What’s better than receiving a 50 percent off coupon in the mail or a warm welcome from a friendly salesperson? Receiving it on your iPhone when you walk in the store. Some say creepy, I say awesome!
This is within the realm of possibilities for the latest technology developed by the Interactive Services team at Off Madison Ave. It’s called Lighthouse and fittingly so the software does exactly what you might think, given the name.
Lighthouse is a technology that enables mobile apps to send messages through the use of Bluetooth beacons. These small devices can be placed virtually anywhere. Each time a smartphone gets in range, the downloaded app then identifies where you are. Once you’re in its sights, customized push notifications appear. Voila!
I recently got a sneak peak of how Lighthouse works at the 2015 AIGA EXPO. When I walked in to Talking Stick Resort… ping! “Welcome to the AIGA EXPO.”
When I was waiting for another EXPO session… ping! “Don’t forget the Mock President Debate starts at 1:30.”
And best of all, any time I walked near a restaurant I got served, well maybe not literally. But, I received useful information on restaurant offerings.
So you might be wondering, what’s the point? Well, it’s to get to know your consumer and know them well. No one consumer is the same, therefore, no one experience should be the same. People today want to have meaningful interactions with brands and they want useful, relevant information at just the right time. Lighthouse is that delivery platform.
Think of it as having a friend from the past send you a text to meet up for happy hour. You may not talk everyday, but when you hear from them you’re glad they reached out.
In years past, and I mean the years before I was born, marketing efforts consisted primarily of more of a batch-and-blast approach. Now, nearly every generation expects a much more personalized experience and that is what Lighthouse delivers.
“Based on location, we can give you circumstantial information. It gives brands the ability to tag your profile with specific information and market in a much more relevant way,” said Erik Madsen, Interactive Services at Off Madison Ave.
For those of you who think this might be slightly overwhelming, buckle up because this is the new normal. We’ve entered a time of information overload and brands must be creative in their approach to getting our attention. They’ve got to get to know us, our likes, dislikes and habits if they want us to engage.
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