When you go into a business and they offer free wi-fi, it definitely starts
Let’s face it. Nobody likes having to eat into their monthly data allowance to look something up on the fly. When someone is home, their phone’s connected to the personal wi-fi. So when they are in a business that makes their wi-fi available to customers, they are likely to be grateful.
So what does providing access mean?
The free wi-fi offered to customers is also – drum roll, please – a terrific marketing opportunity. Handle it right, and that connection can be used to build a list, gather information about customers, and even improve customer service. Here’s how.
What is Wi-Fi Marketing?
Wi-fi marketing is simply marketing that’s targeted to a customer’s mobile device. When wi-fi is made available to customers, it can begin collecting information about them even before they get access.
Once their information has been gathered and they’re online,
As it might be expected, wi-fi marketing is best suited to businesses with a physical location. If you own a restaurant, bar, club, or retail store – or any other business where customers come to see you regularly – you can benefit from using wi-fi marketing.
Using Wi-Fi Marketing to Build Your List
Does the business have an email list? Granting customers access to a businesses wi-fi is a great way to build a list.
Wi-fi can be opened without gathering information about customers, but why would that be done? Most people will be willing to give up their email address to get some free wi-fi. Tethering the wi-fi login to a simple opt-in box can ask for the customer’s email address and first name.
Once their email addresses are retrieved, they can be used to send promotions and relevant content that will help turn them from one-time visitors into loyal customers.
Another option is using SMS marketing (if desired) to ask customers for their mobile number instead of (or in addition to) their email address. A word of caution, however – adding one extra field to a form can decrease the conversion rate. Good advice is to pick either an email address or a mobile number and go from there.
Wi-Fi Marketing Ideas to Try
Building a list is only the start of what can be done with wi-fi marketing. Here are some other ideas to consider.
Collect Customer Analytics
Having access to customers’ mobile devices means that a huge amount of data about them can be collected and without any fuss. Wi-fi marketing allows to collect:
- Demographic information
- Purchasing behavior
- Physical behavior (the frequency of their visits)
Use the information collected to tailor specific offers to customers and send them notifications of upcoming sales and events.
Social Wi-Fi Marketing
Another option is to allow customers to log in the wi-fi using their social accounts. This is seen commonly on lots of sites. Many customers will choose the convenience of logging in with an existing account over creating a new one.
There might be some questions about this one. After all, it doesn’t allow to collect email addresses or mobile numbers. Is it really worthwhile?
A broad yet safe assessment is it depends. If the social media game is strong – and it should be! – then the wi-fi login can be used as a way of encouraging people to follow those social media accounts.
When people follow a business or person on Facebook and Twitter, access to both demographic information and their personal interests opens. That data can help do a better job of targeting them with marketing and offers.
Inform Customers
A lot of products have a learning curve. Whether it is introducing a new product or offering up ideas of ways to use an existing one, wi-fi marketing can help prime customers to go through with a purchase.
Wi-fi marketing offers the ability to provide relevant and useful information about the business and products directly to customers.
It’s also a way of engaging with customers on an ongoing basis. People like to feel connected to the brands they use. This can be done in a way that doesn’t seem pushy by giving people access to a
Think of it as wireless lead nurturing. Every person who walks into a business could turn into a long-term customer. Wi-fi marketing can help move them down that road.
Provide Customer Service
In an ideal world, every customer would be thrilled with a business and they’d buy from them for the rest of their lives.
Euphoric sounding, but the reality is, we don’t live in an ideal world.
Wireless marketing can allow to follow up with customers after they leave a business and gather information about their experience. For example, they could be sent a survey to complete or simply touch base with a quick email or text.
Either way, letting them know that you care about them and their
Reward Customers
When people visit a business regularly, it’s a good idea to reward them. With wi-fi marketing, rewarding them is easy.
As people who access a wi-fi can be tracked, it’s made aware of when a customer visits a business more than once, buys something, or makes multiple purchases.
By using that information to target them, a ‘thank you’ email or text that includes a coupon for their next visit or an exclusive offer based on their buying behavior can be enforced.
This kind of direct marketing is hugely effective because it makes each customer feel valued. It’s a great way to turn a one-time buyer into a loyal customer.
Wi-Fi isn’t just for you…
You can use it to connect with customers, gather valuable data about them, and give them incentives to buy from you again… and again.