Digital Signage 101
Signage is an important aspect of your business—it lets your customers and potential customers know who you are and where you are. But sometimes you have more to say. Maybe you want to share you have a special sale going on, a membership deal, or more about who you are and what you offer. Maybe your brand has a certain tone or personality that a stationary sign alone can’t encompass. So, what do you do when your business has more to say? The answer: digital signage.
In the following post, we’ll discuss what digital signage can do for your business, which kind of digital sign makes sense for your company, and how to justify the cost of a digital sign.
Digital Signage Capabilities
A digital sign, also known as a electronic message board or electronic messaging center, is a natural extension of your permanent business sign that does some extra heavy lifting. It allows for a more integrated, advanced form of storefront advertising—and while social media has become king of advertising these days, there is still much storefront advertising can do—especially when it comes to drawing in customers off the street and into your place of business.
These days, digital signs are almost exclusively controlled by you, the business owner. It used to be that digital signs came with complex coding that only your digital signage company could change. Now, the software for digital signage is user friendly, meaning you can change the sign wording and design whenever, and in some instances, from wherever.
Aside from advertising, digital signage serves your business by allowing for:
- Announcements
- Situations these days change at a moments notice. Need to let your customers you’re open? That you require masks (or not) to enter your facilities? That your hours have changed? A digital sign gives your customers easy to read information quickly and efficiently. Nothing is more disappointing to a customer than showing up at your place of business, only to find that you’re closed, or they didn’t come prepared.
- Interaction
- Interactive signage is on the rise and is helping create a unique and memorable customer experience. Companies are no longer simply selling products—they’re selling a mood, a personality, a journey.
- Digital signage doesn’t have to be a big black box with red text at the front of your building anymore (though it certainly can be!). Digital signage can be incorporated inside your business as well. From interactive maps, to ordering stations, all these monitors are forms of digital signage.
- Create a seamless, customized experience for your customer base—imagine your customers not only interacting with your employees, but with your brand itself. New technology in the digital signage world makes this very thing possible.
- Wayfinding
- Now, wayfinding isn’t just about getting your customers and clients from one point to another. It’s about guiding their journey through your store or business.
- As we continue to navigate a contact-less world, technology is working to keep up by having “touchless touch screens” for your customers to interact with—and help them find their way.
Which Digital Sign is Right for You?
Much of this depends on what you’re hoping to achieve. If your main goal is dissemination of information, a simple digital sign at the front of your business with a basic software system might do the trick.
If you’re hoping to advertise events, specific products with images, or more complex messages you may need a digital sign that can display high-definition graphics or video.
Guiding your customer through your space or advertisements on a specific product? You may want to consider digital kiosks strategically placed throughout your space.
Justifying the Cost of a Digital Sign
- Tech integration with digital signage is getting more and more advanced.
- From app-enabled gaming to RFID/NFC (radio frequency identification/near field communication) where your digital sign passively recognizes devices and delivers information such as directions and websites, our devices and advertisements are getting smarter, and more interactive.
- Initial upfront cost, but dozens of ways to utilize a single product.
- From displaying deals, offers, and advertising select products, you have a 365-day, 24/7 ad available for commuters and customers to see.
- The message is in your hands. Digital displays have advanced so that you control the software, thus controlling the messaging when and how you want.
- We’re moving towards a more digitized world
- And we have been for a long time—the sooner your brand gets ahead of the curve as far as integrating digital signage and interactive signage into your locations, the better you will be able to connect to your customer base over the long-term and showcase your staying power.
Know Your Options
All digital signs are not created equal. A basic digital sign may serve your needs, but exploring the more advanced options with your sign company can help you determine not only what you need today, but into the future as well.