What does your cafe need for promotion? Perhaps, SEO? Or SERM, SMM? Or a little of everything? But how to determine “a little”?

The digital market is like a big Swedish table: if you try everything, there will be digital oversaturation, resulting in a waste of budget. So, what exactly needs to be implemented for your business? Definitely, not everything indiscriminately! And even not in the volume you imagine.

Today, we will talk about how to create a promotion strategy specifically for your restaurant, cafe, bar, and its products using household televisions that can be transformed into a full-fledged digital signage. This method is aimed at attracting attention to your offers, to the audience that passes by your cafe or already enters it.

Let’s figure out how to select the right television and additional equipment for it, to create a controlled accessible digital signage instrument, which will work specifically to achieve your business goals.

Defining target services and audience with digital signage software

It doesn’t matter if you have 10 or 50 tables, whether you host banquets or gather artists, it’s important to segment your services and identify the target ones – those that position your establishment and bring maximum revenue. Apply the Pareto principle: highlight the services that bring (or should bring) 80% of the profit, while requiring 20% of the efforts. The rest are pleasant additions to them.

Why is this important? Firstly, it leads to more targeted business management, and thus, even with a minimal budget, you will achieve your 80% profit. Secondly, the reputation of an establishment, which does not have many services but those it does are excellent, is much better than the fame of a cafe where everything is available but of inconsistent quality. I’ve simplified, but I think you’ve grasped the essence.

After defining the target services, it’s much easier to identify those who will be interested in them. And it’s not just the trivial male or female, age, marital status, and income level. Although these indicators are also important.

One of the innovative solutions that help attract glances and increase sales is the use of digital signage in showcases or directly in the establishment itself – an effective way to demonstrate desserts and coffee with text descriptions and prices. Additionally, digital menu boards can display advertising for earnings and visual attraction of customers.

What is digital signage?

Digital signage consists of screens that display advertising materials, including menus with dishes and beverages, promotional offers, and other advertising materials. They are capable of capturing the attention of your cafe’s customers and making the visit to your food establishment more vivid and interesting, utilizing digital signage software, digital signage players, and an overall digital signage system to manage content effectively. This includes digital advertising on screens for advertising, supported by Digital Signage Software, Digital Signage Support, Display Software, Screen Software, Digital Signage Freeware, a CMS (Content Management System), and a Centralized Video Management System for optimal operation and customer engagement.

Choosing digital signage software and a digital signage player for digital signage

When it comes to digital signage software, it plays a crucial role in content management and display. A CMS (Content Management System) is a centralized video management system that allows for the convenient management of content across all network-connected digital signage. Such software enables the placement, scheduling, and updating of advertising materials and other visual elements on remote screens in a convenient and efficient manner.

Today, there are many digital signage software and digital signage players available for use either free of charge or for a small fee. Some of these include features like centralized video management, content management, and other useful tools. Among these programs, a CMS (Content Management System) can be highlighted, allowing for efficient content management on the digital signage.

Making a digital signage display out of a regular TV

One way to create affordable digital signage for a cafe is by using a regular consumer TV instead of expensive professional displays, which can cost several times more. This might seem like a daunting task, but with the right digital signage software and a digital signage player, it becomes feasible.

1. Choosing a Device for Digital Signage: Select a device—a mini PC or Android dongle—that fits your budget and has the necessary specifications for playing digital content.

2. Installing Software: Download and install digital signage software on your device for remote content management on digital signage—a CMS that has all the necessary functions for use.

3. Connecting to the TV: Connect the device to your TV using an HDMI cable or another convenient connection.

4. Managing Content: Upload the necessary content to the digital signage software (Content Management System) and configure its playback on the TV according to your media plan.

5. Updating and Support: Regularly update the content on your digital signage and ensure that the device and software are functioning properly, utilizing Digital Signage Support, Digital Signage Freeware, and the Digital Signage System for optimal performance and control. This approach leverages the capabilities of digital signage control, digital menu boards, digital advertising, and screens for advertising, powered by Display Software, Screen Software, and a comprehensive Digital Signage System.

An alternative worth considering

An alternative and cost-optimal option is the purchase of a consumer-grade TV with an Android operating system and the direct installation of the Advision app from the Google Play Store. In this scenario, there is no need to buy and connect additional devices to the consumer TV, everything will work reliably and properly.

Consider possible drawbacks

However, it’s important to consider that regular TVs are not the ideal choice for use as digital menu boards, as they have a glossy screen surface, insufficient brightness, and contrast for operation in bright lighting, which complicates reading the displayed menu. Also, home TVs are not designed for vertical placement, have limitations on continuous operating time, and are not always suitable for installation in specialized operating conditions where dust, humidity, oils, and elevated temperatures are present.

Therefore, if you plan to use a video screen as a digital menu board, it is recommended to choose professional models specifically designed for such purposes and to consider the peculiarities of operation in each specific case.

Professional displays usually have higher brightness, anti-glare screen surface, protection against matrix burnout, improved cooling system, and special coating of internal components to protect against moisture and dust, designed for continuous operation for at least 16 hours a day or in a 24/7 mode, have a built-in digital signage player, allow for remote uploading and digital signage control of displayed content via wired or Wi-Fi networks. Upon power connection, playback resumes from where it stopped, without the need for resetting the playback again. Moreover, professional displays come with a 3-year warranty and special manufacturer digital signage support.

Conclusion

Using digital signage based on a regular TV is an affordable and effective way to attract customers’ attention and make your cafe more modern. With the right choice of digital signage software and digital signage player, you can create an impressive visual experience for your customers without significant expenses.