| The Apple iPad is much more than an entertainment | | | | significantly enhanced over the next few months with |
| device. Retailers can use this in their stores to drive | | | | plenty more tools for retailers and other businesses to |
| sales and improve shopper engagement. | | | | use to promote offers. |
| Inside your retail store, at the sales counter and at | | | | Follow these simple steps for using the iPad in your |
| other secure high traffic areas, the Apple iPad can be | | | | retail store. |
| used to draw attention to products or offers you want | | | | |
| to feature. | | | | 1. Choose an item to promote. Photograph this. |
| It is a hip promotional device which offers more | | | | 2. Use the photo software available for the iPad to |
| interactivity than a simple sign or a poster. | | | | create a slide loop explaining and promoting the offer. |
| You can have the iPad scroll through photos with | | | | 3. Choose some music to play. |
| selected music playing in the background. How much | | | | 4. Setup the iPad at the counter and press play. |
| better would this be than your current promotional | | | | 5. Watch how customers interact and track sales of |
| tools? | | | | the item being promoted. |
| The iPad would be noticed because it is such new | | | | If the results are not what was expected, go back and |
| technology. Once your shoppers are over that | | | | try again. If they do meet expectations, run it again, |
| excitement they would notice what is being promoted | | | | maybe trying a different location. It is essential to |
| and that is where the Apple iPad could be a proactive | | | | gather information about where this type of promotion |
| addition to your sales team. | | | | works and where it does not. |
| Disruption is an essential element of visual | | | | Run a range of campaigns in your retail store for three |
| merchandising in retail. The iPad could work as a terrific | | | | months, tracking the learnings and developing a longer |
| disruptive influence in any retail environment - because | | | | term plan for use of this technology to drive sales. |
| it offers visual movement as well as sound. You could | | | | If the sales are not there then cease the investment. |
| quite easily knock a display together for the iPad to | | | | This has to be about incremental business. |
| promote an in-store special offer and see for yourself | | | | Good retail software will help you track the success of |
| if it works for your type of business. | | | | the iPad in driving the business. Be sure to rely on |
| Using the photo display tools readily available today | | | | factual information when assessing the performance |
| with the iPad is a start. I expect these to become | | | | off the device for your operation. |