Online Ad Workflow Dedra Smith Printmark West, Inc.
Transcript
Slide 1
Online Ad Workflow Dedra Smith Printmark West, Inc.
Slide 2
What are your online products? Banner ads Rich Media ads
Interstitials Section sponsorships Search tool sponsorships Video
pre-rolls E-newsletters Webinar sponsorships
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Do you sell packages? Who develops them? Who prices them? Who
tests them? Who compiles the reporting metrics? Do you sell both
time-based and impression-based products? Do they follow the same
intervals as your magazine?
Slide 4
How do print & online differ? Print workflow = a standard
file format + paperwork + checking + placing + transmitting to the
printer Online = variety of deliverables + variety of contracts and
formats + coding + testing + tech explanations + input from
multiple departments + multiple deadlines + post- fulfillment
reporting
Slide 5
Using old paradigms? It takes more steps to sell online ads
because of the variety of deliverables It takes many more steps to
fulfill deliverables once the product is sold The relationship
between Sales and Production is vastly different
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Print workflow: Insertion Order IO to sales and production
Materials (files) Materials to production Materials Files to
printer
Shoehorn or re-think? Tendency is to shoehorn online into the
print paradigm for workflow: Sales drops IO over the wall
Production gathers materials and forwards according to protocols
May interface with advertiser/sales rep on file problems
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Shoehorn or re-think? Online is not so linear: Sales drops IO
over the wall but there are questions, customization requests, etc.
= circling back Production coordinates multiple deadlines,
departments, deliverables May interface with advertiser/sales rep
more heavily due to tech complexities
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Shoehorn or re-think? What happens when online customers want
input into the ad product they buy? Sales needs to coordinate with
other departments and circle back to buyerthey cant just sell and
move on.
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Shoehorn or re-think? What happens to operations when the
variables multiply and overlap in ways that dont even correspond to
printed issues? Tracking deadlinescritical Explaining
technologycritical Extra hands on deckcritical Authority over
process--critical
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Adjunct or Core Business? Example: Company A: Online started as
small adjunct to both Sales and Production Workflow mirrored print
Hired one technical person who knew coding and Doubleclick During
downturn, decreased staff
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Adjunct or Core Business? Company A: Sales managed by VP
without online experience Production managed by VP without online
experience Production Dept. viewed as clerical (busboys to Sales)
Online grew 400% in 2 years both departments were strained
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Crisis Management Company A: Sales struggles with paperwork,
technical understanding Submits late and faulty paperwork Creates
and sells new products without tech input, creating crises
Production works 47 hours of overtime/week
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What is the problem? Management hasnt recognized the nature of
the online business: Online can drive growth, but: Advertisers need
more support Sales needs more support Liaison function needs to
move up in importance All departments have to help
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Ignoring reality? Reality always wins Its a different type of
sale, requiring more explanation, and more technical understanding,
makes less revenue Varied deliverables require more steps,
coordination of more than just a file: promo materials, e-blasts,
webinars, chats, videos, editorial content for whitepapers, Flash,
promo widgets, etc. requiring lots of tech expertise
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Ignoring reality? Reality always wins Huge opportunities for
creativity as online develops and new ideas come along If the tech
staff is buried, likelihood that no one knows what new processes,
products, or problems are out there. No time to develop new ideas
in-house
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Cultural barriers? If a Print Production Department is viewed
as clerical staff supporting other departments in the print
workflow, chances are that the Production staff does not have the
authority or clout to successfully coordinate all the deliverables
in the online world.
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What is a sale? In the print paradigm, sales reps are valued
because its a rare skill, and revenue depends on it The hand-off is
relatively straightforward, and relatively easy for production
staff to handle correctly, so perceived value is less, though
revenue is still greater per unit.
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What is a sale? In the online world, sales reps are often not
tech-savvy, and cant complete the sale without support The hand-off
is often extremely complex, requires input from a variety of
sources, needs centralized management, and has myriad opportunities
for error.
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What is a sale? Summary: In the online world, the sale is much
more collaborative because it often requires the consultative input
from those who actually produce the deliverable, and is not
fulfilled until data has been returned to the advertiser.
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Why does it matter? Sales reps get paid on the volume of sales
(revenue) they generate for their companies Production is paid via
salary alone, but creates much more of the value of the online sale
than the print sale Failure by management to recognize this
contribution to revenue creates problems.
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Fewer experts Most companies have fewer tech experts than they
really need, so these people are working long hours to handle the
volume. Complex products = increase in the time spent educating
staff or advertisers, or solving problems The contribution of tech
support is critical in the online space.
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The risk to revenue Online revenue can be at risk when built on
a linear print workflow + its underlying assumptions Oversimplifies
steps, tasks, time for both sales and production Fails to recognize
additional risks created by multiple handoffs, deadlines,
deliverables, departments.
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The risk to revenue Fails to add technical staff in a
sufficient ratio to sales as volume increasesassumption is that
workload follows print parameters Fails to value the consultative
sales aspect of technical servicesdoesnt recognize contribution to
advertiser satisfaction as a sales benefit
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The risk to revenue Doesnt provide adequate authority to
coordinate across departments Fails to allow tech input from
planning stages, so crisis management prevails
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A better paradigm: Sales and Production for online operate as a
sales team, and earn commissions based on volume, successful
delivery, and growth Technical staff is given major say in products
as they are being planned, and details are decided before sales are
made
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A better paradigm: Coordination of deadlines and specs for
promo, editorial content, ad materials, or anything pertaining to
online is done through an operations hub that has full authority to
adjust protocols and processes to meet the needs of online
advertising and allow growth.
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A better paradigm: Providing technical support to advertisers
who may need additional help is seen as a positive opportunity to
build a business relationship with the advertiser ergo sales.
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A better paradigm: The team approach is a collaboration with
Sales to generate and protect revenue The team can make recom-
mendations to adjust staffing, change processes, tailor programs to
advertisers needs, train reps, research new products, and build
business.
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The litmus test A key indication that a company has achieved
the correct balance between sales and execution of its promises is
when crisis manage- ment disappears, and the tech experts on staff
no longer sacrifice their personal time to bail out poorly managed
online operations.