From phone apps to smart homes, the Internet of Things is taking over.

At this year's Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, one trend stood out above all others: connectivity. Labeled “The Internet of Things” or “IoT,” the trend refers to technologies that allow objects and appliances to interface with an Internet.

Examples most of us are familiar with include home monitoring and security systems, and home climate control. Up-and-coming examples of IoT for the home include a refrigerator with a camera that lets you scan the contents of your fridge while grocery shopping, or a garden sensor that reports back moisture and nutrient levels in your yard.

The impact of IoT on the grill market has yet to be fully felt. But make no mistake; it's coming. Gartner, an IT research firm, estimates that up to 500 home items could be connected by 2022. What this means is an ever-growing segment of consumers will be looking for integrated devices, whether in their home, cars or backyard grilling experience.

The initial barrier most dealers will face when selling “smart” equipment is the same barrier consumers face – a lack of understanding of the technology and how it works. But dealers must move beyond simple understanding of the new flood of smart products coming their way and focus their attention on end benefits for their customers.

Sure, a camera inside a grill that lets you look at your food cooking might be fun, but to sell consumers on any upgrade, you and your staff must be able to explain why the technology makes their lives easier, simpler, safer or smarter. And the only way you'll be able to explain those benefits is to understand and use the technology yourself.

Seeing Is Believing

It's no secret that people are more likely to move toward the purchase if they can see and touch the grill they're buying. Having smart grills on the floor and using them in cooking demos is essential to making a sale. It's kind of cool to know a smart grill can send a text to your smart phone that your grill is pre-heated; it's another to hold your phone and see the message actually pop up.

Walk Consumers Through the Benefits

To sell smart technologies, you'll want to think through how these technologies benefit consumers and how to best convey these benefits. In the example above where a customer receives a text about the grill being pre-heated, you'll want to make the leap for the consumer and tie that feature into their lives.

Talk about how not having to wait around the grill frees up time. Or how receiving a text that the grill is cool enough to clean frees them from forgetting about cleaning the grill after the meal is over. Ask customers if they're ever unsure about cooking times. Wouldn't it be useful to find a recipe and link the instructions directly to your grill so it cooks exactly right?

Focus on Safety

Safety is a huge selling feature, whether for home security systems, interactive smoke detectors that warn you when batteries are low, or for grills. Not sure if you turned a burner off? Check your phone. Need to make sure meat is cooked to a safe doneness? Smart technologies can help. Parents especially can be sold on smart features that they feel contribute to their family's safety.

Play Up Incentives

Most smart grilling technologies will come with added incentives, such as recipes delivered via mobile devices. To encourage low or slow adopters to try something new, you can experiment with pairing new and old. Offer discounts on tried-and-true grilling accessories with the purchase of a smart grill. Partner with a local grocery or health food store and offer coupons for meats and vegetables with a grill purchase – or even for attending a smart grill demo.

Use Social Media To Promote

With IoT beginning to penetrate the marketplace at critical mass, it makes sense that the consumers initially most likely to buy smart grilling technology will be those already heavily invested in technology and connectivity. Reaching these would-be buyers means expanding your social media outreach. Post an Instagram of your store's new smart grill in action. Send out tweets about upcoming cooking demos. Flood your store's Facebook page with pictures of the smart grill in action. Smart technology requires we meet consumers where they are – and most of them are online.

As high-tech grilling continues to evolve, the role of grills in a consumer's life will take on a new meaning. Higher engagement with a smart grill – and enhanced user friendliness – will likely bring new people to market, as well as encourage long-time grillers to upgrade their “dumb” grill for one that has looks and brains.

Keep Grilling,
Rob