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Getting “Schooled” on Outdoor Digital Signage with LG

by | Jun 21, 2019 | Digital Signage, Uncategorized

We all want our kids to “survive and thrive.” And like most parents, we all want to be involved in our children’s lives.  When is the last time you got “schooled” on LG Outdoor Displays?

LG Outdoor displays provide outstanding visibility with high a great brightness of 2,500 cd.m2.  The LG XS Series clearly delivers content and attracts public attention.  Isn’t that the ultimate reason for outdoor display visibility?

How many times has this happened to you?   You are sitting in your living room and your child exclaims” “Hey guys, I have a band concert tomorrow night” or “Are you coming to my football game Saturday morning”  Or my personal favorite “ I need a dress for the school dance in three days.”

More and more schools are turning to outdoor displays to communicate school news and activities.  No longer do notifications show up via snail mail.  Outdoor signage is not only a more viable solution for them, but for you as well.

The exchange of information is available in high bright technology every time you drive past the school.  Now the tables can turn…. “Hey, I saw on the school digital signage you have a football game Friday night.”

What a great selling point to pitch to your resellers.  The education season is upon us so what better time to get “schooled” on outdoor signage by LG.

Wherever digital signage is used the goal is the same – to attract attention, engage the audience and get them to take action. Here are a half of dozen guidelines that should have you well on your way to a successful digital signage deployment:

1) Make it Accessible – Place your digital signage at eye level and viewable from different angles so people can get close enough to scan QR codes and read the message comfortably.

2) Enhance Your Appearance – Your signage content is your brand’s face to the world. Make it visually appealing with a simple message, and use moving images and graphics to make it interesting.

3) Keep it Legible – Use an easy-to-read typeface. Bold-face sans-serif fonts such as Arial, Helvetica or Verdana will read easily at a glance if the font is large enough. Test your font size at the distance your signage is most likely to be read. A general rule is one inch of text height for every 10 feet.

4) Cut the Copy – Keep your message as concise as possible. The 3×5 Rule can be effective: limit the amount of text on your display to three lines, each with five words or less, or five lines of three words or less.

5) Keep it Fresh – No matter how eye-catching your content looks, it will eventually go unnoticed out of familiarity. Consider the demographics and the time of day and change content accordingly.

6) Call Viewers to Action – If you want your viewers to do something, make sure your call to action is short and specific. Leave the CTA on the screen the whole time, or show it several times as the content rotates.

One of LG’s most popular series in the XS2E Series – available in various sizes through ALMO.

55XS2D 55” FHD Outdoor Signage

Key Features include:

  • High Brightness
  • Visible with Polarized Sunglasses
  • Fan-less Design
  • High Performance with WEBOS
  • Smart Brightness Control

We are your destination for professional display solutions.

Corinne O’Rawe
888-420-2566 x6220  |  [email protected]

What An Experience!

by | May 3, 2019 | Pro Audio, Uncategorized

Get a behind-the-scenes tour of Harman’s Experience Center

In my last blog I chose to discuss how you can improve your knowledge of audio solutions simply by knowing the different support channels and asking the right questions.  One facet I did not discuss was the need to have a desire to learn.  Simply put- you will make every opportunity that much harder if you refuse to grow independently.  I am no exception to this rule.  As I admitted previously, I came into my new role “not knowing audio” but thanks to the plethora of support channels and various opportunities that exist, gaining this new knowledge is quite easy, all thanks to the team at Harman Professional Solutions.

While attending the most recent stop on the Almo E4 Experience tour in sunny California, I was afforded the opportunity to visit the team at Harman and their new Harman Experience Center which is located at 8500 Balboa Blvd. in Los Angeles.  Pardon the pun, but WHAT AN EXPERIENCE!  The moment you walk in the front door you are greeted by a light show through the winding hallway which works in step with the images on the large video wall further down the hall. Thanks to my unofficial “tour guides”

Mark Wilson and David Tewksbury, I was able to really entrench myself in all of the technology that surrounded me!  A few steps further we were greeted by a row of actual Grammy Awards presented to Harman for their JBL and Lexicon lines amongst others.  Truly innovators in the professional technology space!  Coming from a retail background, I really focused in on their Connected Retail Experience display.  As a business owner, imagine being able to KNOW who your customers truly are and then cater to those specific customers.  From displaying male/female centric marketing to displaying specific content when a customer picks up a certain item, it’s all tied to improving the overall experience at a given store.   It was very intriguing to see where we are headed in terms of custom shopping experiences.

The next steps on our tour was really the “heart of the Experience Center where I was able to learn about  the Connected Huddle Space featuring the AMX Acendo Vibe speaker (which happens to be an Almo Best Seller!), an actual recording booth where we could test out all different models of AKG microphones (if you are lucky, David might sing for you!), and several Martin Lighting displays which were absolutely breathtaking!  Martin Lighting has been used in Las Vegas, London, and so many more of the world’s biggest attractions so to EXPERIENCE that up close was amazing. One of the final stops of our tour was a large room where Harman has hosted several gatherings such as corporate events and parties.  The room is set up to resemble part club, part concert hall, part Broadway stage.  Directly in the middle of the room was a Soundcraft Vi3000 Digital Live Sound Console and boy was that impressive. It is the only console in its class that can be used by two engineers at the same time and despite all of the added features and functionality it also retains all of the features that have made its series the preferred choice for sound engineers.  I had commented to Dave how many times I had seen similar models at concerts and various shows and how it only further demonstrated the theme of the day which was “EXPERIENCE”.  This room allows you to demonstrate how Harman products function in certain environments.  Listening to Phantom of the Opera on Broadway vs a lecture in a college auditorium vs smoke machines and disco lighting in a dance club….awe-inspiring!  Out of this entire room, one of the final yet coolest experiences was the live concert demo complete with drum kit, lighting, smoke, and some of the loudest yet clearest speakers I’ve ever heard!  The JBL VTX A12W is a dual 12” line array loudspeaker.  The kind you would see at the largest world tours from some of the most popular music acts. Various Harman resellers have said “this might be the single best speaker that JBL has ever made” and after seeing/hearing it live I would have to agree!  Starting with the simple installation to the crisp/clear vocals you hear it’s clearly a step above most.  At one point, David told me to stand in a specific area and I found myself directly under this massive speaker.  David walked over to join me and we had a typical conversation.  He then looks over and says “pretty cool huh”….we were standing directly under this line array loudspeaker and I could hear him clear as day.  When was the last time anyone went to a concert and didn’t have to shout all night to friends just to be heard?  That is what clear/powerful sound will do for you!

It is always a pleasure in my line of work to spend time with our vendor partners.  It provides an opportunity to learn more about the people and products that make the machine run smoothly.  However, getting to spend time with Mark and Dave at the Harman Experience Center was unlike any previous meeting I’ve ever had.  It was all part of the learning EXPERIENCE that I talked about previously. While you can certainly learn from online materials, various books, etc, there is something to be said about good old fashioned hands on learning and experiencing for yourself!  I challenge each of you to experience all that Harman has to offer by visiting them in Los Angeles at 8500 Balboa Blvd.  I know they would be more than happy to host you and your teams much like they did for me!  Remember, this is all part of the desired end goal — to learn more about audio and better position your respective companies in the eyes of your customers.  Thanks to Harman’s support system, educational opportunities, and unparalleled approach to technology and innovation, they should be the first stop along the way!

If you’d like information on Harman products, please feel free to contact me.

Rob Voorhees
888-420-2566 x6547  |  [email protected]

 

E4 Experience Recap. It was more than just an event.

by | Apr 19, 2019 | Uncategorized

So that’s a wrap on the 2019 Spring E4 Experience.  And this year, it was more than an event… it was an Experience.  Read on, I’ll explain.

In this, its tenth year Almo shed the name of the award winning E4 AV Tour, and rebranded the event the E4 Experience.  Said Melody Craigmyle, Vice President of Marketing and Communications at Almo Corporation, “We’re seeing the industry really focus on the customer experience, be it live events, business meetings or house of worship experiences.  We are giving them an invaluable, full-day encounter that enables resellers, integrators and end-users to connect, learn and grow.  Especially if they’ve not got the opportunity to travel to other industry trade shows.”

Outside of InfoComm, (happening June 8-14 in Orlando, FL), the only other show you can attend and receive multiple CTS Renewal Units in a single day is the E4 Experience, featuring new exhibitors, new instructors, and exciting new networking opportunities.

Almo created new partnerships in 2019 with the SDVoE Alliance to offer an AV-over-IP Design Certification as well as the Digital Signage Federation to give attendees the opportunity to earn certification in the fast-paced Foundations of Digital Signage course.  Back by popular demand this spring was the highly attended Guided Exhibit Hall Tour, led by industry veteran and rAVe [Publications] founder Gary Kayye.

“We recruited super-star educations – influential and highly respected business professionals – to help our attendees stretch their knowledge, spark new ideas and embrace the future of Pro AV and IT”, said Craigmyle.

Among those all-star instructors who joined us in Chicago and Southern California this March and April was Justin Kennington, president of SDVoE, who said the organization was happy to participate in the E4 Experience because of the opportunity to make the jobs easier for system designers and installers, ultimately making their customers happier.  He noted “the Certified Design Partner program teaches attendees the difference between designing with matrix switches and designing with SDVoE – those who are certified become recognized experts in how to successfully design AV systems on this platform and how to communication the benefits to customers.”

Brian Gorg, executive director of the Digital Signage Federation was also pleased to be able to bring unbiased and relevant information to those looking to further their digital signage practice.  “The Digital Signage Federation is proud to participate in the E4 Experience where we may education integrators, resellers and end users about the business and technical aspects of digital signage.

In total, there were 11 CTS Renewal Units to be had whether you attended Chicago or Southern California.  It’s impossible to attend two classes at once, but the sheer availability to earn a total of five in a single day is virtually unheard of.  Thanks to the incredible partnerships Almo has with our manufacturer partners and sponsors, the opportunity to maintain this very important certification was provided to all attendees free of charge and included parking validation, breakfast and lunch, and hundreds of products on exhibit featuring the latest technology available by vendors like LG, Sharp, and new vendors like Vivitek, D-Link systems, VDO360 and Barco.

If certification RUs and hot new technology wasn’t your thing, we had that covered, too.  Sharp presented a hugely popular autograph and photo opportunity with sports legends at both stops.  Chicago guests were thrilled to meet and chat with former Chicago Bears quarterback and two-time Super Bowl Champion, Jim McMahon and in Southern California fans took autographs and selfies with former Major League Baseball Rookie of the Year, MVP and six-time All-Star Jose Canseco.

It’s a whirlwind, having two shows in two very different parts of the country within less than one month of each other!  It takes a great deal of effort and planning to set up this one day show.  Weeks to do site visits and choose an ideal location, more time to scrutinize schedules and choose a date that has no conflicts with holidays or other industry shows.  Then months of coordinating with vendor partners to organize booth space, secure their latest technology to showcase and get it shipped to the location.

When it’s show time, it takes a village, but we set up an E4 Experience in a single day!  It’s all hands on deck to set up every vendor booth, registration desk, classrooms and the main stage.  It’s fun to see it all come together.  And the morning of the event really brings it home why we at Almo put so much effort into these events.

If you joined us in Chicago or Southern California let us know!  Drop a comment and tell us what you thought, learned and or earned.  And if you missed it, you’ll have another shot.  Registration opens late summer for our fall show.  We’ll be bringing our all-star instructors, advanced education, new technology, new vendor surprises and special celebrity autograph session to Teaneck, NJ on September 25 and Alpharetta, GA on October 15.  We can’t wait to see you there!

But I Don’t KNOW Audio!

by | Mar 27, 2019 | Pro Audio, Uncategorized

Wise words from one of our own.

More times than not, it seems the “A” in A/V becomes an afterthought.  I like to think it is the first letter because it is the most important, but opinions will vary on that.  Much like any other product or service offering, salespeople will always gravitate towards their comfort zone, whether it is the right solution or not for the end user and even if it means leaving margin/revenue on the table.  The concept of audio systems is a prime example and my goal in writing this piece is to illustrate how to avoid doing a disservice to your customers and to your own company.

It was 7 months ago when I was approached with an offer to manage our Harman product line.  My first thought was pure excitement of the new responsibilities, not to mention the opportunity to become further entrenched in the Pro A/V industry.  I have always considered myself a “student” and the more I can learn, the better version of me I would become.  With that being said, my 2nd thought was a resounding “but I don’t KNOW Audio!” From my past experiences in consumer A/V, I was well aware of how vast of a product lineup Harman carried, however I also became aware of the fact there were now 9 different lines I would be responsible for learning.  Yes, I said 9!  My competitive side wanted to immediately learn every feature of every sku of every line…..which I later realized was not the wisest decision by any means.  That is when it dawned on me- Harman and pro audio were no different than my responsibilities in Telecommunications in that all I needed to do was ask the proper qualifying questions while also relying on the support team I was given. Harman has an incredible team of inside support staff and product engineers who are available for the simplest inventory requests to the most complex system designs.  I found that you only needed to learn WHO to turn to and at WHAT time should you turn to them.  This also allowed me the ability to learn the products and features as we went along in the process.

Let’s dive into the one aspect I mentioned above which was, learning to ask the right qualifying questions.  I have always been a firm believer that you can’t sell something if you don’t ask.  Simply put- if you don’t ask your customers about their audio solutions, chances are they won’t be asking you!  So how exactly do you ask about audio if YOU DON’T KNOW AUDIO?  “Mr. Customer, based on your needs I think we can put together a perfect display solution for you.  Now let me ask, what are you currently doing to address your AUDIO needs?” THAT’S IT!  That one question is normally all you would need to ask in order to get the conversation started and get your foot in the proverbial door to audio. This is the moment where the customer might state that he has never thought about audio or he might say he is already sourcing that elsewhere and it gives you a chance to try and win the business.  It will allow you to gather the customer’s needs, how they want the system to function, the dimensions of the room, etc., and then provide that detail to the support team in place at the appropriate vendor to begin designing the proper solution.

Harman happens to not only have one of the widest audio product lineups in the country, but I have found that they also have a wide array of training resources available regardless of your skill level.  Did you know that simply by going to https://pro.harman.com/applications you can select the application you are working on and see an example of the necessary hardware required?  It is through this method that I was able to learn about JBL Surface Mount Speakers, Crown Amplifiers, as well as DBX Zone Processors and how they function in a restaurant environment. Another tool I have learned to value is through the Harman Professional University Training Program. Through these resources that Harman has invested in, it becomes far easier to dive into the world of Professional Audio whether you are initially comfortable with the idea or not.

Hopefully I have started the thought process for you on how to begin offering Audio to your customers.  Aside from added value to your clients, you will be pleasantly surprised by the increased comfort you have recommending new services/products not to mention the HIGHER MARGINS!  I challenge each of you to explore new opportunities involving audio and start the process TODAY.  Contact me and I will get you and your team registered on Harman Professional University and begin reviewing possible leads where we can easily integrate audio into the mix.  So, the next time you speak with a potential client, feel confident in saying “Lets Talk About Your Audio Needs” because you now KNOW AUDIO!

Rob Voorhees | CTS, CTP, DSCE, CTNS, Dante

Director of Business Development

Supported Product Category: Pro Audio & Business Comm Services

FEED ME TACOS AND TELL ME ABOUT CLICKSHARE

by | Mar 20, 2019 | Uncategorized

Last week a friend and I went to check out Taco Tuesday at a new hotspot down by my favorite watering hole in Lauderdale by the Sea.  I expected to enjoy dinner and a drink surrounded by sunshine and music at the open-air bar.  I did NOT expect the chance to geek out after hours with an AV/how to create stress-free collaboration chat, but that’s just what happened.

He’s a sales rep for commercial grade office furniture, and had a big meeting coming up that week.  “You work in PowerPoint, don’t you?” he asked. Ah-ha!  An ulterior motive!  I fully expected him to ask for help with his transitions or animation.  He followed up with, “how do you show your PowerPoint on a TV in a conference room?”  I ignored my initial instinct to correct him on the term “TV” and instead reveled at the chance to talk shop.  He rattled off the familiar complaints about meetings we are all familiar with. People unengaged and even checked out. Meetings can never start on time because it takes too long to set up presentations and project to the displays or screen.  And on and on.

Well!  Isn’t this right up my alley?  As the resident Barco ClickShare expert for the Florida office I am a big fan of the simple technology that makes sharing content and collaborating easy for anyone in any meeting.  I was more than happy to launch into the features and benefits of ClickShare, and how Barco has been changing how meetings are conducted for the past few years with full BYOD support and zero obstacles for downloading software.  IT departments pretty much anywhere can jump on board thanks to the 3 levels of security built into the technology.  And now that they have the CSE-200+ and CSE-800 that does touch back, annotation, and blackboarding for touch panels, the sky’s the limit when it comes to presenting and collaboration.

My friend was intrigued. One device that can easily alleviate all the meeting issues he described?  Not a mythical unicorn!

Unfortunately the company my friend was calling on did not have a ClickShare-enabled conference room, so he was left tethered to the display via an unattractive HDMI cord draped from the conference room table.  Great for impromptu limbo parties, but cumbersome and awkward for presentations and sales pitches.  Fortunately, he still landed the sale.

If he keeps inviting me for dinner on Taco Tuesday I’ll invite him into our office for a personal demo.  In the meantime, he’s going to have to keep wowing his customers with his winning personality

Meet Maureen Mead, CTS, CTS-I, Member of the AVIXA Women’s Council

by | Mar 8, 2019 | Uncategorized

By Melody Craigmyle, AVIXA Leadership Search Committee

Recently, I sat down with Maureen Mead, Business Development Manager for Almo Professional A/V, founder of the AVIXA Women’s Council local chapter in the Baltimore area, oh, and AVIXA Certified Technical Specialist (CTS) and NEWLY accredited CTS-I. Her CTS accomplishments allow her to join the small club of women who hold these distinguished accreditations.

But why did this busy mother of four pursue CTS certification and involvement in the AVIXA Women’s Council? How has this helped her both personally and professionally? What is her advice to other women currently in the industry or those interested in potentially pursuing a career in Pro AV? Read on to learn more…

Melody: Tell us about your background, Maureen. How did you get here?

Maureen: Well, I have a background in athletic game day production and programming. As Director of Operations, I was very involved in the technical aspects of set up/break down for sporting events. This intrigued me to learn even more about the audio visual industry. I took a position in inside sales at Almo Professional A/V, then eventually moved into my current role as Business Development Manager.

Maureen Mead, CTS-I, CTS
Business Development Manager
Almo Professional A/V

Melody: How did you become interested in AVIXA?

Maureen: When I started at Almo, I began noticing initials behind names and wanted to learn more about what they meant. I did some research on AVIXA and immediately became a member. Through AVIXA, I was able to take online courses, participate in webinars and get connected with other women in the industry. Every door I went through, I realized there was so much more and I wanted to keep learning!

 

Learn more about AVIXA membership here.

 

Melody: What motivated you to get your CTS certification?

Maureen: I wanted to be a solutions center for partners, not just take orders. I received a lot of encouragement from fellow AVIXA women and after looking further into it, I realized it was absolutely something I could do. I started a self-taught course and was able to learn the material at my own pace. There is a huge library of helpful videos and other information available to members on the AVIXA website and this made it easier for me to find what I needed to keep moving forward.

 

Melody: When did you become certified?

Maureen: I started the journey toward CTS certification in June 2016 and put June 1, 2017 on my calendar as my goal date to become certified. This is something I encourage everyone to do…set a test date! We all have busy lives and it’s easy to get off track but if you keep the goal somewhere you can see it every day, you’re more likely to keep pushing toward it. I went in and took my test and left as a CTS certification holder! I saw how this credential validated me in the field and this inspired me to go further so I immediately applied to take the CTS-I test and started the preparation process all over again. Not many women in the industry have both designations so I’m pretty proud of this!

 

Melody: Why is it important for a professional in the industry to be CTS-certified?

Maureen: It definitely adds validation to your professional role. Everyone in the Pro AV industry knows what CTS certification is. If you see CTS behind someone’s name, you know they are serious about their job and our industry. This was important to me, especially being a woman in a male-oriented industry (although this is evolving!). When my role at Almo changed from inside sales to business development, I was out in the field more spec’ing jobs, meeting vendors and getting involved in the technical aspects of a project. I was able to immediately use the knowledge I gained through my CTS certification training and provide more value to our reseller and integrator partners.

 

Melody: Can you give an example of how having your CTS certification has helped you on the job?

Maureen: Not too long ago, I was at an industry trade show and an attendee started a conversation with me about a project. This person seemed to be mocking me as if I didn’t understand what they were saying until someone came up behind me and whispered over my shoulder “she’s CTS certified.” The attendee said “Oohhhh” and the tone of the conversation immediately changed. Their opinion of how they were going to communicate the details of their project completely shifted and I got the real story about the mechanics behind everything, instead of just a birds-eye view. And I was able to provide valuable input based on my training.

 

Melody: What do you think are the greatest benefits to AVIXA membership?

Maureen: There are so many! As far as education goes, there are countless valuable courses available free of cost, which is helpful because the further you go into education of any kind, the more expensive it can become! With an AVIXA membership, you are also part of a close-knit community of professionals with a common interest – they become a support group and a sounding board when you need answers. It’s refreshing to know there is a credible group of AV professionals already assembled. It makes sense to want to join forces with them and become a part of this team.

 

 

Melody: What is your involvement in the Women’s Council?

 

Maureen: I began by meeting with the Women’s Council chapter based in DC. But it’s a bit of a drive and the truth is there are already so many talented AV professionals right here in Baltimore. I applied for a chapter here and am currently in the process of selecting officers. There are so many options and paths a professional can take in this industry – it doesn’t have to be technical. We have AV women in sales, marketing, editorial and other thought leadership positions. The AVIXA Women’s council is really a family within a family. I feel that being part of an AVIXA Women’s Council will definitely enrich your career.

 

More details about the AVIXA Women’s Council events can be found here.

 

Learn ways to connect locally with other women in Pro AV here.

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