How to buy digital signage as a privately owned company: a practical guide

Summary: How to succeed with your digital signage project

Buying digital signage isn’t about finding the right screens. It’s about first understanding what effect you’re looking for and which audience you want to reach. Make sure the person responsible for communication in your organization owns the project from day one, with IT in a supporting role. Choose a supplier that will still be around and that actively wants to help you succeed.

Start small, test your theories, measure the effect, and then scale up once you know it works.

Why this guide exists

I often meet people who have been tasked with “sorting out digital screens.” The IT manager has perhaps already looked at some alternatives. The operations managers want screens (preferably yesterday). And now the project has landed in your lap and you’re sitting there wondering: where do I actually start?

This guide is for you. It takes you through the entire process in a way that actually works in reality.

Step 1: Map your needs (before looking at a single supplier)

Almost everyone skips this step. Most go straight to “which supplier should we choose?” But here’s the thing: if you don’t know what you actually need, you can’t choose the right solution.

Start with the audience

Who will be consuming the information on the screens? It sounds like a simple question, but the answer determines everything else.

Employees on the production floor have different needs than office staff. Visitors in reception need different information than patients in waiting rooms. And if you have mixed audiences in the same location, you need to think about how to balance the content.

Ask yourself these questions:

• Who is our primary audience?
• Where do they move during the day?
• What type of information do they need to do their job better or feel more informed?

Establish ownership from day one
This is so important: digital screens are NOT an IT product. They are a communication channel.

The person who owns communication in your organization should own this project. That could be HR, marketing, the communications manager, or the CEO in smaller companies. IT should help with technology, security, and installation. But the person who works on reaching out with information should be the one driving the process forward.

Why? Because digital signage is about solving communication problems. What effect do you want to achieve? How do you reach employees who don’t sit at a computer? How do you create engagement around information that previously ended up in the bin?

Only those who work with communication can answer these questions.

Step 2: Build your business case

Now that you know what your company needs, it’s time to sell the project internally. And this is where many encounter resistance. “I’m not good with numbers” or “How do you calculate ROI on communication?”

But a business case for digital signage doesn’t have to be complicated.

Two ways to calculate value

There are two basic questions you can ask:

• Will we save money on this investment?
• Will we make money on this investment?
  

For most, digital screens are about saving time and resources. Think about how much time you spend:

• Printing and putting up paper posters
• Emailing the same information again and again
• Chasing local office managers to update notice boards
• Trying to reach employees who never open the intranet
  

An integration between your digital signage solution and your existing systems can automatically display important information on the screens. Suddenly you reach audiences who would never have seen the information otherwise.

We call it “return on content creation.” You create the content once, but it reaches more people through more channels.

The three costs you must account for

• Software – usually a subscription per screen
• Hardware – the screens themselves (varies depending on size and placement)
• Installation – electricity and network, mounting, configuration
  

The third cost is usually underestimated. It’s not enough to just hang up a screen. It needs power, it needs a network connection, and it must be in the right place.

Realistic timeline
For a smaller project (2-10 screens): expect 2-4 weeks from decision to deployment.

For a larger project (50-200 screens): expect 3-6 months.

This is important to communicate upward in the organization. Digital screens are rarely something that can be “fixed by the end of the week.”

Step 3: Define your technical requirements (without drowning in tech talk)

You don’t need to know all the technical details. But you need to understand a few basic things to be able to talk with both IT and software suppliers.

The software is most important

Focus on how the platform itself works:

• How do users log in? (Preferably through single sign-on so you don’t have to manage yet another password)
• How easy is it to create and publish content?
• What integrations are available? (Intranet, PowerBI, social media, calendars?)

Integrations make life easier
With the right integrations, you can save lots of time! With integrations you can, for example:

• Automatically display news from your intranet
• Sync meeting room bookings
• Show real-time data from your systems
• Connect your social media
• Display traffic information

Scalability in practice
Scalability sounds technical, but it just means: how easy is it to add more screens later? Check with the software supplier you choose that you:

• Can add new screens that automatically inherit content
• Can easily add new users
• Don’t have to pay a lot of hidden additional costs when you grow

Step 4: Evaluate suppliers (and ask the right questions)

Now it’s time to actually talk to suppliers. And here’s my most important advice: don’t just evaluate the software, evaluate the partnership.

The three most important questions

1. Do you have customers similar to us?
   Ask for concrete examples. How did they solve their challenge? What was the result?
2. How do you help us succeed after the purchase?
   Onboarding, training, ongoing support. What’s included? What costs extra?
3. What does your product development look like?
   Will the supplier still be around in five years? Are they actively developing the product? Do they have a clear vision?

Talk to reference customers
When you talk to references, don’t ask about features. Ask about the experience of working with the supplier.

• How quickly do you get answers when you need help?
• Do you feel involved in product development?
• Would you choose the same supplier again?

Step 5: Test before you buy

For smaller projects, you might not need to test. But for larger investments, it’s worth it.

A good test takes 2-4 weeks and focuses on:

• How easy is it to work in the platform?
• Do the integrations you need work?
• How do you experience the support and collaboration?

Let some of the people who will use the system daily test it too (communicators, operations managers, HR, etc.). They’ll be working in the platform too. Make sure to get their input early!

Step 6: Negotiate the contract (and avoid pitfalls)

When you’re sitting with the draft contract, check three things:

1. What’s actually included in the license?
   Support? Training? Integrations? Storage space? Make sure everything is in the contract, not just in the sales presentation.
2. What does the cost look like when you scale?
   If you start with 10 screens but want 50 in two years, how does that affect the price? Are there breakpoints where it becomes unreasonably expensive?
3. What is the contract period?
   A shorter contract gives flexibility. A longer one can give a better price. Be honest with yourselves about how sure you are about the investment.

Step 7: Plan the implementation

Now it gets concrete. You’ve decided on a supplier. What happens now?

Internal resources you need
The person who owns the system (communication/HR/marketing) needs to set aside time for:

• Setup and configuration of the platform
• Creating templates and initial content planning
• Training any local editors

IT needs to set aside time for:

• Installation of screens
• Running electricity and network
• Technical configuration

For larger rollouts, it can be worth having local contacts at each location who receive the screens and help with placement.

Training is a worthwhile investment

Many skip training. “We’ll figure it out ourselves.” But proper training at the beginning saves lots of time later.

Also: follow the supplier’s customer events, webinars, and newsletters. Digital signage is constantly evolving. Those who stay updated get more out of their investment.

Step 8: Secure success from day one

The screens are up. The content is running. But now the real work begins.

Create sustainable routines
Decide early:

• Who updates central content and how often?
• How do local editors work (if you have them)?
• Where can you get help when things go wrong?

Consider creating a user forum on your intranet or equivalent where editors can share tips and ask questions.

Measure the effect
How do you know if the investment was worth it?
Some concrete ways to measure:

• Number of clicks via QR codes from screens to intranet/web
• Questions in employee surveys about how well-informed employees feel
• Time saved on creating and distributing information

We have customers who have included specific questions in their annual employee surveys about how they experience the screens as a communication channel. The answers provide clear data on the effect.

Summary: Five things to remember

1. The person who owns communication should own the project
   Digital signage is communication, not IT. Take command from day one.
2. Set clear goals before choosing a solution
   Which audience? What effect? What problem are you solving?
3. Evaluate the partnership, not just the product
   You’ll be working with the supplier for years. Choose someone who wants to help you succeed.
4. Involve the right people at the right time
   IT from the beginning, local editors in the testing phase, leadership when building the business case.
5. Plan for the long term
   Digital screens are not “set and forget.” Build routines that last over time.

Help is available

We at PLAYipp surround ourselves with competent IT and AV specialists who help companies throughout the Nordics succeed with their IT. They can be brought in from the start to look at technical parts.

Want to learn more? Check out Åsas 5 tips for screen design!