Published at http://www.ravepro.com
By Jeff Faber and Angelo Kosmidis; Sharp's Audio Visual

Digital signage is not your typical AV integration play. It involves several varied disciplines:

• Audio Visual Integration - displays, signal distribution, mounting etc.
• Information Technology (PCs, network connectivity, software)
• Content (multimedia production)
• Communication Strategy (what message, where, when, to whom and how often)

It is rare to find companies that address all of these disciplines under one roof. As such, lots and lots of players have emerged, claiming to be a “one stop shop” only to fall short and leave the customer with a partial solution because they failed to address all of the requirements. Others who get it try bringing partners into the equation or hope that the customer can fill in the gaps.

Most times the “partners” have differing priorities and perspectives that don’t always mesh and this dynamic leaves the customer with a less-than-ideal experience. You can’t assume that the customer’s IT and communications resources will be available and willing to participate.

How can you properly service this business? The first step is to understand the importance of each of these disciplines and that you can make the case for each one of these being the most important cog in the wheel.

• “Without the displays and the physical installation – you have no digital signage.”
• “Without the IT infrastructure – you might as well have a DVD player driving the displays.”
• “Without the content, why go to all the trouble of buying and installing the equipment?”
• “Without a proper communication strategy what good are the content, hardware and IT infrastructure? You will be displaying irrelevant messages to uninterested viewers.”

Long-term success in digital signage will come only if you embrace and address each of the four disciplines. First off though, you must identify a “Digital Signage Champion” within your organization.

This champion must be prepared to learn all things digital signage and must be able to weed through the myriad “industry-leading digital signage solutions” that will promise “easy to use, complete, digital signage-in-a-box solutions.” Buyer Beware.

It will be up to your “Champion” to develop your digital signage offerings and to then instill this knowledge into the rest of the organization.

(Return to Headlines)