Further evidence of the progress of digital signage into the mainstream comes this month with the launch of a nationwide franchise programme in the U.S., aiming to enlist entrepreneurs in selling both systems and services to end users in their localities.

Zinger Digital Signs of Fort Lauderdale, Florida is targeting the programme at newcomers to digital out-of-home with sufficient sales and marketing skills to persuade local businesses to invest in ever-cheaper screen networks.

“With equipment becoming more affordable each day, more and more businesses will seek the services of a Zinger franchise,” said David Bawarsky, Zinger Digital Signs’ founder.

Franchisees, expected to pay around $100,000 to set up their business with $27,500 of that going to Zinger as a franchise fee, will have exclusive rights to their territories.

Zinger suggests that besides hardware and software, franchisees could offer services including site surveys, installation, network design, network management, training, and even content creation – the last a task which many within the DOOH sector are adamantly opposed to leaving in the hands of non-specialists.

The firm’s technology offering includes products from the likes of NEC, Nexcom, Samsung, Viewsonic, and LG, as well as own-branded media players and Zinger Sign Studio software.

Although franchising is a common approach to selling static signage and related services, it has yet to have much impact on the digital-signage sector. However, if Zinger is successful in recruiting sufficient franchisees – and if they can deliver what end users need – the establishment of a far-flung franchise chain could become another driver of adoption by smaller customers.

And, by adopting a model that focuses on the sale of technology and services rather than touting ready-to-fail local advertising franchises, Zinger has taken at least one important step toward achieving that.

www.zingersigns.com

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