Recently featured in an article by Automotive News about custom dealership TV systems, It’s Relevant TV comes out on top when it comes to features and affordability.

Comparing IRTV to “other leaders in the field;” the article presents a short-list of digital dealership TV providers – which illustrates that even though It’s Relevant TV costs less than its competitors, it provides a lot more in its service offering. This is something that Jimmy Macagna of Mercedes-Benz, who is featured in the article, knows and has experienced first-hand.

The Best Custom Dealership TV Choices

There are a few names in the industry that come to mind. However, the article from Automotive News singled out the most successful, and most innovative, car dealership TV vendors out there. Whether you’re currently using a custom TV service and you’re exploring options, or looking to cut cable and get your feet wet; the following comparison guide will help you settle on a custom dealership TV solution that fits your brand, budget, and marketing goals.

1.) It’s Relevant TV

It’s Relevant TV costs less than its competitors, while providing a lot more in its service offering.

Available for as low as $99/month, It’s Relevant TV’s all-inclusive subscription is a cost-effective solution for dealership owners looking for a better alternative to cable, or digital signage services that are boring or don’t fit their budget. It’s Relevant TV is truly a premiere custom dealership TV service.

Content: It’s Relevant TV features the largest living library of licensed content in the US; with 500,000+ short-form videos spread across 40+ categories for clients to pick and choose from. Content includes up-to-the-minute video news, home/garden, celebrity interviews, food/cooking, car shows, fashion, pets, travel and more. All videos are family friendly, and pre-screened to ensure that safe, quality content is delivered to your TV. Additionally, content isn’t limited to what It’s Relevant TV delivers. Personal videos and side ads showcasing your brand may be uploaded and featured alongside IRTV’s licensed content; informing visitors on sales, services, and important messaging you want them to see; all as they watch fun and interesting content.

Cost: Briefly hinted at above; It’s Relevant TV’s pricing is set as the lowest in the pack. Two full-featured plans are available: $99/month for users who sign up for a year, and $126/month for users who prefer not to “be stuck” in a contract. IRTV is all-inclusive; meaning that it doesn’t matter if you’re under a yearly contract, or paying month-to-month, you have access to all of It’s Relevant’s features and a dedicated client success manager who not only helps you manage your account, but also contributes graphic design services free of charge.

Customization: The content, videos, promotions, and live social media feeds on It’s Relevant TV are fully customizable. Users are able tailor video content categories to their customers, upload their own dealership videos, control how frequently their personal messaging appears, post relevant headlines, showcase full screen and partial screen promotions, integrate Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, tailor messaging to specific days, and hours of the week; even add subtitles to videos. All of which can be controlled from any tablet, computer or smartphone; from anywhere. Customizations take effect on all screens within the hour, and don’t require weeks of waiting to be implemented.

Competitive Ad Block®: No one wants to see their competitors’ ads show up on their TV screens. It’s Relevant TV provides one of the only legal ways to keep great television content without allowing competitor ads to be shown. Their Competitive Ad Block system will ensure that no other dealerships or car brands can get an ad message through on your screen.

Topic Blocking: As Macagna highlights in the Automotive News article, his dealership greatly appreciated their ability to block out topics from appearing on their screen. When politics gets to be too controversial, It’s Relevant TV has the ability to block just those videos out. You can even block out news stories about Tesla if you feel like they are going to compete with your brand/image.

Customer Service: Clients of It’s Relevant TV are assigned a client success manager who will provide best practices for using their TVs effectively, act as a thought partner on marketing campaigns, and will assist you with graphic design work that’s being featured on the TV. The client success manager provides some great additional value, and it is all included with the regular low subscription fee.

2.) Automotive Broadcasting Network

ABN boasts “effective digital signage solutions for the automotive industry;” basic services starting at $499/month, with average dealerships paying +$1,000/month for a variety of additional services. Services that car dealerships are paying for include lounge TVs, digital signage, video walls, service menu boards, and appointment boards – which can add up to a lot. ABN has been serving the industry for years and has a large footprint since it got into the industry early, but it remains one of the most expensive options.

3.) Spectrio

Spectrio offers clients solutions in digital signage, on-hold messaging & marketing, overhead music & messaging, as well as wi-fi marketing; charging upwards of $125, to $149/month per service. When it comes to content, Spectrio plays videos from networks like CBS or NBC, and streams shows and entertainment clips from a short list of categories.

4.) Digital Dealership System

With basic services starting at $99/month, Digital Dealership System offers dealerships a short selection of location-based digital signs. Signage options are broken down into sales signs, service signs, customer lounge signs, sales leaderboard signs, and kiosk signs.

Visitors are exposed to the brand on select screens; others will show them how much money they will have to spend on services such as oil changes, tire rotations, or fluid services. Lounge TVs feature commercial free, and live-TV options.

As with any service which combines digital signage with broadcast TV; make sure you have the legal right to do so. If a service is integrating cable TV you may find your business is liable. Make sure it’s legal and not violating the Terms & Conditions of your cable/satellite provider. Be safe!

5.) Auto Dealer Network TV

Coming in at $399 a month with a one-time channel development fee of $995, and a cost of equipment fee of $351 (additional TVs costing +$200/month & +$350 for setup); Auto Dealer Network TV introduces itself as a live internet-delivered TV service that provides auto dealerships with news and entertainment from networks like CNN and HLN. Programming is limited to news, business and financial, sports, updates, weather, lifestyle and travel segments; as well as entertainment features from HBO, TNT, truTV, and TCM.

Beyond basic programming, Auto Dealer Network TV offers the uploading your own personal dealership videos to expose visitors to your brand, sales, and services. Additionally, a number of generic Sample Videos are available to users at a cost of $100/per video. These videos can be custom-tailored to your brand at $800 for 4 videos, $1,400 for 8 videos, and 12 videos for $2,000.

6.) AutoVision TV

Costing around $350 to start, with average clients paying upwards of $600/month – AutoVision TV provides dealerships with a variety of brand-tailored TV channels to outfit showrooms, lounges, and service centers with; with the goals of promoting sales, selling you on car parts, as well as services they want to get you interested in. While you wait, you’ll be watching inside-vehicle tours, staff profiles, featurettes on satisfied customers and their new car purchases, as well as what people on social media are saying about the dealership; while rotating sports, finance, and weather boxes play on the side. Additionally, you’ll watch plenty of other car-relented content to pass the time; which is great if you’re into cars, but less-so if you’re not.

AutoVision TV also features an optional “TV Window” mode for users with cable/satellite TV. Before throwing this up in your main lobby, do your homework. Business TV software that modifies, or changes the service from its original form without the expressed consent of your provider may violate the Terms & Conditions listed in your service agreement. For the same reasons you can’t play Netflix, or DVDs in a place of business, you can’t alter portions of broadcasts when they don’t suit your needs.

It’s Relevant is the Top Choice for your Car Dealership TVs

Compared to other automotive TV networks, It’s Relevant TV is a feature rich service that costs the least, while giving dealerships the most. Unlike most of its competitors, It’s Relevant isn’t limited to just the automotive industry; it has success in serving clients, and audiences, across the U.S.

The same people who visit your dealership visit restaurants, medical offices, salons, and other places that It’s Relevant serves. While the places are different, the mission is the same: Give people in each place something they will connect with.

For the same reason a doctor’s office shouldn’t show only medical content; a dealership shouldn’t limit its content to only automotive. The more interests you cater to, and the more variety you have, the more your visitors will be interested in your messaging. In the end, it’s people you’re trying to market your services to. The best way to get them to come back more, and spend more, is to create the best experience for them while they’re at your location. Put something on the TV people will enjoy, and your messaging will do the rest.

*All pricing and service details included in this article were either sourced from the Automotive News Article or directly from the service’s websites in February, 2019.

July 7, 2021 Update: Automotive Broadcasting Network was acquired by Spectrio.

Have a business, product, or service you’re trying to advertise? Putting your message where it matters is the key to reaching your target customers. But with so many vehicles to drive your messaging to the public, settling on the right one to advertise on can be difficult. This article will identify the top 5 most popular platforms to consider for your advertising dollars.

The Top 5 Platforms to Advertise On:

5.) Newsletters & Media: There’s no better target to advertise to than a preexisting customer, client, or patient. These people already know, trust, and have experience with your brand, and are more likely to buy from you in the future. The value of repeat business cannot be overstated. It’s easier to get someone who’s familiar with your brand to keep coming back, than it is to get someone new to try your services for the first time.

Emails, newsletters, and other digital reminders are a great way to remind people that you exist, and that there’s plenty of reasons for them to revisit and use/buy your products/services. As easy and cost-effective as emails and newsletters are, there’s always the risk of becoming spam. And being “spammy” can harm your brand’s image. Companies that only reach out to customers who voluntarily signed up to receive emails generally yield more success when it comes to generating repeat business using this method.

4.) Radio Ads: Whether it’s on your way to work in the morning, sitting in a waiting room, or listening to a coworker’s desk radio; one way or another you’re bound to listen to the radio at some point. Depending on what you’re trying to sell, radio advertisement may be your ticket – with costs as little as $200, or as much as $5,000 for a slot, there’s plenty of options to fit your budget. If there’s a downside to advertising on the radio, it’s the well-known fact that people tend to dislike  radio commercials. How often do people change stations when an ad comes on, or get frustrated when a commercial break goes on for minutes?

It’s a valid point to consider. Folks aren’t the happiest when they’re stuck in traffic; it isn’t your fault that they’re miserable, but your upbeat commercial may be the last thing they want to hear at that time and may actually form a negative association with your brand. If you’re concerned about making your advertising dollars count, the radio might not be what you’re looking for.

3.) Billboards & Outdoor Advertising: Signs on the highway, on buses, benches, and buildings are the go-to for many companies when they want to get the word out about a new product or service. A monthly fee is a small price to pay for constant, everyday exposure if the billboard is placed in front of your intended audience. The budgets have a large range; $3,000-$30,000/month for a billboard, or $150-$600 / $3,000-$6,500/month for transit advertising. Depending on how much you have to devote to marketing and advertising, spending a lot of money for an unknown, unguaranteed ROI might be a risky move. Consider alternative options, and find something that works within your budget.

2.) Internet/Website Ads: Google ads which bump your website up to the front page of related searches, or advertisements on the tops or sides of webpages are a growing favorite amongst companies that are putting their message where people are spending most of their time; browsing the internet. The cost of advertising online varies, but you can expect to pay $1-$50 per click, or $7+ per 1000 impressions on sites like Facebook. While advertising online feels effective because of the massive numbers the reports boast, you may find that impressions may not be all that impressive. Your ad is often buried on a page, or lost among too many for people to be able to get your message or act upon it.

1.) TV Advertising: The standard go-to for impactful, widespread visual reach. People have been advertising their products and services on TVs since Bulova Watches bought a 10-second ad in 1941 for $9. Since then, advertising has grown into a multi-billion dollar industry; the TV being the most widely recognized means of educating people about a brand. However, advertising on cable TV can be costly. A 30-second local ad can cost as much as $1,500, whereas national ads will run you upwards of $120,000. And the mother of all ads- a Super Bowl spot runs $5,100,000 for 30-seconds. Any of these amounts can be too much money to put aside for advertising, especially if you’re a small company.

The Top TV Solution for Advertising

If you’re looking for a cost-effective way to advertise that incorporates the best medium to fit your advertising budget, consider It’s Relevant TV. Advertising can  expensive, but it doesn’t have to be. It’s Relevant combines the best aspects of TV advertising, online and out of home. offers some of the most cost-effective television advertising on the planet. At just 30–50 cents a play, you’re able to run a standard television commercial in great targeted locations across the country.

In addition, It’s Relevant features scaleability and specificity. You’re able to limit your ad buys to geographic zones and business categories that you specify. Do you want to reach people in restaurants within 10 miles of X city? It’s Relevant TV lets you do that. Purchase ads in just those locations, and get exactly what you want while eliminating wasteful spending.

Is a 30-second Super Bowl ad really worth $5.1 million? For some businesses it definitely is. If you have 5 million to spend, it’s a quick way to get a TV ad to a mass (100 million viewer) audience. But for your business it’s probably not anywhere near worth it. You’d likely be much better off paying to reach specific sets of customers that can act upon your message, and that will want your product or service.

Look into Advertising on It’s Relevant TV, and put your messaging where it matters most.

Advertising your brand is essential to the success of your business, product, or service. Yet despite how important advertising is, there’s still a large number of people who forget the basics, or could benefit from a casual reminder. This article will explore the top 5 things to consider before advertising your brand.

Things to Consider when Advertising your Brand:

1.) Who is your audience? Where do they go?

It’s important to think about your audience as a whole, not just about where you want them to go. If you advertise products for a vitamin company, you may think that a medical office is the best place to advertise. And it is a great place to start, however, the people who you’re reaching in that medical office may only visit that place a couple times a year; whereas there are plenty of other places they visit more frequently – places you could be advertising into as well.

The best way to get your restaurant moving forward is to embrace forward-thinking technologies. Whether it’s upgrading to digital menu boards, installing state-of-the-art beverage dispensers, or investing in self-service ordering kiosks; there’s no shortage of new ways for business owners and franchisees to improve efficiency, quality of experience, and customer convenience.

With so many areas to improve, and even more ways to improve them with the innovative technology that’s out there today, business owners and franchisees are in a unique position to stand out amongst competitors. However, sifting through the options and settling on the best improvements for your business or franchise can be overwhelming, and finding out where to begin can be just as difficult.

This article will identify one major, yet easy area of improvement most businesses and franchises have in common –  the TV.

Forward-Thinking: The TV in your Restaurant

When taking a good hard look at your restaurant for things to improve, the TV on the wall isn’t usually at the top of the list. Yet something as simple as the TV has the power to make, or break, your business. Before delving into forward-thinking TV solutions, it’s important to understand the purpose of having a TV in your restaurant. The top three things to consider when it comes to your TV are:

1. Who/What is the TV for?: In most cases, the TV is probably for your visitors, as TVs are a familiar, comfort element. If you’re ever sitting down at a restaurant; if you’re not looking at your phone, you’re probably looking at the TV. It exists as a casual distraction. Something for people to watch and help pass the time while they wait, or eat.

2. Where is the TV located?: Almost as important as what’s on the TV is where it is in your business. Does your business have a place for people to sit while they’re waiting to be seen or served? Does it have a bar? A lobby? Or dining area? These are all appropriate places to hang a TV – that goes without saying. You get the most out of your TV when it’s someplace people are going to linger for a while.

3. What’s on the TV?: Taking into consideration the first two points above, you now need to put the right thing on the TV.  9 out of 10 times restaurants use basic cable or DirecTV – this is a classic mistake. Years ago, short of relying on a broadcast antenna, basic cable was just about the only thing to put on a TV. But, in the 21st century, this just isn’t the case. Forward-thinking business owners today are turning to digital signage solutions over services like cable or DirecTV; recognizing them as better alternatives for their business TVs. But digital signage alone won’t do it for your customers.

IRTV: A Forward-Thinking TV Solution for Businesses

The TV in your restaurant (QSR, deli, cafe, coffee shop, or pizza place) is an opportunity to get important messaging across to your customers. It’s a tool, which if used correctly, can improve marketing, visitor experience, and brand awareness. But, not when you’re stuck with cable or DirecTV. You need a service like It’s Relevant TV.

It’s Relevant TV is a custom TV network for businesses and franchises. It’s a service which offers the entertainment factor cable provides, but is presented in a fashion that is more appropriate for business settings. IRTV’s content is short form, and organized in a list of 40+ categories to pick and choose from.

A question for the ages, how does one become more relevant to their customers? Depending on the kind of business you manage, this can be achieved a number of different ways. But one thing is true all-around; the better you understand your customers, the better you’ll be able to relate to them, which will help you figure out how best to make your business more appealing to them.

Becoming More Relevant to Your Customers

Becoming more relevant to your customers doesn’t mean going out of your way to look cool, hip, or “with it;” it didn’t work for the older generations in the 90’s, and it isn’t going to start working now.

The first step towards making your business more relevant, is making your place of business more appealing. To make your setting more appealing, you start by identifying the areas that most commonly need improvement. Whether you own a restaurant, car dealership, or medical office – if your location is shabby, or in disarray, you can forget about people getting more interested in what you have to offer. When your atmosphere is welcoming and inviting, it’s far easier to get your brand noticed, and appreciated by your customers.

Visit the following article for a list of the Top 5 Factors to Enhance your Business Environment; becoming more relevant to your customers begins there!

The Secret to Becoming More Relevant

Now that your business environment has been thoroughly enhanced, or it’s at least on your to-do list, it’s time to explore the most effective way your business, and your brand, can become more relevant to your customers. What’s better? More likely than not it’s a thing you already have in place.

That thing is social media.

Social media is everywhere these days. There isn’t a major company, franchise, or successful business out there that isn’t well-connected on social media. So it should come at no surprise that platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram are the top tools these bigger businesses swear by when it comes to modern, forward-thinking marketing.

But having accounts on one, or all of these platforms isn’t enough to get people interested; and depending on the type of business you own, it may be harder to gain social media followership. When was the last time you followed your favorite restaurant, diner, or even your dentist on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram? Probably never. Yet if you visit the websites of all these places, you’ll often find at least one link to one of their social media accounts.

Coming up with the Perfect Post

Try following a business you yourself frequent and see what sorts of things they share over social media. What you find might surprise you. You might discover that the dentist you see maybe once, or twice a year rock-climbs, or plays the guitar in a local band; thus giving you a reason to be interested in more than just their business – but at the same time, it will make you think positively about that particular brand whenever you see it because of a relevant association. You might even recommend them to someone else.

It doesn’t even have to be a hobby, or interest, that gets you interested. By following a restaurant or business, you might discover that they donate a lot of money to a local charity, or find that they support the police, firefighters, or military veterans; details you might have missed, or never would have known if you never followed them on social media.

Your posts don’t have to be perfect; but they also don’t always have to be 100% about pushing your business, or product. Becoming more relevant to your customers means sharing things that are of interest to them; things that will get them thinking positively about your brand whenever they see it.

How you present yourself on social media is key; so are the ways you get your messages out there. The downside to social media being everywhere, is that social media is everywhere. You can’t pop a tic-tac without the container telling you to “Like us on Facebook!” That can get annoying, and might even turn some people away from the product itself. That’s why it’s important to strategize a way to package your social media posts, and present them to customers in a way, and at a time, that’s convenient for everyone.

It’s Relevant TV: A Vehicle for your Social Media Posts

When the recipe for becoming more relevant to your customers is a welcoming atmosphere, a well-connected presence on social media, and a variety of interesting posts to get people thinking positively abut your brand, the trick becomes finding a reliable way to get those messages across.

Look no further than It’s Relevant TV.

IRTV is a quick and easy way to get your social media posts seen by more people, and is an effective means of increasing followership. By getting rid of cable on the TV, and replacing it with It’s Relevant’s custom TV network, you’re able to stream live social media posts directly from your accounts, straight to your TV.

With IRTV, your posts act like your own brief commercials. Showing up in between short, category-specific videos that are interesting, informative, and engaging. It’s Relevant’s content puts customers that are watching in a positive mood, making it easier, and safer, to expose them to your brand, and your messaging.

Be bold, and explore your options. See if you can make your business more relevant to your customers with IRTV.

The short answer? Yes, you can. However, you’ll probably want to avoid doing so, because it likely constitutes a breach of contract with your television provider.

With so many “terms of service” pages you’ve agreed to when signing up, it’s easy to miss what you are, and aren’t allowed to do.  Even the most common luxuries there are limits; like what you can or can’t do with your TVs.

Questions like the one above, or others like “Can I remove commercials from my TV” or “Do I need to pay extra to show DVDs in my business?” are the key to running a safe ship. While your business may be focused on selling a product or service to a customer, media companies aren’t much different. They make money off of the use of their media properties and/or through advertising that pays for the creation of the content. This article will address an issue that’s becoming more frequent, which is the idea of modifying, or substituting television commercials on your business TV.

Replacing Commercials Using TV Software

There are companies that have made it their mission to create software to help you break the rules. Unfortunately, using the so-called “solutions” can create more problems than it’s worth. With the way technology is constantly evolving, there’s not a lot you can’t do. But just because you can do something, doesn’t mean you should. Your business shouldn’t have to pay the price.

Often times, business owners aren’t even aware that what they’re doing is illegal; especially not when companies are selling them television solutions that encourages them to do prohibited things in the first place. The sticky part is, if you hire, or partner with a company that provides you a service which lets you modify your cable subscription; it doesn’t make you any less liable.

Liable for what, exactly? Business TV software that modifies, or changes the service from its original form without the expressed consent of your provider may violate the Terms & Conditions listed in your service agreement:

There it is. Tucked a little ways down the alphabet on DirecTV’s Terms & Conditions page; where it always was. In case you missed it again, it says:

“Unless authorized by DIRECTV in writing through a DIRECTV subscription service, you agree that all Services will be exhibited in entirety, in original form and as provided by us, without any modifications, additions (including the addition of a crawl line), or deletions to any of the Services.”

For the same reasons you can’t play Netflix, or DVDs in a place of business, you can’t alter a portions of broadcasts when they don’t suit your needs.

Just because the technology exists, doesn’t mean it’s legal to use it

Let’s look at a separate example of tech companies helping you break the rules. Take speeding in your car for instance. No one wants to get a speeding ticket. Radar jammers were invented to block a police officer’s ability to measure your speed while you are using it. But they are illegal in all 50 U.S. states.

The penalty for using a radar jammer is much worse than the few hundred dollar fine you’d  get for speeding. Federal law provides up to a $75,000 fine and possible imprisonment! And the radar jammer manufacturer isn’t going to owe the money or serve the time. As the person that got caught using it, you will.

Why are you Replacing Commercials in the First Place?

It’s a bad sign if you get to this point. If you’re trying to replace unwanted commercials that keep showing up on your business TV, what does that tell you? It illustrates how you’re not in control of what’s on your TV. It demonstrates how services like cable and DirecTV aren’t really a fit for businesses in general. Yet so many business owners settle for it, despite there being alternatives that cost less, and let you do more.

There’s a silver lining to all of this, though. If you’re trying to modify the commercials on your cable, or DirecTV supscription, it means you recognize how harmful certain commercials can be for your business. Dealerships obviously don’t want ads for other local dealerships running on their TVs, and fast-food restaurants wouldn’t want ads for cheaper coffee, or better meal deals from a franchise across the street.

In the end, there’s better ways to market your business than a costly cable subscription. There’s It’s Relevant.

IRTV: Replace the Cable, not the Commercial

It’s Relevant TV is the solution you’re looking for if you’re a business owner, and you want to overwrite competitive commercials, but keep the TV content. It’s Relevant keeps competitive commercials automatically. Plus you can showcase your own spots among the premium content IRTV provides. Everything is safe, family-friendly, and things people genuinely enjoy watching.

It’s a television service that gives you control over what comes on the TV, and costs less than what most businesses are paying for cable, or digital display software. The best part? No more paying a cable company to play competitor ads in your business.

Whether you own a Quick Serve Restaurant (QSR), a car dealership, or a medical office, a new TV could be just what you need to spice up your location; and there’s no better time than now to invest in one!

This article will illustrate why now is a great time get a new TV for your business, as well as point you in the right direction of where to start looking for a cost-effective TV solution that works for you.

A New TV for your Business? Tis’ the Season!

Black Friday… Cyber Monday… The weeks of sales and savings before, and after these well-known purchasing events are the best times to buy a TV. With the Thanksgiving holiday wrapping up, and the festive season just around the corner, prices for such things are as low as they’ve been all year.

Need a TV for your business? Or a second TV to highlight a part of your restaurant that the first TV doesn’t reach? Now’s the time to think about browsing, and treating yourself to a new screen! Below are just a handful of the great Black Friday specials on HDTVs going on this 2019 season:

1.) Insignia 32″ 720p HD Smart LED TV (NS-32DF310NA19) Fire TV Edition + Free Echo Dot – $99.99 at Amazon

2.) Westinghouse 50″ LED Smart 4K Roku TV w/ HDR – $149.99 at Best Buy

3.) Hisense 43″ 4K UHD HDR Android Smart LED TV (43H6570F) – $179.99 at Best Buy

4.) LG 55″ LED 2160p Smart 4K UHD TV with HDR (UK6090PUA) – $299.99 at Best Buy

5.) Samsung 55″ 4K Smart LED TV (UN55NU6900FXZA) – $329.99 at Samsung

6.) TCL 65″ 4K UHD Roku Smart TV (65S423) – $379.00 at Sam’s Club

How to Best Use Your Television in Your Business

Getting a TV is only half the battle. To get the most out of your new screen, you need something to put on it. Years ago, the general go-to for filling the screen  was cable. However, as technology has evolved, new and innovative TV solutions now exist that are made for business settings.

So now that you’ve got your shiny new TV, you’ll need something great to put on it. Now before you consider settling for regular old cable, or even worse; Netflix, for your business’ TV entertainment solution, consider what those services are designed for.

Cable TV is meant for the home-setting. Where friends and family sit down and watch TV, for the purpose of sitting down, and watching TV. That’s less-so the case in a restaurant, where folks are there to eat, or converse with one another, or in a medical office where they just want to relax before an appointment. With how familiar cable is, it’s easy to see why so many businesses throw it on their screens – because what else is there?

The answer? A lot.

Alternatives to cable are out there, if you take the time to look. Alternatives that are made for businesses, and cost less than cable. One service in particular stands out above the rest.

IRTV: The Best Business TV Solution

It’s Relevant TV is all you’ll ever need when it comes to TV inside of waiting rooms and businesses. Combining the best aspects of television, and digital signage – It’s Relevant streams content from a library of over half-a-million videos; broken down into 40+ categories to pick and choose from. With the option of uploading your own personal ads and videos to play in between, or alongside IRTV’s interesting content.

If you’re looking for a TV network with engaging, family-friendly content; one that you control, which can be spread across multiple TVs, then It’s Relevant is right for you. Don’t settle for a costly cable service that allows competitor ads into your business, not when digital signage solutions like It’s Relevant TV are an option.

“If a tree falls in the woods, and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?”

If your business TV is playing poor content, and you’re not there to watch it, are visitors still seeing it? Yes, they are; and it’s hurting your business, your brand, and your bottom line. If you already know where this is going, and you’d like to explore an alternatives to cable or DirecTV, start here.

How your Business TV is Hurting your Business

It isn’t the TV that’s hurting your business, as much as it is the programming that’s playing on it. A big part of the problem is a lack of awareness. Business owners don’t always know what’s on the TV. Whether they’re behind the counter, in the back office, or even working from home – you don’t know what’s playing unless you’re sitting in front of the TV, watching it. So chances are, you’re not seeing how the TV that you bought to entertain your visitors is actually showing boring politics, graphic news, or even worse; COMPETITOR ADS.

How your Business TV is Hurting your Brand

Nothing beats being the owner of a business that sells something like coffee and breakfast fixings literally paying to have competitor ads show up in their business, advertising where to get the same things; but cheaper. That’s effectivly what you’re doing by choosing services like cable and DirecTV to power your business television. You’re paying to invite other brands to steal your customers away; outshining your own brand and reducing your monthly revenue.

The worst part? No one’s really interested or even enjoying the programming that’s playing. When was the last time you sat down at a fast-food restaurant, saw a local news story about a man who was stabbed to death, and as a result had a cheery conversation with friends or family while you ate?

Probably never. That kind of programming can is almost certain to create a bad, or awkward experience for your visitors. This can leave a bad impression on your brand, and even impact the chances of your visitors coming back.

Identifying the problem is only half the battle. Fortunately, it’s a problem that’s easy to address.

How to Fix your Business TV: IRTV

Until recently, there never really was much else to put on the TV other than cable; but as technology evolves, forward-thinking business owners are turning to services that cost less, with features that improve their marketing, and host content that is engaging, and family-friendly.

IRTV, or It’s Relevant TV, is television software that business owners across the country are taking advantage in order to become more relevant to their customers; using it as a customizable marketing tool, one that replaces the boring, graphic, and unwanted content with videos that people genuinely enjoy watching.

If you’re a business owner, or you manage a business with a TV; take 3 minutes out of your day and put yourself in the shoes of your customers. Watch the TV, see what they’re seeing, and consider whether or not you’re getting the most out of your service. Don’t be afraid to change what’s on the TV.

If you’re a business owner, marketing professional, or someone in charge of visitor experience; and you don’t know what’s on your TV in your waiting areas, you may want to keep reading. This article will highlight some of the things that are appearing on your waiting room TV without you realizing it.

Why knowing what’s on your TV is Important.

Some people say “what you don’t know can’t hurt you,” but in reality, the exact opposite is true. In the case of your waiting room TV, not knowing what’s playing can come back to haunt you. It’s like leaving your garage door open for the day; you have no idea how many unwelcome squirrels, birds, and mice may have found their way inside. You might think you have the TV tuned to something safe, or family-friendly; but with cable, DirecTV or a medical service provider, you don’t know unless you’re there in person. Unless you’re in control of what’s on your TV, there’s really no telling what your visitors might be exposed to.

When Using Cable or DirecTV…

The News, Food Network, and channels like E! are the go-to standard for waiting room television. What is the purpose of choosing these channels? It’s usually just needing something to put on the TV. TVs are in waiting rooms because they’re a familiar distraction. They can reduce stress, and help pass the time; people put TVs in waiting rooms because they care about the comfort of their visitors. That is their intent, at least.

The news is often depressing, violent, and graphic. People in waiting areas don’t want to see how many people died in a shooting. They don’t want to see endless political commentary, graphic images of injured or fearful human beings, or a news story about something bad that happened close by. Nothing says “I’ll think twice about coming here next time” than a string of recent crimes in the area.

Channels like the Food Network, HGTV, and E! are tame by comparison, but no less important to keep in mind. Visitors have called these networks boring and frustrating. People have never been more sensitive to the smallest things than they are today; they’ve also never been more able to express those fleeting feelings of frustration over social media and online reviews. Something they saw on your TV, which has nothing to do with your business, could be the reason they go online and rant about their “bad experience”. As a result, you’ll lose potential customers who decide to go somewhere based on reviews.

It’s impossible to please 100% of the people 100% of the time, especially with services like cable or DirecTV. However waiting room TV software exists that gives you control over what’s on your TV; allowing you to cater to the interests of many, as opposed to few.

When Using Medical TV…

In the case of hospitals, clinics, or medical offices, sometimes what’s on the TV isn’t cable, but rather a looping medical display. These programs are detailed, informative, yet very often graphic, anxiety driving or depressing to waiting patients. Cross-sections of the human body, graphic imagery of a clogged artery, or a bold adventure down a 3D-rendered infected colon are not what visitors want to see. This is the sort of content that visitors are watching on your TV if you subscribe to medical waiting room television.

It’s gross, it’s unsettling, and if you’re lucky it’s not looping every 5 minutes. If this is going on in your waiting room, take a moment to sit in the chairs as if you were a patient. Watch the TV, and really consider if this sort of programming is actually improving visitor experience.

It’s Relevant TV, on your TV

“The needs of the many, outweigh the needs of the few.”

-Spock

The trick to successful waiting room TV programming is content; content that you control, which appeals to as many people as possible. A good TV display doesn’t loop. It should feature interesting videos that are family-friendly, and should be something you can trust to set it and forget it.

It’s Relevant TV is just that. It’s a custom TV network; one that you control. You pick which categories you think your visitors will enjoy, and IRTV does the rest; providing you with non-looping, family-friendly content that is short-form, meaning that chances are high that someone will see a program that interests them during the time they spend waiting.

It’s Relevant puts visitors in a good mood, that helps lead to a good experience, which turns into repeat business. We no longer live in an age where standard TV channels are the only thing that can go on a TV.

Do more for your business by doing more with your TV.