The short answer is a resounding NO.  Even if you don’t have a retail location, if you have customers, clients or visitors into your place of business, you can benefit from a digital signage solution.  There are several reasons why digital signs can work, but let’s explain what a digital sign is first.

In its most basic form, a digital sign is a flat display screen, that shows electronically-generated messages.  These messages can be a simple slide show of photos and captions, or include animation and video as well.  One of the largest benefits of a digital sign is that it is extremely easy to update, allowing you to make changes weekly, daily or even hourly!  With more complex signage packages, you can have several screens, displaying similar or different images, and even program the screens to turn on or off, and even display certain things at specific times of the day.  That is how fast-food restaurants change their menu boards from breakfast, to lunch, to dinner… as well as easily displaying the current promotion.  Many of the sign solutions also have software that makes the creation and management of the signs very simple.

So how can that help you?  Let’s assume you have a lobby or waiting room.  You currently have several posters, signs and messages scattered around the walls.  As your customers wait for their turn, it is your hope that they are reading this information.  But is that information current?  Is it all accurate? And most importantly, are all your products and services represented?  I guess is that you have probably answered no to at least one of those questions.

A single, strategically placed digital sign, with a set of well designed slides, can really improve the impact of your messages.  And, as mentioned before, you can easily update and change these messages to make sure that they are current and correct.  Plus, you can make sure that all your products and services are covered.  If you have a larger area to cover, or different viewing angles, you can easily add more screens to your setup.

At ICS, we offer a few different signage solutions, depending on your needs and your budget.  The smallest screen size we recommend is 27″ and the largest screen we have installed is 60″, but the most common size is 32″.  You should bear in mind, however, that we do not recommend using a TV screen as the digital sign.  Your TV might look great in your warmly lit living room, but when placed in a business setting under flourescent light or bright sunlight from a window, it can look washed out.  Plus, most residential TVs are not designed to be running for 8 hours or more per day.  Commercial grade screens are built to last, and still look great in a brightly lit room.

If your needs are simple, you can run your slide show from a USB Thumb Drive.  If you want a bit more flexibility, then a small mini-computer can be used (and even mounted to the back of the screen) and will allow you to run PowerPoint or any other presentation software.  For those that want even more options, then something like LG’s SuperSign combination of screens and software can really do it.

So, if you are considering a digital sign, then give us a call