The 2015 version of the Digital Signage Expo (DSE) kicks off next week in Las Vegas and it will mark a major milestone – it will be the biggest digital signage show, ever. And, in 12-years, DSE has gone from a total-hardware based show to a hardware, software and, now, creative services show. In fact, Christie Digital will debut a content creation services division — called Professional Services — to create content for integrators to sell to their clients — offering huge profit-margins to integrators and taking away the biggest fear-factor for integrators: selling content. This provides a huge opportunity for any integrator as the content creation and management is the most profitable part of digital signage.

Christie isn’t first, here. In fact, a few years ago, NEC announced a similar service called Content Creation Solutions and then last year Almo Pro A/V did the same with the content creation services group. So, now is, literally, the best time to get into digital signage. Ever.

Are you attending DSE next week in Vegas? If you’re not, that’s a BIG mistake.

I caught up with DSE’s President and COO yesterday, Chris Gibbs, yesterday via video and he filled me in on some stats including over 200 exhibitors (67 new ones), more content creation companies than ever before, sub-$200 media players and the more educational session than ever before — nearly 50 percent of them are free.

I hope you’ll check out my interview with Chris and, even more, I hope you’ll consider attending DSE – you can pre-register here or even register on-site in Las Vegas. If you just can’t come, we will have nine reporters there covering the show and we will be shooting videos at EVERY SINGLE BOOTH of EVERY SINGLE PRODUCT launched at DSE as well as blogging, posting new product news and tweeting live from the show. All of it can be followed here.

Oh, by the way, here’s a scoop — make sure you head over to the AOPEN booth at DSE as they have a big surprise partnership that will make doing digital signage very simple.