Can you really use Wi-Fi to build profit?
There’s nothing quite like finding out the shop, hotel or restaurant you’re in offers free Wi-Fi. After all, who wants to use up their own precious monthly data usage? The Wi-Fi phenomenon has boomed. Once a luxury in some households and businesses, it’s now available almost everywhere. Corporations across the globe are luring customers into their premises with the promise of free Wi-Fi. But once you’ve enticed your punters and got them connected, how can you utilise it to build profit and promote your brand?
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Social media logins
Rather than filling out a page or more of details in order to gain free access, many businesses are now offering the option of signing in with your social media logins. How easy is that? Plus, the added benefit it has for businesses is expediential. Not only does it increase security for your business, but it also allows you to access substantial data about your customers. Through social media access, you can discover your customers’ demographics, hobbies and interests, and their behaviours. No longer will you have to guess who your customers are and what they want, brands can target their shoppers based on demographics and interests.
“Once your customers have signed into free WiFi, you can direct them to a landing page, an ideal opportunity to promote your business”
Check-in
To gain access to free WiFi, some organisations will request that you ‘check in’ at their premises on Facebook. This is fantastic marketing, as it advertises your services for free.
Prepare for landing!
Once your customers have signed into free WiFi, you can direct them to a landing page, an ideal opportunity to promote your business. You could promote latest offers, unknown products and services, positive reviews, share facts about your brand, and provide news updates. You can change the landing page monthly, weekly or even daily, to maximise your output, adapting to seasons, trends and latest news.
Step in their shoes
Certain Wi-Fi software allows you to track and monitor foot traffic and trends in your store. Once logged into free Wi-Fi, you can see how they move throughout the shop. You can also create heat maps that illustrate where they spend the most and least amount of time. This sort of information is advantageous as you can improve in-store processes and campaigns. Staff can be utilised more efficiently by identifying busy times that require more assistance. You can also play higher value goods in the most popular sections.
Push those notifications
By logging into your Wi-Fi provision, you can start to send customers ‘push notifications’. This means you can market further products or services. You could send clients near or in your store a push notification to let them know of a discount or inform them of an in-store promotion, increasing the odds of customers returning to your business. 
Geofence
Geofencing is where you create a virtual geographic boundary around an area by means of GPS or RFID technology, enabling software to trigger a response when a mobile device enters or leaves the area. This means you can trigger personalised push-notifications to customers as they move throughout your premises. For example, if they walk into the confectionary section of a supermarket, you could send them discounts or vouchers for products that match the customer’s previous purchases, encouraging them to make a purchase.
Make Wi-Fi work for you
The lure of free Wi-Fi will ensure some customers keep opting to go into your store and login to the service. Make sure you utilise that service, and give something back to your business. My collating essential information from customers and using it as a free marketing tool, you’re sure to boost your profits. To find out how SCC can help you with networking and connectivity, click here