Evan Tracey, who tracks political advertising for Kantar Media, says that last week's Supreme Court decision loosening campaign financing restrictions will likely have a swift and profound impact on campaigns and political spending, pushing spending on TV stations to the high side of his previously forecast $2.6 billion-$2.8 billion range and turning campaigns into "three-dimensional games of chess" in which the candidates themselves may not be in full control. Set your sights high and go get the $$$
Philip Jay....
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Forrester: Television Ads To Grow 4%
by Wayne Friedman, Yesterday, 3:41 PM
Forrester Research says the TV advertising business will gain slightly in 2010 -- moving in line with slight improvements in the economy. The forecast estimates that TV spending will be pushed up 1% to $69.5 billion, similar to other TV ad predictions.
Forrester says television will remain the dominant mass medium and the biggest line item in consumer marketers' budgets.
Long-term, the survey sees cable TV getting the benefits of advanced TV ad technologies, such as addressability and interactivity ahead of other TV platforms. Over a five-year period, this will grow the cable business at a 4% compounded annual growth rate.
In a separate blog, David Cooperstein, vice president and role manager and marketing leadership for Forrester Research, writes: "TV spending is still the biggest above-the-line expense, even as Internet usage increases and mass media audiences fragment. Yet 65% of marketing leaders think Internet measurement is more useful than TV measurement."
Cooperstein says marketers will adhere to the belief that Internet accountability will closely follow that of direct marketing: "We believe that the measurement of TV advertising will become more like that of interactive marketing, not the other way around, and as such branding efforts will be held to the stricter accountability that has driven direct marketing spending from the mail and digital eras."
Forrester Research says the TV advertising business will gain slightly in 2010 -- moving in line with slight improvements in the economy. The forecast estimates that TV spending will be pushed up 1% to $69.5 billion, similar to other TV ad predictions.
Forrester says television will remain the dominant mass medium and the biggest line item in consumer marketers' budgets.
Long-term, the survey sees cable TV getting the benefits of advanced TV ad technologies, such as addressability and interactivity ahead of other TV platforms. Over a five-year period, this will grow the cable business at a 4% compounded annual growth rate.
In a separate blog, David Cooperstein, vice president and role manager and marketing leadership for Forrester Research, writes: "TV spending is still the biggest above-the-line expense, even as Internet usage increases and mass media audiences fragment. Yet 65% of marketing leaders think Internet measurement is more useful than TV measurement."
Cooperstein says marketers will adhere to the belief that Internet accountability will closely follow that of direct marketing: "We believe that the measurement of TV advertising will become more like that of interactive marketing, not the other way around, and as such branding efforts will be held to the stricter accountability that has driven direct marketing spending from the mail and digital eras."
Thursday, January 21, 2010
TV's Upfront Ad Rollercoaster: It'll Be Up -- And Down As Well
A media critique by Wayne Friedman, West Coast Editor of Media Post
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Don't be fooled by the new surge in some TV ad spending --- there's more going on than meets the eye.
Take Olympic spending this year. Interpublic Cos. Magna research group says that this year's Olympic games will generate $488 million in "incremental revenue," much of it going to TV platforms. But this is way down from the $650 million in incremental revenue during the 2006 Winter Olympics in Torino, Italy.
That's not all. Many broadcast network executives says while rates are up, they wish they had more inventory to sell. Reading the tea leaves, there seems to be no appreciably big volume gains for networks in this scatter market.
One veteran media buyer puts it better: "Things are up. But it's not a runaway scatter. There's not that much more money. It appears real strong, but that's because scatter has been real soft."
Top-rated networks in the fourth quarter, such as Fox, may have more inventory than many other networks to sell. But, according to most experts, those overall scatter dollars gains may be perhaps $100 million or so.
These numbers would be significantly lower than in years past, where it was customary for networks to grab $200 million to $250 million or more in one particular fourth quarter scatter period.
These trends are a part of overall broadcast erosion. When a network has less ratings points to sell -- even with somewhat higher CPMs -- it can't generate overall dollar volume.
And while cable networks have also been touting big double-digit CPM increases over the upfront with some volume gains, still it seems no single cable network can have a big impact in the marketplace.
Estimates are the second quarter should see some improvement in demand from advertisers. This has always been a strong indicator of how the upfront will go.
That said, the upfront should see stronger pricing than last year's big retrenchment. But total volume gains might be disappointing -- certainly with some broadcast networks and syndicators, less so with cable networks.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Don't be fooled by the new surge in some TV ad spending --- there's more going on than meets the eye.
Take Olympic spending this year. Interpublic Cos. Magna research group says that this year's Olympic games will generate $488 million in "incremental revenue," much of it going to TV platforms. But this is way down from the $650 million in incremental revenue during the 2006 Winter Olympics in Torino, Italy.
That's not all. Many broadcast network executives says while rates are up, they wish they had more inventory to sell. Reading the tea leaves, there seems to be no appreciably big volume gains for networks in this scatter market.
One veteran media buyer puts it better: "Things are up. But it's not a runaway scatter. There's not that much more money. It appears real strong, but that's because scatter has been real soft."
Top-rated networks in the fourth quarter, such as Fox, may have more inventory than many other networks to sell. But, according to most experts, those overall scatter dollars gains may be perhaps $100 million or so.
These numbers would be significantly lower than in years past, where it was customary for networks to grab $200 million to $250 million or more in one particular fourth quarter scatter period.
These trends are a part of overall broadcast erosion. When a network has less ratings points to sell -- even with somewhat higher CPMs -- it can't generate overall dollar volume.
And while cable networks have also been touting big double-digit CPM increases over the upfront with some volume gains, still it seems no single cable network can have a big impact in the marketplace.
Estimates are the second quarter should see some improvement in demand from advertisers. This has always been a strong indicator of how the upfront will go.
That said, the upfront should see stronger pricing than last year's big retrenchment. But total volume gains might be disappointing -- certainly with some broadcast networks and syndicators, less so with cable networks.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Women-owned Businesses to Drive Job Growth
by Rieva Lesonsky, founder of GrowBiz Media 1/19/2010
Where will tomorrow’s jobs come from? Everyone from Main Street to the White House is focused on that question. Well, according to new data projections from The Guardian Life Small Business Research Institute, future job growth will be created primarily by women-owned small businesses.
Guardian’s research shows that by 2018 women entrepreneurs will be responsible for creating between 5 million and 5.5 million new jobs nationwide. That’s more than half of the 9.7 million new jobs the Bureau of Labor Statistics expects small businesses to create, and about one-third of the total new jobs the BLS projects will be created nationwide in that time frame.
The Institute based its projections on an analysis of several factors, including the faster growth rate of women-owned businesses compared to those owned by men; the greater rate of college graduation among women compared to men; the projected growth of industry sectors that are dominated by women; and the fact that women-owned businesses are more likely to be self-funded and thus less dependent on increasingly scarce bank financing or other outside sources of capital.
As they grow, these women-owned businesses will also account for some important changes in the work environment. According to The Guardian Life Index, a survey of American small-business owners, women are most likely to start businesses because they’re unhappy with corporate life. When they become their own bosses, Guardian’s research shows, they are more likely than male managers or entrepreneurs to be:
diligently engaged in strategic and tactical facets of their business
proactively customer-focused
likely to incorporate community and environment into their business plans
receptive to input and guidance from internal and external advisers
committed to creating opportunities for others
Underscoring these conclusions, Mark Wolf, director of The Guardian Life Small Business Research Institute says,
“As a result of the increasing influence and business leadership of women small-business owners, the workplace of tomorrow will be far less hierarchical. [The approach of women business owners] strongly counteracts the top-down, command-and-control style of management long practiced by their male counterparts.”
John Krubski, futurist and research advisor to The Guardian Life Small Business Research Institute agrees. He says,
“This women-led management approach will have a profound impact on the employees and customers connected to these businesses. Women small-business owners will ultimately create more opportunities for employees to grow in their jobs and inspire others to start their own small business – all while providing customers with superior service.”
As a long-time advocate for women-owned businesses, I have to say I am not surprised by the findings. While women business owners still face some obstacles, overall the absence of a glass ceiling makes entrepreneurship more appealing than climbing the ever-shrinking corporate ladder.
Where will tomorrow’s jobs come from? Everyone from Main Street to the White House is focused on that question. Well, according to new data projections from The Guardian Life Small Business Research Institute, future job growth will be created primarily by women-owned small businesses.
Guardian’s research shows that by 2018 women entrepreneurs will be responsible for creating between 5 million and 5.5 million new jobs nationwide. That’s more than half of the 9.7 million new jobs the Bureau of Labor Statistics expects small businesses to create, and about one-third of the total new jobs the BLS projects will be created nationwide in that time frame.
The Institute based its projections on an analysis of several factors, including the faster growth rate of women-owned businesses compared to those owned by men; the greater rate of college graduation among women compared to men; the projected growth of industry sectors that are dominated by women; and the fact that women-owned businesses are more likely to be self-funded and thus less dependent on increasingly scarce bank financing or other outside sources of capital.
As they grow, these women-owned businesses will also account for some important changes in the work environment. According to The Guardian Life Index, a survey of American small-business owners, women are most likely to start businesses because they’re unhappy with corporate life. When they become their own bosses, Guardian’s research shows, they are more likely than male managers or entrepreneurs to be:
diligently engaged in strategic and tactical facets of their business
proactively customer-focused
likely to incorporate community and environment into their business plans
receptive to input and guidance from internal and external advisers
committed to creating opportunities for others
Underscoring these conclusions, Mark Wolf, director of The Guardian Life Small Business Research Institute says,
“As a result of the increasing influence and business leadership of women small-business owners, the workplace of tomorrow will be far less hierarchical. [The approach of women business owners] strongly counteracts the top-down, command-and-control style of management long practiced by their male counterparts.”
John Krubski, futurist and research advisor to The Guardian Life Small Business Research Institute agrees. He says,
“This women-led management approach will have a profound impact on the employees and customers connected to these businesses. Women small-business owners will ultimately create more opportunities for employees to grow in their jobs and inspire others to start their own small business – all while providing customers with superior service.”
As a long-time advocate for women-owned businesses, I have to say I am not surprised by the findings. While women business owners still face some obstacles, overall the absence of a glass ceiling makes entrepreneurship more appealing than climbing the ever-shrinking corporate ladder.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Business Owners Try to Motivate Employees
As Recession Lingers, Managers Hold Meetings and Change Hiring Practices to Alleviate Workers' Stress
By SARAH E. NEEDLEMAN
Some business owners say their employees—after months of dealing with layoff worries, wage cuts or scaled-back hours—are stressed out and in need of extra attention.
In November, Nancy Jackson was able to hire a new full-time salesperson for the company she co-owns, Architectural Systems Inc. in New York, but found herself facing an angry 19-person staff. "I couldn't believe their reaction," she says. Just a few months earlier, some had seen their workweeks reduced or salaries scaled back; two colleagues had been laid off.
To mitigate the situation, Ms. Jackson quickly called a meeting to explain that beefing up the firm's sales force was a necessary first step for making a companywide recovery. Meanwhile, she has since gone about hiring differently, she says, bringing on a new marketing associate as a temporary part-time employee, rather than a full-time staff member, so as not to rile her team. "There's been a lot of emotional hand-holding here that we've never had to do before," she says.
As the recession lingers, business owners are finding it necessary to take extra steps to make employees feel valued. They say their efforts—many of which cost little or nothing—are critical for maintaining employee productivity, confidence and satisfaction.
"Your employees are being bombarded with doom and gloom," says Bert Martinez, a small-business adviser in Houston. "If there's anything you can do to make your employees feel secure and that they're important, they're going to work better."
What's more, making strides now could help reduce turnover when the job market recovers. A recent Conference Board survey of 5,000 U.S. households showed that just 45% of respondents are satisfied with their jobs, down from 61% in 1987, the first year the survey was conducted.
To show appreciation for her five employees, Elise Lelon, owner of The You Business LLC, a leadership-consulting firm in New York, says she upgraded their job titles. "It doesn't cost me anything and it makes them feel good," she says. "You've got to think outside the money box when it comes to motivating your employees in this economic environment."
Ms. Lelon says workers tend to value senior titles like "director" and "manager" because these can make their résumés more robust. "I have two housewives who were high-powered women before they settled down and had families," she says. "We crafted titles and roles that offer them more continuity. As a result, they feel as if they haven't missed a beat with their careers."
Elise Lelon, upgraded job titles to motivate employees at her consulting firm, The You Business LLC.
Ms. Lelon pulled other levers as well. For example, she granted her staff the option to work remotely and at hours of their choosing, including nights and weekends. "Autonomy is worth a lot to people," she says. "This creates an entrepreneurial environment for them."
And because she didn't give out pay raises last year, Ms. Lelon says she created a generous bonus-incentive program tied to the amount of revenue her employees generate for the firm. "It gets their juices flowing and it helps the business grow," she says. "Today, it's all about switching fixed costs to variable costs whenever possible."
Christopher Mills, co-owner of Prime Debt Services, a debt-management firm in Dallas, took another approach. Last spring, he began meeting privately with his 14 employees once a week to let them vent, share ideas or just shoot the breeze. "I found the more I listened, the better they pepped up," he says. "It takes time from me, but it's worth it."
Mr. Mills says he has gained valuable information from the get-togethers. For example, an employee once explained that he and some colleagues were upset because the prior week's sales leads hadn't been distributed evenly as usual. "It looked like all of a sudden we were playing favorites," he says.
Immediately after, Mr. Mills met with his sales team to explain that what happened was a mistake, thus avoiding "a huge mutiny," he says. "When they get it off their chests and realize I do care, it becomes my problem to solve. I can address it and they can go about their day being productive."
Mr. Mills has also been showing his staff appreciation by preparing them a breakfast of waffles, bacon and coffee every Wednesday. "It's one less thing on their to-do list."
Dr Philip Jay LeNoble adds...that it's not only the commission that serves the employee best...and helps create a happy work environment...it's also the leadership and increase in responsibilitiesthat provides higher productivity levels.
By SARAH E. NEEDLEMAN
Some business owners say their employees—after months of dealing with layoff worries, wage cuts or scaled-back hours—are stressed out and in need of extra attention.
In November, Nancy Jackson was able to hire a new full-time salesperson for the company she co-owns, Architectural Systems Inc. in New York, but found herself facing an angry 19-person staff. "I couldn't believe their reaction," she says. Just a few months earlier, some had seen their workweeks reduced or salaries scaled back; two colleagues had been laid off.
To mitigate the situation, Ms. Jackson quickly called a meeting to explain that beefing up the firm's sales force was a necessary first step for making a companywide recovery. Meanwhile, she has since gone about hiring differently, she says, bringing on a new marketing associate as a temporary part-time employee, rather than a full-time staff member, so as not to rile her team. "There's been a lot of emotional hand-holding here that we've never had to do before," she says.
As the recession lingers, business owners are finding it necessary to take extra steps to make employees feel valued. They say their efforts—many of which cost little or nothing—are critical for maintaining employee productivity, confidence and satisfaction.
"Your employees are being bombarded with doom and gloom," says Bert Martinez, a small-business adviser in Houston. "If there's anything you can do to make your employees feel secure and that they're important, they're going to work better."
What's more, making strides now could help reduce turnover when the job market recovers. A recent Conference Board survey of 5,000 U.S. households showed that just 45% of respondents are satisfied with their jobs, down from 61% in 1987, the first year the survey was conducted.
To show appreciation for her five employees, Elise Lelon, owner of The You Business LLC, a leadership-consulting firm in New York, says she upgraded their job titles. "It doesn't cost me anything and it makes them feel good," she says. "You've got to think outside the money box when it comes to motivating your employees in this economic environment."
Ms. Lelon says workers tend to value senior titles like "director" and "manager" because these can make their résumés more robust. "I have two housewives who were high-powered women before they settled down and had families," she says. "We crafted titles and roles that offer them more continuity. As a result, they feel as if they haven't missed a beat with their careers."
Elise Lelon, upgraded job titles to motivate employees at her consulting firm, The You Business LLC.
Ms. Lelon pulled other levers as well. For example, she granted her staff the option to work remotely and at hours of their choosing, including nights and weekends. "Autonomy is worth a lot to people," she says. "This creates an entrepreneurial environment for them."
And because she didn't give out pay raises last year, Ms. Lelon says she created a generous bonus-incentive program tied to the amount of revenue her employees generate for the firm. "It gets their juices flowing and it helps the business grow," she says. "Today, it's all about switching fixed costs to variable costs whenever possible."
Christopher Mills, co-owner of Prime Debt Services, a debt-management firm in Dallas, took another approach. Last spring, he began meeting privately with his 14 employees once a week to let them vent, share ideas or just shoot the breeze. "I found the more I listened, the better they pepped up," he says. "It takes time from me, but it's worth it."
Mr. Mills says he has gained valuable information from the get-togethers. For example, an employee once explained that he and some colleagues were upset because the prior week's sales leads hadn't been distributed evenly as usual. "It looked like all of a sudden we were playing favorites," he says.
Immediately after, Mr. Mills met with his sales team to explain that what happened was a mistake, thus avoiding "a huge mutiny," he says. "When they get it off their chests and realize I do care, it becomes my problem to solve. I can address it and they can go about their day being productive."
Mr. Mills has also been showing his staff appreciation by preparing them a breakfast of waffles, bacon and coffee every Wednesday. "It's one less thing on their to-do list."
Dr Philip Jay LeNoble adds...that it's not only the commission that serves the employee best...and helps create a happy work environment...it's also the leadership and increase in responsibilitiesthat provides higher productivity levels.
Monday, January 11, 2010
You Probably Mistreat Your Best Clients
by Tim Berry on January 7, 2010
in Marketing
PR people, social media experts, marketing experts, not to mention lawyers, accountants, and consultants: do your long-term loyal clients get the worst treatment? Do they pay the highest rates? Do you take them for granted?
It’s not an idle question. I’m not trying to make trouble. It’s just that I think this happens a lot. I think it’s a natural result of efforts to generate more business and new business.
I confess that I did it at least once that I know of. Very early in the on-my-own portion of my professional service career, I had a retainer arrangement with a large textbook publisher. They paid me $1,000 a month to have me on call, while the rest of my business planning clients paid me a negotiated amount for each engagement. I built the thousand dollars into my sales forecast, but I hated it when they called. I wanted to deposit the money without any work. I took it for granted.
Telephone companies do it, don’t they? Give the new customers better rates than existing customers? The longer you’ve been with your provider, the more you pay? And don’t the cable companies give new customers better deals?
How about this: review your client lists. Make sure your longer-term clients get the best rates and the best treatment. In professional services, repeat business is golden; but there’s a temptation to focus on recruiting new clients instead of keeping existing clients.
in Marketing
PR people, social media experts, marketing experts, not to mention lawyers, accountants, and consultants: do your long-term loyal clients get the worst treatment? Do they pay the highest rates? Do you take them for granted?
It’s not an idle question. I’m not trying to make trouble. It’s just that I think this happens a lot. I think it’s a natural result of efforts to generate more business and new business.
I confess that I did it at least once that I know of. Very early in the on-my-own portion of my professional service career, I had a retainer arrangement with a large textbook publisher. They paid me $1,000 a month to have me on call, while the rest of my business planning clients paid me a negotiated amount for each engagement. I built the thousand dollars into my sales forecast, but I hated it when they called. I wanted to deposit the money without any work. I took it for granted.
Telephone companies do it, don’t they? Give the new customers better rates than existing customers? The longer you’ve been with your provider, the more you pay? And don’t the cable companies give new customers better deals?
How about this: review your client lists. Make sure your longer-term clients get the best rates and the best treatment. In professional services, repeat business is golden; but there’s a temptation to focus on recruiting new clients instead of keeping existing clients.
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Heat-seekers: Hot election states 2010
For those media execs who love to pan for political gold this year which will undoubtedly add revenue to the balance sheet...here's the recent buzz...from our affiliates at TVNewsCheck, January 3, 2010
An extraordinary number of states have gubernatorial elections in 2010, and there are a handful of extra Senate contests as well, making it a banner off-presidential election year for statewide races. A large number of states have two such battles in the offing, and one – New York – has three.
Some states are white hot battlegrounds, and others are glacial – that would be the handful that have neither a governorship or US Senate seat at stake.Here’s a national overview including all 50 states.
We used CQ Politics ratings for each race based on battleground potential. The categories, in order of heat, are toss-up; leaner -- where one party has but an edge; a state where a party is favored; a state where an office is up for election but considered safe; and the coldest, a state without a race.
Three racesOnly New York fits this category, since Charles Schumer (D-NY) is up for reelection and Kirsten Gillebrand (D-NY) is facing voters for the first time after being appointed to fill out the term of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Democrats are considered to have safe and favored status for the Senate races, and leaner status for governor.
Two races* The ultimate hot spots are those with a pair of toss-ups in the offing: Connecticut, Ohio* Very hot -- a toss-up and a leaner:Illinois, Nevada, Pennsylvania* Two leaners will attract a lot of attention, but only one state fits the description:Colorado* A toss-up and a favored candidate combine to generate interestFlorida* Hot and cold: One safe seat, one toss-upNew Hampshire, Wisconsin* Quite a few states fall into the leaner/safe combination, including:Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Georgia, Iowa, Massachusetts, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Vermont* It’ll be ho-hum in states with a favored and a safe candidateAlaska, Hawaii, Idaho, South Dakota* Two safe candidates = little or no national cashKansas, Maryland, Utah
One race* Only one opening, but it’s a toss-up:Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Rhode Island, Wyoming* A leaner should attract national $$$:Delaware, Louisiana, Maine, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas* A favored candidate will have to falter to generate interestNew Mexico* Quiet time with a safe candidateIndiana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Washington
An extraordinary number of states have gubernatorial elections in 2010, and there are a handful of extra Senate contests as well, making it a banner off-presidential election year for statewide races. A large number of states have two such battles in the offing, and one – New York – has three.
Some states are white hot battlegrounds, and others are glacial – that would be the handful that have neither a governorship or US Senate seat at stake.Here’s a national overview including all 50 states.
We used CQ Politics ratings for each race based on battleground potential. The categories, in order of heat, are toss-up; leaner -- where one party has but an edge; a state where a party is favored; a state where an office is up for election but considered safe; and the coldest, a state without a race.
Three racesOnly New York fits this category, since Charles Schumer (D-NY) is up for reelection and Kirsten Gillebrand (D-NY) is facing voters for the first time after being appointed to fill out the term of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Democrats are considered to have safe and favored status for the Senate races, and leaner status for governor.
Two races* The ultimate hot spots are those with a pair of toss-ups in the offing: Connecticut, Ohio* Very hot -- a toss-up and a leaner:Illinois, Nevada, Pennsylvania* Two leaners will attract a lot of attention, but only one state fits the description:Colorado* A toss-up and a favored candidate combine to generate interestFlorida* Hot and cold: One safe seat, one toss-upNew Hampshire, Wisconsin* Quite a few states fall into the leaner/safe combination, including:Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Georgia, Iowa, Massachusetts, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Vermont* It’ll be ho-hum in states with a favored and a safe candidateAlaska, Hawaii, Idaho, South Dakota* Two safe candidates = little or no national cashKansas, Maryland, Utah
One race* Only one opening, but it’s a toss-up:Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Rhode Island, Wyoming* A leaner should attract national $$$:Delaware, Louisiana, Maine, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas* A favored candidate will have to falter to generate interestNew Mexico* Quiet time with a safe candidateIndiana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Washington
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