Megan Urlacher
In today’s highly visual world, does your branch image reflect who you are and engage with consumers? Do you ever walk into one of your branches and wonder what a client sees? How they feel when they walk in? And, how they feel when they leave?
Effectively connecting with today’s digital consumers starts with the experience you create with your branch merchandising. Whether that be static signs, brochures or digital signage, what clients see have a big impact on cross-sells, employee connections, and overall perceptions.
If you really want to engage and create the right experience—adding or enhancing your branch with Digital Signage is the fastest and most cost effective way. In fact, 80% of consumers agree that Digital Signage is engaging.
But it shouldn’t stop there. Just adding tech for tech’s sake won’t get you the results you crave. Instead, it’s having the right strategy and messaging that truly gives you epic results.
Click the image to download your Cheat Sheet and keep these strategies top-of-mind when enhancing your branch image and generating unique engagement.
Here’s a look at 6 pointed Digital Signage strategies that work synergistically to improve your branch image, boost your engagement, and give you the positive answers you’re looking for.
1. Experience
It’s important to leave a lasting impression. What makes your branch experience different or unique when compared to ABC Credit Union or XYZ Bank down the street? Is your experience like going to Disneyland or a local, low-budget carnival?
The Experience Strategy is about having Digital Signage elements aimed at creating memorable branch experiences. Why do you think Apple has vast video walls and lots of technology gadgets to engage with? It puts their brand in motion and displays elements people see and like to interact with.
Fast Company agrees, “Retailers and brands must identify valuable experiences that resonate within the physical environment […] Figure out what can only be done uniquely in the store and create a brand experience the consumer won’t soon forget.”
Big splash items like a huge video wall, complemented by interactive kiosks or tablets filled with games for consumers to play while learning about your products and services—like a quiz that determines what type of car matches their personality (which of course, also teaches them about the various car loan products you offer!)–create a pleasurable experience that sets you apart from the competition.
2. Products
Helping clients discover all of the ways your products and services can help them is the backbone of successful cross-selling. Unfortunately, not enough clients know what products and services you offer, nor do they want to pick up a dusty old brochure, much less engage with static signs like these:
The Products Strategy is about aligning the ways consumers learn about your services to the ways they learn in other areas of their lives. Today’s consumers are all about using touch screens, smartphones, and tablets to explore things at their own pace. So, why not offer a digital brochure rack on an interactive kiosk or tablet like this:
Not only can people have fun exploring all the products you offer, but it also gives your staff a stimulating tool to learn about the various services they should be selling—take it a step further and use it as a tool to engage clients.
Of course, a product digital signage strategy is about more than just interactivity. FI’s are in the solutions business. Going back to the static sign above, if Joe Consumer actually pays attention to it, he probably won’t think twice about it—it doesn’t do anything for him.
But, if Joe were to see a client success story about how someone saved $500 through XYZ Bank because they didn’t have any hidden fees, that’s a better way to get attention and show your benefits.
3. Convenience and Onboarding
With people “on-the-go” more than ever, how are you engaging with them in a way that’s convenient to their busy lifestyle? More importantly, how do they even know that you’re offering convenience through simple-to-use online banking, mobile check deposit, or online billpay?
The Convenience & Onboarding Strategy is aimed at migrating consumers to these alternative channels.
Again, direct examples of this branch strategy in action are video tutorials playing on a digital screen, or an interactive kiosk that has easy to follow tutorials for clients or staff members to learn and teach. Even tablets in the branch that can support online banking sign-up can assist with this strategy.
4. Community
Are you informing people about your involvement in the community through a blurb on your website, an outdated online calendar, or worse, one of these?
Community involvement is not only a sense of pride for you it’s a sense of pride for people who bank with you. According to an article in Entrepreneur Magazine, “Companies that encourage community involvement distinguish themselves from their competitors, and see many benefits, including loyal customers and happier employees.”
It gets better—89% of U.S. consumers are likely to switch brands to one associated with a cause. So if more products-per-household or loyalty are important, than having a Community engagement strategy aligned to that message should be a priority too.
Some great examples of digital signage tied to this are “Give-o-meters” or Digital Community Boards highlighting what’s going on in your community, your involvement, how clients can participate in helping fund a charity you support, contributing to one of your favorite local food drives, or signing up for the 5K run you’re sponsoring. Even better, a community board can help you easily highlight local businesses–a value add that others probably aren’t doing.
5. Relationships
In addition to being in the solutions business, FIs are also in the relationship business. This goes back to being more advisory and less transactional. For the most part, robots can handle a majority of transactional needs—but they can’t build a life-long relationship where people know that you’ll be with them from the time they open their first checking account to the time they’re looking to retire.
No Digital Signage strategy would be complete without content aimed at fostering relationships. While having a team picture or Board Members on the wall has the right intentions, it doesn’t effectively get the message across like an interactive “Meet the Team” screen does:
Digital Signage boosts this relationship in a way that no static ad online nor poster ad in your branch can. Think about having an interactive kiosk with content that allows a client to swipe and explore through all your pertinent team members. Or videos that tell the story of how your staff member saved the day. Way more engaging than a team photo!
6. Education
While most of us weren’t big fans of going to school and taking tests, we love learning about things that actually benefit our lives (Like our Branch Report Card – shameless plug! Enjoy!). What are you teaching consumers? How are you helping them make smarter financial decisions, which in turn create stronger loyalty?
Financial literacy is huge these days, and your Digital Signage strategy should include it. This doesn’t have to be boring brochures on your credit score. These types of communications can be videos on digital screens, or seen digitally on an interactive kiosk. Even fun financial literacy games on a tablet or kiosk can align to this strategy.
Tying Them All Together
These 6 engagement strategies work in unison to bring about an incredibly successful branch experience and Digital Strategy. And for DBSI’s Digital Signage Agency, these are essential—no campaign nor strategy is implemented without knowing what’s best for your specific branch network.
Perhaps a 7th strategy? Individuality. Make sure your Digital Strategy isn’t a one-size-fits-all campaign. Your Digital Signage is all about you and your brand. It should look that way too, not just a template.
All of the examples and strategies above were developed by DBSI’s Digital Signage Agency. If you want to explore how we can help you develop content and a strategy that creates a better branch experience, contact us here.
