Signage CMS

Signage CMS is a self-hosted, multi-tenant digital signage platform built to replace OptiSigns for IT Pro Partner MSP customers. Instead of paying $10-30/month per account to a third-party SaaS vendor, customers pay a flat $12.99/month per screen - with no feature gating, no screen limits, and no third-party dependency.

The platform is built on FastAPI + SQLite, hosted on existing netcup infrastructure, and played back on Raspberry Pi 4 devices running Chromium kiosk mode. IT Pro Partner controls the entire stack: content storage, playlist delivery, device registration, and customer management. Optional custom HTML menu board design ($299 one-time) is a service differentiator that OptiSigns cannot match.

Target: Migrate existing OptiSigns customers first (2-3 screens each), then expand to restaurants, gyms, medical offices, and retail businesses.

Break-even: 5 customers / 12 screens at $12.99/month per screen. Gross margin exceeds 95% at steady state.

Revenue Walking Out the Door

Every MSP customer paying OptiSigns directly is monthly recurring revenue the MSP does not capture. At scale (20+ screens), that is $200-600/month leaving the business every month - for a service the MSP could deliver on its own infrastructure at near-zero incremental cost.

No Control Over the Platform

When OptiSigns changes pricing, deprecates features, or alters plan tiers, the MSP's customers are affected and the MSP has no recourse. You are a reseller, not an owner. Your value to the customer is limited to being a middleman for someone else's platform.

What Customers Actually Need

Most small business signage needs are straightforward: show images and short videos on a TV, change content from a browser, have it "just work," and pay a fair price. They do not need Power BI dashboards, Salesforce integrations, or video walls. They need a reliable screen and someone who handles the setup.

Signage CMS - Own the Platform

Signage CMS replaces OptiSigns with a platform IT Pro Partner owns end-to-end. The customer experience is simple: log into a web portal, upload content, build playlists, and plug in a pre-configured Raspberry Pi. The MSP handles everything else.

Customer Journey

1. Customer signs up, gets login to their tenant portal (dark theme, Ops Portal design system)
2. Uploads images/videos to their content library
3. Creates playlists and assigns them to screens
4. Receives pre-provisioned Raspberry Pi players from ITPP
5. Plugs Pi into TV (HDMI + power) - it auto-registers and starts playing

Market Opportunity

The global digital signage market is projected to reach $45 billion by 2030, growing at roughly 8% CAGR. The SMB segment (restaurants, retail, gyms, medical offices) represents the largest installed base by unit count but is underserved by enterprise-focused platforms that are overpriced, overcomplicated, and self-serve.

Target Segments

Competitive Landscape

Signage CMS competes on price at scale + MSP white-glove service + custom HTML design capability. For a restaurant with 3 screens, OptiSigns costs $10-30/month total. Signage CMS costs $38.97/month - but includes white-glove setup, ongoing MSP support, and the option for professionally designed menu boards that no competitor can match.

Pricing Tiers

Why Per-Screen Pricing?

Per-screen pricing aligns revenue with customer growth. A customer with 1 screen pays $12.99; a customer with 10 screens pays $129.90. This scales naturally as customers add locations or additional displays. Competitors like OptiSigns use per-account pricing with unlimited screens, which caps revenue per customer regardless of how many screens they deploy.

Revenue comparison at scale:

Stack Overview

Multi-Tenant Data Model

One customer = one tenant = unlimited devices. Content libraries are per-tenant. Playlists can be assigned to one or multiple devices. A device plays exactly one playlist at a time.

Player Lifecycle

1. ITPP flashes Raspberry Pi OS + player scripts onto SD card
2. Registration code generated in customer portal
3. Pi shipped to customer (or hand-delivered locally)
4. Customer plugs in HDMI + power
5. Pi boots, auto-registers with code + serial number
6. Receives device token, begins polling for playlist every 60 seconds
7. Plays content in fullscreen loop - auto-updates on playlist changes

Phase 1: Migrate Existing OptiSigns Customers Month 1-2

IT Pro Partner's existing MSP customers who currently use OptiSigns are the first targets. Offer free migration: ITPP handles content transfer, provisions Pis, and cancels their OptiSigns subscription. Position as "same service, lower cost, direct support from us."

Target: 3-5 customers, 6-15 screens.

Phase 2: Expand to New MSP Customers Month 3-6

Once the platform is proven with existing customers, bundle signage as an add-on service for all MSP clients. Offer "first screen free for 30 days" to current MSP customers. Target restaurants, gyms, and medical offices in the service area. Leverage existing MSP relationships.

Phase 3: Direct Sales to New Verticals Month 7-12

With a stable platform and reference customers, expand through outbound sales, POS vendor partnerships, and content marketing. Target restaurant chains, gym franchises, and medical/dental practices. Produce case studies, ROI calculators, and demo videos.

Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) Estimate

Signage CMS vs OptiSigns

Feature Comparison Matrix

Signage CMS does not compete on being the cheapest option for a single screen. It competes on being the best option for businesses that want someone else to handle everything - from setup to ongoing management to custom menu board design.

Key Risk: OptiSigns Retention

The biggest risk is customer inertia. Businesses that already have OptiSigns working may not see a reason to switch. Mitigation: target pain points (cost at scale, support quality, desire for custom designs) and make migration zero-effort for the customer. ITPP handles everything.

Startup Costs

12-Month Revenue Projection

Assumptions: Start with 2 migrated OptiSigns customers (5 screens total). Add 1-2 customers per month. Average 2.5 screens per customer. One design service sale every other month. Player provisioning at $49/screen for new customers.

Key Metrics at Month 12

What We Need to Launch

1. Development time: 2 weeks to build the MVP (backend API, customer portal, admin portal, Pi player scripts)
2. One Raspberry Pi 4 for development and testing ($75)
3. Customer agreements: Identify 2-3 existing MSP customers currently on OptiSigns willing to pilot the migration
4. Go decision: Authorization to begin development and cancel OptiSigns subscriptions upon successful migration

Why Now

• OptiSigns is recurring SaaS cost walking out the door every month
• The platform can be built on existing infrastructure at near-zero incremental cost
• Custom HTML menu board design is a genuine competitive moat that SaaS competitors cannot replicate
• MSP customers already trust IT Pro Partner with their IT - signage is a natural extension
• The digital signage market is large and growing, but the SMB segment is underserved by enterprise platforms

What Success Looks Like at 12 Months