| Digital signs offer the dual advantages of keeping | | | | that point, the cycle begins again. |
| messages fresh and making them visually appealing | | | | Contrast the effort, time and expense of creating |
| thanks to their dynamic nature. | | | | static printed signs with the dynamic, easily changed |
| Digital signage is great. Digital signage is great. Digital | | | | messaging that’s possible with digital signage. |
| signage is great. Digital signage is great. Digital signage | | | | Scrolling text, animated clips, motion graphics, video |
| is great. Digital signage is great. Digital signage is great. | | | | and sound are all effective components on a well |
| Digital signage is great. Digital signage is great. Digital | | | | integrated digital signage message. Each is easily |
| signage is great.” | | | | added. Doing so is made even easier by digital |
| That paragraph gets an “A” for consistency, | | | | signage templates that are about as difficult to use |
| but an “F” when it comes to building reader | | | | as a Microsoft PowerPoint template. |
| interest and holding reader attention. You don’t | | | | Many digital signage users report being able to |
| need a Ph.D. in English or communications to | | | | playback their initial messaging within a few hours of |
| understand why. It’s repetitive, dull and boring. | | | | loading digital signage software and templates onto |
| How about the signs hanging in your establishment? | | | | their computers. Updating those messages also is |
| Week after week, month after month, customers | | | | simple, requiring as little as a few minutes to a couple |
| and prospects see the same printed message on | | | | of hours per week, depending on how extensive |
| those signs. Do you see the similarity between the | | | | that messaging maintenance is. |
| opening paragraph of this column and those signs? | | | | The dynamic messaging offered by digital signs also |
| Sure, your customers and prospects might have read | | | | exploits the human response to motion. A printed |
| those printed signs the first -and even the second- | | | | sign is static; it does not move, nor does it change. |
| time they walked into your establishment. But what | | | | Digital signs offer dynamic communications. Text can |
| about now? Have they given them a second glance | | | | scroll across the bottom of the screen. Weather |
| for months? | | | | graphics can be automatically modified in response to |
| The tendency to not want to change printed signs is | | | | changing conditions. Animated logos and graphics can |
| understandable. Printing is expense, both in terms of | | | | fly through view, and video obviously is filled with |
| money and time. Think about the process for a | | | | motion. |
| moment. You or someone in your organization must | | | | Incorporating some or all of these elements into a |
| conceive the message, create the design, assemble | | | | digital sign message adds movement. That taps into |
| the pieces and –depending upon the complexity | | | | the natural human tendency to direct one’s eyes |
| of the project and the quality desired- hand off the | | | | and attention to something in motion, which is a |
| project to a printer, who puts it in his queue of jobs, | | | | tremendous advantage for anyone with a message |
| or drive to a quick-print service and wait for the job | | | | to convey. |
| to be completed. | | | | Thus, leveraging the power of digital signage versus |
| Once printed and displayed, the new sign has a brief | | | | using static print delivers two important advantages: |
| life as a fresh communications tool. Soon, it’s | | | | the flexibility to change messaging quickly and easily |
| been seen by customers and prospects numerous | | | | and the ability to attract the attention and interest of |
| times and it fades into the background somewhere | | | | patrons. With benefits like that, it’s easy to see |
| between the pictures on the wall and the paint. At | | | | why I say digital signage is great. |