NONE: Re: ONLINE-ADS>> Online media kits
Re: ONLINE-ADS>> Online media kits
John Schick (jschick_at_netgambit.com)
Tue, 29 Jul 1997 15:07:53 -0500
Jim Sterne wrote:
>
> Am I advocating full disclosure? Nope. Am I saying you
> should cut the salesman out of the loop? Nope. But try
> to use your Web site to shrink the sales cycle and save
> the salesman some time. Use it to entice the buyer. Give
> the buyer a solid reason to call the rep; something that
> will obviously benefit them, rather than just forcing them
> to ask for a media kit.
Jim,
Well stated. There is a common ground that can work best for both
parties.
It requires enough basic online information to entice a buyer to call
the rep. I've observed that a large percentage of advertising sites
currently do not include any basic information. For those ad buyers who
can afford it, the commercial Web advertising data sources such as
Focalink and SRDS Interactive fill the need. They're not cheap, but they
help get the buyer and seller together. The free ad rate sources such as
Jupiter are helpful for those who can't afford these services. Even the
top networks such as DoubleClick and Softbank publish basic information.
It would seem these sales professionals agree that "entice then talk"
works.
Is it enough to provide a buyer with traffic information and
demographics that indicate a site is number one in a category? Nope. I
know my budget, now I need to know if I can afford your site. Who has
time to shop rates by phone? At least let me know if your site is in the
$20-$30 CPM range, or the $50-$60 range, etc. Let me know if you require
50K minimum impressions or one million. If your site is within my
budget range, then we can talk tie-breakers - quality factors, trial
periods, volume discounts, superior tracking, new ad technologies,
proprietary information or a big upcoming site promotion.
Chris from Townhall was nice enough to elaborate on his original "pro
sales pitch" post by saying that his site will be listed in the
commercial advertising data sources, which would meet most buyers needs
(as long as they could afford them). As a buyer, I could then focus
more attention to the quality of his site before I give him a call. But
he will miss out on potential buyers who can't afford the commercial
sources and won't find the time to call. That's where online information
comes into play. How many sites can afford to leave 10% or 20% of
potential advertising business on the table without being toast? I don't
know any.
Jim's right, a firm stance on either side of the fence is "all wet".
Let's help bring both parties to the fence by providing buyers with
enough information to qualify themselves and talk intelligently when
they call. Let's remind sales reps that strong industry knowledge can be
the most effective tie-breaker of all.
-John
----------------------------------------------------------------
John Schick http://www.positionagent.com
jschick_at_netgambit.com http://www.adresource.com
PositionAgent Monitor Website Search Engine Rankings
AdResource 500 Web Advertising & Marketing Resources
312-201-0489(V,F) Co-author "Getting Hits", Speaker Web Ad '96
----------------------------------------------------------------------
This week's Online Advertising Discussion List sponsors:
xe-a*dsCUTfq/twTHROUGHsh#aioTHEor!sa_at_wCLUTTERagn+se
CUT THROUGH THE CLUTTER
http://www.geocities.com/mediakit/
----------
Get 5000 guaranteed visitors to your site for just $750
***** Just 15-cents per unique visitor *****
>>>> http://www.valueclick.com <<<<
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Online Advertising Discussion List To Unsubscribe send UNSUBSCRIBE
http://www.o-a.com/ to online-ads-request_at_o-a.com
