Looking to deploy dynamic and vibrant outdoor digital marketing in the New Year?
Digital boards are marketing tools that can be changed and refined many times throughout the day. At restaurants, digital should and can be utilized across the board – inside and out.
Installation and material costs may deter a Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) from executing digital outdoors.Start small, but make a big splash with an outdoor digital presell board (high bright LCD inside of a weatherproof enclosure), which is a simpler and more economical solution. Presell or promotion boards provide the opportunity to influence customers, while they wait in line to place their order in the drive thru. Compared to full menu boards, overall costs for a presell outdoor digital board are much more manageable up front for a QSR. The benefits can help restaurant owners and operators clearly define their marketing message and boast sales more effectively than ever before!
According to the article, 'Why Every QSR Needs Digital Signage and Menu Boards' digital can be quite advantageous for any QSR, "The easy to read menu on vibrant outdoor digital signage can increase [the] customers’ satisfaction. It works equally well for increasing ticket size by providing point of purchasing marketing for complimentary items. Additionally, restaurants will see the time and cost savings benefits associated with digital menu boards." With that being said, you can surmise that outdoor digital menu boards, especially presell boards, have many strong features and advantages.
Benefits of Presell Digital Boards:
- Influence order decisions before the main menu: As McDonald’s introduces new digital menu boards in 2016, they understand the power of flashy images and video. In Digital Signage Today, an article about McDonald’s future plans describes how digital will be utilized, “the boards… will show moving images of menu items to increase customer engagement and call attention to certain products.” Video and clever animation has the power to catch a customer’s attention and influence their meal decision. When utilizing video or animation, QSRs should always tell a short story about the food or drink, display the price, and tempt the hungry (or thirsty) customer to give it a try. Of course, the video should always have a strong impact.
Promote specials and limited time offers (LTOs):Wendy’s is currently running a special that gives customers 4 items for $4 (Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger, chicken nuggets, fries, and a drink). If a customer did not know what they wanted to order for lunch and they see this great deal on the Presell Board, would they be more likely to order it? Kurt Kane, Wendy's Chief Concept and Marketing Officer, describes this deal as, “the best lunch for under $5 anywhere in America." The deal must be catching on, because Burger King now has the 5 for $4 deal - Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery! These deals are the latest and greatest that these restaurants have to offer and can be promoted in a big way on the Presell Board. By the time a customer reaches the ordering board, they can simply say, “I’ll take the 4 for $4 with a Coke.” Order complete, next window please.
- Speed up the ordering process: When a customer knows what they want, the overall ordering process can be much quicker and more efficient. QSRs looking to speed up the drive-thru experience can use digital to help customers familiarize themselves with the menu before they get to the order point. Whether the QSR has a new sandwich combo, or is promoting a fancy new coffee drink, if a customer sees it on a presell board, then they are more inclined to order it. It is fresh in the customer’s mind.
Going digital in the New Year, but do not know where to start? Start with a Presell Board and monitor the uptick in sales for products that are featured on the boards.
If sales go up 7 or 8%, then the boards can pay for themselves in no time at all! According to Fritz Esker’s Article, “Digital Signage Under the Weather Offers Bright Forecast, “digital signage gives a deployer more options than traditional static advertising, allowing the deployer to see an increased profit. On a static ad box, only one message can be displayed at a time.” In the end, variety is the name of the game in digital!
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