Are you a signage expert, signs or visual design specialist who wants to start selling technology products related to your business?
Great opportunities await you if you plan to offer the best solution to your customers (convenience stores, restaurants, museums, retail stores, institutions,…)! But how do you find your way through the variety of products and different technical aspects? This article is here to help you by answering the most common questions.
Products and prices vary. It is therefore important to have an overview of all the aspects concerning digital signage to feel comfortable with the development of your sales.
If you want to sell digital signage, keep in mind you’ll be selling equipment, coordinating installation, providing a software solution, and guiding content design. What’s interesting for any digital signage reseller is the revenue that can be generated at each step.
But let’s start with…
What is digital signage?
Digital signage, also known as dynamic signage, includes all display devices equipped with LCD or LED screens that are installed mainly in public or private areas with high traffic.
This equipment uses a computer connected to a network and broadcasts visual content, interactive or not, through content management software.
Generally speaking, the quipment includes TVs, kiosks, displays and tablets.
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The benefits of digital signage for your customers:
- Ease of displaying and changing marketing content
- The possibility of updating the visuals remotely in several points of sale at the same time
- The brightness catches the eye
- Interactivity to help sales (kiosk or touch tablets)
- The end of the static process of paper poster installation, disassembly, recycling—and starting over again
- Equipment prices are decreasing overall, and technology is evolving. The return on investment can be fast depending on the strategies chosen (contact Nummax and you will discover some very competitive prices)
- Ability to create a revenue stream for clients who display their partners’ advertising
Some disadvantages for the end client:
- An effort is needed to understand the digital signage environment in order to make the best choices (strategy, hardware, software, content)
- The need for an external provider to create and manage content if the client does not have the time
- The size of the equipment and the space it occupies in the sales area
To function, digital signage requires equipment that includes:
- One display area (screen or led)
- A computer (Windows, Android or Linux-based)
- A touch surface (for kiosks and tablets)
- Content delivery software
- A 110V 15A electrical circuit (more, if the indoor or outdoor display project is important)
- An Internet network (wired or wireless)
Why would your customers want digital signage?
The first concept that drives your customers (convenience stores, restaurants, museums, retail stores, institutions,…) to be interested in dynamic signage is the real-time control of the broadcasted messages.
A changing price, a last-minute promotion, an important message, a change in the store, or an unexpected event makes this power of control essential in the choice of digital signage.
In addition, this control also means the management of multiple stores or branches from a single remote location. Imagine instantly changing the advertisements of all your windows in North America from your office. This is impossible with paper.
Secondly, the possible interaction between customers and devices. This concerns kiosks and touch tablets that offer the possibility to use software or applications to receive orders, make reservations and collect customer data.
In this day and age, we are all used to technological devices, and interaction with equipment no longer surprises anyone.
Some users of digital signage are seeing the medium-term financial and logistical savings they have achieved by moving away from paper displays. Remember that the average cost of a single paper poster in a storefront is $50. This includes printing, shipping, installation, removal and recycling—and then starting over.
Digital signage is a single investment for a 10-year lifespan.
What strategy should you recommend to your clients?
Depending on the industry, the space available and objectives of your customers, the choice of equipment and its use may vary.
Here are some points to analyze and questions you can ask your clients:
The environment
- Are there waiting areas?
- Are there any customer transit areas?
- How many payment points in the locations?
- Are there large enough windows to exploit?
- Do you know the regulations for outward-facing displays?
- How far away will the audience or end customer be?
The interaction with the end customer
- Should the signage only display content?
- Do we want the customer to interact with the equipment?
- Do you have an application or a transactional website?
The technical aspects
- Are the premises equipped with a wireless network?
- What type of equipment will be the most adapted to the needs? (transactional terminal, tablet, etc.)
The end customer
- Are customers quick passers-by or not? (ex: convenience store, retail store, restaurant, etc.)
- Should customers be able to interact with the equipment?
- What is the typical customer profile? (age, status, finances, etc.)
- In what context do they visit the premises? (leisure, health, shopping, business, work, etc.)
The content
- Do your clients have the resources to take care of content creation?
- Can and will they manage its own content?
- What resources are available?
- Should or can the end customer interact with the content?
Depending on the answers to these questions, you will be able to offer your clients suitable solutions among the possible devices.
What products can you offer to your clients?
Here are the different products:
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| Indoor interactive kiosk | Outdoor interactive kiosk | Self-service kiosk | Touchscreen tablets |
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Description |
Description With a 4K touch screen (nano touch) high brightness allows the distribution of image and video content, application (Windows or Android) or website for interaction with customers. |
Description With an HD touch screen (infrared) allows the distribution of application (Windows or Android) or transactional website for interaction with customers. |
Description Tablets with a touch screen allows the diffusion of image and video content, application (Windows or Android) or website for interaction with customers. |
| Like a large tablet, the kiosks can be used to display advertising but also to provide access to user interaction (online reservations, purchases, additional information, collection of customer data, etc.). | Same characteristics as the indoor kiosks but withstands intense cold and weather. . |
Allows you to create an additional point of sale while broadcasting advertising if needed. | Customers are very familiar with their use, but each tablet requires a different mounting system. |
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| LED window display | Indoor LED display (videowall) | Outdoor LED display (sign) | TV |
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Description |
Description Equipped with a computer for content distribution (images and videos). |
Description Equipped with a computer for content distribution (images and videos). |
Description Equipped with a computer for content distribution (images and videos). |
| Enjoys high brightness at a lower cost than TV, with a longer life span. This is a product that all businesses should have in their window. Nummax offers its resellers a very attractive price demonstration model. |
There are few limits with LED displays. Whether it’s columns, perfect angles, or volumes, your projects can come to life and enjoy colour uniformity without a separating frame (bezel) like a TV. The content broadcasted can be ads or streaming from a cable tv provider. |
These display solutions are designed to withstand the intense weather conditions of North America. Their installation close to traffic lanes offer exposure to a maximum number of people. | TVs remain an easy and very common solution because, for a small indoor project (e.g.: restaurant menu), a shopkeeper can equip himself and make his own installation for a very reasonable cost. However, when we switch to a larger project with professional TVs, the prices quickly soar compared to LED displays. |
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| LED Shelf tag | LED Ring lamp | Drive-thru kiosk | |
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Description |
Description Equipped with a wirelesss computer for content distribution. |
Description 4K outdoor kiosk equipped with a complete communication system. |
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| Each digital tag module can be assembled to match any shelving length.
Depending on the software chosen, the display will be used to display brand advertising and/or product price and information. |
The advantage of this signage is the 360° broadcasting which makes it possible to target customers in all directions. Placed high up, the lamp is also used as traditional lighting and is easily installed above tables and points of sale. |
This drive-through kiosk does not use touch functionality but is equipped with a complete communication system to receive orders.
A vehicle presence sensor makes it possible to switch from broadcasting advertisements to displaying menus. |
Each of these devices requires an Internet connection and a minimum 110V 15A electrical outlet.
For indoor LED display, outdoor LED display and TV display, the number of outlets and the power of the circuit depend on the project.
If the kiosks, LED posters, TVs and tablets set defined prices, for indoor and outdoor displays, it will depend on the project (size, contents, computer, …).
You should also consider the cost of software for content delivery if you want to use a cloud-based service.
Finally, depending on the client’s objectives, the lifespan of the material and its stability must be considered. For example, a video wall in LED will have a lifespan close to 10 years, with uniform and stable colours. This is less the case for a wall with a TV.
What content will your clients be able to distribute?
It’s all a matter of software, but the basis is to broadcast images and videos.
Some programs can also display information such as weather, live TV, RSS feeds or data from the Internet.
Depending on the clients’ needs, you can also display an application (Android, Windows or web) for the sale of products, reservations or information.
Note content can also be live TV broadcasting, like in sports bars.
In all cases, the creation of content will have to be performed by the clients themselves or an external provider (graphic designer, marketing agency, programmer) with computer graphics or development software.
This represents a major business opportunity for any digital signage reseller.
How to choose your digital signage supplier?
If you are interested in becoming a digital signage reseller, you should consider the following points before you start:
- The types of products manufactured by your supplier (its specialty)
- The place of manufacture and storage (delivery time)
- How long has the manufacturer been on the market and how many projects have been implemented?
- Technical support location and languages spoken
- Guarantees on parts and labor
- The documentation provided with the products (installation guide, connection guide, etc.)
- The type of software (free and paid solutions)
- Training and software documentation
- The possibilities of evolution of the material
- Can the manufacturer ship directly to your customers? (and save you the management of transportation and storage of the equipment)
What you need is a digital signage provider who is there when you need them to build credibility with your customers.
You want to develop your markets with peace of mind and be able to focus on sales.
How to generate revenue by selling digital signage?
As a reseller, digital signage can make you money.
It’s a market that was estimated to be worth more than $23 billion in 2020. The trend is permeating everything from large corporations to small corner stores.
This leaves you with the prospect of tapping into significant business opportunities.
Here is how a dynamic display professional can generate revenue:
- Resale of digital signage
- Royalties on the subscription to the cloud software
- Equipment installation fees
- Creation of multimedia content (computer graphics)
- Customer content management
- Equipment rental. Some resellers are equipped with different dynamic products (interactive kiosks, transactional kiosks, LED posters, etc.) and offer occasional rentals to their customers
Nummax offers reseller partnership opportunities if you are interested and want to start up with confidence.
Click on one of these links: Become a reseller or Contact Nummax.
Once you have sold your first digital signage
Breaking the ice will allow you to familiarize yourself with the different possibilities and options to offer your clients.
You will discover how each device works, the installation methods, the software and the different content that you can present to your clients.
Nummax will be able to guide you through each step and provide support for software training and best practices for content.
With digital signage, you will open doors to new opportunities with the sale of content creation and management.
Contact Nummax today and become the first reseller of our products in your area.
