Sign Me Up! Selling Digital Signage Is Still Hot

By Gennifer Biggs, security, storage, and managed services editor

Last May, I sat down with Kevin Prewett, VP of vendor management and digital signage at Ingram Micro, and listened to his message about the rich revenue opportunity linked to signage. At the time, early in 2009, people were still in shock from the rapid disintegration of our economy, and I'll admit it, I was a little skeptical. But Prewett was right; his digital signage division performed well above expectations as end users trying to grow their business in a recession turned to technology they saw as having a direct impact on the bottom line.

"Even with the down market, we saw phenomenal growth with digital signage," says Prewett. "VARs who did listen gained a great advantage, but there is still a ton of opportunity out there." He continues to preach the potential of digital signage, offering up advice to VARs that includes thinking beyond retail to focus on small, local businesses such as diners and doctor's offices, and layering on additional technology behind the big screen, such as software that assists with content creation. "We're urging resellers to move beyond the front end and really think about who their user is and how they can leverage this technology," says Prewett. Verticals with which digital signage has found good traction includes transportation, hospitality, retail, corporations, educational campuses, and, interestingly, churches.

To continue encouraging participation with digital signage, Ingram is offering more advance training around the technology, as well as its more introductory level training.

Listen to Kevin Prewett offer more advice on digital signage.