One of the great joys of the holiday season every year is all the sights and sounds associated with it. To the casual observer, this situation is just part of the festive atmosphere but to the business owner, the state of his digital signs, speakers and other AV equipment is of utmost importance as it helps to bring customers into the store and, once inside, to drive sales. In fact, it is a prudent idea for business owners to consider upgrading their location's signs and speakers every year or two to fully capitalize on the holiday rush. 

The Numbers

Everyone knows that the holidays bring a tremendous uptick in the amount of sales done in the retail sector. Sources such as the highly respected National Retail Federation estimated that, on average, over 40% of total 2013 retail sales were transacted in the last quarter of the year. In addition, the organization expects 2014 sales to outpace 2013's by an additional 4.1% - a very respectable increase.

Restaurants, in particular, enjoy a greater boost to their sales. The National Restaurant Association reported in a national study that more than 14 million U.S. consumers had planned to dine out for Thanksgiving and an additional 32 million would dine out for breakfast, lunch or dinner while doing their Black Friday shopping.

Why Signage?

The obvious reason for a retail business or restaurant to upgrade their outdoor signage is to send a clear message that they are open and to draw more customers into the location. There are any number of glitzy displays that will attract customers – if they suit your needs and your clientele. Similarly, holiday lighting entices customers who might otherwise pass you by and let's people know that you and your staff are in a holiday mood.

Inside the store, digital signage solutions can be used to good effect to advertise holiday deals, specials and even menu items. The idea is that a static display tells a story but a dynamic sign on a flat panel screen positively screams the message out loud.

Why Audio?

The holiday ambiance of a store can be significantly increased with the addition of the right holiday music. Obviously, the music should be catered to the tastes of your clientele but modern AV systems can stream from variety of commercial sites that offer more choices than you can imagine. Similarly, restaurants should expand their audio – and video, if appropriate – capabilities to include any outdoor or alternate entertainment spaces that are not already served by the existing AV system.

Restaurants also see an increase in party reservation requests during the holiday season. Upgrade your AV and promote the fact that your professional system will make their party a hit. But don’t wait for corporate holiday parties to use your new restaurant AV system. Throw your own special holiday events and parties to draw even more business.

On a more individualized level, small monitors can be installed to “tell the story” about special items in the store. If many cases, the manufacturer already has multimedia-marketing materials that you can use. Don’t wait any longer, the holidays are right around the corner. For more information on upgrading your commercial AV systems for the holidays or if you have any other, more general questions, please contact us at AV Specialists.