Advertising sales teams face multiple challenges – increased pressure on print ad yields, low CPMs for online display, risk-averse clients and the requirement for new skills. But there are opportunities to create premium priced multi-media campaigns for clients that help them engage with your community and generate higher revenues. The expert panel at the Specialist Media Conference – Stuart Dinsey of Intent Media, Cath Waller of Immediate Media, and Marcus Wilkinson of IDG, had some practical advice on how publishers can go about pitching for high value, integrated campaigns. Here’s the top ten tips from the panel:
1. Think engagement not reach
In niche markets, you can’t compete on volume, so emphasise the value of engagement with your community – and the opportunities that integrated campaigns allow for clients to align themselves with great content – eg Heinz and the new weaning channel on Made For Mums.
2. Work in direct partnership with clients
Avoid agencies & media buyers – build direct relationships with clients and create campaigns that deliver their objectives and make them feel like a partner with the publishing team.
3. Provide insight and creative ideas
The greatest value you can provide to clients is knowledge and insight about your community – and by pitching ambitious, creative ideas it is possible to sell a higher value package than the original budget, says Cath Waller. Elements like e-letters, live events & awards add great value to b2b clients.
4. Create flexible options for tailored campaigns
IDG has a menu of 100 different options for video, blogs, ad units, infographics, downloads…all priced individually, making it easy for sales teams to put together tailored proposals quickly.
5. Get the language right
Invest the time to understand the language that your clients are using and ensure that your sales teams are conversant with the likes of “native marketing”, and “paid, owned & earned.” Calling an advertorial a “native blog” drove sales revenues for IDG.
6. Foster collaboration among team – staff or virtual
Editorial, marketing, sales, design and developers have to work together to pitch and deliver integrated campaigns – building this collaborative organizational culture has helped Immediate punch above its weight in its niche markets. And in a small business, assemble a virtual team of trusted freelancers project by project.
7. Take away production headaches
Provide design and development services as part of the campaign, so you act as a client’s digital agency – essential for less sophisticated b2b clients.
8. Build digital expertise in all teams
Merge print and digital sales teams so they can sell at a brand level, get at least one digital expert in each team, and provide training on digital for all, says Cath Waller of Immediate.
9. Use case studies & research to prove value of each element
If clients are reluctant to test digital – or alternatively want to remove print display ads from the mix, use reader research and case studies to demonstrate the value of each element in a campaign, and build sales teams’ confidence in selling a broader package.
10. Avoid anarchy with project managers
Don’t expect your sales people to project manage campaign delivery. IDG found that project managers who weren’t sales people made a huge difference, co-ordinating deadlines for editors, designers, developers and keeping clients informed – avoiding anarchy and allowing the sales people to keep on selling.
Intent, Immediate and IDG all believe that integrated campaigns are the best route to growing ad revenues, and with the support of the whole publishing team they are achievable even in niche markets.
SIIA UK runs a series of live events for UK publishers all year round, plus online webinars, blog and resources on digital media & content opportunities for publishers. All these events and online resources are free for SIIA UK members, with a pay as you go fee for non-members. Read more about SIIA UK here.
Our next major event is the SIIA Digital Content & Media Summit, 23-25 September in London. One of the main topics is “Collaborative advertising – working with commercial partners to help brands influence & engage with your audience. More about the content and speakers here.
Carolyn Morgan has launched, acquired, grown & sold specialist media businesses in print, web and events. She launched the Specialist Media Show in 2010 and grew a community of ambitious publishers keen to grow their digital activity. SIIA acquired the Specialist Media Show in 2013 and Carolyn is now Programme Director for SIIA UK. Follow Carolyn on twitter at @siiauk.