The WiFi Strategy

People today are used to being connected to the internet at all points of time. While this may have seemed almost impossible a few years ago, with the new age of Smartphone technology, the internet is at our fingertips at every moment of the day.

This radical change that has led to the increased demand for internet connectivity. Most small businesses have learnt to capitalize on this need. They do this by providing free WiFi services to their customers. In fact, this marketing strategy is brilliant as it encourages people to step into a shop or a restaurant just so that they can access the internet.

This strategy works particularly well with most travelers. Most people do not have internet on the go. The need to connect and check their emails and social networking sites is high and without the internet people begin to feel lost and out of touch. Instead of paying to use the internet, these travelers prefer to step into a restaurant and eat while they use the free WiFi which is provided. The free hotspots act as a lure and the soothing ambiance helps too!

A survey that was conducted in 2015 stated that most people on business trips stated that free WiFi access was one of the main deciding factors that they used when they chose a hotel to stay in. So, you can actually see the importance that free WiFi plays in attracting clients to your business.

This isn’t just limited to restaurants and hotels. A lot of other small businesses have started using this marketing strategy. In fact, you will even see this being incorporated in hospitals. Since both the patient and the relative spend a lot of time in waiting rooms and in the hospital rooms, you can safely assume that the hotspots would help them work as well as pass their time. A number of hospitals have already implemented this and so far their success rates have been really good.

WiFi not only attracts people to your business, but it also encourages them to spend a longer duration there. The longer a client remains in your premises the more the client is likely to spend. It also means that the client is more likely to return.

Let’s take an example. You are traveling through a certain city and you see that a restaurant provides free WiFi. Since you need to connect to the internet, you are more likely to make a pit stop. Since you want to use the WiFi, you also need to make a purchase. So you buy yourself a snack and a cup of coffee. If your work doesn’t get over quickly, you are most likely to order something more. This is how the restaurant profits.

If you are happy with the service and you are staying in the area, you may return to the restaurant once more for breakfast or lunch or tea. Whatever suits your fancy! This is how free WiFi, encourages the clients to return.
There is more to this strategy than most people realize. By allowing the client to use the WiFi, you are also directing them to your business’ website directly. This means that you will have a lot of virtual traffic directed to your site. The increase in traffic means that your site will start to get better google ratings. This in turn will help highlight your business on the virtual platform. Most people would know that this in itself is a good advertising strategy!

Some businesses use their WiFi well. To use their WiFi system, the client needs to log in by using their personal data like their email address and their phone number. With this kind of data, the business can now send the client updates on all their offers. Since the client has agreed to the terms and conditions, it also means that the client has agreed to receive these advertisements. This helps in marketing your business. These kinds of advertisements have a low expenditure rate and are easy to use.

As far as overheads are concerned, the cost of providing free WiFi is small when compared to the profits that you make. That is the main reason why more and more small businesses are incorporating this marketing strategy. With the advantages that can be seen, more and more people are looking at better and better ways to use it!