is so important since it aims to keep the customer engaged long enough to deliver a message. The message can be an open invitation to leave feedback via touchscreen, engage through social media, or to purchase a product. Be aware of the goal your content intends to achieve and use the engaging power of digital signage to the maximum! Â
2. Create a connection
Waiting areas, lobbies, and receptions are ideal environments for broadcasting a message to your consumer base because they spend a significant amount of time here. Essentially, whichever message you broadcast in these areas will be received. Start with establishing a connection to the viewer by sharing information about your business.
Share a simple and direct message on the vision and mission of your establishment, its uniqueness compared to competitors, the meaning behind the brand identity, the name, its history, or other elements which will make your brand more recognizable and memorable. Furthermore, digital signage can build a sensation of familiarity as customers return to your store, making each visit a comfortable and familiar experience. Â
3. Promote services
Promotion certainly should make an appearance via digital signage in a lobby. But it must not be forceful! Digital signage, especially with software at play, has so many sleek and elegant methods of delivering an offer without being forceful, demanding, or intrusive. It would be a waste if you didn’t utilize that advantage.Â
Of course, nothing beats a clean menu with a list of items and prices. But when it comes to promoting special services or products, take it a step further. Include your video ads or ad campaigns occasionally throughout the content. Don’t broadcast it 24/7 on each display. Playing the same ad on a loop will deliver the message, but it’s a waste of space because it broadcasts a message which has already been received. It also gets dull very fast and lessens the impact of the content as a whole.
4. Feature testimonials
Content that is generated by the consumer is probably the most influential content type you can have. A non-biased opinion packs a punch, so sharing reviews or testimonials you’ve collected is always a good source for digital signage in a lobby, and of course your website!Â
Take a written testimonial and edit it (visually, of course, not the wording) into a professional-looking statement you can share on your displays. Another trick you could use is to obtain reviews via social media, and share them through a social media wall. Walls.io, for instance, is a neat app which organizes consumer-generated content to share on your displays.
5. Collect testimonials
Besides broadcasting them, digital signage can help you obtain testimonials. You likely already have a way of collecting testimonials through one way or another. It can be as simple as a hand-written statement, but digital signage goes beyond that.
Firstly, you can direct consumers to leave feedback on social media with a specific hashtag. This not only makes the review public, it makes it easy for you to find and use in your digital signage campaigns. Secondly, simply placing a touchscreen tablet in the lobby will work wonders as people are becoming accustomed to seeing a feedback display these days, and will likely already know how to use them.
6. Entertain
Not all content needs to make an offer, feature a product, or encourage an action of the viewer. Adding entertainment into the content mix is very important in waiting areas. It helps to pass the time quicker while they wait and creates a pleasant ambiance at doing so. Learn more about balancing between entertaining content and content which is more business-focused.
7. Inform and direct with wayfinding
Larger establishments such as college campuses, malls, or hotels, feature plenty of wayfinding information. Digital signage can add an interactive element by allowing the user to digitally browse through an establishment and collect precise information.Â
Digital signage wayfinding is particularly useful in dense or crowded locations such as hospitals, for instance, as it alleviates the pressure on reception. Speaking of crowded locations, interactive digital signage in general achieves greater efficiency since it allows users to search and find information on their own.
8. Create a modern lobby
Using digital displays in your lobby in the first place is a sure way to provide a modern feel. However, if the content on those displays is outdated and not particularly exciting, that initial modern image gets shattered quite quickly! For that reason, keeping content up-to-date through digital signage software solves this problem.
RSS feeds, weather, and news content can be streamed through apps, which keeps the content constantly updated. If you utilize all the features we mentioned and keep them consistently updated and relevant, your lobby will have a modern kick and the displays will hold greater value in the eyes of your customers and employees.
Digital signage software such as OnSign TV is a valuable ally you should use to the extreme! It helps with keeping your content fresh, as well as identify which content is most impactful. Meanwhile, if you’re not an OnSign TV user, try out all of its features with a free 14-day trial! No strings attached.
