Pitching an idea to your CEO can be a challenge. They’re bombarded with pitches day in and day out, barely skimming the surface of each. To avoid your pitch sinking into the abyss of ‘just another idea,’ it needs to be laser-focused and actionable.
Look, we get it. You’ve crunched the numbers and dug deep, and you’re convinced — digital signage is going to be a game-changer. It’s a versatile solution to enhance business communication, streamline daily workflows with real-time updates, and boost employee and customer engagement.
But here’s the reality. It is a significant and long-term investment, so your boss might have some reservations. These could be about resource allocation, life cycle maintenance, training, and deployment time.
You need to tackle these concerns head on, with an action plan addressing these concerns. With a clear roadmap and some killer negotiation skills, we’re sure your digital signage pitch will not just be seen, but felt.
Why is there resistance in the first place?
Business decision-making is often perceived as a meticulous process steeped in straightforward, careful deliberation. It seems like business leaders just have it figured out, with numbers, data, and established practices to back them.
However, businesses are still ultimately run by humans. Commercial trajectory still hinges on decisions made by humans that are inevitably steeped in some psychological trap or another. We’ve discussed the three main ones below.
Friction to change
To a large extent, the human brain is programmed for comfort and safety. While the business world deals with constant changes daily, this innate instinct still permeates human activities in some way or the other.
A study by Xero shows that the ‘hassle factor’ is still a common deterrence for change in present-day companies. C-suite executives still find it hard to convince themselves that investing in a solution is worthwhile, especially because they deal with limited budgets.
At the core of this fear lies one simple human truth – the fear of the unknown. This state suggests an absence of control and an unclear picture of what lies ahead. And this isn’t something new to the business world, where an unknown outcome is often the biggest barrier to change adoption.
Psychological barriers
The human psychological tendency is to avoid potential losses, called loss aversion. This concept posits that people often feel the fangs of loss more intensely than the pleasure of gaining. This phenomenon can be highly prevalent among senior management, who carry the responsibility for many major decisions.
In the context of digital signage, the uncertainty surrounding this new technology, coupled with the fear of potential financial losses or operational disruptions, triggers their aversion to risk.
Moreover, humans also grapple with status quo bias, wherein individuals prefer the current state over change. The existing, familiar processes may seem less risky, even if they are less efficient or outdated. Additionally, the cognitive effort required for new tech adoption, plus the potential resistance from employees and other stakeholders, adds to the perceived risk and aversion to uncertainty.
Mind traps
There are several factors that business leaders fall prey to while discussing digital strategy. These factors, or mind traps, can arise in ecosystems that are quite cohesive and ‘internal.’
Let us explain. In leadership teams that remain introspective, there is often little to no difference in group opinion. This means that no new ideas or concepts arise to challenge the status quo in these types of environments, leading to a phenomenon called ‘groupthink.’
That’s why it’s often a good idea to have an outside opinion in the form of consultants and strategists to challenge the safety net of a predictable, safe environment. This resistance or difference in opinion could be the birth of a new and improved digital strategy.
How to finally pitch digital signage to your boss?
Now that we’ve understood some of the possible barriers to digital signage adoption, let’s discuss some action steps to help you build your pitch. Let’s get started!
Step 1: Identify what problems digital signage will solve, where it fits in tactically and strategically
First things first, you need to identify why you want to pitch digital signage to your boss in the first place. The key here is to outline the areas where digital signage will have maximum impact and make these your selling points.
For instance, if fragmented communication is a problem in your team, highlight this problem, how much it costs the team, how digital signage will solve the problem, and the ROI of the investment.
Here’s an example:
- Problem: Disarrayed communication due to lack of real-time updates, notices, and alerts.
- Short-term impact: Workflow disruptions causing delays and missed updates.
- Long-term impact: Burden on team productivity, lowered employee engagement, and high costs of printing traditional signage like posters and bulletin boards.
- Solution: Digital signage for real-time communication, including sending updates, business news, best practices, and employee recognition in seconds, anywhere and anytime.
- ROI: Real-time relevant information for smoother workflows, higher productivity, and less time and energy spent in looking for information.
Step 2: Conduct a feasibility study and map resources
The next step here is to conduct a thorough feasibility study to ensure that the implementation aligns with the company’s goals and resources. Here are a few key pointers:
a) Budget analysis
Digital signage is a significant investment. Although worth it, your boss will need some convincing. So, you need to be prepared with a detailed budget plan.
- First, develop a budgeting plan that covers all aspects of digital signage. This includes hardware costs, software licenses, installation charges, ongoing maintenance, and additional services like content creation that you might need some help with.
- Next, conduct thorough market research to know what options are available. Talk to multiple vendors, get rough estimates, and discuss capabilities and value propositions to make sure you choose the best possible solution for your unique needs.
Use our template below to compare capabilities among different digital signage solutions.
- Finally, highlight potential cost savings and long-term benefits to demonstrate a favorable return on investment. For instance, you can highlight how the one-time implementation cost is less than the printing cost of posters in the long run.
b) Resource mapping
In this step, you’ll have to identify the human resources needed for successful implementation and maintenance. You’ll need to define roles, clarify responsibilities, and hire additional resources if needed.
The other alternative is to choose a solutions partner that provides additional services like hardware procurement, software installation, and life cycle management to simplify the internal efforts for you.
Here are some best practices:
- Gap analysis: Perform a gap analysis to discern where potential skill deficiencies lie. Be sure to evaluate your current team for critical skills that are indispensable for digital signage implementation. This analysis will illuminate areas where additional expertise may be necessary.
- Skill assessment: Identify individuals who possess relevant expertise in areas such as content creation, IT infrastructure, and project management.
- Project management: Map out the project management process. You might need a project coordinator or manager to oversee the process.
Step 3: Understand the total cost of ownership and weigh it against brand impact
Next, let’s discuss finance in more detail. This isn’t just about balance sheets and bank accounts (although these are critical, too); it’s about how these financial decisions align seamlessly with the essence of your brand.
Let’s discuss action:
a) Conducting a comprehensive financial analysis
This step factors in all the possible expenses that your boss has to incur once digital signage is adopted. We’re not limited only to the initial installation costs. Here, we’re looking at long-term cost projections over a set period, factoring in potential scalability and growth.
How does the financial plan accommodate scalability as we grow? Any plans for unforeseen circumstances affecting costs? Buffer considerations for unexpected expenses? These questions might come your way so be prepared with answers.
b) Setting KPIs and measurement processes
You can’t improve what you don’t measure. But the question is, measure what exactly?
Factoring in random KPIs is not the right way to go. What you need to do is pick the top ones that align with your business goals. The top KPIs digital signage pros use are:
- Increased engagement through customer interactions
- Higher footfall and customer visits to stores
- Sales uplift for a revenue boost
- Employee productivity with less time and energy wasted
Remember to align the ROI projections with the expected timeline for digital signage implementation. This will demonstrate a clear correlation between investment and anticipated returns.
c) Quantifying brand impact
Now, after all this work, you’ll need to know how much digital signage has improved business operations. Your boss will need proof, and you’ll have to find a way to provide it. This is why you need a chartered plan to understand the full-scale impact of digital signage implementation.
The best way is to perform a brand audit to compare before-and-after scenarios. Compare metrics of the KPIs mentioned above and additional ones like response rates, customer satisfaction, and increased brand awareness to get a thorough understanding.
Step 4: Chart out a preliminary implementation, integration, and risk mitigation plan
Next, what you’ll need to do is prepare for a preliminary action plan. Think of it like a mock drill test. You’ll need to finetune the details once things are finalized, but you need to start mapping out the main areas of action.
Implementation
Here are the things you need to address:
- Address key aspects such as timelines, deployment phases, and ongoing training.
- Highlight the importance of user-friendliness in choosing a solution
- Provide an example, like L Squared, emphasizing its quick deployment time (less than an hour)
- If you’re planning a widespread implementation, emphasize the need for strategic deployment phases
- Propose starting with one department at a time for systematic execution
- Ensure each department receives the necessary resources to maximize solution utilization
Integration
Think of the possible integrations you’ll need. Again, different signage solutions come with diverse capabilities. Some come with 100s of built-in apps that are plug-and-play, others need to be adjusted to accommodate your needs. So, you’ll have to clarify this with vendors.
Risk mitigation
If your boss is investing so much in a solution, you’ll have to have a bullet-proof risk mitigation plan. Here are points to consider:
- Evaluate your vendor: Assess the security features of potential signage solutions. Verify hardware durability, sustainability, and robust housing settings.
- Check for additional compliance: Examine software flexibility, enterprise-grade security, and security compliance like SOC 2 certification and ISO 27001 compliance.
- OS Security Measures: Utilize a firewall, regularly update software, and minimize open access.
- Application/Platform Security: Opt for vendors conducting routine security audits. Choose options with secured connections (HTTPS), end-to-end data encryption, two-factor authentication, and SSL certificates.
Step 5: Build your pitch and present
The next step is building that perfect pitch, and getting it right takes some practice.
Think of your boss as an internal investor. Why? Because investors only put their money into ventures that have high ROI potential.
The perfect pitch consists of three things.
- Clarity and conciseness: Outline the benefits of digital signage for your organization. Focus on key points such as improved communication, enhanced customer experience, and increased brand visibility.
Tip: Avoid overwhelming your boss with unnecessary details. Present a concise overview of how digital signage aligns with business goals and the action plan for implementation.
- Compelling storytelling: Create an emotional connection by explaining how digital signage can elevate the overall brand experience for both employees and customers. You can use real-life examples and scenarios to really bring the point home.
- Confidence and authenticity: Demonstrate a thorough understanding of digital signage solutions, emphasizing the reliability, scalability, and positive impact on the workplace.
Pro tip: Provide choices to your CEO strategically. Begin with a high-impact but resource-intensive, almost-impossible option. Follow with a decent solution, functional but without many extras. Lastly, present your preferred option. The contrast makes the latter shine as the best choice.
Step 6: Address queries and understand the next steps
Lastly, be prepared to answer any questions or concerns your boss may have. Following the steps above should equip you with the right answers to most questions. However, if your boss asks you something you don’t know yet, assure them you’ll get back to them with a clearer answer after some more research.
Once questions are answered, discuss the next steps ahead. Whether it’s a discussion with other stakeholders or a demo call with your potential vendors, this is the beginning of your digital signage implementation process.
Go, ace it!
Congratulations! You’ve just made the perfect pitch for your boss.
You’re well on your way to digital signage adoption. We know pitches can be a bit daunting, but with the right practice, you’ll find yourself making the most of your pitch opportunities. Remember to keep it simple, clear, and concise with your boss. You’ll score big and proud!