Commercials on Your Storefront Window 2

In the above video showing a window video system displaying in a retail store, the images are varied, high impact, eye-catching, and brand-centric.  They create intrigue, they promote specific product, they display.  In particular, notice the close up shots of the window videos towards the end of this video sample.

If you're going to run "commercials" on your storefront window, what will that message be?  Will it feature product shots?  Will it feature models interacting with the product?  Do you intend to incorporate audio, or visual only?  Still shots, or full motion video?  Type messages?  Graphics?  CG Animation?

What will the purpose of your commercial be?  Display?  Information, usage?

Putting together a successful commercial for your window videos should take some planning and attention to production values and quality execution.  Simple type-based messages, graphics and still shots may be a good way to start.  More sophisticated motion images using models, lighting, etc. will require more expertise and budget.

The better the effect of the imagery, the better the potential effect on creating traffic and sales.  Think about how you can use video, type, still photos and graphics to better attract customers, and give them a reason to come into your store.

Window Video Systems put the power of messaging that used to belong only to the largest corporations, directly in your hands, and directly on your storefront.  At Looknglas, we provide all of the above for you so that you don't have to be a graphics or video expert to have a really exciting window commercial.   The window of opportunity is here.

How Important is "Easy" Content?

Everybody likes great-looking content.  It's fun, interesting, adds a little spice to life and to the experience.

Management loves effective content.  Prove-able ROI is a powerful thing.  Just knowing your message is producing sales is a wonderful feeling for a small business owner or company manager.

When you get great-looking and effective in the same package, it's approaching Digital Signage Messaging Nirvana.  But the next level of Nirvana might be, "Easy to Use".

That sounds nice, but tough to attain, alongside the first two.  So, I've got a question:  How important is Easy to Use?

As a retailer thinking about using projected Digital Signage (Window Video Systems) on your storefront, if you were to purchase such a system:

Would you want to create your own messages?
Produce your own images?
Would you want a selection of images from which you could choose?

Or would you want someone else to do that for you?

What is your "ideal" Signage Message "method"?  Do-it-yourself, or have the professionals handle it?  Please comment.  Thanks!

Good Job, Jobs

The world acknowledges and mourns the passing of one of the most influential human beings (in terms of business, communications, entertainment and productivity) in history: Steve Jobs.

Much has been said about this remarkable man and his many accomplishments.  Many revere him and some revile him, but the fact remains that he transformed the way the entire world works.  His demand that technology be nice to look at, easy to use, and bottom-shelf in terms of accessibility (ok, well perhaps not always in terms of pricing) and elegant, set a standard for his own industry and many others.

He is lauded for his impact on computing, and particularly personal productivity and entertainment, but not enough credit is given for the sheer breadth of his impact:  the man transformed (and in some cases, co-opted) the music, movie and cellphone industries, and boosted productivity in many others.  And he was likely in the process of doing the same once again for tv.  Under his leadership, Apple was transformed into one of the largest businesses in the history of the world.

Absolutely incredible.  Farewell, Steve, we'll miss your impact.

Commercials on your Storefront Window

"Commercials" is a term often viewed negatively.  Understandable, when your favorite tv show is interrupted after less than 5 minutes by the same spot you just saw last commercial break, and the same one you saw in the break before that.

But commercials are good; for those of us in business, they are our friend, and when well done, they sell.  They move product.  They promote brand, they inform, they excite commercial activity, get people looking, trying, shopping, buying, buying, buying.  That's what we all need right now, right?  Commercial activity--commerce, transactions.

Yes, commercials are definitely our friends, and especially to those in retail.  Retail clothing cries out for, demands, commercials---well produced, interesting, curiosity inspiring, intriguing, motivating.  Life and business, without intrigue, would be bland indeed, and not very productive.  It's the intrigue, the interest, that keeps the spice in life and in business.  And buying (selling) is what really spices up business!

That's why you WANT a commercial on your storefront window.  Life-size, dynamic, in-your-face.  Digital signage is trying to get there, but it uses the same old "screen" format;  same old "tv" look.  Most retailers with LCD screens installed leave the shopper/viewer with the impression that they got someone to hook up a tv in their store.  Whoop-dee-doo.

Put it on the window!  Directly on the window glass!  Wow, now that is cool.  Look again at Digital Mannequin video Youtube, and the Oakley store video featuring Looknglas' Window Video System.  Projected commercials on glass are awesome, powerful, and will move people to buy when accompanied by the right sales proposition.  Window Video Systems by Looknglas:  get selling!  The Window of Opportunity is here.

Going Green Part 2

In an earlier post, I talked about how Window Video Systems are "Green" in that they don't require posters or vinyl.  Think how many trees are used up by posters, and how much petroleum is used for vinyl signage.  Now I'm not the greenest guy on the planet, but I know these are important issues to many people, and especially to corporations and the government.

Window Video Systems just gained even more "Greenage":  We are using LED projectors now in many cases, which means, lower power consumption, far less heat production, longer lasting projectors due to fewer lamp exchanges, and best of all, lamps with no mercury!  Wait, no, even more best of all:  Lower price!  Let me say that again:

Green!
Low power consumption!
Less heat!
Lasts longer!
No paper waste!  (Or cost!)
No vinyl waste!  (Or cost!)
500% fewer lamp replacements!
No mercury!
LOWER PRICE!

I think I'm becoming more of a "greenie"!  The window of opportunity is here.

Retail Explodes - A non-Virtual Experience

Some Brick and Mortar Retailers may decry the advance of online retailing. Sure, obviously, it cuts into their pie. And nobody likes someone else eating their pie.

But lift up your heads, brick and mortar people! You have advantages NO online retailers have! Like close up looks, touch, feel, trying on, trying out, opportunity for personal interaction... on and on and on. Sure you give away something in terms of convenience, and sometimes price.

But you have EXPERIENCE! And your online brethren (or competitors) cannot duplicate that. They are "virtual"---you are REAL. You have so many potential sensory and experiental advantages to offer. Use them! Create that ultimate, BETTER buying experience.

My belief is that when brick and mortar retailers figure out how to actually use available technology in a Direct Marketing way, that is, to SELL product, they will start to win back their mojo, and revitalize themselves. It's called re-inventing, and it's what we all have to do, or yield and die on the vine. We all have our day, and we all have our season, but if you want to extend beyond your heyday, you have to re-invent. Either attack the "virtual" with a better "actual", or use the virtual to your advantage.

THAT is what Window Video Systems are all about! WVS bring more experience to your customers, as well as bringing more of them into your store. But WVS is also a means of tying the virtual to the actual, referring people to websites they can access on their smart phone, offering "virtual" coupons, promos and incentives. Putting the in-store data right on the front window. There is so much power available to brick and mortar retailers, especially in the form of WVS. The Window of Opportunity is here.

Retail Explodes - The QR Revolution

QR Codes, those funky-looking square collection of black boxes in a jumble, are the latest in barcoding, designed to be scanned by a smartphone.

Helloooo, Retailers! The smartphone shopper is here to stay, and they are using their phone to gather data, do comparison shopping, download coupons, and many other things related to BUYING product. This is a major opportunity for you---don't miss it!

What does this have to do with Window Video Systems, Digital Mannequins and Digital Signage? Just about everything.

When you display something really compellingly, you want a way to immediately engage the potential customer. That awesome dress, top, or ensemble can be theirs right now, at 10% off, just by scanning this QR code that you see next to the Digital Model showing off the clothes! Research shows that a significant percentage of buying decisions are made at the point of purchase, in the moment. That is where you can use the QR code, projected directly on your storefront to draw them in, make an offer, entice them to engage, to try out, to buy one and get the second for half off, whatever the promo, once your Window Video System display grabs their eyeballs, you draw them in with your offer. The intrigue, the advantage, the savings are irresistable! Hallelujah! Retail is alive and well, in fact, more interesting and more fun than online shopping. Oh, heck yeah. Your window of opportunity is here.