Beyond Digital Signage to Intelligent Signage

Posted on December 28, 2011 by KaonTrendSpotter

Digital signage has come a long way from closed loop videos to full-scale interactive ‘hands-on” experiences that truly captivate customer interest. “We have moved way beyond traditional digital signage to intelligent signage that can be experienced,” Jeff Hastings, CEO of Bright Sign comments in his article Signage Solutions: Capturing Eyeballs, Mindshare in a Distracted World.  These digital screens are likely to catch the eye of prospects and customers as they showcase information in a familiar form factor; similar to entertainment devices. But having the sleekest hardware is not enough to truly captivate audiences—high quality content and strategic implementation is key.

Hastings outlines 6 strategies companies are utilizing to get the most out of their digital marketing technologies…

  1. Multi-Purpose Your Content
  2. Grab Attention with Live TV
  3. Engage to Sell (with touch screen capabilities)
  4. Make it Mobile
  5. Location, Location, Location
  6. Keep it Fresh

All of these strategies work with digital signage, but some interactive marketing tools can actually allow a company to do the vast majority of these things at once.  Multi-purpose content can be one of the most valuable assets to a marketing organization, so why not choose tools that allow for interactive content to be created once and automatically re-used on a variety of hardware platforms? This in turn can allow for mobility, with content that is adaptable to touch screens, laptops, Smartphones and tablets—making sure that crucial information is always available anywhere, anytime. And because interactive technologies allow for users to be in complete control of their experience via the touch screen “hands-on” experience, the content is fresh and personalized to each user’s interest.

Innovative marketing tools are definitely one of the hottest growing trends, so if your company is looking to capture attention in today’s busy world make sure to invest in tools that allow for customer interaction, and that can be adapted to as many different marketing strategies and venues as possible.

Posted in Geek Talk, Hardware Trends, Trade Show Trends | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

“Interactive” is not just for the internet

Posted on December 23, 2011 by Gavin Finn

When we hear or read the term “interactive marketing” the immediate connotation is web marketing, or anything to do with the Internet. In fact, many ad agencies are known as “interactive agencies” simply because they focus on Internet marketing.

This implied definition does a huge disservice to marketers who understand that delivering interactive experiences is an imperative for every venue – offline, as well as online. In fact, customers expect interactivity everywhere. (Oh, and by the way, just because something is on the web does not make it interactive – watching a video advertisement online is as passive as sitting in a movie theater or in front of the TV.)

Interactivity must be a mutual or reciprocal activity. The customer does something – the system or solution does something in response, and vice versa.

We should all think of interactivity as being ubiquitous and pervasive. Interactive marketing is the process of creating engaging and memorable interactions for customers and prospects – everywhere.

Posted in CEO Corner | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

CMOs say, “No Products, No Problem”

Posted on December 21, 2011 by kaonmarketingguru

Getting your customer interested in your products is hard enough. Getting them to engage, understand, and build an emotional connection with your product is a whole ‘nother story. Especially when the product is MIA.

There are enough challenges for sales teams in the B2B selling process. Getting access to your products for a demonstration shouldn’t be one of them. Unfortunately, this is common trend in industries such as medical, scientific, telecom, networking, and industrial, where the products and devices are often difficult to obtain based on size, fragility, and inventory.

CMOs are looking for sales enablement tools to solve this problem and interactive 3D Products Models have proven to cost effectively fill the void.  These solutions are available cross-platform (Smartphones, tablets, laptops, websites, touch-screens) to differentiate products in a consistent and engaging manner at every customer touch-point.

Photo-realistic, 3D Product Models (which look and behave exactly like the actual products) allow companies to present sophisticated virtual product demonstrations. These solutions eliminate the need to ship physical products to trade shows, sales demonstrations, and other venues, drastically reducing product shipping, drayage, and travel expenses.

  • Users control their own, personalized experiences based on individual preferences
  • Customers are in the “driver’s seat” experiencing products from every angle (zoom, spin, measure)
  • Users explore options and features (opening drawers, retrofit components, add-ons)
  • The 3D Product Models clearly demonstrate work-flow and process

On the ground, when it matters most, what’s going to help your sales team communicate their product message effectively, when the physical product isn’t accessible?

Posted in 3D Products, Marketing Guru, Sales Tools | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment