Apr 10

Digital Waiting Room Displays

THE WAITING ROOM

Let’s face it. We’ve all been in waiting rooms that make you feel like time literally stands still. The anticipation of it all can be overwhelming, no matter what clinic you’re in.

Why does it seem like the waiting room is forgotten place? Do we not deserve the same attention as when we are sitting right in front of the practitioner? Do we not need just as much comfort ‘waiting’ to be taken care of as when we actually ‘are’ being taken care of?

RealEyes Displays is here to help practitioners think more critically about their waiting room. Inner-clinic marketing benefits are two-fold: 1) Patients Benefit by something to help pass the time, educate them, and provide some level of comfort 2) The clinic benefits to help educate patients that are captive and highly receptive to their information.

Of course, we are going to make a case for digital displays in the waiting room – you can already see that one coming. But the truth is…clinic managers should do SOMETHING. Whatever it is, you must realize the power of the audience you have in your possession. These are members of YOUR practice. They believe in you or they wouldn’t come to you. Don’t be afraid to use your methods to educate them, and further build their trust in your practice! They will never be more open to your brand as when they are actually VISITING YOU!

Our case for choosing our digital displays as your method of choice is concise: It’s the most effective, and it’s simple. The power of a digital display is to make staff’s lives easier. It takes precious time to create a poster, print it, post it, take it down, and put up a new one. When you have a digital display, this time is cut to a fraction. How about this – create your message, send it to the display in seconds, then set it to recur at different days/times so that it posts ITSELF from that point on? Hours of time saved instantly.

Case and point: digital displays are more eye catching, and provide such features to take care of themselves. In fact, we make it even easier for chiropractors. We developed our own chiropractic display service called The Chiro-Channel. It’s low-cost, branded to each clinic, and shows your OWN messages. No one else can replicate it, because it’s yours.

Post in the comments below, or email us if you’d like to learn a bit more about how digital displays help with inner-clinic marketing, or The Chiro-Channel.

Sep 19

Digital Signage Vs DVD Player

A quick video where I describe the major advantages of a digital signage system over a DVD player solution. Lot’s more to come on this subject.

Jun 15

Touch Screens Give Digital Signage The FINGER

touch screen display tv sign

Touch Screens have been around since the 60′s, yet we still consider them to be upper-crust technology today.  They are is still one of the most intuitive and easy interactive technologies available today….right next to ‘gesture’ recognition and Google’s mind-reading technology. (how would that work with a phone, I wonder?)  Kidding about that last one.

As you apply the economic standard to this technology (more power, less cost), it’s easy to see why large format touch screens are popping up like daisies (or if you’re adverse to technology…dandelions).  The value they bring is becoming more real for even small businesses nowadays, and the digital signage arena sees them as a welcome complement.

The main purpose of this post is actually to point out some key benefits to touch screens from a digital signage point of view.  And despite what you may have thought about the title of this post, I mean the “Finger” as a thumb…as in, “thumbs up.” (and please don’t send me a ton of emails saying that a thumb is not a finger.  It’s attached to your hand, therefore it is in the finger category) Here they are:

  1. Touch Screens can combine the all the marketing and communication benefits of a TV sign, but deliver more value by allowing users to obtain deeper information beyond the looping pictures and text.
  2. Track-able touch-trends to extrapolate visitor interest statistics (say that 5 times fast)
  3. They are “Opt-In,” meaning users are exposed to touch messages based on their own free will and interest
  4. RealEyes Touch Displays are web-enabled and easy to update.  This means clients can tailor their marketing messages based on the true interests of their viewers
  5. Touch technology is widely accepted, and most individuals enjoy interacting with them
  6. Integration with various mediums such as mobile, social, email and more
  7. Becoming more and more cost effective, so even small businesses can afford their benefits
  8. Just like digital signage, custom created touch screens bring very specific interactive benefits to whatever market they were designed for.  (ex: touch donor walls provide easy updates, and allow benefactors to tell their story to an audience)

For marketers, touch screens are a “home-run.”  Very few marketing mediums provide such directly measured exposures from an audience.  Look for touch screens to gain further traction in the next couple years.  Most notably in mall-navigations, interactive donor displays, and even as a digital touch-concierge in hotels.

I’m not one for clichés, but seriously folks…the possibilities are endless.  I did not even come close to listing ALL the benefits of interactive touch screens, and wanted to leave that to you.  I always love to hear your ideas – comment below!

By the way, there’s some good touch screen techie information out there.  Check out the Wikipedia article HERE.

May 24

A Video Signs’ Best Friend

attention video sign

If you’ve done your research, you know that video signs are most effective when they are given attention…not just from an audience.  It is my belief that the more attention the video sign operator gives to the sign, the more visitor attention it will receive.

This goes back to marketing 101.  Messages through ANY medium are most effective when they combine the 3 R’s:

  1. Recency : the most effective messages are timed just right
  2. Relevancy : the more a message relates to its audience, the more effective it becomes
  3. Repetition : On average, it takes about 5-7 impressions of a message before it is rememebered

With a video sign, the 3 R’s are relatively easy to incorporate.  Recency is easy (or “Reezy” if you read the Scooby Doo post), because displays can be updated within minutes…or even set up to pull live information from the web.  Done.  Making a message relevant is completely up to you.  If you know your business, you should know what your visitors are interested in.  But keep it simple.  Repetition is also quickly set because you can set messages to appear/recur/expire on a timed loop.

So what is a video sign’s “Best Friend?”  Support.  To make your video sign work well you must give it attention and support.  And at RealEyes Displays, we’re not quite pompous enough to assume all of our clients slap their alarm clock and run to their computers and update their video sign.  We know some days it’s tough to gather enough attention to even put on matching socks.

That’s why we’re here for support.  Let us update your video sign every once in a while – or take advantage of one of our monthly message plans.  The point is, we’re here to keep your video sign happy and effective.  That’s what friends are for!

While you’re perusing the blog, be sure to click through to our NEWLY UPDATED website!  (www.RealEyesDisplays.com) You’ll find the site easier to navigate, and some real presentation samples on the “markets” page.

As always, we’d love to hear your comments and thoughts!

Apr 11

Behind the Scenes of Splitting Screens

Two posts ago, we discussed how “Content Management” was the compelling reason why digital signage works.

Well if you’ve done your homework, you may hear a lot of companies talking about “split-screening” or “multiple zones” on the monitor. This is a simple feature that most of the 300 digital signage software’s offer.

So what is it? Why is it helpful? Where is it most effective?
Well grab your coffee and a recliner, and let’s cut to the quick:

What is it?
Split screening refers to how the messages show up on your video sign.  See the example below:

video sign split screen exampleYou see, the true functionality is realized when you see how many zones show information at once.  In the fullscreen example, one single zone takes up the real estate of the whole monitor.  In the split screen example, each zone shows a playlist of messages – each running independently.

Why is Split Screen helpful?

Split screening can be a very powerful feature…when used in the right environment.  The general public is used to scanning webpages and ads to grab the messages that apply to their own lives.  Split screening allows lots of information to be shown at once.  Things like the weather, time and news can maintain their own space on the screen so that viewers don’t need to keep searching the screen…or wondering when the next story comes up in a playlist.  Consistent messages like weather/news/time also help to catch people’s eye, bring them in, and give them exposure to the other parts of the screen that show your promotional messages.

Where is it most effective?

Split screening on your video sign is certainly a helpful feature in some environments…but not all.  It typically works best in areas with longer dwell times – waiting rooms, service desks, the DMV, or even in medical operating rooms.

When placed into areas with short dwell times and higher traffic counts – it can actually hurt your exposure.  For example, in the hallway of a stadium or expo, when a monitor is split as seen in the picture above, it becomes too BUSY.  People see information, but they don’t have time to read the messages, or let their eyes find what is relevant.  Therefore – unless you have a large video wall, simple graphics and large text in fullscreen format work best for high traffic, low dwell time environments.

Another proof that a digital signage company should not just be a display-dealer.  They should work with each client to build build the multiple monitor system however it fits for the viewer’s environment.

Have a question of how to show messages to YOUR audience?  Write a little blurb in the comments below, and I’ll be happy to spring a little advice.  Have a good week!

Mar 07

Multiple Monitors “Power” Corporate Branding

An explanation about how a multiple monitor setup of video signs gives ultimate corporate control. Headquarters can send messages and update monitors across the nation with a few clicks.  This topic is tied directly to the previous post about What’s Compelling About Video Signs.  Click this whole link to view that post.

Feb 28

What’s Compelling About Video Signs: A MN Winter Example

I had a nice conversation the other day with a former graphic artist who owns a retail business.  Let’s call him “Bob.”  Through networking, I was referred to Bob because of his graphics background, tech saaviness, and the fact that he owns a retail establishment that could benefit quite well with a couple video signs.  I couldn’t think of a better candidate to run a presentation on multiple monitors.

Needless to say, my anticipation of a great call and the introduction of a brand new, highly effective way to use his graphical abilities was dampened by a bit of skepticism.  After a short discussion, I soon got the feeling that Bob felt as if I was challenging his abilities to make great content.  His one question is the theme behind this post,

“Well, what is so compelling about what your company does?”

I couldn’t fault him for asking.  It’s a very legitimate question, so I figure that many others have thought the same.  If you can put together stellar graphics, flash presentations or videos, why invest in multiple monitors with software to run them?  Why not just show a slideshow, or put your stellar video files on a DVD player?

It all comes down to the core of a video-signs capabilities: CONTENT MANAGEMENT.  Content management is exactly how it sounds; the “management” (which is the organization,timing,accessibility,distribution) of “content” (which is a collection of messages-ie; pictures,music,video,flash,LiveData, etc).

It took a bit to explain to Bob that setting him up with a professional grade digital message board was actually helping to further his graphical abilities.  Sure, he can create a single stellar flash presentation where there’s wonderful pictures and videos all mixed into one professional looking presentation.  However, the dilemma folks run into is a lot like dressing for a Minnesota winter (see picture below).  Here in the frozen land, we don’t wear a 10″ thick single-piece garment that has boots, snowpants, a jacket, gloves and hat all built in.  The best way to be comfortable is to dress in “layers.”  Strip a layer off, put another on.  Trade out your hat for some pink earmuffs.  You get the picture.

If each of those garments is a message, we can take them on and off when the time is right.  The same goes for showing your stellar presentation on multiple monitors.  The graphic artist needs to redo, and re-upload…or even re-burn a new DVD whenever a messages changes.  Then physically walk out to the display, change them out, press play and loop, and hope your DVD player lasts for more than a month.

Now, say Bob owns a restaurant.  He probably doesn’t want to have to create 7 DVD’s for each day of the week to keep up with specials.  Invest in digital message board, and set the same nice presentation to run – but only have that specific special change each day of the week.  SCHEDULE it to take care of itself (example, your Friday fish fry is timed to show up right when you open on Friday)…. then sit back an watch your display update.  AND so the audience doesn’t get tired of the same stuff, why not throw some auto-updating news/weather/stocks/sports content in there to keep the display fresh?  Bob can even deliver more value by setting part of his monitor to update according to the estimated seating time.

So what is compelling about the professional method?  Content Management.  Because the best marketing delivers the right message at the right time, to the right audience, without costing valuable time to update.  Oh, and our monitors last longer, and have triple the warranty of any store-bought TV.  Great video post on that HERE.

Happy to answer any questions, and I’d love to hear any thoughts or ideas you have!  Post in the comments below:

Feb 24

Napoleon Dynamite’s Finding Online Marketing Methods To Put With Your Nunchucks

To learn a lesson from Napoleon Dynamite, you need “skills” to handle the buttload of gangs (competitors), and hunt those hundred wolverines (clients).  However, instead of brushing up on your bowstaff or computer hacking skills, think online marketing.

Sales and marketing are the driving forces that keep your business…in business.  Understanding which sales and marketing methods are effective for you will help you jump that extra 3 ft with your huffy.

Today, let’s concentrate just in the online realm.  Where do you start? First of all, if you are a small business, you must FOCUS your time/effort where it is most effective.  Starting 10 different methods of online advertising will only give you watered down results….and you will be too overwhelmed to keep up.

To give structure to this process, let’s use the standard decision making process:

  1. Identify your goal for online promotion.  Essentially, what are you looking to get out of this?  A phone call?  A visit to a website?  Contact info in exchange for a whitepaper download?  An actual online sale?
  2. Generate your “consideration list.”  This is all of the possible methods that you can think of which have ANY effect on your goal.  Brainstorm here.  Explore all of the options that seem outright ridiculous.  If they have an effect, list it.  Sometimes the most odd ideas can lead to something great.  Start with the basics and branch from there:  Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, MeetUP, Adwords, Smart Ads,
  3. Generate your “evoked set.”  Trim your list…eliminate the obvious ones that won’t work.  Scale down to a few that seem reasonable (maybe 3-5 options).  I consider this the ROUGH cut, so don’t spend too much time on this step.
  4. Evaluate and weigh your options.  I consider this the FINE cut, which will take a little bit of time.  However, time spent planning saves at least 100 times it’s weight in the field (yes, another great exaggeration).  I have a very linear, “listing” type personality.  So when I proceed with this step, I usually open an Excel spreadsheet and create a crosstab.  On the left column, list all the important criteria to get you the exposure that you want (ex: amount of reach, amount of interaction, trustworthy source, competition, etc).  Then on the top row, list those 3-5 methods.  Fill in and rate each method based on your criteria.
  5. You may even “weight” the importance of each criteria, but when you are all done, add up the score for each method.  Here’s the important part: try not to give higher scores to methods you feel most comfortable with (called a “halo” effect).  You’re only wasting time if you stack the deck.  You can reduce the halo effect by working through the process with a partner.

Lastly, to help reduce your risk of investment even MORE…talk with an expert in that field which you have decided.  If you found that Twitter is the best resource, talk to someone who is already successful or find someone in your network who is big into social media.  You will be glad you took the time, because those who are successful most likely had to work through some pitfalls to get there.

As always, we’d love to hear your input or your favorite Napoleon Dynamite Quote!  Think of another step to the process?  Another method of making that marketing decision?  Comment below and we’ll respond.

Feb 22

Promoting Digital Signage Online

A couple great conversations on Twitter have led me to this post. This particular topic comes from Carlos Silva of Catalyst Dynamic, a social media company focused on “humanizing” businesses. We discussed the most effective ways to promote digital signage online. So of course, this post is more directed towards advocates of digital signage.

Every marketer must take the time to think about the best ways to market their product or service. Certain methods obviously fit better than others. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that promoting digital signage in the phone book won’t work. Who reads the phone book? Certainly not the targeted age group.

So where does 137% of the world look to find technology products?   Online.  Most digital signage companies do not sell their products to end-users through an online store, so that means that there must be relationship building involved.  You can build these relationships two ways using online mthods:

  1. Reactive: promote heavily to gain exposure to your target market.  This means that the customer finds you, engages your company from a pre-existing interest.  Do this through smart-ads, adwords, email campaigns, whitepaper distributions, press releases, etc.
  2. Pro-active: YOU actively engage potential clients.  What methods work best for online engagement?  SOCIAL MEDIA.  Yes, social media is an “engagement” tool, and much less effective as an advertising tool.  You do not want to play that weird mascot guy dressed up on the side of the road, holding a sign, trying to get honks from cars.  Nobody talks to him.  Carlos knows what this is about, he says to “…engage them in conversation, and after a couple of emails they already know about you, so it will be easy to talk about the benefits of your business.”

Another great way to put human characteristics to your online promotions is to start blogging.  Carlos discusses that your digital signage blog should not be “catered to your industry, rather blog about what interests potential clients.  Clients don’t care about the industry jargon, so think about what they DO care most about.  It will take time, but more will follow.”

You don’t want to be that weird guy at a party of potential clients who only hangs by the food and tries to sound smart.  You must RELATE to people.  Enjoy your blogging and your interactions.  Be the one that anyone in the party can approach and feel comfortable with.

I’ll be talking with Carlos of Catalyst Dynamic more.  In the mean time, check out his business: www.catalystdynamic.com

Feb 08

Social Media: Our Flaming Sword

I talk about social media on a broad scale. Not only can we communicate with friends and family, but our networking base is drastically increased. We can also set up and mobilize faster than any time in history.

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