Interesting to learn from this article that more than 8,000 McDonald’s offers customers free Wi-Fi with their meals. And that digital signage is coming way down on price (more on that below).

I’m a big fan of Wi-Fi. I use it every day at home, the office and in stores I visit. Like a lot of you, I’m more likely to buy coffee and a snack from a shop that provides Wi-Fi — or a clothing store, or a gift shop. I suspect many of your customers feel the same way, since so many of them access the web on their laptop PCs and cell phones.

If you have an Internet connection in your store, why not use it to attract customers? Wi-Fi routers cost less than $100 these days. Set one up and let everyone know you offer Wi-Fi via email, your website, ads, flyers, etc. Put in a few chairs so users can get comfortable and linger awhile. You might get some malingerers, but you can set time limits to cut down on abuse.

I say the more reasons you can give customers to stay in your retail environment, the better. The Wi-Fi users will tell their friends about you and you’ll benefit from the word-of-mouth. Just don’t forget to turn off the router when your store is closed, lest you want “access point surfers” camping outside, using your signal.

As for digital signage, I think they’re great for food menus and any retail space. They can be as subtle or as loud as you want. Most of them now come with programmable handheld remotes or wireless keyboards, so you can change messages in a flash.

We at TRIO just started carrying wireless LED moving-message signs. I’m sold on them as merchandising tools. Early sales show that our customers are as well. Check out our selection for yourself.

Wi-Fi and digital signs: Two bright ideas you can put to use today and see results by tomorrow.