Turning Uncertainty into Opportunity: Using Your TV to Steady Your Business During Market Volatility

The economic landscape is shifting rapidly.

And for many business owners and operators, that is an understatement. From fluctuating stock markets to unpredictable inflation rates, businesses across the U.S. are facing a rollercoaster of financial instability. For small and medium-sized enterprises, these changes bring unique challenges—tightening consumer spending, reduced investment confidence, and increased operational caution.

But there’s good news: even during economic turbulence, there are tools and strategies that can help businesses remain resilient and even grow.

What’s Fueling the Market Volatility?

In recent months, headlines have been dominated by economic swings caused by:

• Inflation pressure and unpredictable tariffs
• Global geopolitical tensions impacting investor confidence
• Uncertainty around policy shifts tied to trade, climate, and labor
• A cautious consumer base reacting to fluctuating prices

This kind of instability can ripple across industries. Business owners feel the pressure to keep costs low, customers may delay purchases, and marketing budgets are often among the first to get slashed.

While cutting back may seem necessary, maintaining visibility and engagement during these times is more important than ever.

A Bright Spot in a Murky Market

It’s Relevant TV is the smart, budget-friendly service that will keep your business front-and-center, without spending more on ads or promotions you can’t track. It’s a customizable TV platform designed for businesses—waiting rooms, retail spaces, gyms, salons, medical offices, and more. It’s all about doing more with less, and It’s Relevant TV uses your existing television to bring more to your business.

💡 Keep Customers Engaged

When consumers are more cautious about how and where they spend their money, your customer experience matters even more. It’s Relevant TV transforms any television into a brand-boosting tool, offering entertaining and educational content while subtly weaving in your promotions and messaging. This leads to:

• Increased satisfaction during wait times
• Positive brand association
• Higher rates of customer retention

📣 Promote Without the Ad Budget

Advertising during a recession or market dip can be risky and expensive. With It’s Relevant TV, you have your own “in-house” advertising channel. Want to promote a special offer, loyalty program, or seasonal product? Just upload your own photo, video or message and it’s shown prominently to everyone walking through your door.

🧠 Offer Timely, Trusted Information

During uncertain times, misinformation can run rampant—especially on cable news channels. With It’s Relevant TV, you can control the narrative by providing filtered news, local updates, and relevant information, without overwhelming your customers with negativity or fear-driven content.

📉 Reduce Perceived Wait Times

Studies show that people perceive time to pass more quickly when they’re engaged. In volatile economic periods, every bit of customer satisfaction matters. It’s Relevant TV reduces perceived wait time, which increases satisfaction and can lead to better reviews and more referrals.

🌟 Build Trust & Familiarity

Stability builds trust—and when customers walk into a business where the messaging, experience, and atmosphere feel consistent and professional, they feel more confident spending money. It’s Relevant TV helps you project that stability, no matter what’s happening in the stock market.

While you may not be able to control inflation, interest rates, or global news, you can control the experience your customers have when they interact with your business. During times of economic uncertainty, doubling down on your brand’s presence and customer care is one of the smartest moves you can make.

It’s Relevant TV gives you the power to create a positive, engaging environment that reflects the strength and reliability of your business—even when the world outside feels unpredictable.

Breaking the Cycle: Why Businesses Are Moving Away from 24/7 News on TV

Turn on a cable news channel today, and chances are you’ll be hit with a wave of stress-inducing headlines within seconds. From political tension and international conflict to economic fears and public health scares, traditional news programming often paints a bleak, chaotic picture of the world—and your customers are watching.

If you’re a business owner, that’s a problem.

Whether you’re running a medical office, auto dealership, restaurant, retail store, salon, apartment building, or fitness center, what’s playing on your TVs directly influences how your customers feel—and how they perceive your brand.

Increasingly, businesses across the country are saying: “Enough with the news.”

The Problem with 24/7 Cable News in Your Business

There was a time when having the news on in a waiting area felt like a neutral choice. That time is gone. Here’s why sticking with cable or satellite news can do more harm than good:

Negative Emotional Impact

Constant reports of violence, disasters, political conflict, and crises can leave your customers feeling anxious, frustrated, or worse—especially in environments where they’re already under stress (like hospitals, clinics, or automotive service centers).

That kind of negativity lingers and can even be unconsciously associated with your business.

Divisiveness & Complaints

In today’s polarized political climate, even the choice of news channel can trigger discomfort or arguments. Your staff may get pulled into debates they didn’t ask for, and customers may silently judge your business based on what’s airing—even if it’s just background noise.

Repetitive, Non-Relevant Content

Many news channels run the same stories in loops, leading to information fatigue. Worse, much of the content is irrelevant to your local business, your services, or your customer’s interests.

So why show it at all?

TV can still have value to your business. You just need to put the right programming on it.

The Solution: Custom TV For Your Business

Instead of subjecting customers and staff to the stress of 24/7 news, more and more businesses are turning to custom solutions like It’s Relevant TV—a customizable, business-friendly television platform designed specifically for public spaces.

It provides full licensed, up-to-date, family-friendly content without the gloom and doom of traditional news.

Here are some of the advantages:

Total Control Over What Plays On Your Screens

One of the most powerful features of It’s Relevant TV is topic-level filtering. Want to avoid politics? Block it. Don’t want to show crime stories, tariff updates, or violent news? You’re in control.

You choose the content categories that make sense for your space. This ensures your screens are always aligned with the vibe you want to create—whether that’s relaxed, upbeat, educational, or just distraction-free.

🏥 For Medical Offices & Clinics

In healthcare settings, patients may already feel nervous or vulnerable. Watching alarming news about health crises, drug recalls, or hospital shortages only adds stress. Instead, It’s Relevant TV offers health tips, educational segments, and light entertainment that makes waiting less stressful and improves the patient experience.

🚗 For Car Dealerships & Service Centers

When customers are waiting for a sales rep or getting their vehicle serviced, their experience sets the tone for the entire visit. Instead of cable news negativity, offer custom content that showcases your latest models, maintenance tips, or promotions—all wrapped in engaging, brand-safe programming without competitor car ads.

🍔 For Restaurants & Cafés

Whether you’re a casual diner, a trendy coffee shop, or a grab-and-go lunch spot, ambiance is everything. Harsh news content can ruin a meal. It’s Relevant TV blends interesting clips, trivia, and local news that’s light, entertaining, and family-friendly, making your environment feel more comfortable.

🏋️ For Gyms & Fitness Centers

People come to work out, de-stress, and improve their health—not to be bombarded with bad news. It’s Relevant TV keeps screens fresh with motivational, wellness, and lifestyle content—plus room for you to share tips, class schedules, or new member offers.

💇 For Salons, Spas & Waiting Rooms

Guests are there to relax. The last thing they need is breaking news about a financial collapse or election turmoil. Instead, let them enjoy content that’s positive, uplifting, and calming.

🛍️ For Retail Stores & Shopping Centers

Even short dwell times can be used to your advantage. Instead of generic TV or background news, mix-in store specials, spotlight products, or highlight customer reviews. With It’s Relevant TV, your screens become an extension of your marketing strategy—not a source of noise.

Keep Your TVs Active—Without the Risk

We know one thing: having the TVs turned off completely isn’t the answer. Customers expect entertainment. And TVs can still be an asset when used the right way.

With It’s Relevant TV, you’re not just keeping screens on—you’re using them to:

Increase engagement

Promote your brand

Improve the mood of your space

Reduce perceived wait times

Avoid controversial content

This is all while keeping things fresh, relevant, and totally within your control.

The age of leaving cable news on “just because” is over. Today’s customers are more aware, more sensitive, and more selective than ever. What plays on your TVs matters—and can either support or sabotage the experience you work so hard to create.

It’s Relevant TV gives you a smarter, safer, and more strategic way to use your screens. With content that entertains, informs, and uplifts—and tools that let you filter out the noise—it’s the best way to ditch the news and stay in control. Because in your business, every detail matters. Especially the ones your customers are watching.

Top 5 Reasons To Keep a TV in Your Waiting Room

In today’s fast-paced world, every moment counts, especially for businesses striving to make a lasting impression. Whether you run a medical practice, dental office, automotive shop, or a retail store, the environment you create in your waiting area or lobby plays a significant role in customer satisfaction. A TV in your waiting room is more than just a screen; it’s a tool that can enhance your brand, inform your audience, and even boost your revenue.

Despite recent concerns about inappropriate or overly political content on cable, and lawsuits related to using content from streaming providers without a commercial license, the benefits of having a TV in your space far outweigh the risks. Especially when you mitigate the risks by choosing a service like Rele.tv. Here’s why you should keep your TV and make the most of it.

1. Improve Customer Experience and Reduce Perceived Wait Times

No one likes waiting, but a well-placed TV can make the time seem to fly. Research shows that engaging content can significantly reduce perceived wait times. Instead of staring at a clock or scrolling through their phones, customers are entertained, informed, and educated.

Custom TV’s tailored programming ensures that your viewers are engaged with content that’s relevant to your industry. For example:

Medical offices can feature health tips and wellness content.
Automotive shops can display car maintenance advice.
Retail stores can showcase the latest trends or products.

This not only keeps customers entertained but also positions your business as a source of valuable information.

2. Boost Brand Awareness

Your waiting room TV is a golden opportunity to promote your brand. Unlike traditional TV channels or streaming services that focus on unrelated content, It’s Relevant TV lets you control what’s displayed. This means:

Highlighting your services and special offers.
Sharing testimonials and success stories.
Promoting upcoming events or loyalty programs.

By customizing the content, you’re turning idle time into a powerful branding moment that sticks with your audience. And this time can be just as valuable, if not more, than your external advertising efforts.

3. Drive Revenue with Strategic Advertising

Every business looks for ways to increase revenue, and a TV in your waiting room can help. With It’s Relevant TV, you can integrate advertisements for your services or partner businesses seamlessly into the programming. For example:

A dental office might promote teeth-whitening specials.
An automotive shop could advertise seasonal tire discounts.
A hospitality business might showcase room upgrades or paid activities visitors can partake in.

This subtle yet effective advertising keeps your customers informed while encouraging them to make additional purchases or book services.

4. Provide a Professional and Modern Atmosphere

A blank wall or silent waiting room can feel uninviting. A TV, when used correctly, elevates the ambiance of your space. It shows that your business is modern, professional, and attentive to customer needs.

It’s Relevant TV provides high-quality, curated content that’s free from the disruptive ads and unrelated programming of traditional channels. This creates a polished and enjoyable experience for your customers, making them more likely to return and recommend your business.

5. Stay Compliant and Avoid Legal Risks

Recent lawsuits against businesses for streaming content without commercial licensing highlights the importance of compliance. Streaming platforms like Netflix, Hulu, and Disney+ are designed for personal use and often prohibit commercial use in their terms of service. Violating these terms can result in hefty fines and legal trouble.

Custom TV from It’s Relevant TV and Rele.TV eliminates this risk by providing content specifically licensed for commercial settings. You can confidently display programming without worrying about copyright violations, ensuring your business stays on the right side of the law.

Don’t Turn It Off— Instead You Should Maximize Its Potential

While some businesses might be tempted to remove TVs altogether to avoid legal pitfalls or customer complaints related to content, this decision could squander a valuable opportunity to engage and connect with customers. Instead, think strategically about where you can add TVs to enhance the customer experience. Consider these ideas:

Medical and Dental Offices: In the waiting room and exam rooms
Automotive Shops: On the sales floor and in service waiting areas
Retail Stores: Promote new arrivals, sales, and loyalty programs using TVs throughout your store
Hospitality Businesses: Place TVs in lobbies, coffee areas and conference rooms

A TV in your waiting room, lobby, or sales floor is more than just a screen; it’s a dynamic tool that enhances customer satisfaction, boosts your brand, and drives revenue. Custom TV solutions will allow you to provide engaging, customized, and legally compliant content that sets your business apart. Don’t let legal risks or outdated trends discourage you. Instead, embrace the potential of your TV and turn it into a valuable asset for your business.

Top 5 Reasons Businesses Choose It’s Relevant TV for Their Televisions

In today’s competitive market, businesses are always looking for innovative ways to engage customers and make their brands stand out. One powerful tool many businesses are turning to is It’s Relevant TV (IRTV), a customizable television solution that goes beyond traditional TV programming and digital signage. Here are the top five reasons why businesses choose It’s Relevant TV for their televisions:

1. Customized Content for Enhanced Customer Engagement

It’s Relevant TV offers businesses the ability to display tailored content that captivates and engages their customers. Unlike standard cable or satellite TV, which broadcasts generic programming, It’s Relevant TV allows businesses to choose content that aligns with their brand and audience preferences. This personalization keeps customers entertained and engaged while they wait, leading to a more enjoyable experience.

Benefits:

Relevant Programming: Content is curated to reflect the interests of your visitors. You pick the categories of content you think they will enjoy and IRTV does the rest.
Brand Alignment: Showcases content that complements your business’s values and goals, and frame it all within your logo and brand design.
Customer Satisfaction: Enhances their experience, keeping customers entertained and happy.

Example: A dental clinic can stream educational videos about oral health, mixed with entertaining clips, making the wait time both informative and enjoyable for patients.

2. Advertising and Promotional Opportunities

One of the standout features of It’s Relevant TV is the ability to seamlessly integrate your own advertisements and promotions into the content. This means businesses can promote their services, special offers, or upcoming events directly on their TVs, reaching visitors at the point of decision.

Benefits:

Targeted Advertising: Display ads and promotions specifically for your local audience.
Increased Sales: Promote products and services that can drive immediate purchases.
Repeat Visits: Give people a reason to return to your location.

Example: A restaurant can advertise daily specials or upcoming events during the video playback, encouraging customers to take advantage of promotions while they dine, and come back in the future to enjoy something special you have planned and promoted.

3. Dynamic and Fresh Content

Keeping content fresh is crucial to maintaining viewer interest. It’s Relevant TV provides a continuous stream of dynamic content that updates regularly, ensuring that customers see something new every visit. This variety keeps the programming exciting and prevents the content from becoming stale.

Benefits:

Continuous Updates: Regularly refreshed content keeps viewers engaged.
Diverse Programming: A wide range of topics and genres caters to various interests.
No Loop: Maintains customer interest with ever-changing content that does not suffer from a repetitive loop.

Example: A car dealership can stream automotive news, industry trends, and entertaining videos, keeping customers engaged and informed while they wait. And even if a customer is in front of the TV for hours while they wait for a repair, they are seeing new content constantly.

4. Easy Integration and Management

It’s Relevant TV is designed to be user-friendly, making it easy for businesses to integrate and manage their television content. The platform allows for simple setup and intuitive controls, enabling businesses to update and manage their content without needing technical expertise.

Benefits:

User-Friendly Interface: Easy to set up and operate, minimizing the learning curve.
Flexible Control: Allows for quick updates and changes to the programming and promotions from anywhere.
No Technical Hassle: Streamlined integration with top streaming boxes including Roku, Apple TV and Amazon Fire TV.

Example: A retail store can effortlessly update their content to showcase seasonal promotions and new arrivals just by logging in on a storekeeper’s phone. In just a few second they can upload a new promotion to keep their TV displays relevant and engaging.

5. Affordable Solution with High ROI

Investing in It’s Relevant TV provides businesses with a cost-effective solution that delivers a high return on investment (ROI). By enhancing the customer experience and providing a platform for in-house advertising, businesses can maximize the impact of their TV screens without incurring significant costs.

Benefits:

Cost-Effective: Lower costs compared to TV subscriptions + traditional advertising.
High ROI: Boosts customer engagement and in-store sales, providing a strong return on investment.
Value Addition: Adds value to the customer experience, fostering loyalty and repeat visits.

Example: A gym can use It’s Relevant TV to entertain members with fitness tips and motivational content, while promoting membership referral deals and new classes, thereby increasing member retention and sales.

It’s Relevant TV is more than just a TV solution; it’s a strategic tool that enhances customer engagement, promotes products and services, and delivers dynamic, customizable content. Businesses across various industries choose It’s Relevant TV to transform their in-store televisions into powerful communication platforms that drive growth and customer satisfaction.

If the service interests you, it’s easy to schedule a demo of It’s Relevant TV and explore all of the features and benefits over a Zoom call.

Free Waiting Room TV Service | Businesses & Medical Offices

Looking for free waiting room TV service for your business or medical office? Cutting cable in favor of waiting room TV software is a step in the right direction; but settling on one of the self-proclaimed “free” TV services is just as bad, if not worse, than what you just got rid of. If you take anything away from this article, let it be not to fall for “free.” You always get what you pay for. Certain waiting room TV services, like this one, are as close to free as you’ll get; with features that make it worthwhile, and tools to even offset the cost.

If you’re paying $0/month for waiting room television, it shouldn’t be because it’s costing you $0/month. It should be because it’s generating enough revenue to cover the monthly cost.

Why is a Free Waiting Room TV Service a Bad Idea?

When something is advertised as “free,” it generally means that it isn’t costing you any money. However, that doesn’t mean that it isn’t costing you something else. Free is good when that free thing is complimentary, or a bonus; a thank-you for choosing X, Y or Z, with the hopes of leaving a good first impression. When that free thing is a TV service, or a brand-new television; or both, chances are that provider is taking advantage of you in some way.

How can you tell if you’re being taken advantage of?

If something is too good to be true, more often than not that’s usually the case. A free TV + content that you pay 0$/month for? It might seem like a win-win, but beneath the surface there’s something disingenuous going on. There’s no two ways of looking at it — whether you’re a restaurant, a gym, salon, dentist, or even a hospital, you have something these service providers want; a captivated audience.

Day-in and day-out, you’ve got visitors coming in and waiting — sometimes for 10, 15, or even 30 minutes. That’s a long time, and that’s precisely what these providers are looking for; to turn your TV into an electronic billboard. For who? Themselves, and their happy advertisers. They might throw you a bone and give you the ability to upload your own ads on the side, but not without your messages competing for the spotlight.

If you thought commercials were bad…

Try endless looping commercials for drugs, treatments, or nonsense-conditions that you or your doctors don’t endorse; it’s on your TV, visitors will associate it with your brand, and nothing short of turning it off will stop to it.

Recommended Read: “Top 5 Reasons a Free TV Service is Bad for Medical Offices“

An Alternative to Free Waiting Room TV Software that’s still Free, and 100% Safe

One of the downsides of a free waiting room TV service, as described above, is that fact that someone else is reaping all of the benefits while you’re stuck with their ads playing on your TV. But what if that “someone else” was someone you chose to instead? Someone you trust, or a non-competing brand that your business supports.

It’s Relevant TV, a company that provides custom TV networks to businesses, is unique in that it offers shoppers a $0/month Sponsor-Supported package in which you choose a trusted company, organization, or fellow business owner to cover the cost of your monthly subscription. In exchange, they get to feature their brand and messaging on your TV in a way that is mutual, non-intrusive, and most-importantly; safe for your business.

Check to see if there are any local businesses that you can partner with!

Choosing a brand that pairs well with your business, who has your best interests at heart, is a lot better than letting someone you don’t know; who you’ve never heard of, profit off of your business’ TV. Partnerships are, and always will be, a great marketing strategy.

A Safer Way to Shop for Waiting Room TV Software

The best way make sure that you’re getting a TV system that’s built to serve your brand is to consult with someone in the industry itself. The TV experts at ItsRelevant.com are there answer any questions you might have about what to look for when it comes to waiting room TV technology. Schedule a call with them, or ask to arrange a demo if you’re serious about a custom TV network.

If anyone should be making money off of the TV in your business or medical office, it’s you, or a partnered brand. Your TV, your space, and your visitors are extraordinarily valuble to these advertising companies; so much so that these “free TV services” are able to deal out free TVs and iPads like playing cards. The cost of that technology is nothing compared to what they’re making off of you.

TV Packages For Your Business or Medical Office | It’s Relevant TV

It’s Relevant TV offers businesses and medical offices TV packages that are perfect for lobbies and waiting rooms. More than just TV, It’s Relevant lets you communicate with your visitors in new and effective ways that cable simply can’t hold a candle to. IRTV is the future of waiting area TV, and the technology couldn’t be easier to use. If you’re like a lot of business owners reading this and just want to learn more about TV packages for your business or medical office; visit It’s Relevant TV’s website and schedule a call, or chat with the TV experts there if you have any questions.

What to Look for in the Best TV Packages

Obviously, the best TV package for your business or medical office is going to include TV; but it’s the kind of TV, and the way that it’s packaged, which makes all the difference. Short-form content, not 22-minute shows or channels with hours-long movies, is what you should focus on getting.

Here are some of the reasons why traditional cable and satellite TV don’t work:

1.) Your visitors aren’t there to watch TV. They might be watching it while they wait, but that’s not why they’re there. No one has time for anything that long when they’re eating, waiting in line, or waiting to see the doctor. The time that your visitors are waiting is invaluable; you should be taking advantage of that opportunity by using the TV — which they are watching, to communicate with them. The best TV packages allow you to upload your own personal messages for visitors-in-waiting.

2.) One-single channel doesn’t make everyone happy. Whether it’s sports, a talkshow, or the news, there’s always going to be someone who wants to change the channel because he or she doesn’t like what’s on. Changing the channel isn’t practical, since all you’re doing is turning the hourglass over; your visitors’ interests are diverse, and your TV’s content should reflect that. The best TV packages feature varied content, which is automated, and short enough that anyone who doesn’t like what’s playing doesn’t have long to wait until something better comes on.

3.) Cable & Satellite TV don’t give anything back. You get what you pay for, and that’s basically all you get; access to a few channels that are saturated with competitive ads that you can’t stop from showing up on your TV. The best TV packages come with features designed with your visitors, waiting area, and brand in mind.

A Closer Look at It’s Relevant TV

It’s Relevant TV is the best place to start looking if you’re serious about a custom TV network for your business or medical office. Schedule a call with It’s Relevant for a closer look at the technology, or chat with the TV experts here for more information about the features that make IRTV unique, and the best business TV software on the market.

Mood Media Files For Bankruptcy: What’s Next For Mood TV?

Mood Media, a company that provides TV (Mood TV) and music solutions (Muzak) to businesses, has announced that it is filing for bankruptcy as of early July 2020. This marks the second time that the Texas-based company has gone bankrupt, which begs the question: “What’s next for Mood TV?”

Mood is a reported 680 million dollars in debt, making it fair to anticipate cuts or changes to the service. A reduced support staff in particular isn’t out of the question when it comes to these companies’ responses to an immediate solution. Less updated content, or lower quality content may also be an option for them. Alternatively; users could potentially see an increase in ads on their TVs due to providers lowering the cost of running ads on their network in order to cope. Bankruptcy is rarely good for customers, creating distrust, and certainly showcases poor management and bad planning.

How are other TV providers doing during Covid?

Advertising budgets shrunk drastically during the first 6 months of 2020. Brands just aren’t spending what they used to on ads due to COVID’s impact on the market; which is bad news for Mood Media, Outcome Health, or any other streaming service that relies heavily on selling ad space to stay afloat.

TV technology works, without the ads

Anything can happen to the market; and when something does — like it did with COVID-19, these ad-supported TV companies struggle to find solutions to bridge the gap caused by a sudden decrease in ad spending. A better solution for business owners is a tv platform alternative that doesn’t rely on support from selling ad space to outside companies. You want to find a service provider who can be a strategic thought-partner and wants your business to grow and succeed; not a someone whose goal it is to make money off of selling ads on your television.

Related Article: “Free TV Services: What’s the Real Cost?“

A Better Solution for the Business Owners

Ads shouldn’t be dominating your restaurant, lobby, or waiting room television. In fact, too-many-ads was probably one of the reasons you cut cable in the first place. Factor in a reduced level of service and support, especially now, and you begin to wonder why you’re continuing to use it.

Your TV should work for you and your business.

Whether you’re ready to make a change and switch to a new custom TV network, or have questions about what features are missing from your current TV; you can chat with the TV experts here. You can also go the DIY route and utilize a TV network and their content and overlay your own messaging by using brand new TV technology found at: http://rele.tv

Car Dealerships: How To Compete With Online Car Buying Sites like Carvana

Car buying sites and apps like Carvana, Carmax, and TrueCar are changing the way that people are buying and selling cars. The trend of buying things online has grown tremendously over the past 10 years; a convenience that’s no longer limited to clothes, furniture, or anything small enough to fit in a box. Now because you can make a purchase as big as a car from the comfort of your own home, the automotive industry is experiencing a major shift in the way that cars are bought and sold.

If you own or operate a dealership, you know how frustrating it can be to lose customers to an online retailer. Fortunately, there are certain measures you can take, and new technology to consider that can help strengthen customer retention, and even generate new business.

See: “The Top 6 Dealership TV Systems: Comparing Custom TV Offerings.“

The Rising Threat of Car Buying Sites

At the time this article is being written, many businesses- dealerships included, are closed because of the Coronavirus. Due to the fact that many customers are stuck at home, or practicing social distancing; if someone is in the market for a new vehicle, chances are that they’re going to explore car buying sites in order to limit contact with others. Because of this, services like Carvana are thriving more than ever before. Stocks in Carvana, specifically, went up a whopping 68% since last March.

Additionally, an article published by Forbes labels car buying sites as “The Best Way to Buy a Car in the Age of Coronavirus.”

Virus or not, car buying services didn’t need a worldwide pandemic to get ahead of the game; their success was inevitable. Competing against these alternative means of buying and/or selling cars isn’t impossible, but it’ll take some clever strategizing and forward-thinking.

3 Key Steps to Competing Against Car Buying Sites

Step 1.) Make Your Dealership Shine! If the Coronavirus left any sort of lasting impact on the way that business is conducted, it’s CLEANLINESS. Even after the country gets the ALL-CLEAR, you can count on folks practicing social distancing, or even wearing masks in public. The anxiety isn’t going to go away overnight. In fact, the bar for what constitutes as “a clean establishment” is likely going to be set high. Do what you can to keep surfaces and waiting areas clean. Offer sanitizer; a small, but meaningful gesture. You want your customers to be comfortable and stress-free when they visit your dealership.

See: “Top 5 Ways to Prepare Your Business for Reopening Post-Coronavirus.“

Step 2.) Revisit Your Social Media Pages

If your dealership isn’t on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram; consider getting it on social media- especially Facebook. If you do have a presence, but your pages aren’t up-to-date, blow the dust off and make an effort to craft regularly-scheduled posts. Dedicate a member of your staff to make a daily, or even bi-weekly posts to ping your loyal followers. The more active your are, the more likely your posts are to get shared. The more your posts are shared, the more likely you are to generate more followers on social media. Followers are generally the best folks to market to since they’re already following you; and they’re more likely to make a purchase with you.

Related Article: “Social Media on TV: Businesses Become More Social with their Customers” & “Top 3 Reasons to Get Social Media TV Software for your Business.”

Step 3.) Brush Up on the Latest Waiting Room Technology

Waiting room technology is ever-growing. In the past, if you had a TV in your waiting area, you’d put cable on it and call it a day; whereas today, you have your choice of cable TV alternatives to pick from. Alternatives that not only tend to be more cost-effective than cable or satellite TV, but are a lot safer, and come with all kinds of features made with your business in mind. The elements that make up the best car dealership TV vary based on your dealership’s specific needs; however, the following article should give you a good idea in terms of what to look for: “Car Dealership TV Systems – The Top 5 Most Important Elements.“

Car dealerships are among the best users of custom TV networks; having no shortage of videos, promotions, and marketing messages to entice customers with. Deciding between a cable TV subscription that doesn’t block out ads from “Bob’s Better Automobiles,” vs a custom TV network that promotes your own brand is an easy choice.

Related Article: “Should I Cancel Cable? A Better Cable Alternative for Businesses.“

Interested in a Custom TV Network for your Car Dealership? Start Here

Whether you’re new to waiting room TV technology, or you’re switching from a service like Spectrio, or Automotive Broadcasting Network (ABN); the best TV solution for car dealerships is It’s Relevant TV. Featured in an article published by Automotive News, It’s Relevant stands out from its competitors by having the lowest cost, whilst being the most feature-rich.

It’s Relevant TV for Car Dealerships features the world’s largest library of licensed, short-form content at over half-a-million videos. Additionally, it’s the only service that features live social media integration; displaying your most recent Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram posts for visitors to enjoy alonside IRTV’s fun and engaging content. See what’s out there, but don’t settle for less than what IRTV delivers.

READ: “What’s the Best Dealership TV Service for Waiting Rooms?“

Top Free TV Service for Medical Waiting Rooms and Lobbies

Browsing the internet for a free TV service for your waiting room? The leader in patient-focused TV has recently announced a new subscription plan that’s available to all medical offices. Whether you’re a hospital, urgent care, doctor, dentist, or medical specialist; the sponsor-supported subscription option allows you to utilize the premium service, but without incurring the cost.

A “Free” TV Service Vs. It’s Relevant TV’s Sponsor-Supported Service

A “free TV service“ is exactly what it sounds like on the surface. It’s a TV service with no cost, which you pay nothing for– at least insofar that you’re not spending any “money” for it; but that doesn’t mean it’s not costing your medical office something else.

Read: Top 5 Reasons a “Free” TV Service for your Waiting Room is Bad for your Medical Office.

TV providers who offer that kind of “free waiting room television” are only able to do so because their services are actually paid for by pharmaceutical ad support. You might be paying $0 for the service, but you get what you pay for in this case– likely generating $0 for your own practice from it. Instead, the revenue generation is completely taken by that provider. What’s worse, you’re left with TV that you have little control over, and may upset your patients.

While you are not paying any money out of pocket for that kind of service, it could be costing you money, and your patients’ trust. It goes against the spirit of creating a good patient experience when you allow your visitors to be subject to ads which might make them feel like they have X symptoms, or need Y drugs.

Best practice: Avoid TV services that put anything medical-related on the TV that you don’t endorse yourself.

Patients don’t need to be bombarded with drug ads, and pharmaceutical companies shouldn’t be invading and monetizing your waiting room. If someone should be generating revenue off of your TV, it’s you!

It’s Relevant TV: A No-Cost Waiting Room TV Service for Medical Offices

Let’s compare the traditional “free TV service” described above to It’s Relevant TV’s sponsor-supported service. Instead of your service provider profiting off of your waiting room TV, you do. It’s Relevant’s unique approach is for a sponsor, of your choosing, to pay the cost of your subscription in exchange for having their brand on the TV.

It’s a great way to strengthen relationships with local businesses.

This way, you’re in control; you control who, and what, shows up on your TV.Sponsor-supported subscribers don’t miss out on any of IRTV’s premium content. Over +1,000,000 minutes of fun and interesting content is available for your visitors to enjoy, coupled with the ability to promote your services in a more meaningful way. This allows you to generate positive feelings among patients, and more revenue on the side to improve your medical office.

Visit: It’s Relevant TV: Medical Custom Networks to learn more.

Should I Close My Business During the Corona (COVID-19) Outbreak?

A number of restaurants, offices, and even large retailers are closing up shop in response to growing concerns about the corona outbreak. Some are even required to depending upon choices made in local jurisdictions. If you’re a business owner, you might be asking yourself the question:

“Do I close my business?”

Many businesses are. The answer really depends on you, your staff, and your industry. Are you noticing an alarming decrease in visitors, or sales? For some business owners, temporarily closing; whether it’s for a week or two, or for a month, is the best option for your business. However if it’s a restaurant that you own, this article for restaurant owners might help you identify some says in which to stay open during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Retailers, on the other hand, may have it much harder as people aren’t as likely to buy non-essentials during a health crisis. Below is something to keep in mind if you ultimately decide to temporarily close shop, and help you bounce back once all of this is over.

Focus on Your Strategy for Reopening Post-Corona

Have a solid game plan to hit the ground running.

More important than the decision to close your business for a time is figuring out how you’re going to reopen in the near future. It can be tough, and extremely stressful to deal with the financial impact of closing. Take advantage of the time you have, and strengthen your strategy for when your doors are open again.

A major part of that strategy should be growing your business from within. Work on your website. Make phone calls, research new vendors/partners you may want to work with. Every brand has loyal customers, yours will be waiting, and even excited for you to reopen. Reward those loyal customers for coming back; give them reasons to be excited about returning, and reasons to refer their friends.

Utilize Your TV’s Full Potential

When you eventually reopen your store, you’re going to have a lot of messaging that you want customers to see, and certain programming you may want to remove. Putting that messaging on your business’ TV gets it noticed. Whether it’s a big sale, a referral bonus, or a reminder to follow the brand on social media for even more deals; utilizing your TV is the least expensive way to get customers informed.

Consider a custom TV network to help kickstart your store’s marketing messaging for when you eventually reopen. It’s an inexpensive way to market to your loyal customers and earn back their repeat business.