The Big Picture - October 2013 - (Page 12)

dynamic signage Breaking Into a Dynamic Space By Beth Osborne W e live in an ever-changing marketplace. As we saw in the early 1990s with the innovation of digital printing, the signage and graphics industries are forever evolving. With competition steadfast, what’s the next step in the evolution of graphics? The obvious answer to me is electronic digital signage, aka “dynamic signage.” Whereas conventional print methods involve multiple steps to make simple changes to graphics and/or text, dynamic signage allows customers to change their messaging in moments. And there are other beneﬁts to dynamic signage as well, including: the ability to schedule speciﬁc messaging; remote changing of messages and content; displaying emergency messaging; a perceived sustainability versus print; and more. Some print shops believe that adding dynamic signage to their portfolio of options might appear to be a market that’s too expensive and too technical to break into. But by focusing on some of the talents and expertise that are already in-house, many print providers are actually well poised to enter into the dynamic-signage realm. What follows are a few notes that can help you determine if it’s time for you to break into a more dynamic space. A close look at your customers Look at your current customer base. What types of customers and projects need re-works and/or additional prints on a regular basis because of simple changes? Menu boards, BETH OSBORNE is a dynamic-signage consultant based in Charlotte, North Carolina, and the former director of marketing for Visual Impressions, a print and dynamic-signage company headquartered in Charlotte. A long-time advocate of dynamic signage, she currently works as a marketing strategist in the professional-services industry. Contact her at bethfosborne@gmail.com. 12 THE BIG PICTURE OCTOBER 2013 for instance, would be a prime candidate due to regular changes to items and pricing. It’s become a necessity rather than a choice for the industry. Think about how many quick-serve or fast-casual food venues have now gone completely digital. This type of changeover is even more apparent in food courts or with food-service companies that serve hospitals, universities, or other organizations because they change their menu items every day. Dynamic signage is the only solution for them. In the next ﬁve years, I believe print menus in these types of establishments will be the exception, not the rule. So, before making any decisions about whether to diversify into dynamic signage, take a close look at your customers. Think about the way they do business – speciﬁcally, how they communicate with customers. If their needs point toward constantly changing their messaging, then they’re an excellent candidate for dynamic signage. This is the starting point in determining if you want to diversify. Because if these customers need a better, quicker way to convey messaging, and their print shop cannot provide this, then they’ll seek out a new vendor, regardless of the relationship. In these initial conversations, listen speciﬁcally to your customers’ requirements. This can help you make the decisions on what type of solution to oﬀer. And this type of research will also supply you with any concerns the customer might have about dynamic signage – such as cost and ease of use. Barriers such as these can be easily overcome as you develop a solution that works for your speciﬁc customer. The hardware, the software, and more First, you need to determine what type of dynamic-signage solution you want to provide and what its components will be. A solution can be completely turnkey, with the vendor oﬀering hardware, software, creative, installation, hosting, and support. That might seem like a tall order – how can a print provider suddenly diversify without a large amount of resources? Here are just a few of the considerations when determining what you want to provide. >46

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Big Picture - October 2013

The Big Picture - October 2013
Contents
InSight
Wide Angle
Up Front
Dynamic Signage
Accelerate Your Training Efforts
Wrap-n-Roll
Previewing SGIA Expo 2013
Hardcore Print
R+D
Explorer

The Big Picture - October 2013