Hear No Evil, See No Evil

Ok, so in your business, you've now successfully installed a great audio and music system so you can sound as great as you look, huh?  Fantastic. You have taken action regarding the emotional side of your business so your clients can experience the visual and auditory brand that you envisioned as you were putting your life savings into this great venture.  Good move. It's under control...

Some time has passed and your customers, employees, other businesses, and vendors are pressing you on the need to install some sleek flat panel LCD or LED TV's in your business.   You immediately think some financial news or business news wouldn't be a bad idea - everyone else is doing it, right?  Well, right.  We can't resist watching, and if it helps to inform everyone on the lastest world and Wall Street moves, what can go wrong?  You make the investment $$, find someone to mount them, hook up cable or a mini dish (maybe a minor issue with your landlord) and you are now looking at CNBC and CNN in high definition. Wow.

Something changes after a while, doesn't it?  TV's look great, sound is working well, employees and some of my clients are happy, but it's still a bit unsettling, isn't it?  You took 1 big step forward, and 1 big step backward at the same time, and you look funny doing the splits with this move you made.

What happened is that you didn't think about what content is being shown outside of the few minutes of news you were anticipating would elevate the class of your business.  The cable channels need to get good ratings, and your TV channels are showing a LOT of content and commercials that have NOTHING to do with the brand experience you are now sabotaging.  You didn't realize that even CNN would devote a full 30 minutes to the exploits of naughty Hollywood actors.  That full step backwards puts a strain on the brain, doesn't it? 

What do you do now?  You might of spent a cool $10K on these slick screens, didn't you?  Just like your satellite radio you have in your car, you mistakenly equated the 1 hour of cool music would last all day.  You watch an hour or two of TV at night, so the same thought prevailed.   Outside of maybe an hour or two of financial and news updates in the morning or afternoon, should you shut off the TV during the day?  Nice investment.

Welcome to 2011 - start seriously looking at turning your flat screens into the latest marketing enhancement, Digital Signage.   A very smart digital signage consultant used a phase that has stuck with me for the last few months when it comes to wondering if a client should invest in a digital signage media player: "Look, we are ALL just like the little goldfish in the pond - we cannot resist looking at the shiny lures moving past us, so why not make the lure all about you?"  Stately perhaps more clearly (but not as emotionally) if your clients and employees are going to watch your slick screens, SHOW them what is new with your business, show them what makes you worth their attention (and $$$).  Every business owner cringes when they hear the statement "I didn't know you did that!".   Your screens will give you a very effective tool to visually captivate and show them more of your brand.  In motion, in color, and all day, every day.   Your printed materials and website will come to life in full high definition.  People WILL watch and keep watching.  Don't ignore what you already know.   It's a lot less expensive than you think, and if you think it is expensive, try ignorance.  A recent new client shared with me the expenses of printed signage, delivery issues, time sensitivity behind getting the signs installed and removed in the proper time frames.   Your screens can change in minutes in all your locations - all from your laptop wherever you are.  That is true value.