Know-How Exchange : Branding

Have you ensured that your signage doesn't violate the local signage regulations?

Have you developed case studies documenting that the signage works (for everyone involved)?

Can you ensure that others' ads that are displayed in a business setting isn't competing with the "host" business' offerings?

Can you prove that your product is better than location-based advertising (using SMS & cell-phones, for example)?

Since your business name doesn't explicitly say what you offer, it's up to your tagline to clarify:

"A digital advertising experience" doesn't say much. A business isn't looking for experience - they're looking (in this case) for revenue.

"Advertise/magnetize" doesn't clarify either.

Why not simply: "Get your local business noticed"?

My first suggestion is to put some for-instance numbers against the concept to see if the money mechanics hold up. Can you charge enough for an ad to generate the revenue you'll need to fund the business operations?

If that works, then you need to get some experience in the "real world" to build a success story and/or some testimonials. If nobody can ever measure the new business generated by these ads, it's not likely that you will be able to sell many businesses on advertising with you. There are a zillion schemes for advertising in strange places that sound very clever yet never get off the ground. (I worked on one 30+ years ago!)

The novelty of the medium is going to be short-lived, so the basic value proposition can't rely solely on the novelty of digital signage in retail locations. This has to make sense as a communications medium, delivering something useful to consumers in return for their willingness to accept advertising. Without useful content, this is just another billboard or matchbook cover.

The main hole in your business model is that you can't offer customers advertising opportunities until you have your signs installed into retail locations.

And you can't fund the expansion of signs into retail locations until you have the cashflow for advertisers who want to show their ads on your screens.

Which means that you'll need a wad of cash to fund the business while you get to the critical mass required to make the business self-funding (and, you hope, profitable).

Until you have some metrics, you're only going to be able to make vague assertions to potential/prospective advertisers about "numbers of eyeballs" that will see their ad. You will have no demographic or any other kind of segmented breakdown even if you do have a total eyeball count estimation.

You haven't stated what kind of size screen you are talking about. Is this like a domestic a 4" x 6" digital picture frame that sits in front of the customer in the barber's chair, a 42" plasma that hangs in their window looking outwards to the street, or a massive screen on the outside of the building like in Times Square?

So, a few more details about your proposed business plans would be helpful. If you haven't written one yet, count that as another "hole".