The Bible calls us to be good stewards. This includes how we spend and allocate money from our church budget. The question today is this: “Should your church invest in outdoor digital signage?”
A member of our Facebook group, Bryan Haley, raised this great question and his original post received good opinions from both sides.
The Question:
“Anyone have statistics on why a digital sign (exterior, road sign) is a bad idea?”
Answers:
“The cost is outrageous… that’s the #1 for me.” Jeremy Reger
“Besides the cost being expensive. The ROI (Return of Investment) isn’t really there, meaning people Have limited time to see something on it and most likely won’t see it at all. I find them to be wasted money” Jake Bradley
“It’s not a bad thing, but is it the best thing for 35-50 grand? Keep in mind you will have to have a maintenance line for it eventually.” L. Kevin Ward
“Can’t say they are all statistics but… 1. The initial cost is way too much, 2. They constantly have problems (panels out, etc.), 3. They are often regulated by local towns or counties, 4. Repairs are expensive, 5. They don’t “stand out” anymore because they are common, 6. It is another thing to keep updated.” Nathan Cooper
“Depends on location. If the church is at a corner with a stoplight… maybe worth it. I’ve never done the math on how long people see our sign when driving by at 40 mph, but my suspicion is that the stats would say they see one slide for a couple of seconds (not worth the investment from my perspective). Beyond the stats… it’s a communications outlet with pretty limited opportunity for excellence (unless you’re really spending a TON for a high-quality LED sign).” Benton Cole
“We have one. I wish we didn’t. It breaks often. Last time it took 4 months to get the part. Even if it does work, cars drive by too fast to read much of the message. I would much rather just have a branded entrance sign. I have been here going on three years and do not know of a single person who has attended something because of our extremely expensive digital sign.” Eric Bingaman
Conclusion
Ultimately, the choice is yours to make. When considering a sizable purchase like an exterior, digital sign, let’s make sure we are being good stewards of the funds that God has graciously provided.
