The June InfoComm tradeshow was very worthwhile for StrandVision. We talked to a few hundred people who stopped by the booth - many of them resellers and potential customers - who are very interested in StrandVision’s technology and approach.
We also took advantage of the tradeshow to talk with a lot of the exhibitors and other attendees to uncover some major digital signage trends. Here’s a sample of what we found:
There are lots of companies, some of them major corporations, that have home-grown digital signage installations that are not always keeping up with the pace of today’s digital signage technology. They are discovering that maintaining their systems is labor-intensive and requires skills that their staff doesn’t always have. They are looking for simple ways to upgrade their existing systems with new approaches and StrandVision fits perfectly into what they need since it is easy and doesn’t use proprietary hardware.
Here’s the good part: THEY ALREADY HAVE DIGITAL SIGNS AND THEY LIKE THEBENEFITS - IT’S NOT A NEW SALE -- IT’S A REPLACEMENT SALE. That considerably shortens the sales cycle. It makes it easy for you to sell a StrandVision subscription -- but don’t think that you’ll miss out on the hardware sales. Yes, these companies already have systems deployed but they will need systems integration consulting to change to a hosted system, and many of them ARE READY TO UPGRADE TO LCD AND PLASMA SCREENS since they often use tube televisions. Most of these companies are interested in expanding their network as well. There’s lots of potential for network hardware and service sales.
Here’s another tidbit: I discovered that many digital signage providers are saying that they offer a hosted solution like StrandVision but, when you look behind the curtain, they are really offering hybrid solutions that still primarily rely on onsite software systems. This add-on approach to local digital signage installations increases complexity and makes system administration much more difficult for the customer and the reseller. StrandVision’s whole approach is to eliminate aggravating break/fix-type support issues while providing you with a steady income stream and the opportunity to add value through systems integration and display hardware sales. It’s fundamentally different from the software license approach of most vendors. We think our way is better for our customers and for you.
If you would like to learn more about how digital signage can help your business, please contact us at or sales at StrandVision.com.
Mike Strand