One of the most frequent questions I receive asks, “Is it better to use dedicated staff or independent sales representatives?” There really is no single correct answer to this question. This is an issue that must be viewed as a business question and should be resolved by applying a cost-benefit analysis to guide you to the solution that is best for you and your organization.
Advertising representatives are independent contractors. As such, they are not subject to day-to-day management as they would be if they were direct employees. Most good reps will have more than one client, so their time is shared between your publication and their work for their other clients. Independent reps work for a straight commission. There is usually no up-front money or other fees associated with utilizing the services of such an individual or firm. Simply put, you pay for the results which are produced, not for the process to gain those results. The standard commission rate is usually around 20% of the net revenue produced, although I have seen deals as high as 50% and as low as 15%. In addition, some rep contracts require the publisher to pay for some travel expenses as well as promotional expenses. These are items best negotiated with each firm being considered.
Direct staff is sales people who are employees of your organization. As such, you pay them a salary, benefits, vacation and sick leave, and usually a commission or incentive plan when their sales meet or exceed a specific level. The advantage of this structure is that the publisher retains complete control over the sales process and the sales staff is fully dedicated to selling only the publisher’s products. Also, for a very successful program, this may be a less costly method of selling advertising. In this structure, you are paying for the process as well as the results. The sales person you hire is earning his or her salary from the first day they come to work before they ever produce a dollar of revenue.
Utilizing an independent sales representative can be very costly if sales levels are high. Do the math. 20% of a large number is still a large number. When that number is compared to what it would cost you to “bring it in house”, you may find that hiring a dedicated staff is less costly overall. But, if you are looking for someone to build your advertising business and is willing to share in the cost risks to do that, a rep may be good choice.
The answer to the question comes down to a few simple things: how much are you willing to invest in generating advertising revenue? How much direct control do you want or need over the process? Do you want more staff because that staff can do multiple tasks? Do you want the revenue but not the direct staff it will take to generate it? These are simple questions with complex answers, but a thorough assessment of your goals, the market in which you operate, and your ability to invest in the process will help guide you to the sales structure that is best for your organization and its publication.
Want to know more? Visit us at http://www.adsalesexperts.net/.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Desperate Times, Not Desperate Measures
A colleague shared an email she received from the publisher of an industry magazine and website which included the following paragraph:
“It would be great to book some new advertising sales in May. Some solid support from [our industry’s] billionaires that hang with [our] community would do wonders for us and [our] industry in general - old and new. The press releases while often solid editorial - don't actually pay the bills - food for thought for those in the marketing and PR department. However, we will happily take money off just about anyone and if you are feeling generous you are most welcome to send a paypal/credit card contribution to….”
This appeal for advertising dollars is both desperate and pathetic. Advertising is purchased for one reason: a company sees value in reaching the audience of the publication or website because they believe it will translate into sales of their products or services to that readership group. Stating that they “will happily take money off just about anyone” is not a viable strategy to build credibility and develop long-term relationships with advertisers. Selling advertising during the current economic conditions is difficult enough but one should never have to publicly beg for money and expect that approach to actually generate the needed funds.
This email may be an extreme example of the desperation being felt by some publishers and advertising sales directors, but it also probably reflects the frustrations and concerns of many throughout our industry. The cyclical nature of economic downturns is, to some degree, predictable in that those of us who have witnessed them before know they will end and market conditions will improve. But, we must appear to remain strong in the eyes of our advertisers and our readers so that when the money returns, it will come to us.
Admitting to fear and failure, as the sender of this email clearly is doing, will become a self fulfilling prophecy. Advertisers will rightly question the financial strength of the publisher and his ability to survive and make the necessary investments in content and technology that will be needed to survive. Advertisers don’t want to put their hard-earned good money after bad and those same advertisers don’t ever want to be viewed as the deep pockets that a cash-starved publisher can go to in order to survive. In good times or bad, the strongest publishers are those that will continue to deliver value to their markets and never have to send out such a blatant plea for a bailout. After all, we are, thankfully, not in the automobile manufacturing business.
Comments or questions: Visit us at http://www.adsalesexperts.net/
“It would be great to book some new advertising sales in May. Some solid support from [our industry’s] billionaires that hang with [our] community would do wonders for us and [our] industry in general - old and new. The press releases while often solid editorial - don't actually pay the bills - food for thought for those in the marketing and PR department. However, we will happily take money off just about anyone and if you are feeling generous you are most welcome to send a paypal/credit card contribution to….”
This appeal for advertising dollars is both desperate and pathetic. Advertising is purchased for one reason: a company sees value in reaching the audience of the publication or website because they believe it will translate into sales of their products or services to that readership group. Stating that they “will happily take money off just about anyone” is not a viable strategy to build credibility and develop long-term relationships with advertisers. Selling advertising during the current economic conditions is difficult enough but one should never have to publicly beg for money and expect that approach to actually generate the needed funds.
This email may be an extreme example of the desperation being felt by some publishers and advertising sales directors, but it also probably reflects the frustrations and concerns of many throughout our industry. The cyclical nature of economic downturns is, to some degree, predictable in that those of us who have witnessed them before know they will end and market conditions will improve. But, we must appear to remain strong in the eyes of our advertisers and our readers so that when the money returns, it will come to us.
Admitting to fear and failure, as the sender of this email clearly is doing, will become a self fulfilling prophecy. Advertisers will rightly question the financial strength of the publisher and his ability to survive and make the necessary investments in content and technology that will be needed to survive. Advertisers don’t want to put their hard-earned good money after bad and those same advertisers don’t ever want to be viewed as the deep pockets that a cash-starved publisher can go to in order to survive. In good times or bad, the strongest publishers are those that will continue to deliver value to their markets and never have to send out such a blatant plea for a bailout. After all, we are, thankfully, not in the automobile manufacturing business.
Comments or questions: Visit us at http://www.adsalesexperts.net/
Thursday, April 23, 2009
To Audit or Not to Audit...Is That the Question?
An audit of circulation is a well established part of an integrated advertising sales program for many publishers. But, is it really necessary? First, let’s look at what an audit really is. An audit of circulation is nothing more than third party verification that what you are saying about your circulation is true (within a statistical standard deviation). The audit process confirms your circulation figures by looking at the source documents your used in order to create and update your subscribe list. Approximately half of all business-to-business publications audit their circulation (which means that about half don’t).
If your organization does not currently do this, there are some measures you can apply to determine if you should. First, how many ad pages are you not selling (and to whom) because you don’t have an audited circulation? Most major advertising agencies are more comfortable recommending audited publications to their clients and if your publication isn’t audited, it might not make the list of recommended magazines. Next, look at the magazines against which you directly and indirectly compete. Are they audited? If most are, then it probably means that the “culture” of your market expects the audit report. If some are and others aren’t, then you may not need this tool. Finally, do you have a way of documenting your circulation breakdown without the need for an audit report? Many non-audited publications create a Publisher’s Report which is a breakdown of the circulation by the readers’ job title, and other demographic information similar to what is reported on an audit statement. If there is not overwhelming demand for a true audit statement, this may be no more than you need.
Associations are in a unique position because the circulation of their magazines is comprised of members. Those members choose to join the association and receive the publication because they are in the industry or profession and have a direct need for the information made available to them through the pages of the organization’s magazine. In other words, association members are self-qualified by the mere fact that they have joined the organization that represents their professional interests.
An audit is a long-term and costly commitment, not only for the direct costs of the service, but also for the costs associated with creating, maintaining, and managing the circulation database and source documents required by the audit process. But, if the advertising revenue potential is greater than the costs, and your market is expecting/demanding this tool, then you should place serious consideration into having an audit of circulation. If, on the other hand, you are maintaining your revenue and market share without an audit, then you may not need to make that investment. If you are considering the pros and cons of an audit, a thorough evaluation of all the factors should be made before signing on for or cancelling the service.
Visit us at: http://www.adsalesexperts.net/
If your organization does not currently do this, there are some measures you can apply to determine if you should. First, how many ad pages are you not selling (and to whom) because you don’t have an audited circulation? Most major advertising agencies are more comfortable recommending audited publications to their clients and if your publication isn’t audited, it might not make the list of recommended magazines. Next, look at the magazines against which you directly and indirectly compete. Are they audited? If most are, then it probably means that the “culture” of your market expects the audit report. If some are and others aren’t, then you may not need this tool. Finally, do you have a way of documenting your circulation breakdown without the need for an audit report? Many non-audited publications create a Publisher’s Report which is a breakdown of the circulation by the readers’ job title, and other demographic information similar to what is reported on an audit statement. If there is not overwhelming demand for a true audit statement, this may be no more than you need.
Associations are in a unique position because the circulation of their magazines is comprised of members. Those members choose to join the association and receive the publication because they are in the industry or profession and have a direct need for the information made available to them through the pages of the organization’s magazine. In other words, association members are self-qualified by the mere fact that they have joined the organization that represents their professional interests.
An audit is a long-term and costly commitment, not only for the direct costs of the service, but also for the costs associated with creating, maintaining, and managing the circulation database and source documents required by the audit process. But, if the advertising revenue potential is greater than the costs, and your market is expecting/demanding this tool, then you should place serious consideration into having an audit of circulation. If, on the other hand, you are maintaining your revenue and market share without an audit, then you may not need to make that investment. If you are considering the pros and cons of an audit, a thorough evaluation of all the factors should be made before signing on for or cancelling the service.
Visit us at: http://www.adsalesexperts.net/
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Spring Break
I just had to take some time away from advertising sales to take some pictures at the Cherry Blossoms in Washington, DC. Hope you enjoy.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
If You Want Apple Juice, Don't Buy an Orange
There has been a lot of buzz lately about digital magazines and the role they play in the magazine publishing industry’s struggle to find a viable web business model. Digital magazines are cool. They are a page-for-page online reproduction of a print publication but also allow readers to “turn pages” while taking full advantage of basic web technologies including the ability to embed video and provide links to advertisers’ websites. There are several companies offering this technology including Zinio and NxtBook. The products offered by these companies certainly deliver what is promised by offering an attractive and easy-to-use online version of a print product. But, are they the solution publishers are looking for when they talk about online versions of their magazines?
The answer is that they are not. Content should be viewed across the spectrum of its time value. A printed monthly magazine, for instance, should contain content that is timely and relevant during and possibly beyond its cover date. But print media is not the place for late-breaking news or information or for rapid updates to previously published material. The costs and time to update printed material are both high. But, the web is the ideal medium in which to post rapidly changing content. It is flexible, inexpensive to update, and is not limited by space, time, or cost restraints. So therefore, one must question what is truly being gained by publishing an online duplicate of a printed publication.
The issue, therefore, is not about content or technology, it is about branding. Content should be branded under one name. In most cases, think of your magazine’s title as the brand and increase that brand’s value by utilizing all of the forms of media available to you to deliver content in the most time-valuable way. An online version of your magazine should contain information and material that is not available in the print version because of the time value of that material. Utilize your print product to provide more in-depth and analytical content, the time value of which extends further into the future. Think of content as being on a time-line and publish time sensitive material on the web and content with a longer shelf life in print. A true online version of your magazine will enhance the magazine’s brand while delivering different content to a broader audience than is receiving the printed and mailed version. That is when you will be able to see the fullest benefits of producing an online version of your magazine.
Visit us at: http://www.adsalesexperts.net/
The answer is that they are not. Content should be viewed across the spectrum of its time value. A printed monthly magazine, for instance, should contain content that is timely and relevant during and possibly beyond its cover date. But print media is not the place for late-breaking news or information or for rapid updates to previously published material. The costs and time to update printed material are both high. But, the web is the ideal medium in which to post rapidly changing content. It is flexible, inexpensive to update, and is not limited by space, time, or cost restraints. So therefore, one must question what is truly being gained by publishing an online duplicate of a printed publication.
The issue, therefore, is not about content or technology, it is about branding. Content should be branded under one name. In most cases, think of your magazine’s title as the brand and increase that brand’s value by utilizing all of the forms of media available to you to deliver content in the most time-valuable way. An online version of your magazine should contain information and material that is not available in the print version because of the time value of that material. Utilize your print product to provide more in-depth and analytical content, the time value of which extends further into the future. Think of content as being on a time-line and publish time sensitive material on the web and content with a longer shelf life in print. A true online version of your magazine will enhance the magazine’s brand while delivering different content to a broader audience than is receiving the printed and mailed version. That is when you will be able to see the fullest benefits of producing an online version of your magazine.
Visit us at: http://www.adsalesexperts.net/
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Why Advertisers Stop Buying Space
What would you do if you got laid off from your job today? You would do everything you could to conserve your cash so that you would have the money available to pay your bills. You would stop going out to eat; you would stop shopping for clothes and other items; you would cancel vacation plans; you would stop using your credit cards. You would do everything you could think of to hold on to your cash so you have as much of it as possible to meet your obligations until you found another job and your cash flow once again improved.
Businesses are no different. When an economic downturn reduces a company’s sales, most companies react in nearly the same way as if they, too, were “laid off.” They do everything they can to conserve cash so the company can survive until sales improve. They look for the most cash intensive expenses which can be reduced. In many cases, this translates into staff layoffs because that has the effect of nearly immediate major reductions in cash expenditures. They next look at other areas which can be reduced to conserve cash and one of the most obvious is to reduce or cancel advertising and marketing purchases. These companies will say that the reduction in their sales puts them in the position to have to reduce advertising expenses because they don’t have the money to pay for them. In the short term, this is true.
In the last downturn, I remember speaking to a major supplier of a product utilized throughout the industry. He cancelled his advertising and told me that he had a warehouse full of products that were not selling and until he could convert those goods to cash, he had no way to pay for any advertising. I, of course, told him that the best way to empty his warehouse was to advertise the products, but his response was that no amount of advertising was going to increase demand for a product that was not being utilized because of the financial health of the industry he served. But, what was he doing to assure that once the economy improved, his product would be the first ones purchased?
The answer to this question is the role that advertising plays today. For those selling advertising space, the pitch is no longer about utilizing advertising to sell products or services. It is about companies advertising to maintain brand awareness, increasing their visibility, and helping them retain market share when the cash flows once again. By rethinking your advertising sales strategy, you will be in the position to regain the ad dollars that have been lost and will be the publication of choice for industry suppliers when they once again have the financial ability to purchase advertising. So, don't stop selling. Sell harder by delivering a different message.
Visit our website at: www.AdSalesExperts.net
Businesses are no different. When an economic downturn reduces a company’s sales, most companies react in nearly the same way as if they, too, were “laid off.” They do everything they can to conserve cash so the company can survive until sales improve. They look for the most cash intensive expenses which can be reduced. In many cases, this translates into staff layoffs because that has the effect of nearly immediate major reductions in cash expenditures. They next look at other areas which can be reduced to conserve cash and one of the most obvious is to reduce or cancel advertising and marketing purchases. These companies will say that the reduction in their sales puts them in the position to have to reduce advertising expenses because they don’t have the money to pay for them. In the short term, this is true.
In the last downturn, I remember speaking to a major supplier of a product utilized throughout the industry. He cancelled his advertising and told me that he had a warehouse full of products that were not selling and until he could convert those goods to cash, he had no way to pay for any advertising. I, of course, told him that the best way to empty his warehouse was to advertise the products, but his response was that no amount of advertising was going to increase demand for a product that was not being utilized because of the financial health of the industry he served. But, what was he doing to assure that once the economy improved, his product would be the first ones purchased?
The answer to this question is the role that advertising plays today. For those selling advertising space, the pitch is no longer about utilizing advertising to sell products or services. It is about companies advertising to maintain brand awareness, increasing their visibility, and helping them retain market share when the cash flows once again. By rethinking your advertising sales strategy, you will be in the position to regain the ad dollars that have been lost and will be the publication of choice for industry suppliers when they once again have the financial ability to purchase advertising. So, don't stop selling. Sell harder by delivering a different message.
Visit our website at: www.AdSalesExperts.net
Monday, March 23, 2009
Beware of your local newspaper
I have been a subscriber to the Washington Post since before they began covering Watergate. So, I opened up today's paper to read that the Post will be giving up one of its daily crossword puzzles, it's Saturday Quote-Acrostic puzzle and several other features including a reduction in its television programming listings. This comes on the heels of their announcement last week that they were "merging" their business section into the A section of the paper.
I no longer need a newspaper to tell me yesterday's sports scores or to tell me tomorrow how the stock market performed today. I have always enjoyed the newspaper for its news coverage, analysis, commentary and its features. But, as they take away these things in order to reduce their operating costs, they are hurting themselves by alienating loyal subscribers such as me. It seems that as they raise their subscription rates they reduce the amount of content they provide. For the first time since before Richard Nixon resigned the presidency, I am giving serious consideration to resigning my subscription. And when enough readers also decide they no longer need their daily printed newspaper, the company will see a decline in their advertising revenues because of the smaller circulation. I don't subscribe to the Washington Post so I can get two daily crossword puzzles or the TV listings, but without these, it is more difficult to differentiate the value the print version delivers to me from what I can get elsewhere.
The point of this is that all publishers--commercial and association--must retain a proper mix of content that is uniquely available in each of the types of media they produce. Where newspapers are failing is that they have used their websites to reproduce much of the content that they deliver in their printed versions. And when they do as the Post is doing by taking away features that are well suited for print publication, they further obscure the line between print and online content.
Association publishers must remember the needs of their members/audience/constituencies and add value by delivering an appropriate and timely content mix utilizing all of their media. In these difficult times, it is easy to take the short term view of reducing content in order to lower costs. But, this economic downturn will end and when the money is spent again, you want it spent with you. Make sure the value is there to assure that you are the first place your audience comes when they are ready to return and begin spending money on dues, publications, conferences, and all of the other products you want them to rely on.
visit my website at: http://www.adsalesexperts.net/.
Monday, March 9, 2009
Print Is Dead and Other Lies
There seems to be ongoing conversations about the future of print and how the internet is threatening to bring an end to print products as we currently know them. Questions abound: will the next generation get all of their information from websites? Can print compete with the immediacy and speed of information delivered electronically? Will web publishers finally find the business model that will assure their financial success? Is print dead?
The truth is that print media is alive and well and holding on to its very important place in the delivery of content to millions of readers. In fact, according to a recent study, Looking Forward: What’s Next for the Economy and Print Markets in 2008–2009 issued by the Printing Industries of America, the total value of printed products delivered in 2007 was $175.4 billion and is projected to increase to $184.5 billion by the end of this year. This represents annual growth of over 3%. That certainly does not sound like a dying industry. In fact, the printing industry is continuing to make significant capital investments in printing presses, bindery equipment and the prepress technologies necessary to support digital printing.
Where does this leave the association publisher wrestling with how to maintain or increase advertising sales in his organization’s print products while developing a revenue stream from the association’s website? The answer lies in the integration and branding of multiple media.
Package Your Products
Successful advertising sales that span both print and electronic products comes from identifying the value delivered to the customer from each, differentiating the advantages and then integrating the sale into one strong package designed to achieve each client’s objectives. For instance, the manufacturer of electronic components could not begin to describe each one in a full page print ad, but can easily provide specifications and other information from the company’s website. That company should use print advertising in its association’s magazine to drive traffic to its own website or to highlight one or two of its products. It could benefit from advertising on the association’s website as a way to provide a quick link to its own at which the visitor would be shown the full range of products and their specifications.
Does your association have an online job bank? Sell employers on using print advertising to describe what a great company they are to work for, and use the job bank to sell them listings of specific job vacancies.
Sell the time spectrum as a strategic advantage. An advertiser can reach the market today with a web ad, but a print ad can be very valuable when it appears in an issue that will be distributed at a major meeting or tradeshow or will have long shelf life such as an annual directory.
Online Version of Your Magazine
Extend the value of your association’s magazine with an online version that is updated frequently. Brand your website (or its content) with your magazine’s name. It’s a good idea to reproduce one or two feature stories on the web, but the online version should deliver fresh content not available anywhere else. Content is the key driver to bringing traffic to your site. It has to be new and updated frequently in order to keep visitors coming back and seeing the online advertising. The more frequently new content is posted, the more success you will have with an online version of your organization’s magazine.
Pricing Policy
All advertising-based products should have a clearly established price. Web advertising should not be given away for free or as a value-added benefit to print advertisers. Just like the rate card you have for print ads, a publish rate structure for your online offerings is equally important. Once value is established, you will then be able to offer pack pricing for those advertisers which purchase across your media offerings. Just as your print advertising rate card offers frequency discounts for multi-issue advertisers, your online rates should also offer pricing incentives for the purchase of combination packages or long-term commitments. You can also charge higher fees for premium positions within your site, just as you charge higher prices for cover positions in your association’s magazine.
Think strategically when it comes to the sale of advertising. Remember that ad sales success comes when you deliver customers to your advertisers so that they, in turn, get a good return on the investment they have made in your products. By combining your flagship print product with your online offerings, you will prove that print is alive and well and an integral part of your organization’s success.
Visit me at: http://www.adsalesexperts.net/
The truth is that print media is alive and well and holding on to its very important place in the delivery of content to millions of readers. In fact, according to a recent study, Looking Forward: What’s Next for the Economy and Print Markets in 2008–2009 issued by the Printing Industries of America, the total value of printed products delivered in 2007 was $175.4 billion and is projected to increase to $184.5 billion by the end of this year. This represents annual growth of over 3%. That certainly does not sound like a dying industry. In fact, the printing industry is continuing to make significant capital investments in printing presses, bindery equipment and the prepress technologies necessary to support digital printing.
Where does this leave the association publisher wrestling with how to maintain or increase advertising sales in his organization’s print products while developing a revenue stream from the association’s website? The answer lies in the integration and branding of multiple media.
Package Your Products
Successful advertising sales that span both print and electronic products comes from identifying the value delivered to the customer from each, differentiating the advantages and then integrating the sale into one strong package designed to achieve each client’s objectives. For instance, the manufacturer of electronic components could not begin to describe each one in a full page print ad, but can easily provide specifications and other information from the company’s website. That company should use print advertising in its association’s magazine to drive traffic to its own website or to highlight one or two of its products. It could benefit from advertising on the association’s website as a way to provide a quick link to its own at which the visitor would be shown the full range of products and their specifications.
Does your association have an online job bank? Sell employers on using print advertising to describe what a great company they are to work for, and use the job bank to sell them listings of specific job vacancies.
Sell the time spectrum as a strategic advantage. An advertiser can reach the market today with a web ad, but a print ad can be very valuable when it appears in an issue that will be distributed at a major meeting or tradeshow or will have long shelf life such as an annual directory.
Online Version of Your Magazine
Extend the value of your association’s magazine with an online version that is updated frequently. Brand your website (or its content) with your magazine’s name. It’s a good idea to reproduce one or two feature stories on the web, but the online version should deliver fresh content not available anywhere else. Content is the key driver to bringing traffic to your site. It has to be new and updated frequently in order to keep visitors coming back and seeing the online advertising. The more frequently new content is posted, the more success you will have with an online version of your organization’s magazine.
Pricing Policy
All advertising-based products should have a clearly established price. Web advertising should not be given away for free or as a value-added benefit to print advertisers. Just like the rate card you have for print ads, a publish rate structure for your online offerings is equally important. Once value is established, you will then be able to offer pack pricing for those advertisers which purchase across your media offerings. Just as your print advertising rate card offers frequency discounts for multi-issue advertisers, your online rates should also offer pricing incentives for the purchase of combination packages or long-term commitments. You can also charge higher fees for premium positions within your site, just as you charge higher prices for cover positions in your association’s magazine.
Think strategically when it comes to the sale of advertising. Remember that ad sales success comes when you deliver customers to your advertisers so that they, in turn, get a good return on the investment they have made in your products. By combining your flagship print product with your online offerings, you will prove that print is alive and well and an integral part of your organization’s success.
Visit me at: http://www.adsalesexperts.net/
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Should your association reorganize around content?
What do you think of when you hear the word “publications”? Do you picture a stack of cartons delivered to your office which, when opened, have the distinctive aroma of fresh ink on paper? Does your organization have a publications department which has staff who use software such as InDesign, and think in terms of photos as being in CMYK and paper being specified by its pound weight?
Next, take a look around your organization. Do you have a meetings department that organizes your association’s conferences and conventions and coordinates the various speakers and presenters who will attract attendees? Do you have a continuing education department that presents face-to-face and online educational events? Where is the content that is posted on your organization’s website created? Is it done by someone in your IT department? Government affairs? Membership? Meetings? All of them?
The traditional view has always been that each of the above functions requires distinct skills, interact with different vendors and serve different purposes. But, in order to succeed in today’s competitive environment, association executives must realize that they are no longer in the publishing business, or the meetings business, or the continuing education business. They are now in the highly competitive business of content delivery.
Let’s look at one such example. A large association publishes several successful peer reviewed journals. Management of these periodicals is handled by the staff of the publications departments, the staff of which interact with the journal editors, keeps the peer review process moving, and produce and mail the finished product. The conference department is soliciting presentations to be given at meetings held throughout the year. The papers are then put through a peer review process to determine if they are worthy of being included in the program. Those that are selected are then published in the proceedings of the event.
Is there really any difference between the peer review process utilized by the publications staff and the peer review process utilized by the meetings department? The process is the same, only the deliverable is different. In one case the product is a printed publication received in a member’s mailbox, in the other, it is a presentation given in a face-to-face format and then followed by a printed or digital copy. The workflow management of creating and delivering the content is identical in both instances. Yet, there are two departments creating content and duplicating each other’s efforts and skill sets.
External Threats
Most associations view their content-driven products as one of the most, if not the most, important member benefit they offer. Most people join associations in order to receive the publication or have access to events. But, associations are now facing competition not only from other associations serving their field, but from commercial organizations which deliver content and information without requiring the payment of dues. In fact, in many cases, the content is free and available to anyone for just a few clicks of a mouse.
Therefore, associations must be certain that they retain their value and one way to do this is to assure their members that they are getting the best content available from their association. This means content that can be trusted for accuracy, reliability, and credibility. But, it also means that the association must be able to deliver content that is not readily available from other sources. This is what brings value to your members.
It is important to remember that content is what attracts readers to your magazine and it is the presence of those readers that attract advertising. Content is what attracts attendees to your meetings and conventions and it is those attendees that bring in the exhibitors who want to meet them.
Something to Think About
Here is the radical idea: shut down your publications, meetings, and continuing education departments and create a new “content department.” Let each of the members of the current staff who interact with content providers (writers, editors, instructors, presenters, etc.) work together to identify the best and most credible writers and presenters. Let those who purchase the printing of your magazine also purchase the printing of your association’s promotional material, conference proceedings, and other goods requiring putting ink on paper. Those with the expertise to negotiate for and manage hotel rooms and meeting space should apply those skills not only to your organization’s meetings, but also to its face-to-face continuing education events. Finally, the content department should be the single point that determines what and where information is placed on your organization’s website. After all, your website, too, is nothing more than another content delivery product produced by your association.
Applying this model may be painful at first, but it will result in a more coordinated effort for the creation and delivery of the content and information that is so vital to your association’s success. It also may have the added long-term benefit of saving money by more efficiently utilizing staff skills and negotiating better pricing with suppliers.
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Next, take a look around your organization. Do you have a meetings department that organizes your association’s conferences and conventions and coordinates the various speakers and presenters who will attract attendees? Do you have a continuing education department that presents face-to-face and online educational events? Where is the content that is posted on your organization’s website created? Is it done by someone in your IT department? Government affairs? Membership? Meetings? All of them?
The traditional view has always been that each of the above functions requires distinct skills, interact with different vendors and serve different purposes. But, in order to succeed in today’s competitive environment, association executives must realize that they are no longer in the publishing business, or the meetings business, or the continuing education business. They are now in the highly competitive business of content delivery.
Let’s look at one such example. A large association publishes several successful peer reviewed journals. Management of these periodicals is handled by the staff of the publications departments, the staff of which interact with the journal editors, keeps the peer review process moving, and produce and mail the finished product. The conference department is soliciting presentations to be given at meetings held throughout the year. The papers are then put through a peer review process to determine if they are worthy of being included in the program. Those that are selected are then published in the proceedings of the event.
Is there really any difference between the peer review process utilized by the publications staff and the peer review process utilized by the meetings department? The process is the same, only the deliverable is different. In one case the product is a printed publication received in a member’s mailbox, in the other, it is a presentation given in a face-to-face format and then followed by a printed or digital copy. The workflow management of creating and delivering the content is identical in both instances. Yet, there are two departments creating content and duplicating each other’s efforts and skill sets.
External Threats
Most associations view their content-driven products as one of the most, if not the most, important member benefit they offer. Most people join associations in order to receive the publication or have access to events. But, associations are now facing competition not only from other associations serving their field, but from commercial organizations which deliver content and information without requiring the payment of dues. In fact, in many cases, the content is free and available to anyone for just a few clicks of a mouse.
Therefore, associations must be certain that they retain their value and one way to do this is to assure their members that they are getting the best content available from their association. This means content that can be trusted for accuracy, reliability, and credibility. But, it also means that the association must be able to deliver content that is not readily available from other sources. This is what brings value to your members.
It is important to remember that content is what attracts readers to your magazine and it is the presence of those readers that attract advertising. Content is what attracts attendees to your meetings and conventions and it is those attendees that bring in the exhibitors who want to meet them.
Something to Think About
Here is the radical idea: shut down your publications, meetings, and continuing education departments and create a new “content department.” Let each of the members of the current staff who interact with content providers (writers, editors, instructors, presenters, etc.) work together to identify the best and most credible writers and presenters. Let those who purchase the printing of your magazine also purchase the printing of your association’s promotional material, conference proceedings, and other goods requiring putting ink on paper. Those with the expertise to negotiate for and manage hotel rooms and meeting space should apply those skills not only to your organization’s meetings, but also to its face-to-face continuing education events. Finally, the content department should be the single point that determines what and where information is placed on your organization’s website. After all, your website, too, is nothing more than another content delivery product produced by your association.
Applying this model may be painful at first, but it will result in a more coordinated effort for the creation and delivery of the content and information that is so vital to your association’s success. It also may have the added long-term benefit of saving money by more efficiently utilizing staff skills and negotiating better pricing with suppliers.
Visit me at: www.AdSalesExperts.net
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