Parking operators are standing before a well of opportunity. With technologies like EV and other advancements in tow, it’s a renaissance for the industry. The same should go for its marketing. Consumers’ habits have changed, and the way you speak to them should, too—including your parking lot signage and advertising.
Historically, parking marketing has relied on sandwich boards and older forms of signage. With how consumers find parking today, there are other methods to help entice potential parkers. In our breakdown of the seven elements that parking operators need to thrive in mobility, digital-first is one of our main priorities. Specifically, how people prefer to consume information, surf options, and pay. It’s time for operators to up their marketing game—starting with improved digital parking signage and advertising.
The Leading Challenge With Parking Lot Signage
One of the biggest issues holding operators back is that many rely too heavily on traditional signage and marketing techniques, and simply don’t know how to target potential customers elsewhere. The data shows that your new customers are online. In fact, downloads and monthly active users of the top parking apps are above pre-pandemic levels. More parkers are now relying on third-party sellers like ParkWhiz to skip past the searching and take care of parking from the beginning of their journey. The challenge is how to embrace digital signage and internet advertising to grab the customers booking before they travel, as well those that are still searching on the go.
How To Use Digital Signage and Ads To Increase Revenue
Parking marketing has never been so close to people’s homes. Below are some ways that newer techniques can help promote your business and find customers.
Digital Signage Solutions
Consider the new world of parking we’re in, where people can now choose their preferred location more easily than ever. Because of apps, operators need to compete at a faster pace to win business. Traditional parking lot signage still helps, but it takes longer to change and can’t reflect demand in real-time.
Digital signage benefits the operator by dynamically changing prices based on what’s actually happening in the asset at regularly scheduled intervals. Next time you’re reviewing your signage practices, consider investing in a smart LED sign or other digital solution that can better attract customers with the most competitive prices.
Securing People Faster With QR
Signage doesn’t have to be only regarding prices. There are modern parking marketing techniques where digital and print intersect to provide the most seamless customer experience. This type of combination tackles another challenge with traditional signage—the ability to convert.
FLASH scan-to-pay service utilizes QR codes to direct people to a purchase or completion within a parking asset. Operators can place signs with the QR code strategically spread throughout the space for users to walk to easily. It’s a tactic that can help convert transient parkers who find an asset via an app into regular customers.
You can take it a step further for recurring parking by switching to an all-digital, and mobile, sign-up process. Many operators go halfway, having people scan a QR code for a portion of the parking application until they have to complete it by calling somebody or finishing on paper. Get the most from your signage by using it strategically to make a customer’s experience easier.
QR Code Fraud Checklist
Plus, the checklist outlines how to use ParkWhiz’s new QR Code Validator!
Paid Ads Based on Location
Modern parking requires modern advertising solutions. As more people search for their parking needs online, it’s a no-brainer for operators to use paid ads. There are many tools that can spread awareness of your business—including those that are location-based. These types of ads will be shown to potential customers who spend time near your assets. It’s the next generation of the sandwich board, delivered to people’s screens.
You can find these types of ads across social media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter) and Google. After inputting your location and the radius of people you’d like to target, you can advertise prices and specials to a local audience. Suppose you think of these ads within the whole funnel of creating new, recurring customers. In that case, you can bring people in via location-based ads, and then use technology like scan-to-pay to provide them with an easy experience that helps foster loyalty. Digital advertising tools allow you to make strategic marketing plans that are relatively quick and cost-effective.
Digital Marketing and Signage Gets You Ahead
Whether you’re mostly catering to transients or have a healthy recurring customer base, your marketing and signage can likely be working harder. While advertising your prices was once only possible within sight range, it’s now possible to reach people anywhere.
Don’t give up those traditional signs yet—they still have a purpose for catching people’s attention. But consider them as a tool for a larger plan that includes digital advertising and signage that dynamically changes based on demand.
Need some help? We know what makes parking easy for the customer. Reach out to us for a consultation on how you might be able to optimize your marketing and signage solutions.
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