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SI0716OM make a version that lasts three years). You could hypothetically purchase several iBeacons, sign up for a service like Shoutem and begin geomarketing to your customers pretty quickly. A note about iBeacons: Apple created the technology, but not the actual beacon devices themselves. Multiple manufacturers sell their own individualized packaging, so you can hunt for the iBeacon that best suits your needs. Know Your Customers By Name Not only do beacons allow you to connect with your customers and push promotions, but they also directly impact your sales. Take the examples from earlier. Hillshire Farm noticed a 20 percent increase in purchase intent and a 36 percent increase in brand awareness when they launched their beacon program in 2014. Macy’s was so pleased with their initial tests that they decided to put beacons in every store. Major League Baseball said in 2015 their fan check-ins had “increased exponentially, in the triple digits from 2014 to 2015.” A survey conducted by Accengage, a leader in mobile marketing, revealed users spend 86 percent of their time browsing mobile apps rather than mobile websites. However, users often download apps and then quickly forget about them. Accengage also reports that one out of every five users will launch your app just once. That’s why a service like Shoutem is great, because you can push notifications to customers through beaconing but you can also schedule push notifications (just like you would an email drip campaign) regardless of your customer’s location so you stay at the forefront of their minds. As technology changes, causing fear to grow about breakdowns in relationships and meaningful communication, developments like retail beacons ironically take us back to a time when storeowners knew the name of every customer that walked through their door. Innovation is a great way for you to stay in-stride with your competition, and anytime you can think “beyond the bricks,” you’re bound to head in the right direction. Editor’s Note: Readers, how do you feel about using this technology? We want to hear from you! Email editor@ shootingindustry.com. www.shootingindustry.com FIREARMS BUSINESS INSURANCE PROGRAM Providing insurance solutions for the ﬁrearms industry for over 30 years 800.526.2199 | info@jcinsco.com | www.guninsurance.com JULY 2016 29Page 28Page 30

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