If you have an interest in signage, advertising or media but don’t want to get into the hypercompetitive vinyl/Chromadek/Perspex/Correx/PVC canvas/ABS plastic signage market, the digital signage industry is something to look at.
Digital signage uses LED, LCD or projection screens to display images, video or other rich media and has various applications from advertising health products in a doctors waiting room to large screens inside of malls.
Markets
Digital signage is not just used for advertising purposes, it is also used for menus, directions, pricing and other information.
Business model
When getting into the digital signage business you have to ask yourself do you want to offer digital signage as a service, or as a product? What I mean by this: You can offer digital signage to companies looking to add digital signage to their premises for internal purposes and charge a once off hardware and install fee or you can install digital signage in various places where there is foot traffic, sign up advertisers, who pay you a monthly fee and then you pay the venue owner a fee for putting screen in their spaces. This essentially puts you in the media business but I thought I would put it out there as an option.
There is also money to be made in designing the artwork to be displayed on the screens if a client does not provide their own.
Practical considerations
There are essentially two types of hardware used in digital signage, one is standard TV’s and monitors with computer box (sometimes a thin client or micro PC) containing software to control the various adverts to be displayed, often mounted with brackets.
Then there is dedicated digital signage hardware solutions, these are screens that have been specially made for this purpose.
Examples of digital signage
Digital signage menu
Digital signage in store
Interactive ads in a club
