PHILADELPHIA, Pa. — The digital signage Association hosted its second Advisory Board meeting of 2008 yesterday, in conjunction with digital signage Expo East in Philadelphia. As part of the proceedings, the Board discussed heavily the involvement of users — those who install and manage digital signage in their businesses.
The association, made up primarily of digital signage vendors, serves as a collective voice for the digital signage industry and represents both vendors and users of the technology. However, with six user members, the Association has set its main goal to grow in that area.
“The vision of this association is to be user-centric,” said Dick Good, chairman of the digital signage Association. “We need to show them the value of the expertise here.”
As a solution, the association is launching an initiative to build user involvement. Starting immediately and lasting through 2009, the Association will offer one year of free membership to users. In addition to offering free membership to users, the Association plans to schedule of a series of web conferences and other means of information exchange for users.
“I would love to have more users to work with,” said Margot Myers of the U.S. Postal Service, one of the six user members. “The critical mass brings value to us.”
To date, the association, which has grown to over 100 members in just under a year of operation, has been working to recruit new members through its LinkedIn group and presence at tradeshows, such as digital signage Expo. Representatives from NetWorld Alliance, which operates the association, announced that social networking and interactivity will be part of a new version of the DSA Web site, to be launched early next year.
The group also discussed targeting tradeshows in specific verticals in order to “rifle in” on qualified user members. Currently, the DSA has a presence at digital signage Expo, The digital signage Show (U.S. and Europe), NRF, GlobalShop, the In-Store Marketing Expo and Screen Expo Europe. Best practices
Also during the meeting, the DSA offered its Advisory Board members a preview of its upcoming best practices report, “Best Practices: digital signage Content,” which it announced earlier this week.
The report was written by Keith Kelsen of MediaTile and a team of others on the association’s Best Practices for Content Committee, comprised of Charles Ansley of Symon, Jimmy Dun of DynaSign, Linda Hofflander of Wireless Ronin, Nancy Radermecher of John Ryan and Greg Weaver of Microspace.
Click here to download the executive summary of “Best Practices: digital signage Content.”
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