How digital signage can take your brand direct-to-consumer

The direct-to-consumer (D2C) business model is a fantastic way to increase sales, retain customers, and boost your bottom line. But to be successful with a D2C strategy, you must get your brand in front of your end-user.

In this guide to D2C advertising, we explain how digital signage can take your brand direct to consumer, and the best practices to secure ultimate success for your campaigns.

What is direct-to-consumer?

Direct-to-consumer (D2C) is when you sell your products or services directly to your end customer, cutting out any retailer, wholesaler, or agency.

D2C has become a popular sales strategy, thanks to the growth of eCommerce, the demise of the high street, and the success of consumer-only brands such as Dollar Shave Club, Casper, and Cards Against Humanity.

The direct to consumer business model also brings significant benefits to brands, including:

• Creating direct relationships with your customers;
• Reducing middlemen (or women) costs;
• More control over who you target and where your products are sold; and
• Access to more customer data for future growth.

However, the success of any D2C strategy relies on one key factor: exposure. You must get your brand, story, and call to action in front of your target audience – without the help of that middle person.

How digital signage can take your brand direct to consumer

Accordingly, taking your brand direct to consumer can be challenging, especially if you’re starting from scratch. You don’t have the pre-existing familiarity or trust that retailers have with consumers, meaning that traditional print advertising methods will struggle to deliver the impact you require.

This is where digital signage comes in.

• Digital signage is dynamic and interactive – grabbing your audience’s attention regardless of whether they know your brand or not.
• Digital signage is content-driven – allowing you to introduce your brand and engage interest at the same time.
• Digital signage is quick to refresh – enabling you to test and find the best tactics for your audience.

Where to use digital signage for your D2C brand

There are three ideal locations for D2C digital signage:

1. Out-of-home advertising

Digital out-of-home advertising (DOOH) is digital signage placed in high-traffic outside areas that your end-users regularly visit. For example, screens in public transportation stations, alongside the highway, and in public outdoor spaces.

Using digital out of house advertising is the modern-day equivalent of standing on the street corner shouting about your brand day and night. You meet your audience in the places they frequent, you can’t be ignored, and with the right techniques, people will listen to what you have to say.

2. Retail space advertising

If you’re building an eCommerce D2C brand and not opening up a physical retail store, that doesn’t mean you can’t benefit from digital signage marketing.

Displaying your content on screens in shopping malls or food courts is the perfect way to reach your intended audience when shopping is on their mind. This makes them more receptive to your message and interested in what you have to say.

3. D2C retail spaces

If you are opening a physical retail store for your D2C brand, then the options for digital signage in retail spaces are endless.

You can use different screen setups to deliver content that tells your brand story, introduces your products, obtains contact details, and builds relationships with your customers.

Best practices for D2C digital signage campaigns

However, digital signage isn’t without its challenges: you must grab attention, engage interest, establish trust, and compel action in one swoop.

To achieve this, consider the following best practice tips:

Placement

We’ve already talked about the physical locations you can use digital signage to engage with your end-users, but what about placement?

The physical placement of your digital screens directly impacts whether people can see and interact with your content. Use a dash of common sense alongside your digital signage metrics to determine the best locations for your audience.

Hook

The hook is the most important component of a successful D2C digital campaign. If your intended audience isn’t familiar with your brand, then your logo, name, and brand colors aren’t going to immediately hook them.

Instead, you must create a hook that captures your audience’s attention at first sight. This can be achieved through:

• Video content that grabs attention;
• Animations that bring the screen to life;
• Headlines that are relevant to your audience;
• Bright, bold, and dynamic content that stands out; and
• Emotive content that appeals to your audience’s subconscious.

Engagement

Just because your screen is seen, doesn’t mean that your message is heard.

Once you’ve grabbed your audience’s attention, you must engage it for the time it takes to deliver your message. Tactics for engaging attention include:

• Interactive screen content, such as polls, games, or information input;
• Content that is relevant or personal to your audience;
• Offering something of value, such as a discount code, information, or loyalty scheme; and
• Delivering your brand story in a way that aligns with your audience’s values, motivators, and visions.

Call-to-action

Finally, your signage campaign must tell your audience what to do next – and this action must be as quick and easy as possible.

Common ways to compel an audience to act include:

• Adding QR codes that send users to relevant webpages, information forms, or videos;
• Offering value in return for an email address or telephone number;
• Including a clear call to action that tells them how to proceed; or
• Using psychological tactics such as loss aversion and scarcity to entice action.

Final thoughts for taking your brand D2C with digital signage

Taking your brand D2C is a bold step that can result in significant profits, customer numbers, and business growth. But it requires that little extra effort to get your brand known.

These digital signage tips for D2C brands are a must for any multi-channel marketing strategy that wants to generate customer leads in the most cost-effective and impactful way possible.