Is there going to be a 'successful' niche in Digital Signage this year?

As with everyone else, I've been reflecting on the last year and on what the new year will bring. My thoughts around digital signage are continually landing on the same comment made by several people at the Strategy Institute's Summit in November. The comment kept coming about that 'municipalities' and government departments are the way to go for digital signage this year.

I don't think that's true.

Three or four months ago before things started to snowball, I could agree with this, but I don't think it's true now. Government departments were seen as a great option because they have this government money that they have to use, they can get grants etc.

That may no longer be the case, and digital signage could take the back seat for a little bit.

Everyone, from the Fed to States to local governments are batting down the hatches to brace themselves for a rough year. In Indiana, for example, we are one of the few states in the black...but Gov. Daniels is still cutting the budget in a lot of areas because we may not be so lucky next year. Cities like Muncie and Bloomington, Indiana are cutting their snow removal times to week days from the hours of 8-5. Everyone is needing to cut back...and I honestly believe that at the moment people are not going to be willing to shell out the extra dough to fund a digital signage deployment.

So what do we do? We can't just sit idle and wait for things to heat up again. No, we focus on ourselves. I believe we need to turn inward, protect our own assets and make ourselves better. It is in times like these that the top companies will prevail - and not because they have the most 'real estate' or the most in ad dollar...but because of how they have set themselves apart.

How will you set yourself apart in 2009? Content? Customer service? Technology?