What is Proximity Marketing?

As our world evolves, so too does our technology. Proximity marketing (PM) has been around for a long time, though it looks slightly different in the modern age. A sign outside a storefront or restaurant used to be the extent of proximity marketing. Now, technology enables us to engage with customers individually, no matter the level of traffic entering or leaving the store. Proximity marketing is a way to provide personalized interactions that customers crave. The right PM technology will be easy to use and make the process a breeze. 

Below, we answer some common questions about proximity marketing. 

What is proximity marketing, and how does it work? 

Proximity marketing is a type of marketing that involves targeting consumers based on their location. This can be done using various methods (such as GPS, Bluetooth, and NFC), though Wi-Fi is usually the standard choice. By targeting based on location, businesses can more effectively focus their marketing efforts on consumers more likely to be interested in what they offer. 

Messages, notifications, or targeted ads are usually sent to a customer’s mobile device. Wi-Fi is frequently used as a medium for proximity marketing since it can deliver targeted content and messages to consumers connected to a store’s Wi-Fi network. 

What are some benefits of proximity marketing? 

One of the main benefits of proximity marketing is that it allows businesses to target consumers more personally. By targeting consumers based on location, companies can send more relevant messages. For example, if a consumer is near a business’s store, the business can send them a message about a sale or a special they are running, hopefully convincing that consumer to enter the store. This is an effective and personalized way to reach consumers. 

Traditional marketing methods (such as radio, billboards, and TV) are a ‘one-to-many’ model. New marketing techniques, including proximity marketing, are now focused on ‘one-to-one’ marketing tactics that reach customers on a personal level.  Conversion rates and customer opinions tend to be higher with one-to-one marketing. 

Proximity marketing can give valuable individual customer insights such as location, number of store visits, and usual visit times. Analyzing this data can tell you more about your customers, giving you valuable insights to grow your business. PM software will also allow you to reach customers promptly when you have time-limited promotions or sales. 

Another benefit of proximity marketing is that it can be used to reach consumers who are not near a business’s physical location. For example, if a company has a mobile app, it can use location data from the app to send messages to consumers who are near a store or other location that is relevant to the business. This is a more effective way to reach consumers who may otherwise be unaware of the business. 

Proximity marketing can increase brand awareness, raise conversion rates, and improve customer loyalty. It can also help businesses reduce advertising costs by allowing them to target customers who are already engaged with the company. 

What does the future of proximity marketing look like? 

Proximity marketing as a field is still young. That means things are likely to continue developing as time goes on. PM technology will become more sophisticated, and targeting will likely become even more accurate. In the future, new technologies like Bluetooth beacons will make it easier for businesses to utilize proximity marketing.  

The usage of proximity marketing is on the rise, so we will see more businesses adopting these strategies in the future. The field will likely increase in complexity and sophistication in the coming years. 

Conclusion 

Proximity marketing can be a powerful tool for businesses. It’s a tactic that uses cutting-edge technology to send messages based on a customer’s location. When implemented by an experienced provider and combined with powerful software, it can help a business improve brand awareness, raise conversion rates, and improve customer loyalty. It can also help reduce advertising costs by targeting customers who are either already engaged with the business or physically nearby. 

Presence Engage (PE) is powerful proximity marketing software. With Presence Engage, you can boost sales and loyalty by engaging with your customers in personalized ways. PE allows you to create customer profiles, anticipate in-store behavior, and initiate great customer interactions that increase revenue. The software can be implemented quickly and was designed with ease of use in mind. If you’d like to learn more about Presence Engage, click here, or contact us with any questions you may have.