With mobile flying past desktop as the most important influencer for consumers to make purchase decisions, brands and stores should focus on the most effective way to reach customers who are already on their mobile devices — proximity marketing. This method allows brands the opportunity to reach their target customers with hyper-local, tailored content and is used as a key differentiator among major brands. Here, we will cover some of the best uses for sending beacon-based notifications or messages to customers in order to effectively engage them and decrease the number of wasted impressions.

1. Use Hyper-local References

Local points of interest and landmarks always enjoy a good recall value. Brands may set their beacon notifications to reference local landmarks in the neighborhood in an attempt to simplify store discovery. In addition, particularly popular places of interest are more likely to have high numbers of visitors, so brands can rest assured they will receive a strong number of impressions. An example of hyper-local marketing would be a notification that reads, “It looks like you are near Hotel Chaise. Why not treat yourself? Jump in now.”

2. Send Messages With Value In-store

Stores should consider sending value-added messaging to customers as they move about the store. Not only should beacon campaigns be exclusive, but stores should also take extra precautions to avoid bombarding customers with generic blanket messages. In addition, beacon-based marketing notifications should demonstrate significant value for customers. The Apple Store is a strong example of a store that leverages beacons to send value-added messaging. Customers receive well-curated messages ranging from messages that welcome them into the store to messages that encourage them to read product reviews.

3. Make Product Recommendations Based on Customer Behavior

Stores can send beacon notifications that include highly tailored product recommendations based on certain aspects and trends of customer behavior. Brands can leverage important customer insights such as dwell time, purchase history and online browsing history in order to make intelligent and precise product recommendations to customers. Barneys New York, a luxury department store, uses beacons in a similar way by sending personalized product recommendations and notifications to shoppers. The store bases the notifications on the customers’ wish lists, mobile shopping backs and browsing patterns within The Window — the store’s in-house publication.

4. Send Reminders for Loyalty Points Totals

Beacons can help enhance a brand’s loyalty program by delivering contextual, personalized and data-driven customer experiences. Stores can leverage these beacon-based loyalty programs to send real-time, up-to-date loyalty points reminders directly to their consumers. Implementing beacons at important areas throughout the store such as checkout counters or entry points can be used to trigger these loyalty points notifications. This can be a valuable way of connecting with customers and demonstrating the helpfulness of a brand as most consumers may not be aware of the number of points that they have accumulated.

5. Collaborate With Other Brands

Brands implementing beacon-based campaigns should consider leveraging third-party endorsements, campaigns and other popular brands in order to ride on their popularity. These types of collaborations will not only enhance the value of the brand itself but will also provide the opportunity for a brand to increase its customer base as it connects with the collaborating brand’s customers.

Beacon-based messaging can potentially connect brands to customers in both the virtual and physical worlds. The personalization, context and content of beacon notifications have the power to directly influence a customer’s shopping experience and bridge the gap between desire and purchase. However, it is critical that brands first run a pilot test to ensure they fully understand the effectiveness of the campaign before proceeding with a full-fledged proximity marketing initiative.