Combining digital signage and mobile technology could be a retailer's dream come true, according to Steve Gurley, who addressed an audience on behalf of the Digital Screenmedia Association at CTIA Wireless today in Orlando, Fla.

Gurley, senior vice president of marketing for Symon Communications, said 40 percent of consumers who see a product advertised on television seek more information about it from their mobile devices. So, if the marketing works when consumers are home, how can retailers best reach them when they're not?

Combining mobile and digital signage experiences is the answer, said Gurley, who pointed out that although some merchants already use mobile marketing via call-to-action texts and by asking consumers to scan 2D bar codes, they've not done a great job educating consumers why they should take the time to do it.

"How many have you seen a 2-D barcode but you really don't know what type of information you are going to get," he asked the audience. "You don't know if it's even worth your time. "

Gurley said the key is to combine those mobile features with digital signage to grab the consumer's attention while she's still in the retail environment.

For example, a consumer shopping for a new car might be exposed to digital signage at a dealership, and an easy way to combine mobile into the marketing strategy is to flash a message telling her to send a text to qualify for a coupon or to receive more product information.

Gurley broke down the convergence of the two mediums into a six-step process to help retailers take marketing to the next level:

1. Identify the audience that you want to reach.
2. Identify the venues where the audiences are found.
3. Identify the signage operators who serve that venue.
4. Create a value proposition for the venue owner.
5. Craft your message for the viewer.
6. Repurpose the message & schedule for play.

"We're here to say digital signage combined with mobile can create a more engaging experience for the consumer," Gurley said.

To reach Gurley, read his blogs at steve-gurley.com and DigitalScreenMedia.org.