In this day and age — with Amazon Prime, Postmates, online learning, and the like — consumers expect instant gratification. Whether that’s a food delivery or the answer to an inquiry, they want what they want now. The average consumer isn’t patient, which is why so many businesses focus their efforts on providing quick, useful, and hyper-connected products and services.
And one hyper-connected service they want when they enter your retail business is free Wi-Fi. Whether they’re getting some work done over a latte or reading reviews of an Aussie Shiraz in your wine shop, your customers want free access to data. Fortunately, it’s in your best interest to give it to them — here’s why.
When consumers sign in to your business’s Wi-Fi network, they’re essentially allowing their digital footprint to be tracked. Using a small business Wi-Fi solution like Plume Workpass, that fact means you can transform your network into a business intelligence goldmine. With the data you gather, you can see when your busiest hours are and what your customers frequently search for when they’re in your establishment. The data will help tell you what you need to know about your customers to keep them coming back.
Here are five things you can learn from a business Wi-Fi network that will help you make game-changing decisions:
1. Customer Demographics
You probably have a good idea of your business’s target audience. For example, maybe you’ve curated the best in maternity wear for expecting mothers. Or perhaps you’ve assembled the most useful mix of tools and hardware for the urban do-it-yourselfer. Whatever your niche, you had a specific demographic in mind before creating your retail business.
The question isn’t whether you have an intended audience, but whether you’re effectively targeting that audience. You can determine that through the use of your Wi-Fi network, just as long as you implement a Wi-Fi analytics tool. With this tool, you’ll gain access to data that will help you optimize your business strategies.
By looking at Wi-Fi analytics, you’ll glean vital information about your customers. You can learn their age and gender, how often they interact with your business, what products and services they enjoy the most, and more.
With this information, you can take a closer look at your company’s marketing approach. For example, you may discover that your target demographic is more active on Instagram than they are on Facebook. Thus you might consider allocating more of your marketing budget to Instagram to ensure you’re reaching the right people.
2. When Customers Are Most Active
In order to best serve your customers, you need to know when they’re most likely to visit your store. With Wi-Fi analytics, you can determine when your business has its highest traffic and its lowest.
Do more consumers shop in your store on weekdays or weekends? What time of day is the busiest? Knowing the answers to questions like these can help you strategize more effectively.
Analytics can also show you how consumers are shopping in your store. Are they usually in and out, or do they spend hours walking around? Are they spending more time looking at women’s accessories or men’s clothes? This data can help you make well-informed decisions when it comes to stocking your products, displaying them, and even employing staff.
3. How Customers Want to Be Targeted
With a business Wi-Fi network, you’re able to better connect with your customers and grow your audience. When a customer logs into your Wi-Fi, you can choose what they see on the landing page. For example, you could provide your company’s email address or maybe a link to your business’s Instagram handle.
If you go the latter route, make sure to give customers a reason to follow you on social. Some retailers provide consumers discount codes for simply liking their latest Instagram post. Others ensure their content remains engaging by sharing relevant images, tips, flash deals, etc.
According to a Smart Insights study, 52 percent of social media marketers believe social media positively impacts a company’s sales and revenue. Social media is a powerful business tool that can help you grow your audience, connect with your customers, and increase awareness about your brand. By identifying where your target customers live on social media, your Wi-Fi network allows you to leverage this tool to maximum effect.
4. What Retailers You’re Competing Against
When a customer uses a retailer’s Wi-Fi network, the business is then able to track the websites that the customer visits. This is incredibly beneficial for learning more about their customers, as well as who their competition is.
If a consumer, while in your store, compares prices on a product at another retailer, you’ll be able to see who that competing retailer is. You’ll also be able to see how long that consumer spends on the competing site, exactly what they’re shopping for, and the cost of that product.
With this information, you can take a closer look at your strategy. For example, you could lower your prices. Or you could try marketing strategies similar to what your competition is doing. Having this kind of data at your fingertips gives your business a competitive edge.
5. Whether Your Business Is Growing
How do you know your business is growing? A good way to determine that is by taking stock of how many new customers you’re gaining in a given time. Unfortunately, that’s not necessarily something you can easily keep track of. You probably don’t know offhand every person who comes into your store or whether they’re first-time or repeat customers.
With Wi-Fi analytics, you can differentiate between a new customer and an existing customer. How? When a consumer connects to your free Wi-Fi, analytics-tracking snippets look for an existing tracking cookie. If one isn’t visible, this likely means it’s the customer’s first time in your store.
Not only can this data help determine whether your business is growing, it also gives you a chance to better communicate with your customers. For example, you could send new customers a discount code the first time they visit you. You could send existing customers a “thank you” email for their continued dedication. There are tons of ways to use this information to improve the customer experience.
Final Words
Customers are the only way a company can thrive. By offering them access to your Wi-Fi network, you’ll be giving them the connectivity and convenience they crave. You’ll also be gleaning information that will enable you to better target your customers and grow your business.
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