LeNoble's Media Sales Insights

The Consumer Electronics Sweet Spot in the Economy

2012-01-25T15:12:00.000-08:00

Dealerscope
January 25, 2012
From News

Consumer confidence in the overall economy in January 2012, according to the latest Consumer Electronics Association Index, reached its highest point since February 2008. Consumer confidence in technology spending fell in January 2012, which CEA said is consistent with previous post-holiday results.

CEA's measures consumer expectations about the broader economy, the Index of Consumer Expectations (ICE), was 177.3 in January 2012, up from 170.7 in December 2011. It is also up from 175.7 in January 2011, which was the highest point for the index.

Twice a year CEA assesses the state of the industry - where it is and where it's going - with our industry forecasts. At the mid-point of 2011, we saw further evidence that mobile connected devices were an inextricable part of our contemporary lifestyles. The question was whether the momentum would build and by how much? With the results from our winter forecast tabulated, we can confirm that this story has only gotten bigger … and better.

The two major products that dominate the industry and marketplace right now are smartphones and tablets. More than 87 million units of Smartphones shipped in 2011, up 62 percent from 2010. The category generated $27.5 billion, a 57 percent increase from one year ago. About 29.4 million tablets shipped in 2011, up 185 percent from 2010, generating $15.9 billion, a 138 percent increase year-over-year. This explosive growth can largely be attributed to the natural -and typically gradual- interval between initial adoption and eventual ubiquity.

Simply put, consumers now expect to control and use their content wherever they happen to be, whether it's at home, during the commute or on vacation. Needless to say, the industry will pay continued attention to the successful formula of portable plus dynamic.

Too many TV Stations are Leaving Millions in Annual Revenue on the Table

2012-01-24T13:56:00.000-08:00

Local-direct advertisers almost always enjoy affordable media marketing. When daytime and prime TV is too expensive in medium and large markets, subchannels which connect to specific target demographics can mean stronger response levels in concert with traditional media advertising and build additional value to station budget attainment. Philip Jay LeNoble, Ph.D. Publisher

Even in small markets, broadcasters are generating up to $1 million in annual revenue with a single subchannel, according to panelists at a NATPE session on multicasting.

By Staff

TVNewsCheck, January 24, 2012 7:02 AM EST

Too many TV stations are leaving millions in annual revenue on the table by not multicasting, according to three broadcasters who are not only airing digital subchannels but distributing them as well.

“We have a station in a market ranked between 75 and 80 that’s generating nearly $1 million in local revenue annually,” said Sean Compton, president of programming at the Tribune Co., which distributes classic-TV network Antenna TV. “There is money to be made.”

Story continues after the ad

Agreeing with his take was Emily Barr, president-GM of ABC-owned WLS Chicago, who said her station and others, including WFAA Dallas, have been boosting revenue and ratings on ABC’s Live Well network by airing some of the channel’s programs on their main channels on the weekend. “We realized we were picking up a lot of syndicated programming to use as filler on the weekend,” she said, “but if you can do a couple of rating points on a Saturday or Sunday with a show from Live Well, you can promote the network and at the same time, bring in an advertiser on both sides” with a package of spots running on both the main channel and the subchannel.

Ratings are growing at all of Live Well’s stations, but especially at those pursuing this weekend strategy on their main channels, Barr said.

“We possess the single best promotional vehicle: our main channel,” Barr said. “We aren’t doing enough to promote our other channels with it.”

Neal Sabin, president of content and networks at ME-TV and Weigel Broadcasting, suggested that subchannels “are duopolies, only you don’t have to get permission from the FCC to have one.”

Multicasting is also local broadcasting’s “best answer to local cable,” Barr said. “There’s a lot of money tied up in local cable that none of us used to see. We can sell [subchannels] to advertisers who aren’t interested in the main channel because of the cost.”

Barr and Sabin both argued that stations don’t need to pass on multicasting in order to reserve spectrum for mobile DTV. Weigel runs four SD channels and one HD channel in Chicago, and ABC stations run both their main channels and Live Well in HD without a problem. “We’re going to get to the point where spectrum is more efficient,” Barr said, “so there will be room to do it all.”

Asked whether their subchannels would always rely on direct response advertising, Barr said Live Well is “already doing some national business and properly-placed product integration because we are doing original production.

“We did a big promotion with Walgreens,” she added. “We are seeing DR, but as we see the ratings go up we are seeing more interest from other advertisers.”

Sabin said Me-TV’s advertising is “100% DR right now. When we get more distribution we’ll take a look at Nielsen and see whether we can go [the other route],” he said. “We need to decide if going after other business is worth it when the DR business is burgeoning."

In Praise of Sales Women of "a Certain Age"

2012-01-12T15:45:00.000-08:00

CBS Money Watch
January 11, 2011
ByTom Searcy

"Are there any really good roles for women of 'a certain age?'"

Ageist? Yes. Sexist? Sure. It's hard to miss the disparaging statement so thinly veiled in this faux question.

You don't often hear the phrase, "of a certain age," applied to men. Our society has created this dubious category. We can deny it, argue about, or declare its injustice. For today, I choose to celebrate it.

I have the privilege of working with many sales women of this loosely defined category, and I want to write a short list of the fantastic qualities of this elite group.

Arguably, these qualities are not unique to women or to any age. Most good sales people have some of these attributes. But the successful sales women "of a certain age" I know have mastered these skills:

Laugh well and often. Too often a sense of humor is a comment on being funny. Some of the women in my sample are a riot. Some never say anything funny. But every one of them laughs. They break the tension, make friends and change the direction of a conversation by laughing. It seems that they look for opportunities to laugh.

Set boundaries. Specifically, these women have a well-developed sense of what is right, fair and tolerable. You cross that line at your own personal peril. However, if you correct your slight, you are forgiven and can move forward. Usually, these clear lines are set early in sales relationships and the lessons don't have to be taught twice. Of course, this applies internally with their companies, as well as with prospects and customers.

Listen like cellophane. For a study in relaxed concentration and active calculation, watch one of these pros listen. There is a lot worth unpacking in discussing this skill. For now, what I notice most frequently is the clarifying questions they ask. The quality I notice is in the seeking of understanding and precision. The speaker is flattered and the information is better. And we all know that higher engagement leads to good things in the sales process.

Invest in people one by one. Connecting the dots seems to be a consistent skill among these pros. From people to people, to articles, to ideas, to places to vacation, to associations to join -- the list is long. This capacity to discover the interests of people and then facilitate an important connection is frequently a key to their success.

Know it cold. These pros know their business cold. They have stories, examples and case studies that are bang on-point, and come right off the tops of their heads. Sure, lots of people can do that -- but what makes these women more effective is their willingness to declare what will and won't work with absolute confidence based upon their knowledge.

Again, this list is not only found in women "of a certain age." The challenge stands for everyone who sells. From my short, celebratory list, how many of these qualities do you have?

Analyst: CBS Corp., Sinclair, Lin Media Best Positioned for Election Ad Windfall

2012-01-11T14:01:00.000-08:00

The Hollywood Reporter

"Of the diversified media companies, CBS has the most TV and radio revenue exposure to the contentious political races of 2012," says Wells Fargo's Marci Ryvicker, who expects political advertising to reach $4.9 billion this year.

NEW YORK - CBS Corp. and TV station owners Sinclair Broadcast Group and Lin Media are among the media companies that have the biggest exposure to markets with hotly contested political races this election year, Wells Fargo analyst Marci Ryvicker said in a report on Thursday.

Analyst Sees 2012 Political Ad Spending Handily Exceeding 2008 Levels

Michele Bachmann Quits GOP Campaign After Iowa Loss, Her Eyelashes Need Rest (Poll)

"As we leave the volatile year (in terms of both the economic and advertising climates) of 2011 behind us, investors are seemingly focused on potential catalysts for 2012," she said in explaining the importance of her research that focused on highly contested governor races, as well as key Senate and House races and presidential swing states.

"Of the diversified media companies, CBS has the most TV and radio revenue exposure to the contentious political races of 2012," she wrote. "CBS has the most TV revenue exposure (at 28 percent) and radio revenue exposure (at 27 percent)." She estimates that CBS could attract $160 million in political TV station ad revenue this year, or 10 percent of her estimated TV station revenue for the company, compared with $155 million in 2010 and $115 million in 2008. The company could also get $53 million in radio spending, she added.

Other entertainment conglomerates have "significant segment-specific revenue exposure to the most hotly contested political races (with Disney/ABC at 24 percent, News Corp./Fox at 22 percent, Comcast/NBC at 19 percent of each of their TV revenue)," but political ad revenue "does not typically have a material impact on consolidated results given the companies' size."

Among other media firms, Lin and Sinclair are "best positioned" for the 2012 elections as they have the most TV revenue exposure to hotly contested races at about 40 percent, Ryvicker concluded.

Of the radio companies that she covers, Saga Communications and Entercom have the most revenue exposure to the hotly contested races, at 36 percent and 28 percent, respectively, according to the analyst.

In broader observations, Ryvicker said that "broadcast TV has historically garnered the greatest share of the political ad pie - roughly 50 percent to 60 percent - but we also included companies with radio assets as any incremental spending in this medium (no matter how small) is likely to have a significant contribution to year-over-year growth."

She also forecast 2012 political advertising to reach $4.9 billion, with $2.8 billion allocated to broadcast TV, up 16 percent over 2010 and 27 percent over the 2008 election year. Ryvicker also expects $256 million in political ad spending on radio.

"We consider our forecast to be conservative primarily due to the slow start to fundraising, which we attribute to the fact that no clear Republican party leader has emerged thus far," she said.

2012-01-11T13:52:00.000-08:00

The Federal Reserve sketched a bright picture in a survey released Wednesday. It said in the final weeks of 2011, consumers spent more freely, factories made more goods, Americans stepped up travel and the auto industry enjoyed its best stretch of the year.

TV NewsCheck
By Martin Crustinger

Associated Press, January 11, 2012 2:38 PM EST
WASHINGTON (AP) - The final weeks of 2011 were the economy's strongest since it appeared to be slipping toward recession in late spring.

Consumers spent more freely, factories made more goods, Americans stepped up travel and the auto industry enjoyed its best stretch of the year.

That's the bright picture the Federal Reserve sketched in a survey released Wednesday. It said all but one of its 12 banking districts experienced some growth from late November through the end of the year.

The Fed noted that some sectors of the economy, notably housing, remain weak.

But overall, the message was encouraging. It comes just six months after the economy nearly stalled under the weight of high food and gas prices and supply disruptions out of Japan that slowed U.S. manufacturing.

The economy and the job market have both picked up since then. And December may end up being the strongest month last year, an optimistic sign for the economy in 2012.

Employers added 200,000 net jobs last month, and the unemployment rate fell to 8.5 percent - the lowest rate in nearly three years.

Consumer confidence rose. U.S. automakers reported having their two best months of sales for 2011 in November and December. And U.S. factories ended the year with their strongest month of growth since late spring, according to a closely watched gauge of the industry.

Most economists are predicting that the economy grew at an annual rate of 3 percent in the final three months of last year. That would be an improvement from the summer, when the economy expanded just 1.8 percent, and much better than the 0.9 percent growth in the first half of the year.

Still, the modest recovery is vulnerable to setbacks. Europe's debt crisis could lower demand for U.S. exports. Consumers could pull back on spending, especially if they continue to see little growth in wages.

And Congress could decide not to extend the Social Security tax cut or long-term unemployment benefits, both of which expire at the end of February. That would leave many households with less income, which would slow spending.

Consumer spending is important because it drives 70 percent of economic activity.

The Fed announced no new actions after its Dec. 13 meeting. But in the minutes from the meeting that were released last week, the Fed said it will start this month announcing four times a year how long it plans to keep short-term interest rates at existing levels.

The change is intended to reassure consumers and investors that they will be able to borrow cheaply well into the future. And some economists said it could lead to further Fed action to try to invigorate the economy.

Newsosaur: Daily Paper Going the Way of the Milkman

2012-01-10T19:37:00.000-08:00

Editor & Publisher
Posted: 1/10/2012 | By: Alan D. Mutter

Daily newspaper delivery will go the way of the milkman in a growing number of communities in 2012 and beyond.

Barring a miraculous turnaround in the economy, a sea change in the thinking of media buyers, or a late-breaking proclivity for print in the sub-geezer population, publishers in ever more communities are likely to reduce the number of days they provide home delivery — or print a newspaper altogether.

Nowhere else is the demise of daily delivery more dramatic than in Michigan, where more than two-thirds of households will be unable get seven-day service after the end of January.

The rationing began with a bang in 2009, when the two Detroit dailies, the Free Press and the News, stunned the industry by cutting home delivery to just Thursday, Friday, and Sunday. Although the Motown metros continue to print every day of the week, anyone wanting a paper on non-delivery days has to fetch one at a retail location.

Unsurprisingly, the Monday-through- Friday circulation of both Detroit papers plunged between March 2008 and March 2011, according to the Audit Bureau of Circulations. The daily circulation of the Free Press in the period fell 54.7 percent to 168,985, and daily sales of the News tumbled 51.7 percent to 90,914. Even though Sunday home delivery continued without interruption, the circulation of the Freep (the only title publishing on that day) is down 21.6 percent at 475,543. The Freep, which is owned by Gannett, and the News, which is owned by MediaNews Group, are partners in a joint operating agreement.

The daily drought is scheduled to widen to other Michigan communities in February, when the Grand Rapids Press, Kalamazoo Gazette, Muskegon Chronicle, and Jackson Citizen Patriot reduce home delivery to Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday from their current seven-day schedules. Just as in Detroit, single copies of each newspaper — all of which are owned by Advance Newspapers — will be available to consumers who take the trouble to track them down. In cutting back home delivery, Advance emphasized the intention to attract more traffic to its statewide digital portal, MLive.com.

While determined readers for the time being can still buy a daily paper in Detroit and Grand Rapids, there has been no such option since mid-2009 in Ann Arbor. That’s where Advance replaced its seven-day Ann Arbor News with an “online digital media company” called AnnArbor.com, which puts out print editions just Thursday and Sunday. Since the change, daily circulation for the print product has slid by 30.8 percent to 30,422, according to ABC.

If Michigan is ground zero for the un-dailying of newspapers, it is far from alone. Journal Register Co. knocked two days off the seven-day print cycle of some of its titles in Upstate New York. Media General cut the publication of its smaller seven-day papers in North Carolina to three days a week. GateHouse Media did the same in Kansas.

Anecdotally, we know there are many more cases across the country. We just don’t know how many. Although you would think that ABC, the industry-supported group that audits circulation, and the Newspaper Association of America, the industry’s principal trade group, would want to keep an accurate count of something as important as the dwindling number of daily newspapers, they profess not to know.

There is no doubt, however, why publishers are throttling their once-prized print products:

A relentless decline in newspaper advertising sales has halved industry revenues since a record $49.4 billion was collected in 2005. Although final ad figures remain to be calculated for 2011, projections based on year-to-date performance suggest that sales last year probably didn’t top $24 billion. This has been catastrophic for publishers historically accustomed to hefty, double-digital bottom lines.

In five-plus years of ever more vigorous retrenchment to salvage some degree of profitability, publishers have trimmed staff, crimped newsholes, and outsourced everything from call centers and accounting to production and delivery. With scant behind-the-scenes economies left, publishers now are being forced to make the most conspicuous cut of all: reducing the number of days they publish or deliver papers.

The good news, given the increasing shift of consumers to digital media consumption, is that de-emphasizing print necessarily forces publishers to focus on their Web, mobile, and social efforts. The bad news is that most of them to date have not made impressive strides.

On average, the industry reaps less than 14 percent of its ad revenues from digital media, according to the NAA. That’s not nearly enough to keep publishing companies healthy if print revenues continue shrinking, as they seem likely to do in the immediate future.

Publishers cutting daily delivery realize the strategy works only if they can build their digital divisions faster than their print businesses shrink. While publishers know this is risky business, the smart ones know there is no Plan B.

Break down a sales presentation like an ESPN analyst

2012-01-10T19:31:00.000-08:00

CBS Money Watch:Sales Machine
January 9, 2012 11:31 AM

By Tom Searcy Topics Marketing .Add Comment

This pre-game analysis approach is very similar to what a sales leader should be doing as he or she gets ready for an important meeting. By taking the time and doing the analysis and discussion as a team, you can improve the outcome.

Here are a few techniques of sports-show analysts you can use in your own pre-meeting preparation:

1) Do the match-up analysis. When you are preparing for your meetings, take the five minutes necessary to look at the LinkedIn and Facebook profiles of each attendee. Whenever possible, match up your team members to theirs based on position, background and interests.

2) Know the stats. Your side will need to complete a basic company profile, problem analysis and the prospect's industry overview. The better sales teams use a template dossier to capture a thorough picture of the prospect company that they then update throughout the sales process.

3 )Identify the 1-2 things to win. While your prospect ultimately needs you for a long list of reasons, their decisions usually come down to just a few key issues. You need to analyze the circumstances and have a good idea of what will tilt the field in your favor.

4) Calculate the risks. While there are only a few things that can create an opportunity to win, there are also two or three key reasons that can cause you to lose. What are the prospect's biggest fears and concerns? These are what will stall or kill a sale in the last few minutes of the game.

5) Understand the game-changers. There are key players who make all the difference in the game ... Kobe, Tom Brady, Manning... They're the game-changers. Assess the game-changers on the prospect's team. Selling differs from other "sports" because sometimes the game-changer is not the franchise player but a strong influencer who can derail the whole process and change the whole game of your deal.

Some of the most successful sales organizations in complex sales follow this simple pre-meeting process. Doing the homework, knowing the hinge-points of the presentation and focusing on the right players can dramatically improve your win ratios.

The 6 best words in customer service

2012-01-10T19:25:00.000-08:00

CBS Money Watch:Sales Machine
January 9, 2012 7:02 AM
ByMichael Hess .2 Comments

(MoneyWatch) Two comedians can tell the exact same joke, with the same timing, and one will have people rolling in the aisles while the other will get blank stares and an awkward golf clap. The joke itself may not even be funny, but the difference can come down to a single word choice. The same can be said for customer service -- the delivery often determines the reaction.

I've written quite a bit in the past about what not to do when speaking to customers. It's a virtually limitless topic that unfortunately is supported by countless daily examples. So this time I thought I'd focus on what I call "positive trigger words" -- the ones that convey the exact same messages but with completely different results.

Of course, what you do is more important than what you say. But whether it's good news, bad news, or simply passing on information, your choice of words will have a significant effect on the way the customer hears what you're saying, and consequently the way she feels about it and reacts to it.

The goal, of course, is to make the customer as happy as possible with the service experience, even if the outcome isn't exactly as she had hoped for. It is, in fact, possible for a customer to have a positive feeling about a company even if she doesn't get what she wants. And that is where words make a big difference:

- People respond positively to words that are active rather than passive. There is a world of difference between "I can" and "I will."

- Words of genuine compassion and empathy suggest that you are not just carrying the company line or reading from a memo.

- Delivering those words in a cheerful, upbeat, and most importantly, natural manner (appropriate to the circumstances, of course) suggests one human being's desire to help another, not just an equivocal, noncommittal suggestion that something "may" be possible.

Here, then, in no particular order, are six active, enthusiastic, mood-altering, wonderfully human words that will dramatically change the way customers react to your conversations, e-mails and text chats. They are ridiculously simple, yet potent tweaks to the normally gray, predictably mundane language of customer service:

"Delighted"

"Absolutely"

"Pleasure"

"Happy"

"Sorry"

"Yes"

Think of the passive catch-all, "Let me see what I can do," which sets the customer's expectations somewhere between low and zero. But change that to "I'd be delighted to help," and the customer will be -- I guarantee -- smiling on the other end of the phone, confident that you're actually interested in helping her, and much more receptive to whatever you have to say.

Note that this only works if it's genuine, not forced or scripted. It presumes a good attitude, and the desire and authority to help people. Contrived speech is always obvious, so don't over-pepper (as in the way so many reps cloyingly insert your name in every sentence). Speak as a normal person, with a smile and a wish to please, and these "good words" will work wonders.

Customers have been beaten into assuming they'll always get mediocre to horrible service, and they are defensive before anyone even answers the phone. When they call, e-mail or chat online with a company representative, they expect boilerplate, robotic, soulless responses in the standard, dehumanized voice of the typical customer service interaction. Break that predictable pattern with the thoughtful use of positive trigger words and you'll change the entire tone of a customer interaction.

As I often say, make people happy and pretty much everything else takes care of itself

Are many meetings wasting your employees' time?

2012-01-03T12:53:00.000-08:00

As a media sales professional and GSM for many years..I spent so much time in sales meetings it took me off the street where my income was...So for the coming year...I wonder..are meetings costing you and the company money? Philip Jay LeNoble, Ph.D. Publisher

CBS Money Watch
January 3, 2012 8:23 AM
By Laura Vanderkam

(MoneyWatch) I was speaking at a conference two months ago when a woman stood up to tell our session a story. The story supposedly had a happy ending, but it isn't quite so happy, if you think about it.

We were lamenting how much time was spent on meetings. She said that she'd run an analysis on her calendar and figured that, before any given month started, she was already booked for 100 hours of meetings. If you figure that a workweek is 40 hours, that means that 100 of 160 hours was consumed by standing meetings. Forget emergency meetings and the like. These were just meetings undertaken in the normal course of business, and that no one was forced to continuously justify.

The happy ending was that she took this number to her supervisor, and shared it with her colleagues, and everyone agreed that it was ridiculous. The department got rid of a few standing commitments and freed up 30 hours per month.

Of course, that still left her with 70 hours of standing meetings.

That she was grateful for the improvement should give us all pause. But it got me thinking. When is the last time you and the people you work with have conducted a "meeting audit?" Have you looked over your calendar and calculated how many hours are booked before people have even been able to evaluate what matters and what does not? Does this make sense as a percentage of overall time? Or are you wasting your employees' time -- and hence potential productivity -- just because meetings accumulate like piles of mail if no one pays attention?

How many hours do you and your team members spend in regularly scheduled meetings each week?Are many meetings wasting your employees' time?

7 tips for negotiating the best price

2012-01-03T12:50:00.000-08:00

Now that the holidaze are over I thought I'd give ya a little help when shopping for something you want...Phiip Jay LeNoble, Ph.D. Publsiher
CBS Money Watch
December 21, 2011 7:28 AM
By Steve Tobak

(MoneyWatch) It's often said that successful people are frugal. Some say that wealthy people are cheap. I don't know if any of that is true, but I do know that it makes me feel really good to know I've negotiated a good deal.
No, I'm not a consumer advocate, but negotiating is in my DNA.

You see, I grew up relatively poor on the streets of Brooklyn where getting stuff for the best price was a way of life. Work ethic was a big deal in my family, and so was making sure you got a good deal when you plunked down your hard-earned cash.

Of course it doesn't hurt that I spent a good many years as a sales and marketing executive in the high-tech industry, either. Put it all together and I guess you can say I'm pretty adept at getting the most for my money without working too hard or, let's face it, coming off like a cheap, pushy jerk.

Here are 7 tips for negotiating the best price I've learned over the years:

It never hurts to ask. The easiest trick that most people don't think of is to simply ask, "Is this your best price" or "Is there anything you can do for me on the price?" Even if you're not into being pushy or negotiating, it never hurts to ask. If they can give you a break, they will. Worst case, they say no and you take it.

Comparison shop. If it's between two competitive models, use the best price to negotiate the other down. Example: I was researching notebook PCs and had it down to similar models from Dell and Sony. I configured it online with Dell, got the price, then called Sony on the phone. The similarly configured Sony was a couple of hundred dollars more, and when I told the salesperson the specifics, he gave me $100 off and threw in a three-year onsite warranty.

Walk away. Especially if it's a relatively big-ticket item like furniture or high-end electronics, you've got to be prepared to walk away from the salesperson with a line like, "Well, that's more than I'm willing to pay. Thanks." The salesperson really doesn't want you to leave, so if he can do anything on the price, he'll usually stop you. If he doesn't, it never hurts to walk away and test his resolve. You can always come back.

The no-hassle negotiation. Here's a negotiating technique that's easy and relatively hassle-free for those of you who hate negotiating. Just be honest. Tell the salesperson, "Look, I hate the whole negotiating thing so why don't you just give me your best price and let's be done with it." You may leave money on the table, but you will get something off the price that you wouldn't have gotten if you hadn't been honest up front.

Get a sale price even when there's no sale. Most places that have periodic sales will give you the sale price even when there's no sale going on. That works with online sites, as well. Usually they're just trying to clear inventory or make their quarter or quota, so as long as those criteria are still in effect, they'll give you the sale discount if they can.

Quantity discount. Most people think that online shopping means everything's discounted as low as it'll go. That's simply not true, especially if you're buying in quantity. You just have to be willing to pick up the phone and ask. If they can give you 5 to 10 percent off, they will. And sometimes they'll throw in free shipping or an upgrade.

Damaged goods. I don't know about you, but oftentimes I'm willing to suffer a small defect, as long as I get something in return. If you're buying something made of pottery, wood or metal, for example, and it has a scratch or something wrong with it and you still want it, don't be afraid to point it out to a salesperson. They'll usually discount it 10 percent or so

Auto Industry to Post Another Good Year

2012-01-03T12:21:00.000-08:00

TVNewsCheck: The Business of Broadcasting

Automakers report U.S. sales for 2011 on Wednesday. When final figures are calculated, sales of new cars and trucks are expected to reach 12.7 million, up from 11.5 million in 2010 and 10.4 million in 2009, the worst year since 1982. In 2012, they could climb as high as 13.8 million, close to what experts consider a healthy market — around 14 million.

By Tom Krisher
Associated Press, January 3, 2012 5:47 AM EST

DETROIT (AP) - After hitting a 30-year low in 2009, U.S. auto sales are poised for a second straight year of growth — the result of easier credit, low interest rates and pent-up demand for cars and trucks created by the Great Recession.

The sales forecast bodes well for the industry's continued recovery and for the broader American economy.

In 2009, Detroit automakers were in peril. Car sales plunged as unemployment soared, and loans became harder to get. Chrysler and General Motors filed for bankruptcy protection. Ford avoided bankruptcy only by borrowing billions.

Now credit is more available, interest rates are low and Americans need to replace old cars and trucks they kept during and after the downturn. Millions of drivers in their teens and 20s are expected to buy vehicles, too. That could mean more jobs, more factory shifts and overall growth.

Vince Powell, a retiree from Winfield, Pa., recently traded in his wife's 7-year-old Chrysler 300 luxury sedan for a 2011 model. The old car had 145,000 miles on it, but it was the deal he got that most attracted him: a low interest rate (2.7 percent per year), a six-year loan term and a big discount off the $31,900 sticker price.

"I'm getting a $300 per month payment," he said just before closing the sale at Beaver Motors in Beaver Springs, Pa., near Harrisburg. "I've never had a new car for 300 bucks a month."

In their effort to survive, all three automakers downsized and positioned themselves to turn profits — even if sales remained depressed. Now that sales are rising, the outlook has brightened considerably.

Automakers report U.S. sales for 2011 on Wednesday. When final figures are calculated, sales of new cars and trucks are expected to reach 12.7 million, up from 11.5 million in 2010 and 10.4 million in 2009, the worst year since 1982.

In 2012, they could climb as high as 13.8 million, close to what experts consider a healthy market - around 14 million.

December sales could reach an annual rate of 13.4 million, which would make it the second-strongest month of the year. Only November was better. Auto website Edmunds.com forecasts a 37 percent rise in sales at Chrysler Group LLC in December, thanks to new and revamped products such as the Jeep Grand Cherokee SUV and the Chrysler 200 midsize sedan.

Carmakers have announced plans to crank up factories and add thousands of jobs. Last January, Ford said it would hire 7,000 workers over the next two years. During the summer, GM said it would add 2,500 at the Detroit factory that makes the Chevrolet Volt electric car. Volkswagen hired 2,000 for a new plant in Tennessee, and Honda added 1,000 in Indiana. The industry will add 167,000 jobs by 2015, a 28 percent increase over current levels, predicts The Center for Automotive Research in Ann Arbor, Mich.

During the summer, the auto industry was adding jobs at a faster pace than airplane manufacturers, shipbuilders, health care providers and the federal government. It kept adding jobs even when the national unemployment rate rose above 9 percent, Standard & Poor's downgraded U.S. debt for the first time and the stock market tumbled.

Government estimates show Americans spent roughly $40 billion more on new cars and trucks in 2011 than in 2009. Based on annualized figures from the first quarter of 2011, new-car spending totaled $206 billion, or 1.3 percent of the gross domestic product, Commerce Department data shows. That compares with $166 billion in 2009, about 1.2 percent of the country's economy.

And the momentum in auto sales is likely to continue because people need to replace aging cars, said Jeff Schuster, senior vice president of forecasting for LMC Automotive, an automotive consulting company in Troy, Mich. The average American car is now 11 years old.

U.S. auto sales peaked at 17 million in 2005, when Detroit's automakers were much bigger and overproduced cars that they were forced to discount heavily. Sales could eventually reach that level again around 2018, said Schuster, because of 70 million so-called millennials born between 1981 and 2000 who need to set up households and buy cars.

Other trends emerged in 2011. Many people bought smaller vehicles as gas prices hit a record average of $3.53 per gallon. Fuel-efficient compact cars, which have been vastly improved by automakers, are likely to unseat the midsize sedan as America's favorite passenger car for the first time in 20 years.

At the other extreme, pickups rebounded as businesses started to replace older trucks. Sales for the year were expected to rise 11 percent, and Ford's F-Series will remain the country's top-selling model, a title it has held for more than three decades.

For much of the year, U.S.-based automakers took advantage of Japanese car shortages to increase sales, especially in the compact car segment normally dominated by the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla. Japanese companies ran short of popular models after an earthquake and tsunami disrupted production in Japan in March.

Ford, GM and Chrysler saw their combined share of the U.S. market rise by 200,000 cars and trucks between the end of 2010 and November, 2011. The Detroit Three's market share rose from 45.1 percent last year to 47 percent through November of last year. At the same time, Honda's share fell 1.6 percentage points to 9 percent, while Toyota's dropped 2.5 percentage points to 12.7 percent.

Schuster expects Japanese carmakers to take back some of the sales they lost.

Geoff Pohanka, who runs a chain of car dealers in the Washington area, said his December has been strong, thanks especially to the restocking of cars at his Honda and Toyota showrooms. He predicts Japanese car companies will offer incentives to regain lost sales.

Broadcast TV: Still the medium of choice. For all their issues, 2011 has been a good year for the networks

2011-12-22T10:55:00.000-08:00

Media Life Magazine
By Toni Fitzgerald
Dec 22, 2011

With a stronger-than-expected upfront and the most promising crop of fall shows in several years, broadcast television once again topped buyers' list of must-have media in 2011.

Though ratings continue to fall for the Big Five networks and scatter pricing was somewhat lower to end the year, 2012 looks promising as well. Plus, Philip Jay LeNoble, Ph.D., CEO of Executive Decisions Systems, Inc of Littleton,CO., a national media marketing training company and Publisher of LeNoble's Media Sales Insights says..."As owners and managers push local-direct revenues into long term contract terms, the dependency on 90% of local revenue derived from traditional, transactional business will wane."

Next year the Olympics and presidential election will bring a flood of money to broadcast at both the national and local levels.

While the Big Five admittedly have programming issues to address, their strength remains the ability to deliver a gigantic audience in a way no other medium can match, as the record-setting Super Bowls have proven the past two seasons.

"I think the overarching goal of broadcast network programming is unchanged: to produce the kind of 'event programming' that plays to the medium’s strength," says David Scardino, entertainment specialist at the Santa Monica, Calif.-based agency RPA.

"It may be that that goal is not often attained, but it surely remains paramount."

The networks did not find any new must-see event programming during the fall, but buyers agree that they had more success than in past years.

A number of shows debuted to strong numbers and continue to deliver good ratings some three months into the season, and only one of the Big Four networks, NBC, has seen its adults 18-49 rating decline versus last year.

"There really haven’t been any breakout hits—at least as we used to define the term—but rather success has been on a broader front and a greater number of new series," Scardino says.

"'X-Factor' and 'New Girl' are probably the ones that stand out, but, at least at this point, '2 Broke Girls,' 'Last Man Standing,' 'Unforgettable,' 'Suburgatory,' 'Revenge,' 'Grimm' and 'Once Upon a Time' have all received full-season pick-ups and show some potential for further growth. That’s a pretty good list compared to some recent seasons."

That list could grow in the coming year, when more than a dozen new series are slated to premiere, including several with very strong buzz like Fox's "Alcatraz," NBC's "Smash" and ABC's "GCB."

Of course these days broadcast includes more than just the traditional Big Four, and some of 2011's greatest successes were seen by Spanish-language networks Univision and Telemundo.

Univision was the only top-six network to grow during the 2010-'11 season among 18-49s, and Telemundo recently acquired rights to the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, a huge upset over longtime carrier Univision that will ensure big bumps in both ad revenue and ratings.

Still, broadcast does have some hurdles ahead.

London agency ZenithOptimedia recently predicted that broadcast ad revenue would fall 1 percent in 2012, predicting that the lack of live primetime Olympic events would result in lower ad sales than previous Summer Olympics.

And the increasing growth of cable ad revenue may cut into broadcast's share as well.

At the programming level, broadcasters are still dealing with the increasing usage of DVRs and how to schedule with that in mind. This year only 73 percent of premiere week viewing took place live among adults 18-49, down from 76 percent last year.

Finally, buyers continue to wonder when and how NBC will pull itself out of its ratings doldrums.

"I think from a pure ratings standpoint [the big concern] has to be NBC, especially with their NFL schedule about to end," Scardino says.

"That said, they have 'The Voice' coming back as well as what I thought was the most exciting new show (at least from the clips available), 'Smash,' so maybe things will look better for the network in March."

8 Warning Signs of a Bad consultant

2011-12-16T11:22:00.001-08:00

Since I have been a national media consultant for radio and TV companies since 1984 I have seen many so-called sales consultants come and go including those who proclaim to have all the answers. The main objective is to commit to helping media properties generate revenue. For companies using what my partner and I call, System 21, we have a guarantee of $200K of new, direct, long-term business gained in the first 6 months or you get your money back. We have trained 455 station sales professionals and their managers, totaling 37,000 people in 25 years and still see TV and radio companies spending thousands of dollars annually on these so-called consultants without their providing necessary tools to take to the field to use with direct clients or providing a risk averse environment with financial guarantees. As a result, I encourage managers to consider what I have shared above and those of another author below. Happy Holidays!! Philip Jay LeNoble, Ph.D. Publisher Dec 16, 2011

December 13, 2011 9:07 AM

By Jeff Haden

(MoneyWatch) Hiring a consultant can be the perfect solution when your small business needs specific or specialized short-term expertise. Hiring the right consultant can be tough, though, and after you've checked credentials and talked to references, your decision is often based on the conversations you have with a potential consultant.

With that in mind, here are eight warning signs of a potential consulting engagement that won't work out like you hope:

"Implementation will be easy and seamless." Every project is disruptive. The best projects are often hugely disruptive because they involve considerable change. A consultant who downplays the disruption factor is inexperienced or fibbing. A consultant who sugar-coats the difficulty up front is unlikely to communicate proactively when problems inevitably occur.

"Don't worry. We have all the answers." A consultant's job is to provide answers, in particular the answers you don't have. After all, if you had the answers, you wouldn't need a consultant. The best consultants are willing to say, "I don't know -- let's figure it out," because the best projects are collaborative.

"We provide a turn-key solution." There are very few turn-key solutions unless a consultant provides simple equipment, hardware or applications, and even then, at least some amount of training or process modification is generally necessary. There will always be more training and start-up pain than you assume. Make sure "turn-key" means, "We'll work with you until everything is running smoothly."

"You know, I'm not sure your employees can handle that." A consultant who downplays the skills of your employees is likely to be angling for a long-term engagement. Except in unusual circumstances, with the right training your employees can take over just about any task. Good consultants will show you how to bridge the gap so that eventually your employees are self-sufficient.

"That's enough detail. I already have a good understanding of the requirements." Some consultants love fuzzy requirements because misunderstandings or gaps create wiggle room later. Some even see scope-creep as a standard way of generating additional revenue. On the other hand, great consultants want to know as much as possible -- the better they understand your expectations, the better they can deliver on those expectations. Think of it this way: A consultant who makes identifying requirements easy up front will often struggle to deliver a great project. Look for a consultant who goes the extra mile in nailing down details. Clear expectations are everything.

"You could handle that yourself, but I really don't recommend it." Poor consultants never point out ways a customer can save money. Great consultants operate just like you do. They try to build long-term business relationships, and they see losing a little revenue now as better than losing customers later when they realize they purchased services they didn't need.

"That's exactly what your employees want." Your list of needs, and the list of needs your employees create (especially end-user employees) are often two very different things. Employee wish lists can be very long and very profitable for a consultant. A great consultant tries to reconcile various perspectives and owner/user needs so the project scope is clearly defined. A clearly defined project protects you -- and ensures your employees aren't disappointed later when everything on their wish list isn't included.

"Absolutely." Rarely can a consultant provide everything you want for the price and schedule you need. The word "No" might be disappointing, but sometimes it's the best answer you can get. Think twice about a consultant who appears to agree to anything just to get the gig. Great plans -- and great completed projects -- are based on reality, not on wishful thinking. Hearing "No" before you get started is a lot better than finding out something isn't possible after it's too late.

Land your biggest sale in 2012, Part 3: Size matters

2011-12-16T10:44:00.000-08:00

CBS MoneyWatch: Sales Machine
December 15, 2011 7:21 AM

By Tom Searcy

To get big sales, you have to speak with big buyers who have big problems. The outcome of selling big solutions to small buyers and selling big buyers on solving small problems is the same. They don't just say, "No." It's worse than that. They say, "Yes...later."

The language of "Yes...later" can vary. It can sound like:

-- "Let me think about it..."

-- "After the next quarter we should look at this..."

-- "I have to get a few things ready here first..."

-- "I want to do this, I just have to get a few other things off of my plate..."

The bite-size guide to landing your biggest sale in 2012, Part 1
Land your biggest sale in 2012, Part 2: How to pick your target

The result is the same. When there is a mismatch in size between the buyer and the problem, it is either too intimidating a solution to tackle or too small an issue upon which to focus. When you are seeking to sell your record-breaking sale, here are five things to keep in mind.

1. Speak in the buyer's problem language. The language of big problems is the language of time, money and risk. If you are speaking about product features, service guarantees and comparative analysis of your benefit, then be sure to list one-for-one with your competitor.

2. Speak to the right level of buyer. You know you have to go higher to get executive sponsorship for bigger sales. This isn't new. The real issue is that it's not just sponsorship to be delegated to a lower level buyer. You need to stay with the executive sponsor through the entire process to get the sale done. That means focusing on his or her problem and staying on point.

3. Focus on the early outcomes. Real improvements for your customers on bigger sales can be seen in the near-term. They are the currency of first steps and they give your buyers the necessary early results to encourage them and quiet potential detractors. This doesn't mean outrageous claims; it means measurable progress that can be observed early.

4. Show how the change will take less than they fear. Big sales delay and die based upon fear, not for a lack of interest or anticipated benefit. Uncertainty is the grit in the gears of change. Spell out every step and show how you and your company will carry the load.

5. Set the first step as NOW. How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. Don't sell past the next step in the process. Focus on what is necessary to be understood by you and your buyer from one step to the next. Accomplish the bigger sale one step at a time.

In story telling there is the idea of light and shadow. In sales a similar idea is the idea of big and small. You need to balance big problems with smaller steps to make progress.

Your record-breaking sale means pushing yourself to talk to bigger people about bigger problems, then showing the path for the buyer to see with confidence that each step will be safe, measurable and valuable.

Land your biggest sale in 2012

2011-12-16T10:38:00.001-08:00

CBS MoneyWatch:Sales Machine
By Tom Searcy
December 14, 2011

It is more important to avoid the wrong target than it is to pick the right target for landing your record-breaking sale in 2012. In this five-part series, I want to lay out a road map for landing a transformational sale for you and your company.

To land big sales, a record-breaking sale, you need to close the aperture through which you look at your market to a pinprick and hunt only those accounts that fit. Joe Mauer, the Minnesota Twins batting average leader for 2009 said that the reason he was successful was that he swung only at pitches he could control, not just those he could hit. If he hit every pitch he could, he would probably get out more times than not. But since he was not paid to hit, but rather to get on base, he had to hit what he could control.

The bite-size guide to landing your biggest sale in 2012, Part 1

The same is true in hunting your biggest sale. There are plenty of companies you could sell and could work with that you that you should leave alone. Maybe it's the wrong time, or they have the wrong problem to solve, or they buy for the wrong reasons. Or maybe they're just the wrong people. Regardless of category, they are just wrong and therefore you should not be selling to them.

How to pick your target:

1. Start with size. What is the scale of organization that will generate the largest sale for you? You may measure it by number of employees if you are in insurance. Amount of square feet of carpeted space in an office building if you sell commercial cleaning. Number of suppliers and distribution centers if you are in logistics. The point is that there is a critical mass threshold necessary to make your cut.

2. What's their problem. 90 percent of what you and your competitors provide is similar enough that the difference only matters to you, not your prospect. What is the 10 percent of the problem that you solve uniquely? Big people pay big money to have you solve a big problem for them.

3. Point of entry. To land bigger sales, you have to talk to people higher up in the organization. Wherever your target is now for first contact, you are either too low in the organization to land your record-breaking sale or you are high enough, but in too small a target. You need to change one or both.

4. Speed to purchase. To make your biggest sale in the next year, you are looking for a prospect who is making his or her decision faster. That means that the issue has the following qualities:

-- Scale: The problem is big enough to get attention and visible enough that it has to be fixed.

-- Frequency: A single incident will be addressed internally or through disciplining the incumbent. The buyer's issue has to be persistent and frequent enough to move people beyond annoyance to change.

-- Urgency: What is the triggering event that makes the buyer want to change? If this is just a low-level issue, then people adapt and learn to live with it. Oh sure, they'll meet with you, hear your ideas, consider your proposal...and then do nothing. There has to be a triggering event, otherwise you have wasted your time.

5. Causal link. Your buyer has to see in real numbers and benefits a direct link between your solution and the benefit that they are seeking. ROI, business case, TCO and all sorts of other mechanisms and representations are used to answer the rather simple question: "If I make this change, what is the real hard-benefit I will get from your solution?" The stronger the link, the better your chances.

The point I am making is that you should not even begin the process of intentionally targeting an account as your record-breaking sale if you can't answer these questions first. That means that instead of prospecting and hoping to find the right set of favorable circumstances, you are going to target and research to determine in advance these five criteria. Odds are strongly in your favor of winning when your targets match these.

The new rules on dressing for success

2011-12-09T15:32:00.001-08:00

CBS Money Watch: Money Machine

By Tom Searcy Topics Marketing
Nov. 28, 2011

I have a number of super-successful Silicon Valley clients who dress in ripped denim, Vans shoes and t-shirts. They are worth hundreds of millions, even more, but it's a status symbol to dress like you're homeless to attend board meetings.Conversely, I have worked with trash-hauling company executives who dress in suits and ties every day of the week. And this contrast shows the dramatic shift that has occurred in business attire in recent years, as each industry has developed its own rules.

So how do you learn the rules? Back in the early 1990s, as a young exec, I read Dress for Success by John T. Molloy. It gave me a clear understanding of how to dress to impress. But the "business casual" dress movement has turned all of that book's ideas into quaint nostalgia. But fair or not, dress still has an impact on how you're seen. For sales people, especially, first impressions matter.

My daughters will confirm that I am not a fashion plate, but I do have some simple rules for successful dressing if you are in sales.

Know your prospect's uniform.

Before you meet with a prospect, you should know that company's dress code. "Business casual" has a lot of meanings. Call the front desk at the company and ask what the company's dress code is and what the men and women wear. Or ask your contact. The point is, part of your responsibility is to understand that company's culture, including its dress code. Ask for examples, especially of the senior most person who will be in your meeting.

Dress one step up.

If your prospect is in denim, you wear khaki. They wear sport coats without ties; you are in suits without ties. The point is that you always dress one step further up the clothing ladder than your prospect, but not two. One step says that you respect and value them. Two steps can send a loaded message.

It's not just what you wear--but how you wear it.

Polished shoes, pressed shirts and well-fitted pants always. At this point, some of you are thinking, "Does he really have to say this to people?" while others are saying, "Why do I have to tuck in my shirt?" But when your clothes are pressed, buttoned down and well-fitted, you convey that you are a person who pays attention to the details and are professional

Grooming trumps style.

Even if you're wearing a great suit, if you've got a terrible haircut, you'll give a bad impression. As crazy as it sounds, everything on the grooming punch lists - fingernails, facial hair, haircuts and oral hygiene--matter.

Know your company's uniform.

One of my clients makes sure that when his sales reps are making their sales calls, they wear a very specific uniform. (His company's clients accept this because they see it as an extension of the brand; the company sells safety products.) It doesn't matter if the reps are presenting in a board room or on a manufacturing plant floor, they wear the sample simple uniform. Obviously, if you work at this company, you follow this dress code in order to fit in.

Remember, you can dress in a way where your attire is the only message people remember, or you can dress in a way that takes nothing away from the message of value your company brings to them.

3 Online Advertising Trends To Watch In '12

2011-12-09T15:22:00.000-08:00

MediaPostNews: Marketing Daily

by Cella M. Irvine, Dec 5, 2011, 8:00 AM

It’s that time of year again, when people like me hold forth on where we’ve been as an industry this past year, and where we’re headed. When you think about it, of course, it’s a little silly to assume that come Jan. 1, the focus of a whole industry suddenly shifts at midnight when the ball drops. In my mind, the key themes and issues for digital advertising in 2012 look a lot like the ones we grappled with in 2011. The same things that excited us about digital in 2011 will see us into the new year. But, technology evolves at a breakneck pace these days, and with every new capability comes a new opportunity to engage.

After all, delivering good advertising (and by “good,” I mean relevant) is really about harnessing a moment. It’s about harnessing the user’s intent at the very instant he’s looking for information, looking to find an answer, or looking to solve a problem. We’re all at our most receptive to advertising when it’s consistent with what’s on our mind at a given time. And technology allows us to understand what’s on the user’s mind and match it with a relevant message from an advertiser. Making that connection – on every platform and in every context – will continue to drive the direction of digital advertising in the coming year.

There are other macro-level dynamics at work here, too.

SOCIAL ON THE RISE: Audiences are changing, for good: The so-called “digital natives” are growing up fast, and we need to change our approach to engaging them. This generation’s social-media adoption is broad and deep. Digital natives turn to friends and family as a primary source of authority, and call for transparency after witnessing a great deal of corporate and institutional incompetence and corruption (think Enron, Tyco, etc.). Digital-native consumers will expect that what is of most value to them will come to them, from friends or networks, rather than from sources they search out. As a result of this shift, social-media ad revenues have skyrocketed, and are predicted to reach $8 billion next year. But if brands want to make that money really work for them, they can’t just throw any old social-media strategy to the wall and see what sticks. They need new ad formats that push those Facebook pages and Twitter feeds to consumers in a relevant context, as opposed to pulling them away to social sites. In the right context, social can work with content to add significant value for the consumer, rather than eliciting useless “Likes” that advertisers struggle to monetize.

VIDEO IS ROLLING: As they say, when you’re looking for answers, you should always “follow the money,” and that definitely holds true in advertising. If your first stop on the money trail is social, then video is close behind. Video – beyond pre-roll and in-stream – is dynamically innovating our space. In 2011, we have seen online video emerge as the fastest-growing digital ad format. In 2012, we will see online video that is more creative, engaging, and useful. Advertisers are no longer simply taking what works on TV and placing it online. We are seeing a revolution in video, with more creative content coming directly from users, which helps brands develop a more meaningful engagement with consumers. At Vibrant, our approach is bringing sight, sound and motion together to deliver an immersive, user-initiated experience that is delivering compelling results for advertisers.

SMARTER ANALYTICS: Behind the scenes, as ads grow more dynamic and multifunctional every day, marketers who need to demonstrate ROI continue the search for better metrics. After all, the best campaigns are interactive, offering users utility and entertainment via search boxes, news tickers, and gaming portals. So advertisers are looking more closely at user behavior with pre- and post-click data that gives them more mileage from their campaigns. Finally, we’re seeing a burst of new technologies that can more clearly measure reader engagement and retention, and I think there will be a continued interest in gathering and analyzing data that can go beyond CTRs and counting clicks. With these results available, we will see that all content is not created equal, and that despite the recent increase of volume of content, results will come from placements in better quality environments.

Social, video, and measurement: That’s what I think 2012 will be about. These elements played an important role in what we’ve done in 2011 and drive the direction of the innovation and creative possibilities digital advertising is capable of achieving in the coming year. And we’ll be using technology to connect with consumers in better, more relevant, more sophisticated ways that serve both advertisers and consumers.

TV Shifts To Playback Model, VOD Offers Ad PotentialMe

2011-12-09T15:19:00.000-08:00

MediaDailyNews

by Wayne Friedman, Dec 5, 2011, 4:01 PM Comment

CBS has seen a surge in recent video-on-demand viewing, according to the network's chief research officer David Poltrack.

Speaking at the UBS Global Media and Communications Conference, Poltrack says CBS got 70 million VOD views this fall -- a 19% rise -- versus the same period a year before. Because VOD is primarily a TV experience, and consumers accept advertising on VOD, Poltrack believes "VOD remains a advertising medium of great potential."

Today, he says all of TV has shifted to a playback mode -- where total playback exceeds the live airing of TV programs. But overall, the pace is slowing down. While DVR technology is now in 44% of TV homes, overall time-shifting was up 8% in TV homes and 6% for younger viewers. This is down from a double-digit pace at the same time a year ago.

Looking a specific time shifting, Poltrack says "

" now gets more than half of its viewers from time-shifting versus its live airing. "Family" gets 8 million time-shifting viewers, while its live airing is around 10 million. CBS' "NCIS" gets 5 million total viewers and around 17 million viewers overall.

Poltrack says CBS got 7.5 million full program views on CBS.com and the CBS Audience Network during the first premiere week. Its unique viewers during that period were up 50%.

CBS now places 10 to 14 commercials in its online programs -- much higher than when it started years ago, due to consumer acceptance of more advertising. For all its online video content, CBS gets a 96% completion rate, which Poltrack says is easily the highest among its competitors.

As result of this and higher online cost-per -thousand viewers, Poltrack says "the online viewer is surpassing the value of a live viewer. This is a significant tipping point."

Overall, Poltrack estimates advertising revenue for broadcast networks will see a decent rise in 2012 -- not entirely due to the typical spikes from expected from Olympic and big political hikes that occur every two years. Broadcast sales would be up 5%, he says, partly due to a pickup in the economy.

There has been slowing and/or erosion of some top cable networks, which he believes means that broadcasters will begin to win back some of the $1.6 billion in ad dollars he estimates have migrated to cable.

Consumers No Scrooge With Sale of Seasonal Decor in U.S.: Biggest Retail Time Since Retail Pre-Recession

2011-12-07T12:37:00.000-08:00

If your clients are still holding back...here's why they should jump into media now and catch some of the excitement..Philip Jay LeNoble, Ph.D.

By Alan Wolf -- TWICE, December 5, 2011

NEW YORK – Early-bird shoppers aside, who were the big winners over Thanksgiving weekend?

According to The NPD Group, Best Buy was the fourth most frequently shopped retailer behind full-line merchants Walmart, Target and Amazon, which sell a much wider variety of products. Best Buy also enjoyed the highest conversion rate, with more than 58 percent of shoppers actually making purchases, compared with just 38 percent last year, representing the largest gain among the four rivals.

Credit Suisse retail analyst Gary Balter concurred with NPD’s assessment based on Black Friday store visits in several markets across three states. “Best Buy seemed to be the relative winner as stores were at least as busy as last year and traffic was solid well past the initial doorbusters,” he wrote in a research note.

Levin Consulting, which fanned out across more than 200 stores on Black Friday, agreed. “Our team was very impressed with Best Buy’s execution, and with how they are going directly after Walmart and Amazon in terms of pricing,” noted CEO Adam Levin. “They have leadership in the hottest categories [and] we were also impressed with their multi-channel approach this weekend, making the specials available online.”

At the same time, added Balter, Best Buy offered “unique in-store-only offers forcing the visit.” Indeed, Anthony Bonevento, general manager of a 33,000-square-foot Best Buy store in Holmdel, N.J., reported a record turnout of 1,000 early-bird shoppers by midnight of Black Friday. Most queued up for hours, and in one case more than a day, for a chance to snag a 60-inch 1080p Sharp LED TV for $800, a 55-inch 1080p Samsung LED TV for $1,000, a 42-inch 1080p Sharp LCD TV for $200, a 15.6-inch dual-core Lenovo laptop for $180, a 24-inch 1080p Dynex LCD TV for $80, and a Toshiba Internet-ready Blu-ray Disc player for $40.

“It’s hands-down bigger than last year,” Bonevento told TWICE. “In fact, it’s the biggest crowd in four years.”

Elsewhere, Kmart, which was open for the 20th consecutive year on Thanksgiving Day, said customers started arriving as early as 2 a.m. on Thursday. Store managers reported the Ario 32-inch TV ($199), Leader i7 tablet ($100) and a 7-inch Sylvania netbook ($80) among their hottest sellers.

Sister chain Sears opened its doors at 4 a.m. on Black Friday, but customers lined up as early as midnight to snag more than 900 doorbuster deals including the 60-inch Sharp LED for $1,000, a 42-inch Panasonic LED for $600 and a Kenmore laundry pair for $470.

Even after the initial doorbuster crunch, “both Sears and Kmart stores across the country continued to experience a steady flow of foot traffic,” a Sears Holdings spokesman said.

Bloomberg Business
by Chris Burritt
Dec 7, 2011

Dec. 6 (Bloomberg) -- Peggy Curtis spent Thanksgiving week out of work, the first layoff in her 37 years making cigarettes in a Reidsville, North Carolina, factory. Instead of moping, she went shopping for holiday decorations at Home Depot Inc.

“The economy is tough, but that’s not going to stop me,” said Curtis, 58, whose $600 spree so far includes enough lights to illuminate nine Crape Myrtle shrubs. “I love Christmas.”

With little to cheer about these days -- 8.6 percent unemployment, fears of European contagion -- Americans are splurging on LED lights, 16-foot-tall inflatable Santas and pre- decorated artificial trees. This year U.S. consumers will spend $6 billion on decorations, the most in at least seven years, according to the National Retail Federation, which began tracking the data in 2005.

Home Depot, the world’s largest home-improvement retailer, and second-biggest Lowe’s Cos. are trying to capitalize on the holidays, boosting orders for trees and decorations to help offset sinking demand for appliances amid projections that housing prices will keep falling next year.

“This is a business we should own,” Home Depot Chief Financial Officer Carol Tome said by telephone from Atlanta, where the company is based. “We were selling the most trees of any retailer in America, but we weren’t offering the ornaments or the light strings or the tree stands. So we expanded our assortment.”

Holiday decor sales may climb 8.1 percent this year, rising for a second straight year, according to the Washington-based NRF, citing an October survey of consumers by BIGresearch. More than 68 percent of consumers may indulge, the highest level in three years, the NRF said.

Fourth-Quarter Sales

Pushing trees, ornaments and lights will help fourth- quarter sales at Home Depot and Lowe’s, Joe Feldman, an analyst at Telsey Advisory Group in New York, said yesterday. Typically the last quarter of the year is the slowest for the home- improvement chains, generating about 22 percent of revenue.

Shoppers are drawn by new technology, Lowe’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Robert Niblock said in an interview. Hot sellers include solar-powered lights, LED bulbs that keep burning even if one breaks and a $99 gadget that makes lights blink in time with “Jingle Bells” and other carols.

Thomas Schuitema, who owns the Broadway Bar & Grill in Grand Rapids, Michigan, “had to have” a string of LED lights that create the effect of snow falling down each bulb. They cost $160 and now adorn his restaurant.

“They just caught my eye,” said Schuitema, who has been decorating the eatery for 18 of his 54 years.

Inflatable Decorations

During the past decade, home-improvement stores have taken advantage of their size -- 10 times bigger than the typical drugstore -- to grab sales with ever-growing displays of trees and inflatable decorations, said Scott Manning, Home Depot’s merchandising vice president in charge of seasonal items.

Since selling its first cut tree 26 years ago, Home Depot has given holiday decor more space and stepped up marketing. It displays garlands and ornaments at store entrances and last month gave buyers of more-efficient LED lights a $5 rebate for trading in their old incandescent strands.

At a Lowe’s in Greensboro, North Carolina, an inflatable Santa waves and nods at shoppers entering the store. It’s new this year, as is a blow-up Santa and sleigh at Home Depot, which has boosted holiday sales every year through the economic slump, said Jean Niemi, a company spokeswoman.

Inflatable Santa gets around. He drives motorcycles and airplanes and helicopters. At Lowe’s, he looms over the entrance to the garden center. Inside the store, up on a shelf, an outhouse door pops open and Santa pops out, with an elf holding his nose.

Cut Trees

Home Depot has boosted sales of holiday merchandise by three times in the past six years, Manning said. It sells the most cut trees, more than 2.5 million in 2010, and bought about 10 percent more this year, he said. He declined to provide sales figures.

Lowe’s, based in Mooresville, North Carolina, increased holiday orders by 5 percent to 10 percent in each of the past two years after “pulling back” on the bet consumers would buy fewer non-essential items including decorations, Niblock said.

And there

3 habits of highly effective leaders

2011-12-05T15:47:00.000-08:00

CBS Money Watch
November 30, 2011 11:44 AM

By Amy Levin-Epstein

Are you a leader? Whether you're an executive or an entry-level employee, leadership is a truly essential skill that can propel you and your career to bigger, better things. That holds true for both leaders of large teams and self-employed people who are guiding a team of one.

I recently spoke to leadership consultant Jennifer Garvey Berger, whose new book, Changing on the Job: Developing Leaders For a Complex World, is already garnering praise from industry executives and academic experts at Microsoft, Fidelity, Harvard University and Boston College. Here are some of her insights on what good leaders do -- and what separates them from the pack.

What are three habits a competent leader practices regularly?

The first habit is asking different questions. This is about expanding your curiosity.

The second habit is taking multiple perspectives. This habit is about listening well and understanding the perspectives of others.

The third habit is looking at systems, and that one reminds us that while the human brain likes to break things down into manageable parts, it is the unwieldy combination of those unmanageable systems that opens us up to new possibilities.

Do even the best leaders make mistakes?

Yes. They'll get mad and make mistakes and hurt people. And sometimes they won't even recognize that they've done that. But the best leaders never stop learning, never become so arrogant or complacent that they stop believing they have room to grow. They never become so hopeless or discouraged that they believe it's not worth the effort. John F. Kennedy wrote that "leadership and learning are indispensable to each other." The good leaders (almost) never forget this.

What else separates great leaders from everyone else?

They create environments where people can be at their biggest. We all have the experience of people who make us smaller and less capable versus those who make us more capable in their presence than we are without them. Good leaders remember that their perspective isn't the only truth, and they welcome entire human beings into the workplace -- inconvenient emotions, vague hunches, thoughtless mistakes and all. When people see us in our messy wholeness, we can spread out and become bigger.

If I want to become more of a leader today, how should I start?

The most important thing? Believe that you can change and begin to look for the ways you might need to by asking for feedback from others. Forgive yourself for your limitations (rather than denying them or beating yourself up about them), and then seek to grow beyond the way you understand the world today

TV isn't broken, so why fix it?

2011-12-02T15:44:00.000-08:00

CNN Business Insider
By Matt Rosoff

December 2, 2011 --

(CNN) -- The technology industry is absolutely bent on reinventing television.

According to Walter Isaacson's biography of Steve Jobs, one of his last big accomplishments was figuring out how to make a better TV.

"I'd like to create an integrated television set that is completely easy to use," Jobs told his biographer. "It would be seamlessly synced with all of your devices and with iCloud....It will have the simplest user interface you could imagine. I finally cracked it."

Since then, the world has gone crazy speculating about how great this iTV (or whatever it's called) will be. It will apparently be powered by Siri, Apple's voice controlled assistant that appeared in the iPhone 4S earlier this year. Analyst Gene Munster thinks it will come in several sizes, be controllable from your iPhone or iPad, and -- this is Apple after all -- cost twice the price of a normal TV.

Apple isn't alone.

Google just released the second version of its Internet-meets-TV software, Google TV. This is despite the fact that first version was such a flop that hardware partner Logitech had more Google TV returns than sales in the first quarter of 2011. (Not surprisingly, Logitech is not going to be on board for round two.)

Microsoft is also getting into the act again, after countless failed attempts stretching back almost two decades. (Remember WebTV?) This time, it's teamed up with TV providers like Comcast and Verizon FiOS to deliver shows to the Xbox 360 game console. The big benefit: users will be able to search for shows by giving voice commands to Kinect, the nifty Xbox add-on that recognizes voice and gestures.

Smaller companies like Roku and Boxee are also in the game.

But nobody seems to be able to answer the big question: what exactly is so broken about TV anyway?

It's true that the TV guide in most cable systems is pretty awful -- it looks like Yahoo circa 1994. It's a pain fiddling with a bunch of different remotes. It might be kind of nice to watch YouTube videos on a big screen in the living room.

But I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that most TV viewers simply won't care enough about any of this stuff to shell out $1,500 for a new Apple TV, or spend a few hundred bucks and countless hours fiddling around adding a new box to their TV set and figuring out how it works.

All of these are destined to be niche products at best -- just like every other attempt to improve TV over the last 20 years.

Here's why.

The tech industry is filled with engineers and geeks. They naturally want to optimize the TV experience, to make it as efficient and elegant as possible, requiring the fewest number of steps to complete a particular task while offering the greatest number of amazing new features.

But normal people don't think about TV that way. TV is passive. The last thing we want to do is work at it.

And right now, we're not working that hard. It's not that tough to keep track of a few favorite shows -- Breaking Bad is on Monday, NFL games happen on Sunday, SportsCenter is every night at 11, and CNN is on channel 56 if something big is happening in the Middle East or Washington. You turn the set on, turn to the right channel, and that's it. Done.

The rest of the time, we're not all that picky. As long as there's something on -- anything -- that is reasonably engaging, we're cool. Most of us are even OK spending a few minutes just shuffling through channels at random. (Remember -- "channel surfing" was used to describe this habit long before "Web surfing" came around.)

Over the years, Steve Jobs himself identified a lot of the reasons why it's hard to change the TV industry. Cable companies give set top boxes away, which makes it hard for anybody else to break in. The cable industry is "balkanized," which makes it hard to pick a single partner like Apple did with AT&T and the iPhone.

But the real clue comes, again, from the Isaacson biography. Jobs talks about having a really tough time balancing his return to Apple in 1997 with his obligations as CEO of Pixar. "I would go to work at 7 a.m. and get back at 9 at night and the kids would be in bed. And I couldn't speak, I literally couldn't, I was so exhausted....All I could do was watch a half hour of TV and vegetate."

That's why we love TV just the way it is. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Social Media Profiles Hurt Jobseekers More than Help

2011-12-01T17:59:00.001-08:00

MediaPost's Blogs:The Social Graf
by Erik Sass, Nov 28, 2011, 2:56 PM

Hopefully most readers of this post are aware that their social media profiles are fair game for potential employers, who may peruse the photos and updates posted to a Facebook page to gather evidence as to the character and sobriety (often literally) of a prospective job candidate. This week brings more evidence that ill-advised social media content can hurt your chances, courtesy of a survey of executives responsible for hiring decisions in Australia.

The survey of 1,255 bosses and other hiring executives, conducted by Pure Profile on behalf of Australian telecom Telestra, found that 28% of the respondents use social media to screen job candidates by doing research into their backgrounds. Within this group, respondents said they were turned off by something posted on a profile around 40% of the time. That compares to one-third who said that something posted on a profile helped decide them in favor of a particular candidate.

No surprise, one of the biggest mistakes made by job applicants in their social media profiles was criticizing their current employer: 44% of Australian employers who use social media for screening said they automatically disqualified jobseekers who posted critical comments about their current workplace, according to the Pure Profile-Telestra survey. Other frequent mistakes were making discriminatory remarks, with 37% saying this was an automatic deal-breaker, and posting inappropriate photos, with 31% of employers giving the old heave-ho. Again unsurprisingly, Facebook was the most popular source of information on job candidates, used by 41% of bosses who screen applicants through social media, followed by LinkedIn at 31%, Twitter at 14%, and YouTube and MySpace at 7% each.

Interestingly, social media surveillance may continue even after someone lands a job: 43% of Aussie employers say they accept friend requests from their employees, and 33% say they check their employees’ social media profiles -- including 18% who monitor them to make sure the employees aren’t badmouthing the company online, and 15% who monitor for productivity.

Back in the U.S., there’s no question employers are zeroing in on social media profiles as sources of information about job candidates -- sometimes with the help of professional background researchers. In June of this year I wrote about a decision by the Federal Trade Commission which effectively allows everything an individual puts on social media (which is publicly available under their privacy settings) to be archived by third parties for up to seven years, for the explicit purpose of background checks -- even if the individual has deleted the content in question from his or her own account.

The FTC determined that a company called Social Intelligence Corp. was operating within the bounds of the law when it created "cached" archives of social media profiles for review by employers, including potentially damaging photos and statements. According to Social Intelligence Corp. CEO Max Drucker, the company focuses on screening social media profiles for the usual suspects -- racist remarks, sexually explicit content, pictures with guns, knives, or other weapons, and other illegal behavior (think bongs).

There are some limits on how employers may use archived social media content, however. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, companies are required to tell prospective employees (or, say, credit applicants) that they are going to perform background check and obtain their permission to do so. Also, companies must tell the applicant about any damaging information they find online.

Traditional TV Still Reaches Key Student Demo

2011-12-01T15:52:00.000-08:00

MediaDailyNews
by Wayne Friedman, Nov 28, 2011, 3:12 PM

All students, college and high school, still do most of their TV watching in conventional ways on a TV screen.

A new study from New York-based Youth Pulse (Ypulse), the youth marketing research/information company, says college and high-school students view TV shows on traditional TV 53% of the time. Just looking at college students alone, this number drops to 46%.

An analysis from the company suggests that college students with more of an out-of-home busy schedule than high-schoolers can't always rely on accessing traditional TV. There is also an issue of finance.

Of those college students that have a TV set, 11% have no service. They probably use it for streaming, gaming or watching DVDs. If they do have some subscription TV service, it is probably a basic, low-cost channel service.

The survey says 34% pay at least part of the bill themselves. Thirty-eight percent say their parents pay the monthly bill for their TV service, while 26% say it comes as part of the package with their dorm room or apartment.

Few students are unfamiliar with nontraditional, digital online viewing.

For example, only 12% of high schoolers say they have never watched a TV show online. According to Ypulse, only 28% say they can’t live without TV, compared to 83% who say they can’t imagine life without music.

The study came from 1,647 interviews between July 29 and August 17, 2011 and 1,499 interviews between Sept. 29 and Oct. 26, 2011.

How NOT to fail at negotiating: what we can learn from the supercommittee

2011-12-01T11:56:00.000-08:00

CBS Money Watch
November 29, 2011 8:00 AM

By Tom Searcy

Guess what, the supercommittee failed. I know, I know...I was shocked, too! Could it have been in the way it was designed? Possibly. Let's consider some of the basic mistakes that were made in the design of the supercommittee that guaranteed failure just as those same mistakes would result in the same outcome in any business negotiation.

Here are three sure-fire conditions to create failure in a negotiation process:

1. Both sides have the same non-negotiables -- It is hard to imagine a successful outcome to negotiation when both parties have established opposite positions on the same "non-negotiable" items. It means that no one is negotiating in good faith, but rather for some other purpose...say, political theater, perhaps?

2. Send surrogates, not decision-makers -- Negotiation and "carrier-pigeoning" other people's messages are two very different activities. If you want to negotiate in good faith, you have to send people with enough authority to frame an agreement, make concessions and accept the general tenets of offers. When everyone at the table is ceremonial, it's Kabuki.

3. Don't define what winning looks like -- Most good journeys start with a mutually understood destination that everyone agrees to. If only one party knows the destination and forces the other along against its will, it's called kidnapping. Defining what winning means is also not the same thing as defining what losing means. This committee was brought together with a clear understanding of what failure would mean, but not the same clarity of what winning would require.

Negotiation is not only for national and international policy. Private corporations negotiate all the time. This frequency does not always mean that they avoid the traps listed above. Frankly, the reasons the traps were there is that they are typical and easy to fall into.

Now that you know how not to negotiate, here are several recommendations to increase the potential of success:

1. Start with common ground -- The best negotiators I have seen begin the discussion with common ground -- items both parties can agree upon and from which a shared vision can be built. By declaring the common ground, you create a safe place to return to when things become heated.

2. Empower real negotiators -- Of course, final sign-off for negotiated agreements requires approval of a higher body such as the board of directors, congress, the business owner and so on. However, if you want progress in the process then your negotiators and theirs must be able to maneuver in good faith with dialogue that carries support. Don't send empty suits -- your counterparts will do the same and both sides will waste a lot of time.

3. Take the time to define "winning" for both sides -- Defining the conditions of success at the outset should not be confused with negotiating. Negotiations are about getting to the outcomes that have been agreed upon in spirit at the beginning of the conversation. If you don't have enough trust to mutually declare and agree upon what a successful outcome is, there is little chance of achieving a negotiated agreement.

A great primer on negotiating was written about the Oslo Accords by one of the chief negotiators, Uri Savir, and it's called "The Process." Some of the ideas in this post come from the things he taught at a conference I attended on negotiation in Vietnam.

Make 2012 your best year: Prepare this holiday

2011-11-22T13:39:00.000-08:00

CBS Money Watch
November 17, 2011 5:51 PM

By Tom Searcy

I feel like Scrooge about this time of the year. The lack of sales progress in the holiday and pre-holiday season can be maddening. For business-to-business sales people the action tapers off for the 6 weeks between the Monday before Thanksgiving and the Monday after New Year's Day. The business community goes into decision-making, phone call returning, email-responding hibernation and sales people are left to grumble.

Here are 3 things you can do to set yourself in a great position for the next year's sales plan and avoid losing your mind:

1. Map Out Your Connects From You to Your Buyer -- It's important on your bigger accounts to understand all of the connections between you and your buyer. It's also good to understand all of the internal and external connections that they may have to your competitors, your clients and to each other. This is a technique I borrowed from the old police shows when they were trying to understand the structure of a mafia family they were targeting. Those formal and informal networks are not exactly published on the mafia website. Rather, the investigators have to make all the links through investigation and analysis. By doing so, they were able to understand motives, alliances and potential linkages. Same benefits are true for you. Using LinkedIn and tools like Reachable.com, you can build your own mafia mapping between the connection points in order to plan your contact and conquer sales strategy.

2. Contact Campaign design -- Take this time to create a prospecting campaign for your leads and your slow-to-close opportunities. The goal is to establish a systemic approach to staying connected with your key prospects through sending them on a scheduled basis information and value content that will keep you top of mind and convey your expertise. Mine the internet for interesting websites, white-papers and factoids that are relevant and valuable to your prospects. Then schedule what items you will send to them at what time. An item every 1-3 weeks keeps you top-of-mind and demonstrates your industry knowledge and connectedness.

3. Set your Hunt Calendar -- Your year is not homogeneous, so don't plan it as if it were. There are peaks and valleys or seasonal constants in most industries. The ones that are predictable- holidays, fiscal budgeting windows, trade shows and school year's openings and closings need to be put into the calendar with the relevant activity cycles budgeted in. For instance:

a. Trade shows need 4-6 weeks of pre-show appointment setting time and planning work to be done. Have you laid that out in your calendar? Don't forget clients who display during the show are going to be manning the booth. It's cool for you to show up and shake hands with da boss..Plus you can meet new prospects who also have display booths. Philip Jay LeNoble, Ph.D.

b. School opening and closing cycles as well as seasonal breaks play havoc with prospects who change meeting schedules at the last minute to react to their own poor planning. Do you have those cycles marked so that you can anticipate the chaos?

c. Product release cycles have ramp up, interest reaction, lead cultivation and selling steps that can be mapped based upon history. Have them mapped them into your calendar.

It is my experience that the "down time" of your business cycle is often under-used, when it is a great time for planning. Hit these three planning activities hard to maximize your productivity during the up time.

Social Falls Short On Customer Loyalty, Traditional Methods Encouraged

2011-11-21T10:33:00.000-08:00

Online Media Daily Monday, Nov 21, 2011

by Steve McClellan, Nov 18, 4:50 PM

While much of the marketing community is focused on sealing better relationships between brands and consumers via social media, a new study from Pitney Bowes suggests that their efforts would be better spent in other areas.

In fact, the new study -- based on a survey of 5,000 consumers in the U.S., U.K., France and Germany -- found social media to be one of the least effective engagement techniques for encouraging customer loyalty for larger and small businesses alike.

The survey found that just 18% of the respondents believed that interaction with a larger company or its brands on social media would encourage them to buy from that business again.

The social media approach was deemed even less effective for smaller businesses, where just 15% of those responding said it would encourage their loyalty to a company.

“These findings will give decision-makers pause for thought,” the report stated. “Businesses can be forgiven for getting swept away by the hype of surrounding social media and wanting to invest in such activity as soon as possible. ... But results show that those businesses tempted to lead with such techniques will quickly find themselves out of step with customer thinking.”

Conversely, several other techniques are far more likely to resonate with consumers and encourage them to do repeat business with companies. They include a home-delivery option; having a say in products and services; control of channels and frequency of received communications and a choice of channels to contact a company. In each case, nearly half or more of the respondents said those tactics were preferred and effective for small and large businesses alike.

“All of these practices are aimed at increasing brand loyalty and retaining customers,” the Pitney Bowes survey summary states. "However, sophisticated social media and Web interaction can be time-consuming and expensive and outcomes are difficult to measure. .. Businesses are quickly having to learn the ‘customer dance’ -- when to lead and when to follow -- if relationships are to be nurtured.”

...Sooo as the good Dr. LeNoble would have it.....Revenue attainment and growth are tied to long-term, local direct business. Radio, TV, digital, video and search are great add-ons for the client's business

Radio Revs Edge Up Again

2011-11-21T10:29:00.001-08:00

MediaDailyNews
by Erik Sass, Nov 18, 2:00 PM

The radio business is continuing its gradual recovery, with total spending increasing 2% from $4.44 billion in the third quarter of 2010 to $4.53 billion in the third quarter of 2011, according to the Radio Advertising Bureau. For the first nine months of 2011 revenue is also up 2% to $12.89 billion.

The RAB attributed the overall growth to increases in network, digital, and off-air spending.

Network radio ad spending grew 2% to $282 million, digital jumped 17% to $190 million, and off-air increased 10% to $390 million. Spot advertising, long the mainstay of the radio business, was basically flat at $3.66 billion.

Of the roughly $90 million added between the third quarter of 2010 and the third quarter of 2011, $5.5 million came from growth in network radio, $27.6 million came from growth in digital, and $35.5 million came from growth in off-air revenues. In other words, network accounted for about 6% of new revenues, digital for 30.7%, and off-air for 39.4%.

Although digital revenues are posting strong growth, they remain a relatively small part of the radio business, making up just 4.2% of total ad revenues in the third quarter and, at $524 million, 4.1% of total ad revenues for the year to date.

Some of the top spenders on radio advertising in the third quarter were AT&T, McDonald’s, and Comcast Cable, which each spent roughly $90 million on spot radio advertising. Safeway spent $60 million and Verizon Wireless spent $56 million.

Additional thought: Long-term local-direct is the foundation of all revenue growth! Philip Jay LeNoble, Ph.D.

What’s Ahead in 2012: A Slow but Definite Economic Upturn

2011-11-21T10:06:00.000-08:00

by Philip Jay LeNoble, Ph.D. Nov. 21, 2011

According to a sample of economists around the nation, they are seeing a faster growth pattern going forward into 2012, according to a quarterly survey from the National Association for Business Economics.

While the U.S. economy will continue to expand through next year, boosted by rising consumer and business spending, joblessness which may be attributed to expanded technological advances in industry, an economic recovery is expected occur and to remain high the speed of the housing recovery will be sluggish but remodeling older homes will help boost consumer spending in that sector.

According to Richard Wobberkind, associate dean of the Leeds School of Business at the University of Colorado, economists are still disturbed about the continued high levels of government deficits and debt, excessive unemployment, and rising commodity prices, the president of the association, Richard Wobbekind, said in a statement. Wobbekind, representing a panel of economists, project 2012 will see the economy growing 3.4 percent from 2011. This is, as stated “consistent with the moderate pace of growth” that usually takes place during recoveries from severe financial crises such as the financial collapse that led to the Great Recession.

Nearly 40 percent of the National Association for Business Economics’ survey’s respondents think that the recovery will continue to grow more moderately, while one third believes expansion will be more robust. A smaller percent — or about five out of 40 of the respondents — expect the growth to be “subpar.” Others not included in the panel believe those unemployed in segments of the labor force demonstrating more physical labor will need to retrain themselves in other skill sets as technology advances breed a more jobless recovery. Those jobs once utilizing more of the unskilled labor force in the manufacturing sector are no longer projected to rehire those once employed because the advances in the field of robotics has reshaped those industries. By the last quarter of 2012, the joblessness rate will still be high — 8.2 percent. In January of 2012, the unemployment rate was still holding at 9 percent.

The outlook for consumer spending has improved, and is expected to grow 3.2 percent this year. That’s up from a 2.4 percent growth forecast in November. Somewhat encouragingly, in 2012, spending is expected to rise by 2.9 percent, which is the same as the annual growth rate over the past 20 years.

The NABE panelists see business spending as a bright spot in 2011 and 2012, with double-digit percentage growth in spending on equipment and software. But spending on structures remains weak, expected to grow just 1.4 percent by the end of 2011. By next year, however, spending on structures is expected to grow by 4.8 percent.

Local businesses have an excellent opportunity to expand their share of market in 2012 if they act positively in the arena of media marketing investment while competitive businesses in the same occupational classes remain fearful and continue to sit on the sidelines. As the recovery increases its pace, historically, it has been revealed that those businesses who have maintained their resilience in pursuit of higher market share find themselves far ahead of their larger competitors who remain lagging behind.

5 Things Successful People Don't DO

2011-11-10T18:12:00.000-08:00

CBS Money Watch
October 27, 2011 9:56 AM

ByPenelope Trunk

There are no formulas for who is successful. But there are statistical probabilities. For example, you are equally as likely to succeed if you go to Harvard as if you apply to Harvard and get rejected, according to Alan Krueger, Princeton economist. And you are more likely to be successful at work if you were a cheerleader than if you get a Ph.D.
So you can be proactive, and do things that successful people do. But you can also think the other way, and avoid doing things that only losers do. Here are five of those:

1. Retrieve voicemail.
Voicemail is over. All of Microsoft has voicemail that goes straight to email because it's so much more efficient to read email than listen to voicemail. However, voice recognition software has not caught up with our need to stop listening to voicemail, so most of these emails we see translated from our carefully planned voicemail are rubbish. Which means anyone in the know has just stopped using voicemail. And for those of you who still use it, your direct reports probably make fun of you.

2. Sort through resumes.
The problem with hiring is not that there are no good candidates -- because really, there are great candidates for every job. It's just that maybe you are not paying enough or maybe you don't look fun enough to work for. You can fix that. But you can't fix it if you are plowing through stacks of resumes. The biggest bottleneck in the hiring process is receiving too many resumes and then having to read them. If you have great jobs to offer, you never have to do that. If you sometimes have great jobs to offer, and sometimes you don't, you should at least avoid the dreaded stacks. Use a recruiting solution -- I like Brazen Connect (yes, this is a plug for my last startup, but it works!) -- to weed out unwanted resumes.

3. Play Solitaire on airplanes.
Have you no shame? It's one thing to have no idea what to do with yourself. It's another thing to let the whole world know. I would rather be caught looking at porn than playing Solitaire -- porn, at least, is goal-oriented. If you don't know how to spend your free time, you need to do some soul searching to find an interest. The biggest violators of the no Solitaire rule say it's relaxing. But you know what? It's not relaxing, it's vegetative. Nick Powdthavee author of "The Happiness Equation" reports that after a half-hour, the television drains you. You're better off with real relaxation methods than vegetating. So do them.

4. Forgo maternity leave
No woman has any idea what she'll feel like after she has a kid. Each kid is different, each mom is different, each adjustment phase is different. If you don't take maternity leave you don't give yourself a chance to experience that. It's a time to check in with yourself and see how you feel -- and how you feel in relation to the baby. People with good self-knowledge make the best leaders. People who are scared to take any time off to learn about themselves are too weak to lead. Taking maternity leave is an act of strength, and an announcement that you take yourself and the people around you seriously enough to know who you are, even if it's difficult.

5. Work through lunch.
The people who get the most done at the office are not the people sitting at their desk working. Because your job is not actually to do what's on your to-do list. Your job is to do what your boss cares about and what other people notice. So it's important to know what matters at work, and ignore the rest. And also, it's important to never look like you're the hardest worker. Because if you are, why is that? Do you need to work harder than everyone else because you're slow?

TV Stations, Local Advertisers Brace For 2012 Political Ad Season

2011-11-09T14:55:00.000-08:00

This essay supports my belief that with all the new media available such as search, mobile, video and Internet business...if local-direct and agency represented clients who have depended on your company to broadcast and make firm their brand...choose to shift their ad dollars to those alternatives as a means of media marketing, your share of local ad dollars could be compromised following the 2012 election period. Therefore, in 2013 and beyond, making budget may become most difficult..Local businesses are the real backbone of local broadcast revenue and profitability!! Philip Jay LeNoble, Ph.D.

MediaPost's MEDIA WATCH
A media critique by Wayne Friedman , Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2011

Too much of a good thing? TV stations will be getting a whiff of this next year when it comes to a really big kick up of TV political ad revenues -- estimated to net north of $3.2 billion.

The rub of these big election years always hits regular, nontraditional political advertisers like a black-eye. That's because political advertising -- by FCC mandate -- not only gives marketers the "lowest unit charge," it allows political spots to pre-empt a TV station's more regular, nontraditional political media.

Regular TV advertisers can be left in the lurch -- not too good for any media planning strategy. Some ad agencies are looking to get around this by building packages around additions of "sponsorships," "brand mentions" and buys on a station's Internet business.

The belief -- from those media agencies -- is that these added pieces of a TV buy will help lessen the blow TV advertisers might take in 2012. As "packages," their local TV spots might now be "non-preemptable" local ad spots, according to a TVNewscheck report.

Where this ends up as a legal or regulatory matter is anyone's guess. But one thing is for sure: This is just the start of a negotiation salvo.

Packaging in local TV spots with theoretically "higher" priced sponsorship entitlements, as well as somewhat lower-unit priced (but higher CPM) Web site business ad avails, may even out local TV media buys for traditional spot TV advertisers.

Better reach? Better media ROI? As usual, these are the big questions.

But given continued lower ratings on broadcast TV, many might say local TV advertisers have more options to move money elsewhere -- to other local Internet businesses and/or local cable MSOs and interconnects.

After a rough late 2008 and a tough 2009, TV stations should temper their giddiness about the 2012 political advertising windfall -- even after witnessing a robust 2010, thanks to record political TV advertising revenues and the usual local TV Olympic ad spike.

There is no doubt traditional TV advertising platforms -- in all its current forms -- continue to defy expectations by new media and technology pundits.

Federal regulatory requirements aside, no TV buying or selling executives' memories should be clouded by the deep recessionary 2009 year, which still places TV stations well below their record TV advertising totals earlier in the decade.

Baby Boomers Feeding Money Into Online Sales

2011-11-04T13:08:00.001-07:00

ONLINE Media Daily
by Laurie Sullivan, Yesterday, 8:30 PM

Who knew? Baby Boomers have become more comfortable with technology and have begun to spend money online. In fact, lots of it. More than 70% of consumers ages 45 to 55 made an online purchase in the past three months.

Consumers ages 56 to 66 spend the most online among all the generations. In the past three months, they spent on average $367, more than double the amount of those ages 18 to 22 spend online. That's according to the Forrester Research study "The State of Consumers and Technology: Benchmark 2011, U.S."

The average online consumer owns two connected devices. Not surprisingly, the ability to go mobile will fuel the trend, with 79% of U.S. adults going online at least monthly and 78% of those adults going online daily. Not all generations view mobile similarly.

The benchmark report, released Wednesday and updated Thursday, points to consumers ages 23 to 45 leading the technology adoption curve. About six out of 10 consumers ages 23 to 31, and nearly half of consumers ages 32 to 45, own a smartphone. These generations are also the first adopters of tablets, at about 11%.

Nearly all online U.S. adults own a mobile phone, more than one-third own a smartphone, and close to half log on to the Internet through it at least monthly. Fifty-eight percent of consumers ages 23 to 31 own smartphones, and 67% fall into what Forrester calls the most sophisticated users because they rely on their phones for email, playing games, and checking news, sports and weather. They also use their phone to send text messages and watch videos.

The Forrester study suggests that consuming media has become popular online. While 91% of consumers 18 to 22 watch TV offline, 74% watch it online at least once weekly. The same age group also listens to online radio most, but consumers age 23 to 31 do the most reading online of magazines and newspapers online.

12 Ways To Spot Ineffective Leadership

2011-10-29T18:27:00.000-07:00

Posted on October 24th, 2011 by N2Growth
By Mike Myatt, Chief Strategy Officer, N2growth blog

If I only had a nickel for every time I’ve been asked, “is there a simple test that can quickly determine an executive’s leadership ability?” The short answer is yes, but keep in mind, simple and fast aren’t always the same thing as effective. There are a plethora of diagnostic tests, profiles, evaluations, and assessments that offer insights into leadership ability, or a lack thereof. My problem with these efforts is they are overly analytical, very theoretical, and subject to bias. That said, they are fast, easy, and relatively inexpensive. The good news is, there is a better way. If you really want to determine someone’s leadership ability, give them some responsibility and see what they do with it. Leaders produce results. It’s not always pretty, especially in the case of inexperienced leaders, but good leaders will find a way to get the job done.

In a previous post entitled Looking For Leadership, I share a number of concerns about corporate America’s obsession over theoretical academic tests. There is a subtle abdication of responsibility that has occurred as rationalizations take place around DISC scores, or justifications surrounding a 360 review are used to defend an ineffective leader. My question is this: what about real world tests? If your enterprise has trouble identifying leaders, or has a shortage of leaders, you don’t have a testing problem – you have a leadership problem. One of the primary responsibilities of leadership is to create more and better leaders. I believe it was John Maxwell who said, “there is no success without a successor.”

It’s important to realize that just because someone is in a leadership position, doesn’t necessarily mean they should be. Put another way, not all leaders are created equal. The problem many organizations are suffering from is a recognition problem – they can’t seem to recognize good leaders from bad ones. In the text that follows, I’ll address how to spot ineffective leaders pointing out a few things that should be obvious, but apparently aren’t:

1.Poor Character: A leader who lacks character or integrity will not endure the test of time. It doesn’t matter how intelligent, affable, persuasive, or savvy a person is, if they are prone to rationalizing unethical behavior based upon current or future needs they will eventually fall prey to their own undoing…

2.Lack of Performance: Nobody is perfect, but leaders who consistently fail are not leaders, no matter how much you wish they were. While past performance is not always a certain indicator of future events, a long-term track record of success should not be taken lightly. Someone who has consistently experienced success in leadership roles has a much better chance of success than someone who has not. It’s important to remember unproven leaders come with a high risk premium.

3.Poor Communication Skills: Show me a leader with poor communication skills and I’ll show you someone who will be short-lived in their position. Great leaders can communicate effectively across mediums, constituencies, and environments. They are active listeners, fluid thinkers, and know when to dial it up, down, or off.

4.Self-Serving Nature: If a leader doesn’t understand the concept of “service above self” they will not engender the trust, confidence, and loyalty of those they lead. Any leader is only as good as his or her team’s desire to be led by them. An over abundance of ego, pride, and arrogance are not positive leadership traits. Long story short; if a leader receives a vote of non-confidence from their subordinates…game over.

5.One Size Fits All Leadership Style: Great leaders are fluid and flexible in their approach. They understand the power of, and necessity for contextual leadership. “My way or the highway” leadership styles don’t play well in today’s world, will result in a fractured culture, and ultimately a non-productive organization. Only those leaders who can quickly recognize and adapt their methods to the situation at hand will be successful over the long haul.

6.Lack of Focus and Follow-Through: Those leaders who lack the focus and attention to detail needed to apply leverage and resources in an aggressive and committed fashion will perish. Leaders who do not possess a bias toward action, or who cannot deliver on their obligations will not be successful. Leadership is about performance…Intentions must be aligned with results for leaders to be effective.

7.Not Forward Looking: No vision equals no leadership. Leaders satisfied with the status quo, or who tend to be more concerned about survival than growth won’t do well over the long-run. The best leaders are focused on leading change and innovation to keep their organizations fresh, dynamic and growing. Bottom line – leaders who build a static business doom themselves to failure.

8.Disconnected from the Market: Leaders not attuned to the needs of the market will fail. As the old saying goes, if you’re not taking care of your customers, someone else will be more than happy to. Successful leaders focus on customer satisfaction and loyalty. They find ways to consistently engage them and incorporate them into their innovation and planning initiatives. If you ignore, mistreat, or otherwise don’t value your customer base, your days as a leader are most certainly numbered.

9.Not Invested: Leaders are fully committed to investing in those they lead. They support their team, build into their team, mentor and coach their team, and they truly care for their team. A leader not fully invested in their team won’t have a team – at least not an effective one.

10.Not Accountable: Real leaders are accountable. They don’t blame others, don’t claim credit for the success of their team, but always accept responsibility for failures that occur on their watch. Most of all, leaders are accountable to their team. I’ve always said that leaders not accountable to their people will eventually be held accountable by their people.

11.Not Focused: Leaders who are not intentional and are not focused, will fail themselves and their team. Leaders who lack discipline will model the wrong behaviors and will inevitably spread themselves too thin. Organizations are at the greatest risk when leaders lose their focus.

12.Lacking Vision: Poor vision, tunnel vision, vision that is fickle, or a non-existent vision will cause leaders to fail. A leader’s job is to align the organization around a clear and achievable vision. This cannot occur when the blind lead the blind.

The moral of this story is leaders need to be honest, have a demonstrated track record of success, be excellent communicators, place an emphasis on serving those they lead, be fluid in approach, have laser focus, and a bias toward action. If these traits are not possessed by your current leadership team, or your up and coming leaders, you will be in for a rocky road ahead…

Which of these traits stand out to you? Do you have any other signs of ineffective leaders worthy of mention?

'Live,' Later Or Next Year: Where's The Value In Shifting Viewing Habits?

2011-10-29T17:40:00.000-07:00

MediaPost's TVWatch
A media critique by Wayne Friedman , Friday, Oct. 28, 2011

A male college student on a panel at the recent OMMA Video conference in San Francisco responded earnestly to a media question:

"When you say 'live TV'... what do you mean? Could you elaborate a bit more?"

Laughter filled the room.

So, the female questioner from the audience went deeper in a straightforward way: "So when it's on the TV screen, say Monday at 8 p.m. Or, like, 'The Office,' when it airs on Thursday night at whatever time."

"Oh," the student said. "Like cable."

Oh, indeed. The exchange spoke volumes, of course, about what older, experienced media professionals are trying to grasp concerning shifts in consumer media usage.

It makes sense that some consumers, who don't have personal experience related to what TV used to be, would be scratching their heads. With all the time-shifting going on -- via DVRs, Hulu, Netflix, video-on-demand, and more -- what exactly is "live TV" these days?

Excepting news programs, sports, award shows and the big "live" finales of reality shows, the answer in most cases is: "a live airing of a TV show probably produced weeks or months before."

Yet, media researchers and the business press can still focus on Nielsen metrics such as "live viewing" or even "live plus same day viewing.”

The male student on the OMMA panel was amped to view the new season of Showtime's "Dexter," but said he didn't mind waiting until the end of its current run to watch a bunch of episodes in a row. A female student on the panel called that "binged" viewing -- which, of course, includes little if any watching of advertising.

These students had the usual complaints about TV advertising. They don’t like it much. But, after much thought, another female student said that she loved the current end-of-the-world-themed commercials for Allstate Insurance. Other students mentioned their love of the trailer commercial for the independent film "Misrepresentation."

After much back-and-forth, the male student seemed to get a better sense of "live TV," asking, "Oh -- like talk shows?" Well, yes... and maybe.

The thinking makes sense. Even if networks look to delay the Internet viewing of current shows eight 8 days -- as Fox is doing s-- that's no problem. Students say they'll just wait -- perhaps until the end of the season to watch a dense-pack worth of episodes of a series. Besides, there is so much other stuff to watch -- what's the rush?

For advertisers, this kind of apathy towards some content – combined with high-speed viewing through other shows -- has been causing problems, especially with the current disparate nature of the TV distribution system.

It speaks volumes about what was once thought basic and important in media planning and buying. "Live," later or next year? Where's the real value?

7 Traits Managers Find Irresistible

2011-10-26T15:27:00.001-07:00

bNet
By Steve Tobak | October 20, 2011

Want to know why so many employees focus so much attention on the boss these days? Because the boss controls their work lives? That’s true, but it’s not the main reason. Because the boss holds the key to untold treasures, raises, and promotions? True again, but that’s not it either.

Employees focus on the boss because it’s so much easier to complain about someone else ruining their lives than it is to take responsibility for their own careers, actions, issues, and decisions, not to mention the occasional self-destructive behavior.

While a shrink may find all that childish behavior fascinating and more than a little lucrative, I guarantee that your boss won’t find it amusing. Not one bit. What’s that? You don’t think your boss is aware of that stuff? Come on, he may be a micromanaging control freak, but he’s not an idiot.

Think your boss doesn’t notice that you smirk or sneer when he walks into the room? Think he can’t read your body language? Or that he doesn’t have people telling him what goes on behind the scenes?

Look, I was a manager and executive for over 20 years, and I can tell you with absolute certainty that, unless your boss is completely clueless, he knows all he needs to know about you. No, there’s no such thing as Santa Claus, but there is a Santa Boss, and he knows when you’ve been bad or good, that’s for sure.

The point of all this is that you have a choice and it’s the single most important choice every employee makes:

Are you going to be a good employee or a bad employee? Are you going to believe in yourself, become the best you can be, and trust that that will pay off for you in the end? Or are you going to turn to the dark side and spend your life jealous, angry, and bitter?

If your answer is the former, then you need to pay attention to these …

7 Traits Managers Find Irresistible
1.You do what it takes to get the job done. This is, or should be, number one on every manager’s list of things they value most in employees. This was one of the first lessons I learned early on and it made a huge difference in my career.

2.You meet your commitments. When you say you’re going to do something by a certain date, you’ll find a way. When you say it’ll cost $x, your boss can take that to the bank. You hold yourself accountable so your boss doesn’t have to. Just knowing you’re there reduces your boss’s stress.

3.You’re brave. You realize that business is a full-contact sport and you’re going to take some body blows. You can take some punishment. Competition doesn’t freak you out. Confrontation doesn’t scare you. You don’t shy away from visibility. Rather, you get a charge out of it.

4.You challenge the status quo. You’re genuine, direct, confident, and comfortable in your own skin. You tell it like it is and say what’s on your mind. You don’t drink the Kool-Aid or sugarcoat the truth. You don’t BS; when you don’t know, you say so. Authority doesn’t scare you so you don’t treat your boss or the CEO like some demon from the underworld.

5.You’re an innovative problem solver. You look at things from different angles and turn problems on their side to come up with unique solutions. The harder the problem, the greater the challenge, the more you dig in to find the answer. You live to solve problems.

6.Your razor-like focus. You don’t lose it at the first sign of trouble or complexity. Instead, you’re calm and steady. You stay focused when everyone else is running around like chickens with their heads cut off. You’re an island of order in an ocean of chaos.

7.You’re low maintenance. You don’t whine and complain. You don’t need to have your hand held for every little thing. You don’t take things personally. You’ve got reasonably thick skin. Folks don’t have to walk on eggshells around you and worry about offending you.

Granted, this post assumes your boss is confident and competent enough to handle and benefit from an employee with all these great attributes. They’re certainly not all worthy of the effort. But the point is you can’t control your boss. You can only control you.

So look at this way. If you work for a crappy boss, sooner or later, you’ll get out and work for a good one. You may have to kiss a few frogs, so to speak, but eventually, you’ll find one or more that know what they’re doing and how to recognize an employee who’s got something special going on.

And when that happens, this advice will come in handy. And you know what? If you can master these traits - at least most of them - then someday, you’re going to be the boss. And you’ll be a damn good one who inspires her employees to be the best they can be. No kidding.

10 Things Managers Should Never Do

2011-10-26T15:24:00.000-07:00

bNet
By Steve Tobak | October 25, 2011

We’ve all had bosses do things we didn’t like, appreciate, or respect. And every manager has done things they later regret. The business world is, by necessity, one of real-time decisions and judgment calls that sometimes turn out to be bad choices, in retrospect.

After all, nobody’s perfect. We all make mistakes. And that’s a good thing, since that’s are how we learn lessons, including how to do our jobs better. That goes for every employee, manager, executive, business owner, CEO, everyone.

But sometimes a mistake can become a slippery slope. An exception can all-too-easily become the rule. Simply put, there are lines that managers should not cross, behavior they should not exhibit, and not to be overly dramatic, pathways that lead more or less to the dark side.

In 10 Things Great Managers Do, I went back in time to the best characteristics of the best CEOs I’ve worked for and with over the past 30 years. I decided to do the same thing here for the simple reason that I learned as much from the negative experiences as I did from the positive ones.

Keep in mind, this isn’t meant to be a whine-fest to get employees riled up and pissed off at their bosses. Think of it instead as a standard that employees and managers alike can agree upon and, perhaps, a wakeup call for those who need one.

10 Things Managers Should Never Do
1.Order people around like dictators. Contrary to popular belief, managers are not dictators. Every manager has at least one boss. Even CEOs serve the board directors and shareholders. Any manager who thinks he can order people around or abuse his authority because he’s the boss is a terrible leader. Employees are not soldiers or children. You can tell them what their job is and even fire them, if you want, but if you order them around, the good ones will up and quit, as they should.
2.Forget about customers. It never ceases to amaze me how many managers forget that organizations and companies exist for just one reason - to win, maintain, and support customers. Business is about business, and when you make it about you - your issues, your fears, your empire, your thin skin, whatever - you cease to be an effective manager.
3.Behave like arrogant jerks that are better than others. Just to be clear, I’m not saying managers or bosses can’t be jerks. A lot of people are jerks, including plenty of employees, and almost everybody’s a jerk under certain circumstances. I’m specifically talking about the arrogant “I’m better than the little people” thing. It makes you look like a little brat and completely neuters your authority and credibility.
4.Let their egos write checks that reality can’t cash. Oftentimes, leaders attain their position because they believe they’re special - a fascinating misconception that’s nevertheless often self-fulfilling. The problem with that is the slippery slope of drinking your own Kool Aid. Either you grow up or, sooner or later, things end up unraveling. I’ve seen it time and again and it isn’t pretty.
5.Publicly eviscerate employees. Of all the things I’ve experienced over the decades, this is not only the most dehumanizing but also the most demoralizing to employees. I had a couple of CEOs that practiced this on a regular basis and both were universally despised, as a result. Moreover, both self-destructed in the end.
6.Wall off their feelings. This may sound touchy feely, but it’s far from it. Researchers are fond of classifying executives and leaders as psychopathic, but the mechanism by which that happens is compartmentalizing of emotions. If you’ve ever wondered how people who seem to lack any semblance of humor or humility can behave the way they do, the answer is, if you’re not connected to your emotions, you’re far less human.
7.Surround themselves with bureaucrats, BSers, and yes-men. When you encourage the status quo and discourage dissent, you doom the organization to stagnation and eventual decline.
8.Threaten. Threats don’t work. They’re just as likely to motivate the opposite behavior of what you’re trying to achieve. They diminish your authority and make you appear weak and small. You should communicate what you want and why, then act on the results. That works. Threats don’t. And for God’s sake, never threaten an employee with his job or a vendor with your business. That’s just out of control.
9.Act out like little children. Everyone goes through the same stages of human development on the road to adulthood and maturity. Unfortunately, some of us get stuck in one stage or another, stunting our growth and rendering us dysfunctional. We look just like ordinary adults, but we actually behave a lot more like children, acting out, throwing tantrums, and generally making life miserable for everyone around us.
10.Break the law. America is a nation of laws and, civil or criminal, they’re black and white for a reason. For some reason, executives will sometimes risk everything - power, wealth, careers, families, everything - for motives most of us will never understand. We’re talking accounting, securities, bank, wire, and mail fraud; insider trading; bribery; obstruction of justice; conspiracy; discrimination; harassment; it’s a long, long list

Cable's latest targets:Broadcast's fall hits

2011-10-26T14:41:00.000-07:00

Better watch out...better not cry....better start sellin' I'm tellin' ya why..........Philip Jay LeNoble, Ph.D. Publisher

TVNewsCheck & Media Life

By Toni Fitzgerald
Oct 26, 2011

Cable Networks are pitting their top shows against the Big Four's top series

For years cable networks showed their strongest shows during the summer, when they faced minimal broadcast competition. It was their time to shine, and shine they did.

Now cable is challenging broadcast in that time of year when the Big Four networks long monopolized viewers' attention, the fall.

The best example of that is AMC's "The Walking Dead," the second-year zombie drama that is drawing such strong ratings opposite strong broadcast competition that it was renewed for season three yesterday.

"Dead" was the No. 1 scripted show on both broadcast and cable Sunday at 9 p.m., averaging 4.5 million adults 18-49, according to Nielsen, some 800,000 more than ABC's timeslot competitor "Desperate Housewives" and 2 million more than CBS's "The Good Wife."

"Dead" is on pace to set a record for most-watched non-sports original basic cable show ever in 18-49s, despite airing opposite one of broadcast's highest-rated programs, NBC's "Sunday Night Football."

And AMC isn't the only one airing its premier content in the fall. MTV's "Jersey Shore" was the No. 1 non-sports show at 10 p.m. last week among 18-49s, beating broadcast competition like "The Mentalist" and "Private Practice."

MTV could have scheduled the show's fourth season to air entirely during the summer, but instead it started "Shore" in August, a month before the broadcasters rolled out their fall schedules, and faced off against broadcast's new season for five weeks.

Showtime premiered its most anticipated new show of the year, "Homeland," in September, when its No. 1 drama, "Dexter," also returned.

Starz chose last week to debut "Boss," its highest-profile new show to date because of series star Kelsey Grammer.

And TNT is kicking off its first-ever series of original movies next month during the highly competitive November sweeps.

There are risks for cable networks in airing their top shows in the fall. They can get lost amidst the broadcast hype, or see ratings fall opposite tougher competition.

But the upside is that the broadcast networks have trained viewers to expect new shows in the fall, and cable markets its new shows so aggressively that those viewers can't escape the hype.

Plus airing highly rated shows opposite broadcast in the fall helps cable prove to advertisers that it is a viable option year round and not just in the summer months.

7 Traits Managers Find Irresistible

2011-10-21T12:06:00.000-07:00

bNET
By Steve Tobak | October 20, 2011

Want to know why so many employees focus so much attention on the boss these days? Because the boss controls their work lives? That’s true, but it’s not the main reason. Because the boss holds the key to untold treasures, raises, and promotions? True again, but that’s not it either.

Employees focus on the boss because it’s so much easier to complain about someone else ruining their lives than it is to take responsibility for their own careers, actions, issues, and decisions, not to mention the occasional self-destructive behavior.

While a shrink may find all that childish behavior fascinating and more than a little lucrative, I guarantee that your boss won’t find it amusing. Not one bit. What’s that? You don’t think your boss is aware of that stuff? Come on, he may be a micromanaging control freak, but he’s not an idiot.

Think your boss doesn’t notice that you smirk or sneer when he walks into the room? Think he can’t read your body language? Or that he doesn’t have people telling him what goes on behind the scenes?

Look, I was a manager and executive for over 20 years, and I can tell you with absolute certainty that, unless your boss is completely clueless, he knows all he needs to know about you. No, there’s no such thing as Santa Claus, but there is a Santa Boss, and he knows when you’ve been bad or good, that’s for sure.

The point of all this is that you have a choice and it’s the single most important choice every employee makes:

Are you going to be a good employee or a bad employee? Are you going to believe in yourself, become the best you can be, and trust that that will pay off for you in the end? Or are you going to turn to the dark side and spend your life jealous, angry, and bitter?

If your answer is the former, then you need to pay attention to these …

7 Traits Managers Find Irresistible
1.You do what it takes to get the job done. This is, or should be, number one on every manager’s list of things they value most in employees. This was one of the first lessons I learned early on and it made a huge difference in my career.
2.You meet your commitments. When you say you’re going to do something by a certain date, you’ll find a way. When you say it’ll cost $x, your boss can take that to the bank. You hold yourself accountable so your boss doesn’t have to. Just knowing you’re there reduces your boss’s stress.
3.You’re brave. You realize that business is a full-contact sport and you’re going to take some body blows. You can take some punishment. Competition doesn’t freak you out. Confrontation doesn’t scare you. You don’t shy away from visibility. Rather, you get a charge out of it.
4.You challenge the status quo. You’re genuine, direct, confident, and comfortable in your own skin. You tell it like it is and say what’s on your mind. You don’t drink the Kool-Aid or sugarcoat the truth. You don’t BS; when you don’t know, you say so. Authority doesn’t scare you so you don’t treat your boss or the CEO like some demon from the underworld.
5.You’re an innovative problem solver. You look at things from different angles and turn problems on their side to come up with unique solutions. The harder the problem, the greater the challenge, the more you dig in to find the answer. You live to solve problems.
6.Your razor-like focus. You don’t lose it at the first sign of trouble or complexity. Instead, you’re calm and steady. You stay focused when everyone else is running around like chickens with their heads cut off. You’re an island of order in an ocean of chaos.
7.You’re low maintenance. You don’t whine and complain. You don’t need to have your hand held for every little thing. You don’t take things personally. You’ve got reasonably thick skin. Folks don’t have to walk on eggshells around you and worry about offending you.

Granted, this post assumes your boss is confident and competent enough to handle and benefit from an employee with all these great attributes. They’re certainly not all worthy of the effort. But the point is you can’t control your boss. You can only control you.

So look at this way. If you work for a crappy boss, sooner or later, you’ll get out and work for a good one. You may have to kiss a few frogs, so to speak, but eventually, you’ll find one or more that know what they’re doing and how to recognize an employee who’s got something special going on.

And when that happens, this advice will come in handy. And you know what? If you can master these traits - at least most of them - then someday, you’re going to be the boss. And you’ll be a damn good one who inspires her employees to be the best they can be. No kidding.

Are You A Clueless Boss? 3 Steps to Self-Awareness

2011-10-21T11:56:00.000-07:00

bNET Oct. 21, 2011
By John Baldoni | October 20, 2011
inShare.43

Sometimes you can get to the top of the heap and still be utterly clueless.

This thought came to me as I read recent comments that Bob Nardelli, who was CEO of Chrysler during the brief period when the car company was owned by Cerberus, the investment firm. When Chrysler went bankrupt and got the government bailout, Cerberus was forced to give up its ownership and turn Chrysler over to Fiat, which promptly made Chrysler a big success.

But Nardelli told The Detroit News that Cerberus deserves credit for that. “If the government gave [Cerberus] the deal they gave Fiat, we’d be doing just fine.”

Nardelli’s comments were at odds with how others see his tenure. Says Rebecca Linland of HIS Automotive:

“This is like a foster parent who briefly raised a child at age 5 taking credit when they grew up to be president of the United States or an Olympic athlete..I don’t think many people at Chrysler would agree with [Nardelli's assessment of Cerberus].”

Failure to understand what you actually accomplished (versus what you think you accomplished) is fundamental to self-awareness. But that can be hard for top execs, who tend to suffer from an ability to overstate their contributions.

It takes a strong character for an accomplished individual to recognize one’s shortcomings. Such moments of self-awareness often involve the willingness to look hard at the proverbial mirror, or very often listen to close friend or spouse. Once this moment is accepted the door to self-improvement opens.

But for the door to stay open, the leader must do three things:

Understand what is at stake. It is one thing to understand a flaw; it is another issue to recognize its importance. Take poor communications, for example. Leaders need to know that improving their communications is not just a matter of self-polishing; it is important means of setting direction for others to follow. Poor communicators cannot lead.

Change your approach. Very often the process of self-improvement involves stopping one behavior in favor of doing something else. For example, a manager who has a tendency to micromanage must learn to stop looking over the shoulder of his direct reports. He must learn to let go of this urge to control everything in favor of letting his people figure things out for themselves. In return, he needs to channel energy expended in close supervision on things of a more strategic nature. The explanation is straightforward but it takes genuine commitment to put into practice.

Invite feedback, lots of it, even if it hurts. To reinforce the development process one option is continuous feedback. One style of feedback, developed by Marshall Goldsmith, is called “feedforward.” This is the practice of asking an individual or two to observe your actions and note your progress (or lack thereof) on a given behavior.

For example, an executive might tell a colleague that he is working on being more open-minded. The colleague will observe how well the executive listens without interrupting, enables others to voice their point of view, and tones down the practice speaking first at meetings. Relaying those observations to the executive helps him or her improve her ability to act with a more open disposition.

Self-awareness requires self-discipline, the strength to look at ourselves flaws and all and resolve to do something to correct them. All it takes is a lifetime of practice

PS Nardelli was also a disgrace when he was CEO at Home Depot destroying employee morale and corporate profitability...yet one of his appointed board of directors voted to give him a $200M parachute before he wrangled his way into Chrysler...Philip Jay LeNoble, Ph.D. Publisher

Mobile Ad-Using SMBs Offer Advice to Media Sales Reps

2011-10-17T14:33:00.000-07:00

MediaSalesToday
Monday, Oct 10, 2011

by Kathy Crosett

During last week’s Local Mobile Advertising Conference, hosted by Borrell Associates in Chicago, attendees heard from industry experts and platform providers. The buzz grew about local mobile opportunities. But what made the conference real for most audience members was the panel discussion by small business owners and their honest talk about how they advertise and what they really think about media sales reps and mobile.

For the folks who run Santa’s Village, an amusement park based in the Chicago area, advertising is seasonal. The business operates from early spring to late fall. Their ad budget, at $140,000 a year, has typically been spent on traditional media. This season, the company began a mobile marketing campaign with American Marketing and Publishing. The goal of the program was to build a list of followers who wanted to receive simple text messages about Santa’s Village promotions. Over the course of several months, the business accumulated 1,364 subscribers, sent out over 11,000 messages, and experienced immediate and positive feedback.

William McMahon, owner of the Lincoln Inn in Dekalb also started a mobile marketing campaign. Using text-message promotions, he sent out offers ranging from heavily discounted lunches to menu specials. This year, about $1,000 of his $24,000 marketing budget went to mobile . McMahon said customers appreciate a deeper discount being offered on a less frequent basis, perhaps weekly, instead of being texted every day. As far as the rest of his advertising goes, he is overwhelmed by the number of sales reps contacting him. One way for reps to close the sale, according to McMahon, is to help the business owner learn about his or her customers.

Likewise, the owners of European Tan, a 4-bed salon in the Chicagoland area, started using mobile marketing this year. Simplicity and the low cost were the 2 key selling points of this advertising format. The owners also appreciate that they can use SMS text messaging to control business volume. When they have extra staff available, they know that a text message campaign offering a discount will immediately increase traffic. SMS text messaging has also been far less expensive than direct mail coupon packages which can cost between $400-500 quarterly. Co-owner Mary Jo Edwards remarked, “Sure, those coupons reach 60,000 homes – but do any of those consumers want a tan?” Using her proprietary list and mobile text messaging, she knows she can generate traffic with a buy one get one deal.

The business owners also maintain Facebook pages but they “don’t see what social media is doing for them.” The mobile text marketing approach is seen as much more immediate, interactive, and effective. Email marketing was also mentioned as another effective strategy. The life of an SMS text message is several hours while the life of an email might be one week.

And their advice for sales reps? Be honest. Come to the table with knowledge about exactly what you are selling and how it fits the business owner’s needs. And always remember that a small business has a small advertising budget

Gannett TV Revenue Down 6.1%

2011-10-17T13:30:00.000-07:00

The dependency of TV stations on political often reeks havoc with the balance sheet as witnessed within this report below. Good solid local-direct revenue raises good long-term cash and helps offset politically oriented dollar losses. While political is good to have...it's mostly at firehouse rates which begin at the floor. Loading up on good local-direct monthly revenues raises the rate bar so while political campaigns get the lowest unit rate which, when factoring in long-term direct contract rates, political pricing is more in the station's best inventory management and cash flow interests. Philip Jay LeNoble, Ph.D.

While Gannett TV revenue is down, factoring out the lower political revenue, that changes to a 4.7% gain, driven by improving auto advertising. Retrans revenue was up 26.7% and online grew 27.5%.

the following is provided by TVNewsCheck Staff

TVNewsCheck, October 17, 2011 9:12 AM EDT

Gannett Co. today reported third quarter 2011 financial results that included television revenues of $168.8 million, $10.8 million lower compared to $179.6 million last year, despite a net decrease of $18.4 million in political spending.

Total adjusted television revenues, defined to exclude the incremental impact of the cyclical ad demand related to political spending, were 4.7% higher. The increase was due, in part, to strengthening demand for auto advertising in September, Gannett said.

Retransmission revenues increased 26.7% in the quarter and totaled $20 million.

Online revenues at its television stations were up 27.5%.

The company said that based on current trends and comparing against the substantial level of political advertising which totaled $52.4 million in last year's fourth quarter, it expects the percentage decline in total television revenues for the fourth quarter of 2011 to be in the low teens compared to the fourth quarter of 2010. Excluding the incremental impact of political spending, total television revenues are expected to increase in the very high single digits in the fourth quarter this year compared to the fourth quarter last year.

Television Still The Big Bucks Leader In Ad Spend Thru 2013

2011-10-15T15:44:00.000-07:00

ZenithOptimedia
by Jack Loechner, Oct 10, 7:25 AM

Despite the stock market's double digit drop in the last quarter, ZenithOptimedia is projecting a 2.2% increase in advertising for 2011, up from the agency's 2.1% forecast in July. The report also forecasts a 3.5% increases in both 2012 and 2013.
The media agency sees cable TV growing 12% this year, while the broadcast networks decline 2% and syndication slips 4%, taking into account current economic conditions and its knowledge of its clients' plans for the upcoming season.

The report notes that woes on Wall Street often are not necessarily followed by an ad market decline. In 12 market crashes over the past 31 years. the agency said. "... half of the stock market crashes preceded an advertising downturn, but half did not." Most recently, says the report, "the sharp drop in the Dow in the U.S. after September 11 did not prevent the recovery of growth in 2002, though growth remained weak."

Top Ten Ad Markets (US$ Million, Current Prices; Currency Conversion At 2010 Average Rates)
2010 2013
Rank Country Adspend Rank Country Adspend
1 USA $151,665 1 USA $165,977
2 Japan 46,153 2 Japan 47,630
3 China 26,122 3 China 38,854
4 Germany 23,791 4 Germany 25,429
5 UK 18,086 5 UK 19,656
6 Brazil 14,716 6 Brazil 17,587
7 France 12,564 7 France 13,465
8 Australia 11,246 8 Australia 12,313
9 Italy 10,296 9 Canada 12,098
10 Canada 10,041 10 Russia 11,413
Source: ZenithOptimedia, October 2011

The report expects that cable networks will continue to build momentum, largely because of the return of big-spending automotive and financial advertisers. The forecast calls for cable to grow:
• 12.0% in 2011
• 10.0% in 2012
• 10.5% in 2013

The agency expects the spot marketplace to be extremely volatile in 2012 with the presidential election year cycle generating a billion dollars or so in political spending. Adding to the frenzy will be the Olympics in August, bringing new and returning business to the local markets. All considered the report expects spot to TV to turn in annual increases of:
• 4.0% in 2011
• 8.0% in 2012
• 2.0% in 2013

Advertising Expenditure By Medium (US$ Million, Current Prices Currency Conversion At 2010 Average Rates); And Share Of Total Adspend
2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
Newspapers 96,973 23.0% 95,416 21.5% 92,802 20.2% 91,911 19.0% 91,334 17.9%
Magazines 43,633 10.5 43,741 9.8 43,224 9.4 43,060 8.9 42,909 8.4
Television 160,199 38.4 176,826 39.8 184,929 40.2 196,182 40.5 207,056 40.5
Radio 31,778 7.6 32,169 7.2 32,899 7.1 33,906 7.0 35,117 6.9
Cinema 2,107 0.5 2,315 0.5 2,423 0.5 2,564 0.5 2,718 0.5
Outdoor 27,774 6.7 29,917 6.7 31,503 6.8 33,357 6.9 35,122 6.9
Internet 54,683 13.1 64,026 14.4 72,531 15.8 83,457 17.2 96,392 18.9
Total * 417,147 444,410 460,311 484,436 510,648
Source: ZenithOptimedia, October 2011

Video ads are "... becoming the main form of brand advertising in the digital space," the report says, adding that the streaming video category will see two out of every five ad dollars coming from local advertisers. The agency projects:
• 12.6% Internet ad revenue growth in 2011
• 16.2% growth in 2012
• 17.3% in 2013

Internet Advertising By Type (US$ Million, Current Prices Currency Conversion At 2010 Average Rates)
Ad Type 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
Display $18,349 $21,875 $25,282 $29,713 $35,218
Classified 9,911 10,950 11,990 13,078 14,246
Paid search 26,423 31,202 35,259 40,666 46,928
Total 54,683 64,026 72,531 83,457 96,392
Source: ZenithOptimedia, October 2011

The analysis has made a reduction to its forecast for global ad expenditure growth in 2011 to 3.6%, down 0.5 percentage points from the forecast made in July. The slowdown in economic recovery in the developed markets, coupled with rising fears of double-dip recession, have caused some advertisers to trim back budget increases planned for the end of 2011, but with no sign of the cancelled campaigns and sharp budget cuts that signaled the beginning of the last advertising downturn in 2008.
The report predicts global ad expenditure at 5.3% growth in 2012, and 5.5% in 2013. TV's share of total ad spent was 38.4% in 2010 and should grow to 39.8% in 2011 and settle at 40.5% by 2013.

In summary, this picture is consistent with a history of ad market growth after many previous stock market shocks, assuming the world economy does not deteriorate dramatically:
• Global ad expenditure forecast to grow 3.6% in 2011 after a modest slowdown in expenditure growth towards the end of the year
• Growth forecast for 2012 remains a reassuring 5.3%
• Developing markets to increase their share of the global ad market from 31.0% in 2010 to 34.9% in 2013
• Internet the fastest-growing medium between 2010 and 2013 (14.6% a year) Television to contribute most new ad dollars (46% of total)

Novelty Wears Thin For Mobile Ads, Creativity Crucial

2011-10-10T12:29:00.000-07:00

OnlineMediaDaily
by Mark Walsh, Oct 6, 1:42 PM

Research in recent years has shown that performance rates for mobile advertising are often higher than for online advertising. Millward Brown unit Dynamic Logic, for instance, has found mobile campaigns increase ad awareness 22.5% and purchase intent 5.7% compared to 4.3% and 1.3% for online campaigns. The novelty of mobile ads has often been cited as one of the main factors contributing to their relative advantage over traditional Web ads.

But a new report from Dynamic Logic warns that as mobile matures, the novelty is wearing off, making creativity more crucial than ever in the emerging medium. "Today, poor creative can even have a negative impact on a brand, compared to the past three years when creative quality did not matter as much within mobile display advertising," said Ali Rana, senior vice president and head of Dynamic Logic's Emerging Media Lab.

What are the biggest mistakes advertisers are making in mobile? The study highlighted three:

*Repurposing online creative by cropping it for a mobile environment

*Showing one's brand only through a product shot

*Cluttering ads with too much text or too many logos

Based on its findings showing the importance of strong mobile creative, Dynamic Logic said it is developing a new copy-testing system specifically for mobile display advertising. The new testing solution to be released later this year promises to help agencies and advertisers optimize mobile creative to make the most of their ad buys.

The firm's latest research also identified three key elements that drive a successful mobile campaign:

*Left-side brand placement is generally most effective and has a strong impact on advertising recall

*Clear and persistent branding is important for brand awareness

*A strong call-to-action encourages interactivity and engagement to help drive purchase intent

In addition to novelty, Dynamic Logic said mobile ads have also benefited from the larger proportion of the screen devoted to advertising compared to online. Furthermore, the copy and content are typically more focused due to size and technology constraints. And as consumers become more accepting of mobile ads, the medium offers better targeting than most media.

The report also suggested mobile works well at communicating messages for "high-involvement" categories, like financial services. Even so, some of the best campaigns have come in low-involvement categories such as CPG, where ads are more effective in moving persuasion metrics, like favorability and purchase intent.

The question is whether marketers are willing to spend more to develop specialized ad creative for mobile. At the Mobile Media Summit in New York Wednesday, Eric Bader, president and chief strategy officer at Initiative, pointed out that mobile accounted for just 0.3% of ad spending in 2010.

He suggested that taking dollars from what he called "underperforming channels" such as direct mail, e-mail and search could increase mobile budgets.

At the same time, Bader advised that mobile should be used to extend exposure from traditional media including TV, radio, print and out-of-home advertising. "The success of mobile will start when we stop segregating it as a separate medium," he said

How Online Advertising Incentives Influence Brand Perception

2011-09-20T15:13:00.001-07:00

OnineMediaDaily
by Laurie Sullivan, Yesterday, 4:29 PM

Brand messages and incentives make consumers pay attention to ads, according to a recent study. In fact, combining the two strategies increases interaction by 91% and brand perception by 38%, as well as improved recall and purchase intent, according to findings from KN Dimestore and SocialVibe released Monday.

While 48% of survey participants reported they may initially opt-in to engage with a brand for the incentive, they stay and pay attention to the brand message.

SocialVibe calls the strategy "value-exchange brand advertising" and defines it as ads that ask for a consumer's attention in exchange for something they want, such as virtual currency for social games or making a donation to charity. It differs from offer-based, cost-per-action (CPA) advertising, which requires a sign-up or purchase of something.

The study, which gathers data from more than 30,000 survey respondents, set out to determine if and why incentives prompt people to engage with the advertisements, how they affect consumer perception of the brands, and whether they influence people to visit the company's Web site or tell a friend about the offer. Participants interacted with ads from U.S. brands across financial services, CPG, entertainment, e-commerce and technology categories between June and July of 2011.

Engaging with the ad increased the odds that the consumer would purchase the product. For instance, when survey participants were asked about their intent to purchase a brand, another CPG product in the study showed an increase of 32 points, or a 110 percent increase. A similar increase was seen in the entertainment category, where the intent to view a specific television program rose 32 points.

The study demonstrates that incentives through ads drive Web site and in-store traffic, as well as purchases and conversions. Consumers who gain a satisfied view through incentives tend to visit the brand's Web site more often and 36% are more likely to shop for brand-related items at physical store after interacting with the ad.

As part of the study, KN Dimestore, a subsidiary of Knowledge Networks, demonstrated how consumers took the opportunity to earn virtual currency to Zynga game players in exchange for interacting with a movie studio's ad. Consumers who had interacted -- as well as not interacted -- with the ad, were asked if they had gone to see the movie in theaters. The study revealed 32 out of every 100 people who interacted with the ad bought tickets and saw the movie.

TV Ad Futures: Set-Top Boxes, Network Sites Key To Targeting Customers

2011-09-20T15:10:00.001-07:00

MediaDailyNews
by Jim Harenchar, Yesterday, 8:45 AM

No one knows who coined the phrase "a race against time, but that's precisely the situation many programmers and operators find themselves in. They are losing viewers to the more sophisticated operators in the digital world -- a problem that will only worsen with time. An added challenge: they don't often know specifics on lost viewers.

Knowing your viewers/audience is the core of the issue. Except for a single major cable network, traditional TV broadcasters have only a vague idea of who their viewers are and what their preferences are. Compare that with what Internet-based operators like Google, Hulu and Netflix know about their audiences. For example, Google knows nearly everything about you.

They have tracked every search you have ever done. If you participate in Google Chrome or any type of Google analytics, they have captured all of your individual household data -- including your cell phone number. Most importantly, they have a clear understanding of what you like -- and what you don't. Based on that, they can tailor and target advertising specifically to you.

Other online services, like Hulu Plus and HBO Go, which offer subscribers television series and movies, likewise track individual viewer preferences. If, for example, I enjoy HBO'S "Entourage" and miss an episode of the cable TV series, I can find it, or others, via HBO Go.

HBO records my preference and, as it introduces a new program that's similar to "Entourage," I'll get an email that says something like: Hey, we're launching this new show, called "Boardwalk," that we think will appeal to "Entourage" fans like you who've been watching that program for years.

Savvy networks have jumped at the chance to interact with viewers. Studies show that knowing viewer preferences can add to incremental profits by as much as 20%. How? It can offer premium ad rates, due to the level of viewer-enhanced data that has been captured and self-reported.

Advertisers are increasingly demanding more of what we call T.I.M. -- advertising that is Targetable, Interactive and Measurable. Today's advanced advertisers care less about viewership or ratings and more about gathering viewer information and behavior. This requires building a dialogue with the viewer -- something the interactive technologies are best suited for.

As noted, satellite television providers and one major cable network can do the same -- not the rest of the cable TV industry. With the exception of one cable operator, technology today allows for so-called zone targeting that divides the country into some 800 zones, which is not nearly precise enough.

What's needed are ways to reach -- and interact with -- individual households so cable networks can know their viewing behavior and customize advertising to reach them. Industry analysts predict that nearly 100 million homes could be equipped with this technology by late 2012.

How is that done? At least two solutions are attracting attention. One is to drive as many cable TV viewers as possible to use the Internet to connect and interact with the Web sites of individual channels or providers, thus leveraging the power of the Web to capture viewer behavior.

Another is to provide viewers with advanced set-top cable boxes already in use in the forward-looking part of the industry. They will enable them to connect and interact with the channels they are watching, and that will enable those channels, and their cable providers to record and utilize individual household preferences and other unique information. This is a large part of the perceived value of the recent Motorola acquisition by Google to aid Google TV.

Either way, viewers can be encouraged to provide more information about themselves -- plus their viewing habits, which are already being recorded -- so they can be ad-targeted more precisely. For example if a customer is using the Internet to get information about home-equity loans from Bank A, Bank B, learning this, can offer an ad for its loans.

And, if tracking a particular householder's viewing habits yields information that he spends a lot of time watching a particular sports channel, an advertiser can target him with relevant ads.

These strategies, coupled with standard business intelligence analytics and data modeling, are giving the cable operators a fighting change to remain in the game. It's a constantly evolving landscape and both cable operators and advertisers recognize the impact these technologies will have on a nearly $70 billion market.

CBS Reports Strong Advertising For TV, Radio, Out-Of-Home Ad $

2011-09-20T14:58:00.000-07:00

MediaDailyNews
by Wayne Friedman, 97 minutes ago

Despite overall U.S. economic malaise, current fourth-quarter advertising business is healthy for CBS. There have only been a few last-minute cutbacks on season-long TV advertising deals made in June.

"I know the world wants us to say, 'Gee, the economy is down and advertising is down,' but that's not the case, "says Les Moonves, president/CEO of CBS Corp., speaking at Goldman Sachs Communacopia Conference. "The advertising climate is very strong."

Plus, Moonves says there has been little in the way of upfront advertising cutbacks that can occur before the start of the season. Between the upfront selling period in June and the start of the season in September, TV advertisers can make last-second adjustments -- mostly cutbacks -- to their proposed season-long broadcast deals.

"There have been very very little cancellations, [in terms of upfront] holds-to-orders," he says, "basically matching that of year ago and a year before that." Moonves added that advertising is strong for all TV, radio, outdoor businesses.

Although advertising still commands the bulk of CBS revenues -- more than 60% -- other revenue is growing in share, such as international program sales, helping to smooth out possible sharp changes in its ad revenue.

"The international marketplace is burgeoning," he says, noting that revenue has doubled from a few years ago. Overall, CBS can sell an TV show internationally for a collective $2 million an episode, a very profitable business.

"We have changed; we are not a cyclical company." says Moonves. CBS owns 70% of the programming it airs. "The guy with the most good content wins. We have the biggest library in the world."

Moonves reiterated his concern over Hulu in the U.S: "I don't like joint ventures with competitors," he says. "My content is really the family jewels."

He says domestic Hulu deals are not only exclusive; TV media owners only get 70 cents on the dollar for their TV shows that run on the premium digital video site. Also, Hulu in the U.S. offers up a broader exposure of shows -- which can devalue programming. "We don't want our content out so much," explains Moonves.

While CBS will not sell programming to Hulu, it has no problem making international cash deals with the company. In the future, CBS would consider Hulu Plus, which in theory offers the possibly of giving media companies more money for its TV shows.

In order of programming revenue priority, Moonves says, the No. 1 place for CBS shows is advertising on the CBS network. Next, CBS counts on revenue from international and domestic syndication.

After that, the network turns to Netflix and Amazon. Of the Netflix deal, Moonves says CBS has sold only 7% of its library to the DVD-mail order/streaming TV service, but not much in the way of recent TV episodes or shows. "Netflix wanted everything we had on the air," he says.

Retrans fees continue to grow for CBS, where CBS stations will get fees from cable/satellite/telco operators, as well as a piece from CBS affiliates for their deals. This could account for "hundreds of millions of dollars a year," says Moonves.

CBS still keeps its eye on programming costs -- which only grow a couple of percentage points a year. A couple of seasons ago, Moonves says CBS cancelled "Without a Trace," a co-production of CBS and Warner Bros., because costs escalated to $4 million an episode. It was replaced by "The Good Wife, which cost $1.6 million an episode.

Global TV Stats Down, But U.S. Viewing On The Rise

2011-09-07T20:47:00.000-07:00

MediaDailyNews Wednesday, Sep 7, 2011
by Steve McClellan, Yesterday, 5:42 PM

A sweeping new report from Swedish tech firm Ericsson that studied viewing habits across 13 developed countries found that fewer people are tuning in to watch regularly scheduled TV, recorded programs and DVDs, while on-demand content from the Web -- including TV shows, movies and clips -- is rising steadily.

By contrast, according to Nielsen, TV viewing in the U.S. is growing from all sources -- including traditional TV, where audiences tuned in an average 22 minutes more per month in the first quarter of 2011 compared to the same period a year ago.

The Ericsson report, part of an annual trend study the company has conducted since 2004 via its ConsumerLab unit, was based on a survey of 13,000 respondents from June to August.

In six of the countries surveyed -- the U.S., Sweden, Germany, Spain, UK and Taiwan -- the report found that a combined 84% of this year's respondents indicated that they watched scheduled broadcast TV more than once a week. By comparison, 88% of the respondents in last year's survey said they watched more than once a week, indicating a year-to-year four-percentage-point decline.

Among the same group, there was also a year-to-year drop in the amount of recorded broadcast TV that was watched more than once a week: 45% this year, versus 50% in 2010. And viewing for DVDs was down a percentage point.

In addition, the amounts of viewing to streamed movies, TV shows and video clips were all up by two to three percentage points across the six countries, the report found.

Broken out by country, the study found that Spain had the highest percentage of on-demand viewing -- 44% -- while the U.S. was second with 41% and the UK third with 40%.

"On-demand viewing is increasingly popular, while broadcast viewing has decreased," stated Anders Erlandsson, Ericsson's head researcher for the trend report.

TV has not been as negatively impacted by the Internet as print has to date, Erlandsson added. "But looking ahead, ConsumerLab research indicates that on-demand viewing continues to grow in popularity, and might eventually surpass broadcast."

Key 18-34s Watch TV Via Mobile

2011-09-07T20:44:00.001-07:00

MediaDailyNews
Thursday, Sep 8, 2011
by David Goetzl, 8 hours ago

There has been considerable talk about a generation accustomed to watching TV on laptops forgoing a traditional cable subscription. How about the remote control? Could millennials usher in the downfall of that techno wonder?

A survey conducted under the aegis of Boston-based media consulting group Altman Vilandrie & Co. shows that 41% of 18-to-34s would rather use a smartphone, tablet or computer keyboard to switch channels or program the DVR than the traditional handheld device.

"Instead of the age-old argument about who holds the TV remote, families will soon be squabbling over whose smartphone is controlling the TV," stated Altman Vilandrie Director Jonathan Hurd.

Altman Vilandrie noted that a would-be decline of the remote control -- which would come at a time when the devices are critical for interactive advertising -- is one potential impact of 18-to-34s bringing new behaviors to TV viewing.

Just one-third of the group said they "watch TV shows during the normal broadcast time on a daily basis," compared to 58% for those ages 35 plus.

Also, "cord shaving" -- a term for spending less time with cable -- is on the rise. Usage of online and mobile viewing is up -- as 20% said they spend less time with cable than they used to because of online video, up from 15% last year.

"Consumers are removing the shackles of the traditional prime-time TV lineup and creating their own personal networks of preferred programming and viewing times," stated Hurd.

The survey, conducted by Research Now for Altman Vilandrie, also found that 11% of smartphone owners in the 18-to-34 segments watch TV shows and movies on mobile phones daily.

Cable operators, however, may be able to leverage the popularity of HD to hold onto younger subscribers. The survey showed that 75% of 18-to-24s are "bothered by a lack of HD."

Research Now canvassed 1,000-plus U.S. consumers in July for the results.

Nielsen Brings TV Metrics To Online Ads

2011-09-07T20:38:00.000-07:00

MediaDailyNews
by David Goetzl, September 8, 2011
10 hours ago

Nielsen said its new service -- which looks to bring TV-style measurement to online advertising, including video -- has received a stamp of approval from the Media Rating Council. Tabbed Online Campaign Ratings, Disney networks, Facebook, GroupM and Starcom MediaVest are among the clients using it.

The system -- which been in test for some time and was announced in September 2010 -- hit the market Aug. 15, meaning that MRC accreditation largely parallels the launch. Nielsen has launched products that have received wide use, such as the TV C3 metric, well before MRC offered its verdict.

The Online Campaign Ratings seek to provide overnight data on online audience reach, frequency and gross rating points. Demographic data is attached.
MediaDailyNews

The service melds data collected from Nielsen's traditional TV and online panel with demographic information provided by online data providers.

Steve Hasker, president, media product and advertiser solutions, Nielsen, stated that the ratings system would supply "the trusted metrics needed to prove the true value of advertising on a site, in terms that are familiar to brand marketers and comparable to other media."

Advertisers are intrigued by the prospect of using the online data in conjunction with TV ratings to get a fuller picture of cross-media measurement.

GroupM's Lyle Schwartz stated that the new streams allow "the ability to analyze consistent multiscreen metrics ... with valuable insights into the value of online advertising and its role in the communications spectrum."

MRC is a nonprofit that seeks to ensure industry measurement systems are reliable and
effective.

8 Reasons Your Employees Don’t Care

2011-09-07T20:32:00.000-07:00

bNET
By Jeff Haden | September 6, 2011

Pay only goes so far. Higher salaries are like the bigger house syndrome: Move into a bigger house and initially it feels roomier, but after awhile larger becomes the new normal.

Employees don’t automatically perform at higher levels if wages are higher because commitment, dedication, and motivation are not based on pay. No matter how high the salary, if you treat employees poorly they won’t care — about their jobs or your business.

Here are eight reasons employees don’t care:

1.No freedom. Best practices are definitely important, but not every task deserves a best practice or micro-managed approach. Autonomy breeds engagement and satisfaction. Autonomy also breeds innovation. Even manufacturing and heavily process-oriented positions have room for different approaches or paths. Decide which process battles are worth fighting; otherwise, let employees have some amount of freedom to work they way they work best.

2.No targets. Goals are fun. (I’ve never met anyone who wasn’t at least a little bit competitive.) Targets create a sense of purpose and add meaning to even the most repetitive tasks. Without a goal to shoot for, work is just work.

3.No sense of mission. We all like to feel a part of something bigger. Striving to be worthy of words like “best” or “largest” or “fastest” or “highest quality” provides a sense of purpose. Let employees know what you want the business to achieve; how can they care about your dreams if they don’t know your dreams?

4.No clear expectations. While every job should include decision-making latitude, every job also has basic expectations regarding the way certain situations should be handled. Criticize an employee for providing a refund today even though last week refunds were standard procedure and you’ve lost the employee. (How can I do a good job when I don’t know what doing a good job means?) When standards change, always communicate those changes first — then stick with them. And when you don’t, explain why this particular situation is different.

5.No input. Everyone wants to be smart. How do I show I’m smart? By offering suggestions and ideas. (Otherwise no matter how hard I work I just feel like a robot.) Deny me the opportunity to make suggestions, or shoot my suggestions down without consideration, and I’m just a robot — and robots don’t care. Make it easy for employees to present ideas and when an idea doesn’t have merit take the time to explain why. You can’t implement every idea, but you can make employees feel good every time they make a suggestion.

6.No connection. The company provides the paycheck, but employees work for people. A kind word, a short discussion about family, a brief check-in to see if they need anything… person-to-person moments are much more important than meetings or formal evaluations. Employees want to be seen as people, not numbers. Numbers don’t care. People care — especially when you care about them first.

7.No consistency. Most employees can deal with a boss who is demanding and quick to criticize… as long as she treats every employee the same way. (Think of it as the Vince Lombardi effect.) While it’s okay — in fact necessary — to treat employees differently, all employees must be treated fairly. Similar achievements should result in similar praise and rewards. Similar offenses should result in similar disciplinary actions. The key to maintaining consistency is to communicate; the more employees understand why a decision was made, the less likely they are to assume favoritism or unfair treatment.

8.No future. Every job should have the potential to lead to something better, either within or outside the company. I worked my way through college at a manufacturing plant. I had no future with the company because everyone understood I would only stay until I graduated. One day my boss said, “Hey, let me show you how we set up the job scheduling board.” I looked at him oddly; why show me instead of someone else? In response he said, “Some day, somewhere, you’ll be in charge of production. Might as well start learning now.” Take the time to develop employees for jobs they hope to fill — even if those positions are outside your company. They will care about your business because they know you care about them.

Sales Jobs of the Future

2011-08-30T11:12:00.000-07:00

WOW!!! After training 37,000 sales and management media professionals for the last 25 years, I looked at the nomenclatures of sales jobs of the future and they are indeed how I see what I have called Account Managers or Portfolio Managers for TV, Radio and Cable. Enjoy the essay below...and be sure to share this blog with your friends..Philip Jay LeNoble, Ph.D.

bNET
By Geoffrey James | August 25, 2011

In my recent post “Sales Jobs: Not Just Hunters and Farmers” I provided some observations about the future of selling based upon research conducted at The Chally Group.

I received a dozen requests for more information about the change roles of sales professionals, so here is a brief description of the kind of roles that are evolving today, and will become even more common in the future.

Here are the job roles:

Indirect Sales. Must be able to train channels (resellers and distributors) on sales and programs, make joint sales calls, motivate channel partner through presentations and conversation, provide product knowledge as necessary and maintain repeat sales through the channel.

Strategic Account Manager. Must be able to develop leads, find opportunities, penetrate prospect and customer accounts. Requires long hours of communication and account development, as well as problem solving and the ability to bring opportunities to a close.

New Business Development (aka “Hunter”). Demands individuals who can develop leads, find opportunities, penetrate prospects and customers, and be willing to put in long hours as well as problem solve and close.

Account Management (aka “Farmer”). Requires excellent customer relations, skills focused on working internal systems on the customer’s behalf, and effectiveness at explaining and clarifying issues to the customer; this is driven by the desire to increase business and the ability to work long hours when necessary to accomplish that.

Territory Consultative Product Sales. Focuses on establishing a credible image, developing new business through effective qualifying and presentation skills driven by the motivation to be an effective consultant

Territory Relationship Product Sales. Calls for a disciplined and systematic approach to goal achievement and a focused response to customer needs in a service capacity, as well as effective communication skills and the ability to work a sales plan in account penetration; removes objections and gives permission to buy.

Territory Consultative System Sales. Demands the skill to develop business through effective lead generation, qualification of profitable prospects, and tailored presentations; willing to work long hours to meet objectives, sets ambitious goals and achieves them through effective selling, and understands sales strategies and tactics.

Territory Relationship System Sales. Adapts image to accommodate customers, gives personal attention, and takes hands-on responsibility for assuring continued customer satisfaction; knowledgeable of sales strategies and pushes to set personal records in sales; comfortable with the recognition of a high-profile role.

System Specialist. Focuses on assuming the leadership to learn customer needs and goals, stays continuously aware of the market and spends the long hours it takes to influence and train others.

Product/Service Specialist. Customers look for individuals who provide reliable information, learn their business, know the market, and communicate effectively while remaining dedicated to their own sales results.

Product/Transactional Specialist. Demands initiative and perseverance to develop leads, qualify, and close on an ongoing basis.

Outbound Telesales. Takes the initiative to present benefits and answer objections in order to grow the business; willing to learn the products and services; can persevere for as long as necessary to succeed.

Inbound Telesales. Requires an image conscious vocal demeanor in a service oriented individual who is interested in learning the customer’s needs, solving problems, and making the appropriate (and profitable) recommendations

Customer Service Representative. Calls for a focused commitment to take personal responsibility for satisfying all customers, regardless of their attitude or style; solutions must be intelligently thought out, often quickly, and presented with a positive attitude.

Needless to say, these differentiated roles are more likely to be found inside large companies than small ones, but they definitely represent a movement away from the “jack of all trades” view of the sale professional, and towards a vision of selling that is, well…, more professional.

5 Characteristics of Successful People

2011-08-30T11:05:00.000-07:00

bNET
By Steve Tobak, Early Spring 2011

If you’ve been around long enough, you’re probably aware that most important things in life come about seemingly by accident, chance, or coincidence. Discovering what you were meant to do, meeting your spouse, finding an incredibly unique opportunity or a great job, that sort of thing.

Well, those events are not as random as you might think. Certain behavioral attributes increase the probability of these “happy accidents” occurring. And not only are these characteristics of successful people, they are, I believe, learnable or teachable.

First, here are some examples of what I’m talking about - how important things happen seemingly by accident - followed by five enabling characteristics of successful people:

Steve Jobs returned to Apple as part of its acquisition of NeXT. A year later, Jobs was once again running the company he co-founded and cleaning house. Eventually, the stars aligned for the greatest turnaround in business history. But Jobs returning to Apple was nobody’s grand design. It just sort of happened that way.

The way Bill Gates and Microsoft came to develop and own the rights to IBM’s PC operating system is so far-fetched you couldn’t make it up. Gates had been working on a programming language for IBM. When IBM mentioned needing an operating system, Gates referred them to Digital Research, but CEO Gary Kindall left negotiations to his wife, who wouldn’t sign IBM’s non-disclosure agreement. So IBM went back to Gates, who bought QDOS from a Seattle company and sold it to IBM while retaining exclusive licensing rights. You know the rest.

Yesterday I watched an interview with Rivers Cuomo, founder of alternative rock band Weezer. Cuomo described an 18-month stint working as a clerk for Tower Records as the transformative event that completely changed the way he thought about music. After that, he formed Weezer and the rest is history.

In Unusual Origins of 15 Innovative Companies, we saw that lots of great companies started out making products that had nothing to do with what they eventually became known for. American Express was an express mail company, 3M mined a mineral, Nokia was a paper mill, and Toyota made looms. Somehow, leaders of these companies found a way to achieve greatness.

As for me, everything that’s ever mattered in my life happened pretty much by accident. Meeting my wife, discovering the high-tech industry, a whole bunch of great job opportunities, even blogging for CNET and then BNET, were all chance events that essentially fell in my lap. Or did they?

Of course, none of this stuff happened purely by chance. Everyone involved in the above events had certain characteristics that ultimately weighed heavily on their actions and ultimate success. To me, it boils down to five attributes:

5 Characteristics That Enable Accidental Success

Being opportunistic. That means taking advantage of opportunities as they arise, including a willingness to act boldly and decisively and to take risks without overanalyzing possible outcomes. Successful invention requires a lot of trial and error. That’s the mindset of an entrepreneur.

Ability to network, schmooze, persuade. Not social networking, but old school networking. In fact, the actual definition of schmooze is “to converse informally, to chat, or to chat in a friendly and persuasive manner especially so as to gain favor, business, or connections.” That’s what opens doors.

Having a can-do attitude. You can be presented with all the opportunities in the world, but if you’re a negatron - always seeing the glass half empty, the fly in the ointment, why it can’t or shouldn’t be done - you’ll never capitalize on any of it. You’ll be the guy who’s always saying, “I almost [fill in the blank]; I don’t know what went wrong.”

Being genuine and open. Some people think BSers and those who sugarcoat the truth or tell people what they want to hear get ahead. Now that’s BS. Smart, successful people are attracted to those who are genuine and open. Being genuine entices others to open up and share their thoughts and feelings.

Being inquisitive or searching for answers, how things work, a place in the world.
This characteristic is difficult to explain or quantify, but I think it comes down to a genuine need to figure things out, understand how things work, or do something important. It drives certain people and, one thing’s for sure: we don’t stop until we find what we’re looking for.

Why Control Freaks Are Natural Leaders

2011-08-30T11:01:00.000-07:00

bNET
By Steve Tobak | August 25, 2011

If you work for one or live with one, I guarantee you’re not going to like this post. But like it or not, the characteristics that make control freaks insufferable jerks may be the unwanted flipside of what makes them natural leaders.

Now, before you hit the delete key or flame me, note that we’ve spent quite a bit of time on the negative qualities of control freaks, i.e. that they’re typically overly demanding, micromanaging, bullying, untrusting, aggressive, compulsive, paranoid, stress monsters.

Even worse, their self-image doesn’t begin to comprehend what a pain in the butt they truly are. Nevertheless, control freaks can and often do make very good, successful leaders. Why is that one of the best-kept secrets in the business world? Two reasons:

For one thing, control freaks tend to keep pretty busy, well, controlling, running companies, bossing people around, and generating gobs of free cash flow. And, as I said, they probably don’t even know what they are. So they’re not talking.
Also, just about everyone with something to say about control freaks and leadership is either pandering to the masses of oppressed workers to promote a book, has limited real-world leadership experience, or both.

Not me. I’ve got no skin in the game, point to prove, axe to grind, bone to pick, and more to the point, no book to promote. I’m just here to offer insights into the types of people you’re likely to run into in the workplace and how to deal with them when you do. Also, you just might find some clues into your own behavior along the way.

In any case, here are four reasons Why Control Freaks Are Natural Leaders:

1. By nature, they’re results oriented problem solvers

Controlling and obsessive compulsive characteristics are two sides of the same coin. People with those traits can barely walk down the street or around the office without seeing one thing after another that needs fixing or can be done more effectively.

While a lot of what they home in on is trivial, some of it isn’t. Maybe it’s just probability, but sooner or later control freaks will latch onto some tough, hairy problems and, for reasons we’ll get into in a moment, they’re uniquely capable of solving them. They’re natural problem solvers.

And you know what that means? It means they really get off on fixing things and getting things done. I’d go as far as to say that accomplishing things, putting notches in their belt, are all like drugs that control freaks are addicted to. They crave it; they love it; they salivate for it. They’re naturally results oriented. That and problem solving are critical leadership traits.

2. They’ve got something to prove and believe they’re special

As we discussed in CEOs Are Just Like You - Without All the Whining, successful executives have often experienced significant adversity early in life, are unusually smart and instinctive, are natural survivors, have something to prove, believe they’re special, and can be like pit bulls when it comes to their vision.

And while they’re not special - we’re all made of the same flesh and blood - they don’t know that. And the belief that they’re destined for great things is often self-fulfilling.

Incidentally, if you ask these folks if they think they’re special, they’ll say no. Conscious thought is one thing, but on some subconscious level, they do believe they’re special. And that belief, combined with the need to prove themselves, is likely to be the most powerful motivating force in their lives.

All that goes hand-in-hand with controlling behavior, although successful executives usually learn to keep that behavior in check and delegate effectively. Nevertheless, it’s in them.

3. They’re often driven by a compulsive need to get attention and be adored

Many, if not most people who exhibit controlling behavior are also narcissistic, to some extent. I wouldn’t quite call them two sides of the same coin, but I would venture to say they often go hand-in-hand.

Like it or not, that’s a powerful drive in leadership and probably one of the most identifiable characteristics in charismatic people. Sure, genuine humility and a healthy sense of humor are also characteristics of charismatic leaders that aren’t linked to controlling behavior.

Still - and here’s a twist - believe it or not, in their relentless drive to be liked, narcissists can often do a pretty good job of faking genuine characteristics like humility and humor. That’s what drives many entertainers and comedians.

Back to executives and leaders, as long as their capability holds up, i.e. they perform and their companies succeed, that facade can go on almost indefinitely.

4. Anecdotally speaking, they’re out there in great numbers

If you read Are You a Control Freak? then you know that I’m a control freak. Not only that, but I’ve known and worked with literally hundreds like me or worse. Anecdotally speaking, I’d say a relatively significant percentage of senior executives and entrepreneurs in the tech industry and beyond exhibit controlling behavior. What percentage? I don’t know; I never counted.

Just as notable, my list would include some names you’d recognize as some of the more successful entrepreneurs and CEOs around: Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, and Larry Ellison, just to drop a few names. But for every name you’d recognize, I can list dozens you’ve never heard of. Sure, that’s just one guy’s experience, but it’s one guy with 30 years under his belt. And I do get around.

Also, have you ever wondered why there are so many books and blogs on the subject? Because, there’s a lot to write about, i.e. controlling leaders, executives, and managers are out there, and in very big numbers.

Now, I’ll be the first to admit that, in practice, those same characteristics, in the extreme, can result in some pretty dysfunctional, self-limiting, even self-destructive behavior. In the latter case, you definitely don’t want to be around - especially as an employee or investor - when that happens, that’s for sure.

Nevertheless, nobody’s perfect, there’s a natural yin and yang to the universe, and try as you might, you simply can’t have the good without the bad. Human behavior isn’t black and white; it’s a balancing act that’s measured in degrees.

Find me a leader without significant negative qualities and I’ll show you someone you just don’t know well enough or haven’t observed under the right conditions.

There simply are no ideal leaders, managers, or bosses, just as there are no ideal employees, coworkers, spouses, friends, or anything else human, for that matter. That’s just how it is, like it or not.

6 Ways to Get Out of a Rut

2011-08-25T12:50:00.000-07:00

While this essay is directed at business owners..I believe there's something to extract for media professionals in this "Same Stuff, Different Day" box. Also a good piece to share with local-direct clients. Philip Jay LeNoble, Ph.D. Publisher

The bNet Report
By Jeff Haden | August, 2011

As a business owner it’s easy to get that “Same Stuff, Different Day” feeling: Every day you face the same frustrations, same roadblocks, same employee headaches, same problems with vendors and suppliers and, yes, even customers.

And before you know it you’re in an SSDD rut.

How do you get out? It’s not easy, but it can be done.

While you can’t change what you do — you still have to deal with employees and vendors and suppliers and customers — you can change your approach.

Here are six ways to break out of your SSDD rut:

1.Get back in the trenches. Most business owners start a business based on a passion. As the business grows, though, they spend more time working on the business than in the business. (Which is usually a good thing, but not in this case.) The more successful your business, the less time you get to spend actually doing what you love. If you’re a florist with three shops, you probably spend the bulk of your time organizing and managing and firefighting and very little time creating beautiful arrangements. Take a step back and “work” for a few hours or better yet a full day. You’ll start the next day recharged… and you’ll remember why you love your business.

2.Change how you measure. We all have internal measures for how we work. Some people work based on time: “I’ll work on (this) for two hours.” Others work based on tasks: “I’ll work on this until it’s finished.” Others dip in and out of various tasks all day. Think about how you normally approach your day, and switch it up. If you tend to be time-based, switch to task mode: Don’t stop working on a task until it’s complete. If you’re task-oriented, set a time limit for a task instead. Either way you’ll be more productive. If you like to finish projects, setting a time limit will cause you to work smarter and harder to make sure you get done within the time allowed. If you like to work for a set period of time, forcing yourself to finish a task will make you more productive for the same reasons. And no matter what, you’ll look at how you work differently.

3.Eliminate five things. Everyone does things they don’t have to. Do you really review every report employees create? (More to the point, do employees really review and act on every report you create?) Some processes no longer make sense. Some guidelines no longer make sense. Look around and find five things you can eliminate: Reports, tasks, processes… anything that falls into the category of, “Well, that’s how we’ve always done things…” The more “stuff” you eliminate the more your day changes and the more time you free up to focus on what really matters.

4.Delegate five things. Face it: You hang on to too much. We all do. We’re convinced that some things only we can do. No one else has the skills, or the experience… or simply cares enough. Not true. Your employees can perform many tasks just as well as you can, often even better. One of your employees has outstanding interpersonal skills; let him work with a few key customers. One of your employees is so organized she makes Stephen Covey look sloppy; turn more processes over to her. Explain, train, follow up, then let go — and give employees a chance to grow.

5.Work with your best. I know. Twenty percent of your employees take 80% of your time. It’s natural to spend more time with struggling or poor performers. It’s also draining. Switch it up: Spend a few hours with your best employees. They’ll appreciate the attention — and you’ll be inspired.

6.Fire the worst. One of your employees probably needs to go: He’s not just a poor performer, he’s a morale killer. Or maybe one of your customers needs to go: The margins are too low and the effort is too high. Or maybe a product line needs to be cut: Doesn’t sell anymore (if it ever did), takes up valuable shelf space and a big chunk of operating capital, and trying to make it a winner drains resources from every part of your business. Nagging, long-term problems lie at the heart of the SSDD syndrome. Whatever your “worst” is, let it go. It may be painful at first, but in time you’ll wonder why it took you so long

Bosses, Now It’s Your Turn: 6 Ways to Get Ahead

2011-08-25T12:26:00.001-07:00

The bNet Report
By Jeff Haden | August 22, 2011

The problem is that even though performance, not persona, is what matters most, getting ahead is at least partly based on getting noticed — and getting noticed means being different.

Here are six ways you can get noticed through actions that make you stand out from the pack.

1. Be known for something worthwhile. Meeting standards, however lofty those standards may be, often won’t help you stand out. Go above the norm. Be the supervisor known for turning around struggling employees. Be the manager who gets a higher percentage of employees promoted. Be the business owner who makes a few deliveries a week to personally check in with customers. Pick a worthwhile mission and put in the extra effort required to excel at that mission — while still meeting all your other responsibilities, of course.

2. Be first… with a purpose. Lots of bosses are the first to arrive. Great — but what do you do with that time? Organize your thoughts? Get a jump on your email? Instead of taking care of “personal” tasks, do something visibly worthwhile for the organization. Take care of unresolved problems from the day before. Set things up so it’s easier for employees to hit the ground running when they arrive. Chip away at an ongoing project that others have ignored. Whatever you choose, do it consistently. Don’t just be the person who turns on the lights — be the person who arrives early and gets things done.

3. Create your own project. Excelling at an assigned project is expected. Excelling at a project you create helps you stand out. The key is to take a risk with a project, and do it on your own time so your company or customer doesn’t share that risk. For example, (many) years ago I decided to create a Web-based employee handbook we could put on the company intranet. I worked on it at home, showed it to a few managers, but the HR manager hated it so it died on the spot. I was disappointed but the company wasn’t “out” anything — and partly as a result a few months later I was assigned to a high-visibility, company–wide process improvement team. The same works for business owners: Experiment with a new process or service with a particular customer in mind. If nothing else they will appreciate the extra effort you put into trying to better meet their needs — and you’ll stand out.

4. Put your money where your mouth is. Lots of people take verbal stands, especially in meetings. Fewer take a stand and volunteer to put effort behind their opinions. Say you think a project has gone off the rails; instead of simply showing everyone how smart you are by pointing out its flaws, volunteer to help fix it. Or if you think an employee deserves another chance, don’t just pay lip service — ask to have him transferred to your area. It’s easy to talk about what’s wrong, what should be changed, what could be improved… the people who stand out are the ones who do something about it.

5. Show a little of your personal side. Personal interests help other people to identify and remember you, an especially important advantage in large organizations or crowded markets. Just make sure your personal interests don’t overshadow professional accomplishments. Being “the guy who ran a marathon” is fine, but being “the guy who is always training and traveling to marathons” is not. Let people know a little about you; a few personal details add color and depth to your professional image.

6. Work your butt off. Nothing — nothing — is a substitute for hard work. Look around: How many of your coworkers or competitors are working as hard as they can? Very few, if any. The hardest way to stand out is to out-think and out-work everyone else.

It’s also the easiest — because you’ll be the only one trying.

Private Equity Is Bullish On Broadcasting

2011-08-25T12:09:00.000-07:00

TVNewsCheck
By Price Colman August 24, 2011 7:35 AM EDT

As many as eight of the TVNewsCheck Top 30 station groups already have private equity backing, as do several smaller station groups, and there are hints that private equity investors could be preparing for another push into the sector. “Private equity used to buy because of growth,” says an industry source involved with M&A activity. “Now they’re buying because groups are throwing off cash.”
By Price Colman
TVNewsCheck, August 24, 2011 7:35 AM EDT Ah, the good old days. Remember when private equity’s broadcast buying spree boosted multiples, stock prices and overall sector fortunes?

Those days are gone. Now it’s stormy skies clouded by reverse compensation, tight credit (when credit’s available at all) and sagging ad revenues. And oh, yeah, don’t forget the struggling economy.

But guess what? Private equity still likes broadcast.

As many as eight of the TVNewsCheck Top 30 station groups already have private equity backing, as do several smaller station groups, and there are hints that private equity investors could be preparing for another push into the sector (see chart below).

“We have seen some interest in our research from private equity firms,” says Mark Fratrik, VP of BIA/Kelsey. “Demand for our research products and services is often a bellwether.”

Although broadcast has suffered over the past several years, its ability to generate and increase free cash flow remains an attraction.

“Private equity used to buy because of growth,” says an industry source involved with M&A activity. “Now they’re buying because groups are throwing off cash.”

That points to an upsurge in M&A when the financial planets line up.

“There are still a number of station groups that are well-positioned to be acquired by talented management teams backed by private equity sponsors,” says Michael Alcamo, head of M.C. Alcamo & Co., an investment banking firm. “The consumer value proposition in broadcasting remains high. We don't yet see enthusiasm among lenders, but that will return in due course.”

Private equity investments typically carry certain conditions, a key one being the investment window, usually five to seven years. That’s why, at any given time, one private equity fund may be looking to exit a given investment while another, perhaps even from the same firm, is looking to get in.

“Private equity investors in Nexstar and LIN have been in a long time, well beyond their investment windows,” says the head of a private-equity backed station group. “I am sure a lot of those companies would like to get out. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t other private equity looking to get in. You’re always going to have this coming and going because that’s the nature of private equity.”

ABRY has been majority owner and controlling stakeholder in Nexstar Broadcasting for about 15 years, more than twice as long as the optimum investment window.

Nexstar was close to arranging a buyout of ABRY’s stake — roughly 54% economic control and 88% voting control — when news leaked, forcing Nexstar to publicly disclose it was exploring “strategic options,” including a possible sale of the company.

That was never the plan, says a source familiar with the situation. “They’re not getting any bids from anybody; they never thought they would,” the source says. “They were well on the way to financing a recapitalization of the company and take ABRY out. That approach still will work. They’re not talking about breaking up the company. They want this deal to go through.”

Prospective buyers include TPG, Oak Hill and Providence Equity, according to various sources.

HM Capital, which bought a controlling stake in LIN Media in 1998, is also said to be looking for an exit.

Nexstar, ABRY, HM Capital and LIN either did not respond to queries seeking comment or declined interview requests.

When Oak Hill, Providence, and others paid cash flow multiples of 12-14 times in the mid-2000s, it was because the math worked. Consistent cash flow paid down debt, covered the private-equity fund’s annual management fee (typically around 2%), potentially funded some reinvestment in the business and maybe even some payouts to investors along the way.

Under that model, the big payback came when investors cashed out, ideally at a higher multiple. The window’s still open on those private equity investments, so it remains to be seen how well they’ll perform.

But when credit markets shut down in 2007-09 and the model private equity liked — finance 80%, put 20% down — was no longer viable, the landscape changed and investors had to tinker with the equation.

Then there’s Sankaty Advisors, a division of Bain, that’s backing George Lilly’s plan to build a group of up to eight stations at SJL Holdings.

“In putting the deal together for the ABC stations, I was fortunate Sankaty was willing to do both equity and senior debt,” Lilly says. “I spoke to a number of private equity companies who were interested in a television investment but the question was how do you put the senior debt together."

Despite economic uncertainty, “I think there are positive vibes from equity players regarding broadcast,” Lilly adds. “The greatest impediment is bank financing. There’s enough cash out there for someone to finance the entire transaction, but it’s rare to find someone with that level of commitment.”

Cash flow remains key.

“I think the private-equity mindset for those who want to get in now is they see broadcast as a stable, cash-flow business,” says the head of a smaller station group that’s private equity owned.

If that cash flow can be enhanced through acquisitions, particularly properties with potential for growing retransmission consent fees and limited reverse compensation downside, “they think they can capitalize on that,” the source says.

Even absent that, effective management that can grow cash flow over the course of the investment can translate into doubling of profits — or better — at exit.

Here’s the working hypothesis: XYZ Private Equity buys Big Deal Broadcasting at eight times the average two-year cash flow of $100 million — that is, $800 million. Over seven years, Big Deal management doubles cash flow through JSAs, retrans and Internet revenue boosts, and greater operating efficiencies. When XYZ exits, the multiple’s still 8X, but the deal’s now worth $1.6 billion vs. $800 million at the buy-in.

Significant headwinds remain for broadcast M&A. One is constraint surrounding senior debt.

Another, perhaps more important factor, is the uncertainty over reverse compensation.

“To the extent that there are a lot of question marks around the future of our business — in addition to secular issues, spectrum, retrans and network compensation — all those things make private equity more conservative about what they think they’re going to get at the end,” Lilly says. “That leads to a fair amount of caution regarding private equity making investments right now.

“The question of what the landscape will look like in five to seven years is a major driver of why we’re not seeing a lot of deals.”

It was a near universal view, colored strongly by hope, that the M&A market would rev up in the second half of this year into the first half of next year. That’s looking less likely. “Everybody thought exiting in 2012 was the thing,” says one station group boss. “I think it will be 2014.”

Freedom and Young have effectively put the brakes on proposed deals, though Young’s for-sale sign was unofficial.

Broadcasters and investors alike are pinning hopes on a McGraw-Hill deal that will help set the valuation bar and that, in turn, will spur other deals. McGraw-Hill put its four attractive network affiliates on the block in June.

“I think that if private equity is interested at all in broadcast, that would get their attention,” says Barry Lucas, senior vice president-research at Gabelli & Co.

Lucas noted that he has a hold on McGraw-Hill stock (MHP) and owns no stock personally, although it’s possible an affiliate, GAMCO Investors, may hold shares.

“It should be very straightforward, relatively bite sized for anyone, so you could get a smaller private equity player to bring in a management team to run the stations,” he says. “There’s an opportunity to enhance what are thought to be very anemic margins and make some money.

“It’s exactly what I would want if I were private equity.”

Today, senior lenders, usually banks, typically will lend for broadcast at a multiple of no more than 3-4 times cash flow, sources say. That means if a deal is going at an 8 multiple, the buyer must be prepared to put down up to 50%.

Private equity investors with plenty of cash — and many have it — are well positioned. Others, perhaps wishing to spread the risk, might try to pull in other interested parties, forego a controlling interest for a smaller stake, or look for smaller deals.

One example of the shared risk approach: Broadcasting Media Partners Inc., an investor group including Madison Dearborn Partners, Providence Equity Partners, TPG, Thomas H. Lee Partners and Saban Capital Group. It owns Ion Media.

Among those willing to take smaller stakes is Amalgamated Gadget, which has, or had, pieces of LIN, Belo, Nexstar, Gray and Emmis.

Entravision: Dual TV/Radio Ad Campaigns Up Reach

2011-08-17T15:55:00.000-07:00

MediaDailyNews
by Wayne Friedman, Yesterday, 12:28 PM

Results from a TV-radio station test indicate that jointly selling radio and TV advertising together in simultaneous campaigns can increase audience reach -- and deliver near prime-time viewership levels -- all with the help of a single-source measuring system.

Arbitron Inc. and Entravision Communications, a Spanish-language media company that owns TV and radio stations, said a test with Entravision's Denver, Colo. stations showed improved audience reach. It also includes out-of-home viewing, thanks to Arbitron's portable people meter (PPM) ratings service.

The test discovered -- as other studies have shown -- that usage patterns of television and radio complement each other. From 6 a.m. to 4 p.m., radio delivers 70% to 80% of the combined television/radio audience; television delivers 80% of the audience from 7 p.m. to midnight. Each platform delivers a distinct Mediaand separate consumer.

All this offers advertisers gains by using a single-source measuring system such as Arbitron's.

Jeff Liberman, president of the radio division of Entravision, stated: "This single-source, cross-platform PPM pilot project reaffirms what we've been proving to our advertisers for years -- utilizing both radio and television is an efficient and effective way to increase reach over a radio-only or television-only advertising schedule."

U.S. Stocks Stabilize and Retail Sales are Up

2011-08-12T13:52:00.001-07:00

The Daily Beast Cheat Sheet: Friday August 12, 2011

The extreme mood swings on the U.S. stock market seemed to have calmed down a bit as one of the most volatile weeks in Wall Street history comes to a close. The Dow jumped 97 points just minutes after the opening bell. At noon, it had climbed 185 points, or 1.6 percent. By mid-afternoon it had stabilized, holding onto modest gains. Financial, energy, and industrial stocks saw the biggest early upticks following good reports on retail sales and consumer spending.
PS Even more reason to help clients avoid making excuses why they should not expand their media marketing...Philip Jay LeNoble, Ph.D. Publisher

Retail Sales Up in July

2011-08-12T12:06:00.000-07:00

Snapshot of Economy from AP
Finally, some good economic news. Retail sales rose 0.5 percent last month, the most they've risen since March. The government also revised sales higher for the two previous months. The numbers were better than expected, a good sign after consumers cut spending in June for the first time in 20 months. Many retailers said that back-to-school promotions had helped boost their sales in July. Target, Macy's, and Saks all reported higher-than-expected gains.

Local direct-revenues heading higher...so go help them continue or begin their branding , engagement, acquisition and retention driven campaigns using your media voice as the driver.
Philip Jay LeNoble, Ph.D. Publisher

Study Reveals Shift Toward Shopper Marketing, Agencies Adapting

2011-08-12T11:38:00.000-07:00

MediaDailyNews
Friday, Aug12, 2011
by Steve McClellan, Yesterday, 6:30 PM

Digital channels and gadgets are making consumers savvier about where, when and why to purchase goods and services. At the same time, it's sometimes harder for manufacturers and retailers to reach their target audiences with sales pitches.

To reach consumers, manufacturers and retailers are sharply ramping up their efforts in the shopper marketing space, according to new data from shopper research specialist GFK Interscope.

This marketing subset includes how shoppers decide which retailers to consider before making a purchase; why they decide on a retailer or brand and which media channels influence those decisions, among other concerns.

In June, the firm surveyed 300 marketing executives across various retail and manufacturing sectors. Seventy-six percent of them indicated that their companies were now devoting 5% or more of their total marketing budgets to shopper marketing initiatives.

While that may not seem like much, Alison Chaltas, executive vice president, GFK Interscope, says the finding suggests a radical transformation from just five years ago, when -- with a few exceptions -- there were no such budgets.

Interest in the space has not peaked yet -- the survey also indicated that 47% of the respondents said their companies would be significantly upping their shopper marketing budgets within the next two years. "It's a remarkable shift," said Chaltas.

As marketers have focused more on the shopper marketing arena, so have agencies and their corporate parents, most of which have acquired or started shopper marketing specialists. Last year, for example, Interpublic Group's Mediabrands started a new agency called Shopper Sciences, designed to help retailers improve their results.

According to Chaltas, most of the money being earmarked for shopper marketing programs is coming from traditional media budgets, such as TV and print. It will flow to various arenas, including research, in-store channels, email marketing and mobile. The study did not cite specific amounts; each retailer exercises individual choice.

The primary driver, said Chaltas, is digital technology, which is making shoppers more discerning and "harder to communicate with because there are so many more touchpoints and so much clutter." Those touchpoints include dozens of online, mobile, in-store, word-of-mouth and direct mail channels. That makes purchasing-decision behavior more challenging to understand, she added.

"Everyone is still learning about the decision-making process," she said -- and how and why shoppers form relationships with particular stores and brands.

But while the media landscape is always changing, said Chaltas, "the one constant is point of purchase."

Television's NextFrontier: Mobile

2011-08-12T11:29:00.001-07:00

Sorry I haven't updated the Blog for a week gang. Miss Donna just got out of total knee replacement last Fri and I've been her primary caretaker....so I apologize and will pay more attention to your getting the latest stuff..Philip Jay LeNoble,Ph.D. Publisher

MediaPost's Blogs:Online Media Daily Commentary
Point-of-View

by Alex Romanov, Tuesday, August 9, 2011, 8:15 AM

Changes in mobile marketing present new opportunities for networking, shopping and navigating. To make the most of each ad dollar, companies are doing their best to stay ahead. The mobile channel's growth allows for inventive use of technologies and tactics, like QR codes and location-based marketing. The latest development hits even closer to home.

New hybrid marketing technology will link television and mobile in an initiative that goes beyond storefront advertising and online deals. Using multichannel interaction, we are now able to integrate mobile media marketing with TV ads, sending advertising prompts to nearby Bluetooth-enabled devices during commercials. Once the consumer opts in, they will receive coupons and direct-to-device offers without leaving the room. This marketing technology allows real-time metrics viewing and protects potential customers' personal information.

With Americans watching more television -- over five hours every day on average, according to Nielsen's 2010 Q4 report -- and buying an increasing number of smartphones, this hybrid technology is well-suited to the public's expanding needs.

Television advertising spending increased 8% last year, per Nielsen, but the average TV ad has actually become shorter. Advertisers are rethinking efforts in the changing face of television spots. With mobile-TV fusion technology, data capture opportunity skyrockets.

The number of phones in a room can be recorded, as can the type of phones used. As this technology transmits deals and sample offers, it can record consumers' preferences for ads and offers, allowing advertisers to adjust campaigns for the ideal response.

We're able to see the social data of how consumers interact while watching certain shows, and that's only the beginning. Since TV metrics are considered increasingly important, performance-oriented advertising reports can be improved with the metrics offered by mobile-TV connection.

In recent news, Canoe allowed consumers to download coupons and catalogs through their TVs, while Shazam secured a $32 million investment in TV-triggered coupons. Brands like Old Navy and Procter & Gamble have already signed on to participate.

Coupon clipping is on the rise, as is smartphone use and television viewership; the stage is set for developments in the mobile channel. Digital coupons are far more likely to be redeemed than printed ones, and their use is growing. The printed coupon business may have seen 7% growth in 2010, according to NCH Marketing Services, but digital coupons grew 60% with only 1% of total U.S. distribution. Digital coupons are also 20 times more likely to be redeemed than coupons from freestanding inserts.

There's a great opportunity to connect TV with the current popularity of digital coupons. Studies show that watchers of reality and action programs are more likely to remember advertising during breaks.

Sharing personal data is more common than ever. Some digital marketing schemes have been criticized for culling mobile phone numbers and email addresses, although marketers are not allowed to collect consumer data without permission.

The hybrid technology available dispenses with the need to gather such information. When it comes in contact with a Bluetooth device, it sends an opt-in notice prior to any targeted offer. It not only protects users, but it manages to streamline messages according to customer response.

Mobile marketing doesn't need to stay in the living room. Thanks to real-time metrics and the easy method of delivery, it can be used for the digital-out-of-home market, allowing direct communication with nearby consumers. Marketers can transmit on-site deals and offers to potential clients, and this can be used in conjunction with TV-mobile offers for a well-rounded marketing initiative.

Hybrid technology could surpass previous consumer-mobile advertising in accuracy and impact. New coupons and digital offers present opportunities for mobile marketers to stay informed about consumer groups; as a result, advertisers are able to offer loyal consumers targeted programs. Multichannel interaction eclipses stand-alone outreach and introduces a new method to monitor ROI: brands seeking a competitive edge will get one with mobile-TV marketing's advanced metrics.

Burgeoning technology will continue to present opportunities and challenges in mobile channel marketing. Communication channels are growing and are providing new opportunities for those willing to explore changes. Fusion technology isn't only beneficial for ROI and revenue production, but for the enjoyment of deal-seeking consumers. Looking at the market direction and predictions, hybrid TV-to-mobile technology could stand as the newest mobile frontier.

The 6 Essential Rules for Closing Deals: Part 1 of 6 Parts

2011-07-19T12:37:00.000-07:00

bNet
By Geoffrey James | July 18, 2011

While the blog of LeNoble’s Media Sales Insights is directed to media management and sales and marketing professionals within its framework.. I believe our readers will enjoy this special edition which will be broken into 6 different articles. Philip Jay LeNoble, Ph.D. Publisher: LeNoble's Media Sales Insights and CEO Executive Decision Systems, Inc. Littleton, CO.

RULE #1: Trick Closes Don’t Work

The sales world is full of lore about how to close. Most of it is pure nonsense. Specifically, the following trick closes keep popping up, sometimes in major sales seminars. Here the are:
• The assumptive close. Ask the customer to make a meaningless decision that assumes a decision has been made. Example: “Do you want that in the hunter green or the hunter orange?”
• The flyfish close. Promise something valuable then take it away if a decision isn’t made now. Example: “We have a special offer – a 15 percent discount – but only if you decide to buy now.”
• The puppy-dog close. Let the customer try the product for free in the hopes the customer will fall in love with it. Example: “We’ll give you the product free for your evaluation and only charge you if you don’t return it.
• The reverse close. Ask a customer who’s saying “no” a question intended to elicit a “no” that actually means “yes.” Example: “Is there any reason that you wouldn’t do business with our company?”
These “trick closes” are stupid and ineffective. Any buyer with an ounce of sophistication will see a trick close coming a mile away — and is likely to think you’re a fool for trying it.
Of course, saying something is ineffective isn’t the same thing as saying it doesn’t work. A trick close can definitely generate a sale, especially if the buyer isn’t too bright. Even so, trick closes are insulting to the customer and destructive to the long-term customer relationship. Here’s why:
If a customer has already decided to buy, then a trick close (by definition) isn’t necessary. The only reason to use a trick close is if the customer has not yet decided to buy, hence the need to trick the customer into making a decision. With the trick close, you’ve forced the customer to buy something that he doesn’t yet want.
Now, it’s perfectly true that the customer may really need your offering and after delivery be satisfied (even delighted) with what it does for him, but at some level or another he will always know that you tricked him into buying before he was ready.
But that’s the best case scenario. If the customer doesn’t really need your offering, and only bought because you tricked him (and he didn’t know how to gracefully get out of the deal), that’s going to create massive resentment.
And you’ll end up losing in the long run. So if you’re serious about really learning how to close, forget the tricks and learn the other five rules. (More to come tomorrow)

Turn Prospects into Customers with E-mail

2011-07-19T12:12:00.000-07:00

Bloomberg Businessweek
Posted by: Today's Tip Contributor on July 15, 2011
Ryan Allis, Chief Executive Officer; IContact, Morrisville, N.C.

E-mail marketing is an essential part of any marketing mix for businesses looking to further connect customers with their brand. When done effectively, e-mail drives a site’s return visitors and repeat customers, while also turning prospects into lifelong evangelists.

Here are some tips to help your business make the most out of your e-mail campaigns:

1. Make it permission-based. Only send e-mails to individuals who have opted-in to receive e-mails from your organization on the topic you are addressing.

2. Get to the in-box. Using an e-mail service provider that has white-list relationships with Internet service providers will allow your e-mail to get to the in-box of your recipients, instead of their spam folder.

3. Set up a schedule. Decide how often you will be sending your newsletter and commit to it. We see that a weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly newsletter is usually best.

4. Make it worthwhile. In your e-mail—above the fold, and ideally in the subject line—address what the reader will get out of your e-mail. You usually have about five seconds to grab the reader’s attention. Include only valuable and relevant content and perhaps a coupon or special offer.

5. Include lots of links. The more links you include in your message, the higher click-through rate you will have.

6. Use a compelling subject line. Average open rates are 12 percent to 14 percent. Test different subject lines and send content that is most relevant to your subscribers. If you can get an open rate above 15 percent, consider yourself a winner.

7. Get social. Social media does not replace your e-mails. It allows you to increase the exposure of your e-mail content to a broader audience and to engage more deeply with your best customers.

Media Buyers To Wall St.: We're More Cautious, Focused On ROI

2011-07-18T12:02:00.000-07:00

MediaDailyNews

by Joe Mandese, 6 hours ago

The outlook for the U.S. ad economy has grown "incrementally cautious," according to an informal survey of some big media buyers released this morning by the equity research team at Deutsche Bank. The survey of more than a dozen buyers representing over $5 billion in U.S. advertising budgets, mirrors the sentiment of some recent downgrades in the major agency holding companies' advertising outlooks, and is attributed mainly to the uncertainty surrounding the macro economy, as well as some micro factors such as media price inflation, and the trend toward so-called "ROI" media, such as search, and online display advertising.

"Status quo. Everyone is looking for ROI and proven effectiveness," readers the verbatim response of one buyer in the Deutsche Bank report. "Recovering slowly. There is more confidence in advertising as an investment that produces a positive ROI," reads another.

One buyer even described the current advertising climate as "schizophrenic," noting that initial expectations coming into 2011 haven't "held up," and that much of the optimism heading into 2012 is due to "artificially inflated" factors such as incremental spending due to the 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London and the U.S. elections.

Overall, the Deutsche Bank survey reflects the trends shown in the big agency outlooks, with greater optimism for national media - especially TV and digital - and a more tepid view for local media, particularly radio and newspapers. National magazines are also under pressure as marketers and agencies put increased emphasis on media that can demonstrate an immediate ROI - or return on investment.

Not surprisingly, digital media -- especially online search, display, video, mobile and social media - have stronger expectations among the media buyers surveyed.

"If the ad market hits a soft patch, this trend will likely become more apparent as buyers will likely increase their investment in higher ROI media, at the expense of print and radio," the securities analysts wrote in their report, which projects that online media will continue to lead U.S. advertising growth for the foreseeable future.

"We remain bullish on the fundamentals of Internet media, and continue to believe that ad dollars will follow consumers as they migrate to new platforms, resulting in another year of robust growth in 2011 once again," the analysts wrote, noting that much of digital media's gains will be coming from ad budget share gains from print media, and adding that a "strong e-commerce market continues to drive investment in online advertising."

The consensus of the media buyers surveyed is that "online/digital" ad budgets will rise 7.0% in the U.S. in 2011, a more modest view than Deutsche Bank's own prediction of 18% growth for digital media spending this year, but still the healthiest of the major media, according to the buyers. TV (+5.1%) and outdoor (+2.5%) are the only other major media expected to reap gains, yielding an overall gain of 3.2% among the major U.S. media for 2011. That is in line with recent outlook revisions issued by Interpublic, WPP, Publicis and Aegis.

While online and digital media remain the catalysts for overall growth, a recent survey of advertisers and media buyers released by Advertiser Perceptions Inc. indicates the relative optimism of digital media may be losing some steam too. While API's Spring 2011 Advertiser Optimism report the highest level of optimism - the difference between those indicating plans to increase or decrease advertising budgets - since the global economic crisis hit, the relative contribution of digital media appears to be ebbing, though it remains considerably higher than analogue media.

The digital media average dropped 11 optimism points from API's Fall 2010 survey to a 48, and mobile fell five points to a 61.

Between search and display, API found slightly greater erosion in the optimism for display ad spending, which eroded 13 points to a 46, while search declined 11 points to a 47.

Even the vaunted social media category, as reflected by advertiser optimism to spend on Facebook, has declined on a relative basis, dropping 12 points to a 58 from last Fall to this Spring.

On a positive note, elements of the online display marketplace - especially ad networks/exchanges (+6 points to 26), demand-side platforms (+4 points to 16), and portals (+6 points to 11) - are showing gains in optimism. Though agency trading desks, low to begin with, have dropped two points to an optimism index of only two points.

The Horrible Boss Screening Test

2011-07-17T15:39:00.000-07:00

bNet
By Jessica Stillman | July 11, 2011

Thanks to Hollywood, horrible bosses have filled the media lately. Psycho supervisors might make great material for comedians, but in real life, of course, you want to avoid them like the plague. So when you’re hunting for a gig, how can you screen out all the different sorts of crazy you might encounter in a manager and avoid a real life version of the new film?

Stanford management professor and author Bob Sutton has an unusual and very topical specialty — what he politely refers to as “bossholes” — so he’s been fielding a lot of questions similar to this lately. To help out everyone inspired by fiction to make sure they avoid real life lunatics in the corner office, he’s taken to his blog to offer a list of 10 types of horrible bosses, as well as screening questions to identify them.

The post is, as usual, entertaining and well worth a read in full, but just to give you a taste, here are some questions Sutton suggests asking other direct reports of your potential new boss before you accept any position:

“How does the prospective boss respond to feedback from people higher in rank and lower in rank?” “Can you provide examples from experience?”
“Does the prospective boss accept criticism or blame when the going gets tough?”
“In what situations have you seen the prospective boss lose his temper?”
“Which style best describes the prospective boss: gives out gratuitous credit, assigns credit where credit is due, or believes everyone should be their own champion?”

“What do past collaborators say about working with the prospective boss?”
“What kind of email sender is the prospective boss?”
“What types of people find it difficult to work with the prospective boss? What type of people seem to work very well with the prospective boss?” Pay attention to responses that suggest “strong-willed” or “self-motivated” people tend to work best with the prospective boss because assholes tend to leave people around them feeling de-energized and deflated.
“Does the prospective boss share information for everyone’s benefit?”
“Would people pick the prospective boss for their team?”

The Most Powerful Channel For Media Data? It Might Be TV

2011-07-17T15:33:00.000-07:00

MediaPostBlogs:OnlineMetricsInsider
by Bill Wise, Tuesday, July 12, 2011, 1:45 PM

Over the past few weeks, I've been pretty tough on TV metrics, arguing that GRP is outdated and that TV metrics aren't evolving quickly enough for a digital world. But don't think I'm bearish on TV.

Quite the opposite. Digital media may be winning the buzz war, but TV continues to impress. And I'm not just talking about the enormous viewership TV continues to pull, even for watching programs at the moment they air. I'm talking about TV as an extraordinarily powerful platform for leveraging data.

I could cite a lot of examples of how TV continues to pull ahead on the data front. But I'll point to just three: the immense boon that DVRs can be for TV ads; the value of social graph data for media planning; and the new face of ROI metrics for television.

DVRs make TV ads more valuable. Yes, that's a surprising approach for an advertising industry insider to take-but the fact is, DVRs are one of the greatest potential sources of data in the advertising landscape today. Every DVR usage leaves a trail of information that tells both buyers and creatives what ads are skipped through, what ads are viewed, what points in the ad gained the best engagement, and even which ads viewers chose to watch multiple times. When you think about it, there's a reason TiVo has sidelined into the analytics business.

Social graph data is TV planning data. My thoughts last week notwithstanding, there's a ton of opportunity to link social data to TV planning. After all, social networks are the place we discuss the things that are the most top of mind -- and for many of us, that means talking about the TV shows we love. eMarketer sums up the research on the topic nicely, noting that "43% of online adults have gone online or used social media to engage with TV programming in some way" -- and the numbers are higher for the coveted 18-34 demographic. Mew technology is making the TV/ social connections tighter: Comcast's latest version of Xfinity TV, for instance, helps customers use Facebook to let friends' favorite TV shows guide them in their own viewing.

That's a ton of social graph data telling you what demographic engages most deeply with which shows. For a TV planner, that's a gold mine.

TV data is now ROI data. With the notable exception of low-quality DR spots, we've been trained to understand TV as almost exclusively a reach play -- offering a lot less information linking ads to performance than other channels do. But TV is becoming more direct, and more metrics-rich, than ever before. Enterprises like TRA marry TV ads with actual purchase activity, while ventures including Canoe bring direct response to the set-top-box, allowing TV viewers to download coupons and catalogs directly through their TV screens. Then there's the new mobile / TV connections-which set the stage for new levels of individualized data that can tie TV ads with mobile conversion and targeting information. One example: Mobile music service Shazam has raised $32 million to forge deeper into TV-triggered mobile coupons and mobile brand engagement, with advertisers like Old Navy, Paramount, and Procter & Gamble signing on to the program.

Has TV reached the point of being as addressable and accountable as online marketing? Not as of today. But combine the new data-rich TV technologies with the digital sources of planning data, and mix them with the enormous pool of viewers who still engage with TV enough to make a nice side career -- and I wouldn't change the channel on TV metrics just yet.

Sure, there's no limit to the data that digital media can provide. But for the most powerful marketing platform available now, I'll still flip on the old tube.

U.S. Mobile Advertising To Hit $1.2 Billion In 2011

2011-07-17T15:30:00.000-07:00

MediaPostPublications: OnlineMediaDaily
by Mark Walsh, Thursday, July 14, 2011, 4:49 PM

A new J.P. Morgan report predicts U.S. mobile ad spending will roughly double to $1.2 billion this year, fueled by growing mobile usage.

That forecast is in line with an eMarketer projection that U.S. mobile advertising will reach $1.1 billion in 2011. The Internet Advertising Bureau estimates that mobile ad dollars totaled in the range of $550 million to $650 million last year.

In an analysis focusing on top Internet companies, JP Morgan analyst Douglas Anmuth says the firm expects mobile to be the single biggest factor accelerating Web growth for the next several years. He points out that mobile data traffic is already three times the level of the wired Internet globally in 2000. In addition, the build-out of next-generation networks will increase connection speeds tenfold by 2015.

The J.P. Morgan report estimates mobile ad revenue in 2011 comes to $7 or $8 per user -- well below the $35 per Internet user during the post-bubble days of Web advertising in 2002. (The roughly $600 million in mobile advertising last year was equal to only a fraction of the $26 billion in Internet spending.) The smaller real estate of phone screens and limitations on ad creative also present obstacles to higher spending.

Driving demand for faster mobile data delivery is the spread of smartphones.

Despite rapid growth, the report points out that global penetration will only approach 30% this year, indicating that there is still plenty of room for expansion. (A Pew study released this week estimated U.S. smartphone penetration at 35%.) Worldwide, IDC predicts smartphone share will reach 45% in 2015.

Even so, Anmuth argues that advertising on smartphones and tablets will ramp up much faster than on the PC-based Web, especially given the established online ad market. And based on the growth of mobile users and location-based services, mobile advertising could ultimately become larger than Web-based advertising.

When it comes to major Internet companies, Google has been among the most aggressive in pushing into mobile through Android, search and mobile payment initiatives like Google Wallet. Mobile likely accounts for 5% of the company's gross revenue in 2011, according to the J.P. Morgan report. Google earlier this year said revenue from mobile operations had reached $1 billion on an annualized basis.

Anmuth noted that Yahoo has a stronger mobile presence overseas through a host of carrier deals, including with operators such as Vodafone. But mobile texting represents a threat to Yahoo's traditional strength in email, which represents about half of its page views. Likewise, the rollout of mobile app versions of key properties like Yahoo Finance and Fantasy Football could undermine the portal model the company is built on.

In the online retail sector, eBay is viewed as well-positioned for mobile. The company is on track to generate $4 billion in mobile transactions this year, while payments unit PayPal will do $3 billion in mobile. eBay this month also acquired mobile payments provider Zong for $240 million to add carrier-based billing to its payments arsenal.

Amazon has a variety of apps including Amazon Mobile, Deals, Kindle, and Price Check, but is still at an early stage in m-commerce. Amazon a year ago said customers had spent more than $1 billion on mobile devices (including via the Kindle) in the prior 12 months. If the company introduces its own tablet in the next few mon

Local Radio and TV Are Significant Contributors To The Gross National Product

2011-07-06T15:07:00.000-07:00

MediaPostlogs Research Brief
by Jack Loechner, Yesterday, 8:15 AM
Local television and radio broadcasting contributes 7% of the nation's Gross Domestic Product, or $1.17 trillion annually, as well as 2.52 million jobs attributable to the industry every year, according to an NAB-commissioned study conducted by Woods & Poole Economics, with support from BIA/Kelsey. Total 2010 GDP Impact of Local Television and Radio Broadcasting

Contributor
Dollars and Jobs

GDP annually
$1.17 trillion

From television
$716.43 billion

From radio
$453.88 billion

Jobs on an annual basis
2.52 million

In television
1.54 million

In radio
0.98 million

Source: Newspaper Association of America, June 2011

The study calculated that the local broadcast industry employs over 300,000 people directly and in support industries, creating $49.32 billion in GDP annually. Television accounts for almost 187,000 of these jobs, as well as over $30 billion in GDP, while radio employs 118,000 people and contributes a little over $18 billion to the GDP. Through the consumption of goods and services by industry employees, local commercial broadcasting generates almost $135 billion in additional GDP and more than 833,000 jobs nationwide.

The economic impact of the commercial local broadcast industry, terrestrial television and radio stations, has three major components.

First, the direct impact of the industry is the result of its significant size: 1,370 commercial television stations and more than 11,700 commercial radio stations sustaining more than 300 thousand jobs and more than $49 billion in output.

(It is important to note, says the report, that only commercial local broadcast television and radio is included in this analysis. If noncommercial local broadcast television and radio were included the impact on the United States economy would be greater.)

The direct impact of local television and radio broadcasting on the United States economy is estimated at 305 thousand jobs and $49 billion in economic output. Local television broadcast stations generate 187 thousand jobs and $30 billion in economic output, while local radio broadcast stations generate another 118 thousand jobs and $19 billion in economic output.

The core direct impact of local television and radio broadcasting includes the number of jobs directly in local television and radio as well as the number of jobs in advertising and programming. It is estimated that local television and radio broadcasting and advertising and programming alone account for 195 thousand jobs.

Other industries are impacted by local television and radio broadcasting as well. When measured with a technical input-output analysis an additional 110 thousand jobs are supported in other industries because of the goods and services requirements of local television and radio broadcast stations.

Direct Impact of Local Television and Radio

• $49.32 billion in GDP annually
•$30.19 billion from television
•$19.13 billion from radio
•305.23 thousand jobs on an annual basis
•186.85 thousand in television
•118.38 thousand in radio

Second, workers in the commercial local broadcast television and radio industry consume goods and services in all other sectors of the economy supporting more jobs and creating more income and output. This ripple effect is estimated to result in 833 thousand jobs and $135 billion in output.

The income from local television and radio broadcast jobs flows through the economy creating additional jobs. A job in local television and radio broadcast stations multiplies itself by helping create jobs in construction, farming, mining, state and local government and all other economic sectors.

The workers in the industries supplying goods and services to local television and radio broadcast workers in turn consume goods and services. It is estimated that the cascading effect of jobs and income emanating in local television and radio broadcasting results in $135 billion in additional GDP and 833 thousand jobs nationwide.

Effect of Local Television and Radio on Other Industries

•$134.64 billion in GDP annually
•$82.42 billion from television
• $52.22 billion from radio
•833.27 thousand jobs on an annual basis
•510.10 thousand in television
•323.16 thousand in radio

Third, the output of commercial local broadcast television and radio industry stimulates economic activity by providing a forum for advertising that is free to consumers. An estimated $986 billion in United States output and 1.38 million jobs are attributable to the stimulative effects of advertising on local television and radio.

Local television and radio advertising serves an important role for both consumers and businesses in providing economic information on product prices and features, resulting in greater demand for well made and well priced goods and services. The additional demand contributes to aggregate economic growth.

An unintended consequence of paid advertising by business is that competitors learn of product features, innovations and price structures, encouraging businesses to adapt and offer better products at lower prices benefiting consumers and creating real economic growth and increases in wealth.

The primary impact of broadcast television and radio is reducing the cost of product information through advertising. In this way, broadcast television and radio stations have their most significant impact on economic growth, although the entertainment value of local broadcast television and radio is often emphasized in discussions on their impact on society.

Stimulative Effect of Local Television and Radio on the Economy

•$986.35 billion in GDP annually
•$603.82 billion from television
•$382.54 billion from radio
•1.38 million jobs on an annual basis
•846.56 thousand in television
•536.32 thousand in radio

According to the report, and data collected within the study, the outlook for growth in the commercial local broadcast industry, terrestrial television and radio stations, is strong. Research suggests that both television and radio local broadcast revenues will grow through the year 2015. The unique forum and low cost of providing entertainment and product information to consumers ensure that revenues will increase in coming years. The economic impact previously described in the study will show parallel growth.

How to Manage Gen X & Y

2011-07-06T12:10:00.000-07:00

Dealerscope Exclusive
By Elly Valas 2011

I’d like to send early congratulations to the 40-under-40 group of industry leaders who will be recognized in the June issue of Dealerscope (and at Dealerscope.com, so stay tuned). They have worked hard and are certainly making their mark in the industry. As good as they may be, though, they provide unique challenges to their supervisors. The younger generation is bright, tech savvy and enthusiastic, but they don’t always respond positively to traditional management styles.

For the first time in history we now have four generations in the workplace. Generation Y, or The Millennials, were born between the late 1970s and early 1990s.Generation X represents the children of the Baby Boomers. As the economy has contracted many Baby Boomers and some senior veterans have stayed on their jobs as well. Each generation has distinct attitudes, behaviors, expectations, habits and hot buttons.

Remember when older workers were the bosses and younger workers did what was asked of them, no questions asked? There were definite rules as to how the boss was treated and how younger workers treated older workers. Today, roles are changing and new rules are being written every day.

Gen X and Y need very different leadership than the Boomers and Veterans ahead of them. They prefer to self manage and want their managers to mentor and coach them. Give them a job and let them figure out how best to get it done. Give them honest feedback.

They want to have ongoing opportunities to learn and grow. They need to grow personally and professionally. Let them design and present new product demos for each other. Encourage them to enroll in classes, Toastmasters and networking groups.

They’re a fun-loving bunch and they expect work to be fun. The old model of punching in for eight hours of drudgery in order to earn some after-work playtime doesn’t fly with Gen X and Gen Y. They expect to enjoy their work and become friends with their associates, frequently socializing after hours. As a manager, you have to make the workplace welcoming and fun, encouraging play and camaraderie. Come to your sales meetings in your pajamas or have a scavenger hunt to find clues to new product features.

Younger workers need to be challenged. Instead of seeking their comfort zones, they look to change up routine and have lots of different things to do. Move them around between departments. Ask them to help deploy new technologies or maintain your Facebook and Twitter pages. They may seem loyal but they are masterful at reinvention. Boredom will drive them away quickly.

NFL Looks To Add Another TV Package

2011-06-28T14:15:00.000-07:00

MediaPost's TV Watch
A media critique by Wayne Friedman, Tuesday, June 28, 2011

The bane of any media or entertainment existence is where to find more growth -- specifically, TV advertising growth.

Through thick and thin, in bad and good overall TV markets, the NFL has endured well for its TV partners -- especially when it comes to TV advertising. Wildly strong gains were achieved this year -- amid an overall strong TV advertising market. In poor years, like in 2008 and 2009, the NFL still posted gains when every one else took cutbacks.

Who's to think that anything will slow this train down? (Only a sustained in-season lockout, I'm guessing).

So with this in mind, the preeminent professional sports league, the NFL, is floating the idea of yet another package of games -- an early season eight-game Thursday night schedule where it hopes to grab another $500 million to $700 million in rights fees from one lucky TV network. All of this is on top of the $4.5 billion it already gets collectively from Fox, CBS, NBC and ESPN.

If successful, this would mean the NFL would grow its media revenues from 10% to 16%. In effect, the NFL estimates there is a specific level of more TV advertising dollars to be had.

This new early season Thursday night package would match up nicely with an eight-game late season Thursday night package of games on the NFL's own NFL Network. Turner Broadcasting, a Comcast sports network (Versus, no doubt), or perhaps Fox's FX Network would seemingly be in the hunt.

Carving out a new package doesn't add more games to the schedule; it essentially takes away some games from existing networks. But this doesn't necessarily mean less advertising. The guess is the fewer regional games on CBS and Fox (right now they have six or seven, depending on the week) means the remaining games would expand into other markets. CBS and Fox each sell national TV advertising inventory.

Some had questioned whether the NFL will cut back on the fees that CBS, Fox, NBC, and ESPN pay. I don't think so.

Previously, the NFL started up a "Sunday Night Football" franchise on NBC from scratch, offering a full season of games. In recent years, the NFL opened up the late season eight-game Thursday night schedule on its own NFL Network -- as well as a DirecTV consumer fee-based package.

History is on the league's side. TV advertising revenue doesn't seem to be hurt when new packages are added. In the past, the NFL has found other ways to accommodate its TV partners, such as with more playoff games or other events. It could do the same again.

The NFL hasn't guessed wrong yet. Some of this is indeed tied to the lockout -- that is, owners are looking for more revenue. Then again, if a lockout happens -- and a whole season gets cancelled - things may be viewed differently.

To make back those losses, a more rapid expansion might be in the works. This might include what NFL players already say they are opposed to -- adding more games to the schedule, going to 18 regular season contests from 16.

7 Simple Steps to Extreme Personal Productivity

2011-06-28T14:03:00.000-07:00

bNET
By Jeff Haden | June 28, 201

Increasing personal productivity is big business: Stephen Covey, David Allen, Tony Robbins, 43folders… those and countless others have combined to turn improving individual productivity into a massive industry.

Forget them.

If you want to complete a major project, tackle a task you’ve been putting off, or just knock out a lot of work in a relatively short period of time, there’s an easier way.

And it’s free.

Say you need to complete a task you estimate will take, oh, 10 to 12 hours. Here’s how to pull it off in one day:

Tell everyone your plan. This step is an absolute must since interruptions are productivity killers. So is the, “How much longer do you have to work?” guilt trip family members sometimes can’t help but lay on you. At a minimum tell coworkers and family, but consider letting important clients know as well. Send a quick email a day or two before explaining you will be tied up on Thursday and will respond to calls, emails, etc. first thing Friday morning. Some customers will contact you before Thursday; others will mentally note you can’t be reached. Either way it’s all good. And you get an additional benefit from telling others your plan: People important to you know what you intend to accomplish — and will know if you don’t succeed. Peer pressure can be a great motivator. Use it.
Decide how long you will work. Don’t plan based on, “I’ll work as long as I can,” or “I’ll work as long as I feel productive.” Set a concrete target. Commit to working 12 hours or whatever period of time you choose. Then the longer the time frame, the quicker the early hours seem to go by. When I worked in a factory we typically worked 8-hour shifts; time before lunch dragged and the last couple hours always seemed like death. During busy periods when we worked 12-hour shifts the mornings seemed to fly by. Something about knowing you’ll be working for a long time allows you to stop checking the clock; it’s like you naturally find your Zen (work)place. When you know you’re in for a long haul your mind automatically adapts. Trust me — it works.
Start really early — or extremely late. Have you ever taken a long car trip and left really early in the morning? Like at 3 or 4 a.m.? Those first few hours on the road fly by because you’ve stepped outside your norm. The same trick works with accomplishing a major goal. Start at 4 a.m. or indulge your inner night owl and start at 6 p.m. to work through the night. An extreme productivity day is not a normal day; set the stage by breaking free of your normal routine.
Withhold the fun, at least for a while. Some people like to listen to music while they work, others keep an eye on news. If you like to “treat” yourself when you’re working, don’t, at least in the early hours. When your motivation starts to flag that’s when a little music can provide a needed boost. Each treat is like a personal productivity bullet; shoot too early and nothing is left when you really need ammunition. Whatever typically carries you through your workday, hold off on it for awhile. Delayed gratification is always better gratification.
Recharge early. When you exercise, If you wait until you’re thirsty to drink it’s too late. The same is true when you work. Plan to eat or snack a little earlier than normal. If you sit while you work, stand before your butt gets numb. If you stand, sit before your legs start to ache. Any time you allow yourself to feel discomfort your motivation and resolve weakens. And speaking of food, plan meals wisely. Don’t take an hour lunch break: Prepare food you can eat quickly without lots of preparation or mess. The key is to refuel and keep rolling.
Take productive breaks, not rest breaks. Momentum is everything. Don’t take a walk, or watch a little TV, or goof around on the Internet. You will need breaks, but breaks should reinforce your sense of activity and accomplishment. Pick a few productive tasks you like to perform — and gain a sense of accomplishment when you complete — and use those for your breaks. Spending even a few minutes in the land of inactivity weakens your resolve.
Don’t quit until you’re done — even if finishing takes longer than expected. Stopping short is habit-forming. If you stop this time what will keep you from stopping next time? Success can be a habit, so make sure your first extreme personal productivity day is the start of a great new habit.
A great side benefit of an extreme personal productivity day: We unconsciously set internal limits on our output. A voice inside says, “I’ve done enough,” or, “That’s all I can do today,” or, I’m whipped — no way I can do more,” and we stop. But our internal limiters lie to us: With the right motivation, under the right circumstances, we can do more.

An extreme personal productivity day automatically ratchets your limits higher. After a few extreme productivity days you’ll perform better every “normal” day too — because you will have unconsciously raised your own bar.

Mobile Ads To Hit $4 Billion By 2015

2011-06-25T11:01:00.001-07:00

MediaDailyNews
by Wayne Friedman, Thursday, June 23, 2011, 12:25 PM

Much of mobile advertising spending will be locally targeted in four years -- and higher-priced.

Locally targeted mobile ads will have a 70% share ($2.8 billion) of the expected $4 billion in overall U.S. mobile ad spending by 2015, according to Chantilly, Va.-based BIA/Kelsey.

In 2010, overall U.S. mobile advertising was at $790 million. Local mobile advertising's piece of the pie is $404 million -- 51% of the whole mobile advertising market.

BIA/Kelsey, the media consultant/researcher, says much of this gain will come from large brand advertisers that will adapt their marketing goals for the mobile device. That's thanks to a growing awareness of retail locations, driven by consumers' increasing smartphone ownership.

After large advertisers move in, BIA/Kelsey says small and medium-sized businesses will also push marketing efforts on mobile. All advertisers will benefit from the clearer return on investment and shorter purchasing funnel.

Mobile advertising sellers will also garner premium pricing on location-targeted ads.

Michael Boland, senior analyst and program director of BIA/Kelsey's Mobile Local Media practice, stated: "These premiums result from higher performance for locally targeted mobile ads when compared with non-local ads, due to higher relevance, immediacy and consumer buying intent, all of which are more prevalent in mobile than many other print and digital media."

2012: TV Political Ad Buys Predicted To Hit $3B

2011-06-25T10:54:00.000-07:00

MediaDailyNews
by Wayne Friedman, Tuesday, June 21, 2011, 3:49 PM

TV political advertising spending could see rocketing growth next year, possibly climbing to just under $3 billion.

Moody's Investors Service says political advertising revenue for those pure-play broadcasters can expect gains of 9% to 18% over historically high political advertising levels seen in 2010, when spending on TV broadcasters got to $2.3 billion.

Previous estimates said President Barack Obama's re-election campaign could raise a record $1 billion in 2012 for all its political advertising efforts. A Republican candidate might get to those levels as well -- looking to avoid the problems that Republican candidate John McCain got into in 2008.

In 2008, Obama did not take federal funds, but McCain did. That meant a cap on the ability to spend ad money. Analysts believe the new Republican candidate will follow in Obama's footsteps --- avoiding federal funds -- all of which could escalate political advertising spending, of which the lion's share goes into television.

The ad push will be aided by recent changes in political TV advertising laws, such as loosening of corporate-backed political advertising.

Moody's says small- and mid-size TV station groups -- Barrington Broadcasting Group, Gray Television, Local TV, Nexstar Broadcasting and NVT Networks/New Vision -- could be the better gainers from political spots.

Bigger TV groups -- those in larger markets, such as Belo Corp. and Sinclair Broadcast Group -- will witness smaller ad growth. Those groups have a broader list of TV marketers and larger revenues in many advertising categories.

Big battleground states -- Florida, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Missouri -- will see a lot of political advertising money, says Moody's. Overall, the investor-rating services says the windfall advertising dollars will be used to pay down station debt.

But don't let low rates for political eat up valuable inventory you should reserve for long-term direct clients. Get those clients to buy long term at healthy rates to offset lower margins for political....Philip Jay LeNoble, Ph.D. Creator of System 21

Broadcast Bonanza: TV, Radio Boost GDP, Jobs

2011-06-22T11:01:00.000-07:00

MediaDailyNews
by Wayne Friedman, Yesterday, 12:10 PM

A new study showing how local broadcasting is a boost to the U.S. economy is impacted by governmental discussions of TV and radio spectrum allocations.

The economic analysis says local radio and television broadcasting -- direct and supporting businesses -- contribute $1.17 trillion to the U.S. gross domestic product, with 2.52 million jobs.

The study comes from Washington, D.C.-based Woods & Poole Economics and media researcher/consultant BIA/Kelsey. It was commissioned by the National Association of Broadcasters.

"Decision-makers now debating spectrum policies need to be cognizant of the millions of people and thousands of businesses reliant on the unparalleled impact of local TV and radio for economic survival," stated Gordon Smith, president and CEO of the NAB.

Some 300,000 jobs are directly connected to the local broadcast industry, amounting to $59.32 billion in GDP annually. Television accounts for a little more than half: 187,000 of these jobs. Television itself contributes over $30 billion to gross domestic product. Radio employs 118,000 people and contributes a little over $18 billion to the GDP.

The analysis estimates residual effects on non-broadcast businesses -- advertising on local broadcast television and radio stations -- adds more than $986 billion in economic activity and supports 1.38 million jobs.

Soo....get going and help those local-direct businesses grow...and generate more $$$ for your TV and radio company...PJL

Media Buyers: Clients Still Spending, But Cautious

2011-06-15T16:17:00.000-07:00

MediaDailyNews
To Be Published Thursday June 16th
by David Goetzl, 5 hours ago

Unemployment may remain high and consumer confidence middling, but top media-buying executives suggested Wednesday that clients have no plans to rein in spending, though there is a level of concern.

"No signs of a pullback yet," said Tim Spengler, who heads Initiative's North American operations, on a panel at the national cable convention.

One sign of business-as-usual for now is Initiative's decision to put down a significant amount of money in the coming October-December quarter as part of the upfront process, Spengler said.

However, Horizon Media chief Bill Koenigsberg, who has blasted the upfront process in the past, said he doesn't think the healthy upfront is a reliable "barometer" or "forecast for the future."

Like Spengler, he said "clients right now are cautious" and not "ready to throw any parades" about recessionary conditions in the rear-view mirror.

But Spengler and Koenisgberg ticked off a slew of categories spending heavily -- from autos to retail to pharma to consumer package-goods. "As long as those categories stay strong, the marketplace will stay strong," Koenigsberg said.

The only bumpy category mentioned is the quick-service restaurant business cited by Horizon's Koenigsberg. When the topic turned to measurement, MediaVest's Bill Tucker said "getting collective and comparative measurement across screens is really the big frontier in a converged world. We're not there yet."

Spengler downplayed the traditional interest in demo targeting and said his agency is looking for data indicating whether media consumption leads to purchasing or visiting a Web site or some other activity.

The agency is investing heavily in so-called single-source research. "We're paying money to get closer to an action," he said.

Koenigsberg added that in a multiscreen world there is a need for a common currency for "what are we trading on." He cited potential in the initiative from the IAB, 4As and ANA, which is looking for some common metric in the digital sphere and in cross-platform measurement.

The trade groups have commissioned Bain & Co. and MediaLink to lead the process.

Money Tree: TV Advertising Hits Nearly $19 Billion

2011-06-15T16:14:00.000-07:00

MediaDailyNews
by Wayne Friedman, Friday, June 10, 2011, 3:47 PM

In the strong digital age, television advertising continues to thrive -- now up by nearly a double-digit percentage increase in the first quarter. Radio and magazines also fared well.

Television grew 9% to $18.8 billion in the first quarter of 2011 over the first quarter of 2010, according to the Nielsen Company. Older media -- radio and magazines -- also had decent gains. Radio added on 6% to $1.6 billion; magazines improved 7% to $3.5 billion. Newspapers continued to lose ground, down 10% to $2.8 billion.

The top five advertising categories were the usual suspects: automotive marketers were at $2.75 billion during the period; quick service restaurants at $1.11 billion; pharmaceuticals at $1.05 billion; telecommunications with $938 million and movies screening at $917 million.

Other media highlights: Nielsen says 76% of the time, U.S. Internet consumers say friends' recommendations of products and services are the "most trusted form of advertisement." Another healthy marketing statistic for the Web -- especially in the social media area -- 49% said they trusted consumer opinions posted online.

When it comes to mobile advertising, teens are the most receptive to advertising on the still-developing marketing platform. Fifty-eight percent of teens say they "always" or "sometimes" look at mobile ads.

While traditional commercials are still growing on television, so too are product-placement activity. Looking at 12 broadcast and major cable networks for their prime-time shows, product placement has grown 22% in four years. There were 5,381 major product placements in 2010.

Reality shows and cable TV shows overall accounted for over half the product placements in the first quarter. Nielsen says while consumers better remember the brands of placements during sitcoms, product placements in reality shows are the most effective at positively impacting viewer opinion of the integrated brand.

Cross Platform Report: Americans Watching More TV, Mobile and Web Video

2011-06-15T16:03:00.000-07:00

TV is still top dog among video consumers. PJL

Nielsen Wire
June 15, 2011

The average American today has more ways to watch video — whenever, however and wherever they choose. In the Cross-Platform Report, Nielsen finds that the resounding trend is this: Americans are spending more time watching video content on traditional TVs, mobile devices and the Internet than ever before.

Traditional TV
Overall TV viewership increased 22 minutes per month per person over last year, remaining the dominant source of video content for all demographics. In addition, Nielsen data shows that consumers are willing to pay for high-quality TV content, with broadcast-only homes less than a tenth of U.S. TV households.

Mobile Video
Though still accounting for just a handful of hours per month, mobile video viewing continues to see marked gains, increasing 41 percent over last year and more than 100 percent since 2009.

Timeshifted TV
Timeshifted TV continues to grow, both in the penetration of DVR devices in the home and the time spent.

Internet Video
Internet video streaming also saw increases in time spent; this behavior is the highest among a younger and diverse subset of the population.

More details are available to download in the complete Cross-Platform Report.

Emerging Traditional TV/In-home Internet Streaming Trend
Until the fall of 2010, Nielsen data consistently indicated that the heaviest media consumers are so across all platforms. A subset of consumers from television and Internet homes has now emerged that defies that notion, with the lightest traditional television users streaming significantly more Internet video, and the heaviest streamers under-indexing for traditional TV viewership.

This behavior is led by those ages 18-34. The group of consumers exhibiting this behavior is significant but small. More than a third of the TV/Internet population is not streaming, whereas less than 1% are not watching TV.

7 Ways Smart Companies Tell Customers “No”

2011-06-08T12:08:00.001-07:00

bNET The CBS Interactive Business Internet
By Christopher Elliott | June 7, 2011

I recently addressed a group of customer-service representatives at a conference, and near the end of my speech, I joked that these must be good times for English majors.

As someone who reads a boatload of rejection letters every day, I explained, I’ve noticed that they’re getting a lot more creative.

“Someone needs to write those letters,” I added.

A man in the back of the room laughed out loud. Later, he approached me and identified himself as a high-level executive for an airline.

“Chris, you’re right,” he told me. “We are hiring more English majors. We want our rejection letters to look good!”

I thought that was funny. And a little disturbing.

A well-crafted rejection letter can deflect a customer’s anger, restore their faith in your company, even encourage them to give you another chance. But as an advocate for customers, I’ve seen rejection letters used to turn down a legitimate problem, and even to inappropriately assign blame to a customer.

That’s just wrong.

Still, I became fascinated with the best way to tell a customer “no.” I’m focusing on the written word (I’ll get to the other ways in a future post) because in an age of email and texting, the word is by far the preferred method of telling a customer you can’t do something.

1. Send it soon. Most companies, as a matter of policy, respond to any written inquiry within a week, and sometimes less. (That doesn’t include the autoresponder, which unfortunately, doesn’t count.) It’s not enough. A week is too long in an “always-on” society. Customers will not bide their time quietly; they’ll go online and vent, complain to their friends through social media, and email people like me. Trust me, you can’t afford that.

2. Be polite but firm. The best rejection letters are cordial while leaving no doubt that this is a final answer. No need to sugarcoat it; you have to make a clean break, which will both give the customer a sense of closure and eliminate any unnecessary and unproductive follow-up. In other words, just say “no.”

3. Skip the empty apology. Too many times, companies will offer a half-hearted apology (”We’re sorry for the way you feel”) as opposed to the real deal (”We’re sorry”). Customers aren’t stupid. When they see a less-than-genuine apology, it lessens the credibility of your answer. If you have nothing to apologize for, then don’t do it.

4. Avoid cut-and-paste responses. Form letters are an inevitable part of the customer service process. Heck, even I use form letters to respond to readers sometimes. But there’s a right way and a wrong way to do it. Make sure the form addresses the problem, as opposed to a general set of circumstances that may apply to the situation. if it doesn’t, write one that does. Nothing says “I don’t care” better than a form letter that suggests you didn’t bother to read the initial complaint.

5. Personalize everything. Even if you send a form, make sure the customer’s name is correct and that you address him or her properly. I’ve lost count of the number of times someone’s name was misspelled (how hard is it to cut and past a name from the original letter?) and the gender was wrong — Mr. instead of Ms. It helps to add a sentence or two that shows you’ve actually reviewed the first letter, even if the bulk of the email is a form response.

6. Switch it up. Even your best form letters will eventually make the rounds, getting published on bulletin boards and blogs. You can’t continue to recycle them, because customers will recognize them. Change the script. Regularly.

7. Be sincere. Perhaps the worst crime, when it comes to your “no,” is that of insincerity. After you’ve denied someone a refund or exchange, it’s highly inappropriate to look forward to seeing them in your store again soon. That’s just a nonsense thing to say. Instead, acknowledge their disappointment in an authentic way, and express your hope that you’ll consider giving you their business. Don’t act as if a return is inevitable. It isn’t.

Even if you follow these tips, I can’t guarantee you’ll avoid upsetting your customers. But you’ll dampen the blow.

The only surefire way of doing that, unfortunately, is saying “yes.”

The Future of TV Advertising is ... Data

2011-06-01T16:17:00.000-07:00

Nice points..but I don't believe anything will take the place of consumer centric advertising and branding...especially since most consumers enjoy the fun of the story that touches and engages them that they can see or hear from TV or radio......Philip Jay LeNoble, Ph.D.

MediaPost log: TV Board
by Charlene Weisler, 3 hours ago

What will be the future of TV advertising in this ever-fragmenting media environment? An attempt was made to shed some light on this subject by Rovi, who sponsored a panel last week fittingly called "The Future of TV Advertising."

The panel, moderated by Bill Niemeyer of TDG, included Jeff Siegel of Rovi, Lori Schwartz of McCann and Matthew Pagen of IAG discussing Rovi's Smart TV initiative, the pace of change, social media, extended screen and bundling vs a la carte. But in my opinion, their discussion of the role of data was the most interesting.

The creation of metrics and measurement in the STB data space continues to be a land rush with competitors racing to get their brand of customizable (and standardize-able) analytics to market. And equally, the demand from the marketplace for data insights and analytics has never been so strong. Part of this demand is due to ever increasing cross platform opportunities and the plethora of data points resulting from the potential combination of interactive platforms and set top boxes.

Lori Schwartz, Chief Technology Catalyst at McCann Worldgroup, said it best: "The data piece is pivotal. Data is the new black. Everyone wants the data and everybody wants the data to touch everything. They want it to not only measure the traditional interactive side of things; they also want it to address engagement." She also admitted that because the landscape is in constant change, there is a pressing need to stay ahead of the curve, learning about new cutting edge technologies even if they are destined to disappear by the next year.

But which metrics are most meaningful? Do they need to be standardized to the current currency -- or does the evolving marketplace demand new metrics for the new times? Much of the addressable advertising measurement today is still fairly custom -- whether it is data matching to proprietary segmentations or to known consumer measurement industry data panels for that particular advertiser, product or category. But slowly, some of these previously custom metrics are becoming part of a new standard nomenclature like TRA's Heavy Swing Purchasers and Purchaser Rating Points which CRO's Bill Harvey says many of their clients have adopted.

Rovi's contribution to the discussion involves measuring Smart TV usage and behavior through a 100k STB panel that combines ISP data with TV viewing. This initiative involves a partnership with Nielsen's IAG service via a panel. This is one possible approach providing that it is a representative sample of the TV Universe. Results of their study will be available at the end of the summer. In the meantime there are two short videos from the panel which can be viewed here.

2011-05-31T13:17:00.001-07:00

MediaPost Research Briefs
Mobile Users Are Ad Clickers
by Jack Loechner, 7 hours ago

According to the Mojiva Mobile Audience Guide, 60% of mobile users click on mobile ads at least one a week. When seeing an ad, half of users indicated that they would play a game, download an application, or visit a Web site after seeing an ad, but only 22% said they would make a purchase, and only 40% would download a coupon.
Tony Nethercutt, General Manager of Mojiva, notes that "... mobile marketing performs well when it lines up the services and products that affect people on an everyday basis ... mobile advertising is part of the conversation for major national brand advertising..."
Some additional findings from Mojiva and InsightExpress in the Mojiva Mobile Audience Guide include:

•Over 84% of users deemed ‘normal banner ads,' ‘video ads,' ‘ads that let me interact with them,' or ‘animated banner ads' as the forms of marketing they would likely pay attention to.
•Text ads perform modestly with 13% of users most likely to pay attention; however, only 2% pay attention to expanding screen takeover ads
•Marketing offers related to magazines, social/dating, airlines, traffic and banking had the least effective performance.
With user statistics from InsightExpress, the MAG offers a look into what resonates with users through mobile devices like smartphones and tablets. This month's research shows that marketers need to focus on engaging creative executions that encourage user interaction.
Joy Liuzzo, Senior Director from InsightExpress says "... InsightExpress research continues to demonstrate that mobile consumers are evolving, with new behaviors, attitudes, and demographic segments emerging almost monthly..."
There are opportunities to advertise with mobile ads, says the report, as respondents are frequently clicking on mobile ads. Graphic ads as a whole appear to be successful in grabbing attention. Content and type of ad will impact overall reach:
•More than half indicated they would "play a game", "download a mobile application" or "browse a website" after seeing an ad on their mobile phones.
•Fewer than ¼ of respondents would "purchase a product" after viewing an ad on their mobile phones.

Which Of The Following Would You Do As A Result Of Seeing A Mobile Ad On Your Phone?
Action After Mobile Ad % of Respondents
Play a game 63%
Download a mobile application 52
Browse a website 51
Watch a video 49
Listen to music 49
Redeem or download a coupon 40
Request more information 38
Tap-to-call 17
Purchase a product 22
None of these 13
Source: Mojiva Mobile Audience Guide, May 2011

For the most part, graphic ads as a whole were successful in capturing the attention of respondents:
•Over 20% of respondents said that normal banner ads, video ads and ads that let me interact with them are most likely to be paid attention to
•Respondents were least likely to pay attention to expanding screen take-over ads, which may be too aggressive.
Which ONE Of The Following Types Of Mobile Ads Are You Most Likely To Pay Attention To?
Type of Ad % Likely to Pay Attention
Normal banner ads 22%
Video ads 22
Ads that let me interact with them 21
Animated banner ads 19
Text ads 13
Expanding screen take-over ads 2
Source: Mojiva Mobile Audience Guide, May 2011

Ads pertaining to retail stores, weather, restaurants or bars and sports are most likely to be clicked on by someone using their mobile phone:
•Respondents tended to gravitate more towards mobile ads that focus on providing information pertaining to everyday life, rather than more specific and direct ads.
From Which Of The Following Types Of Companies, Would You Be Most Likely To Click On A Mobile Ad?
Ad From % of Respondents
Retail stores 18%
Weather 15
Restaurants or bars 13
Sports 12
Music groups 11
Food or drink products 11
Radio stations 6
Social / dating 6
Magazines 3
Airlines 2
Traffic 2
Banks or other financial institutions 2
Source: Mojiva Mobile Audience Guide, May 2011

60% of respondents click on a mobile ad for more information at least once a week. Of those, 19% click on a mobile ad for more information several times a day.
How Often Do You Click On A Mobile Ad To Get More Information About A Product / Service You Saw On Your Phone?
Click Frequency % of Respondents
Several times a day 19%
Around once a day 15
Several times a week 14
Around once a week 12
Several times a month 8
Around oncea month 6
Less than once a month 10
Never 16
Source: Mojiva Mobile Audience Guide, May 2011

Study Demographics
Category % of Respondents
Age Group
Under 18.5%
18-25 16
26-35 35
36-45 24
46-55 13
Over 55 7
Education
Some high school 10%
Graduate high school 33
Vocational / Technical school 11
Some college 29
Graduated college 12
Some post-graduate work 2
Completed graduate degree or higher 3
Annual HH Income
Under $20,000 30%
$20,000-$29,999 15
$30,000-$39,999 15
$40,000-$49,999 5
$50,000-$74,999 8
$75,000-$99,999 7
$100,000-$149,999 1
$150,000 or higher 0
Prefer not to answer 19
Source: Mojiva Mobile Audience Guide, May 2011

TV Audience Ratings: Less And Less Relevant for Advertisers

2011-05-31T13:10:00.001-07:00

MediaPostBlogs: TV Board
by John R. Osborn, Friday, May 27, 2011, 4:25 PM

With the National Television Upfront presentations for the 2011/2012 season completed, it's a good time to ask what TV audience ratings really mean for advertisers today. The advertising world is moving bit by bit toward its one-time holy grail of commercial ratings - currently in the form of C3 ratings defined as "the average of a live rating for a (national) commercial minute and up to three days of DVR playback viewing" (check out a great reference site launched this month (May 2011) by the Coalition For Innovative Media Measurement - the CIMM Lexicon. Be sure to use the "find" window at the top for definitions of specific terms.)

The big problem facing advertisers in 2011 is that the quality of DVR playback measurement for commercials is still incredibly unclear. I learned a new term today: "Trick Play" or "Trick Mode" - a term (according to CIMM's Lexicon) used to describe "the use of DVR time-shifted viewing or On-Demand with a TV Remote Control device. Features include fast forward, rewind and pause." CIMM goes on to note that measurement of this is extremely weak: "DVR metrics need to be decided. According to Kantar these data are not currently available in the U.S. but are available in the U.K. Rentrak says that it depends on the operator and the device. Some operators have trick mode data available in various forms (some more detailed than others)."

As up to $10 billion are committed to U.S. upfront TV deals in the coming months, this very confusion underlines how irrelevant TV program ratings have become for advertisers. This uncertainty puts advertiser dollars in great jeopardy as far as achieving media communication goals. Even C3 ratings only confirm that a TV program is attracting a certain size audience. In no way can that programming performance be projected to consumer attention to advertising.

Program ratings were always just a surrogate for the number of potential impressions an ad could garner within the program, helping set pricing for advertisers in a world of imperfect measurement. This surrogate was developed in a time before audiences had powerful ad-avoidance technologies in their hands, or when set-top boxes could provide click-stream analysis of consumer viewing behavior, or even before commercial loads had hit the levels they are at today. Without a better understanding of DVR usage, advertisers will pay more and more to run spots - especially on successful, high rated programs with the highest commercial loads - all while significant numbers of consumers are increasingly avoiding ads.

Can you imagine advertisers opting in to such a business model if it hadn't already been running this way for years? There has always been ad avoidance such as channel switching, leaving the room, multi-tasking and most frequently using social media & web surfing on other media devices during ad breaks. Buying into C3 or any other program ratings only confuses and further decreases the eroding value of a linear TV ad buy for advertisers everywhere.

The ad-supported media industry doesn't need a better mousetrap. It needs a better way to allow consumers to willingly enable advertising to pay for their premium TV content, thereby justifying the financial contributions paid out by the advertisers themselves.

Kudos and thanks to CIMM for providing such an important language guide and translation tool for this discussion. The very future of ad-supported television is at stake.

Slight Uptick For TV Ad Revs, Station Cash Flow Robust

2011-05-25T17:03:00.001-07:00

MediaDailyNews
by Wayne Friedman, Yesterday, 4:35 PM 5/25/2011

Hey all...here's a special reason to get client stations..or stations you represent..to not depend on low-rate political dollars coming in 2012....to pre-empt your local direct clients needed airtime to combat what might be a continuum of slow revenue generation in their businesses...Local direct is still king!!! Philip Jay LeNoble, Ph.D.

Now enjoy the article below....

Advertising revenue for TV stations slowed down considerably in the first quarter of this year. But much of this was expected.

Fifteen publicly owned U.S. media companies reported revenue growth of 1.2% in the first quarter of 2011 to $1.15 billion compared with Q1 in 2010, according to New York City-based media investment company M.C. Alcamo.

Much of this softness comes as predicted, given this is an "off-year" -- no Olympic programming and less political advertising money fueling station coffers. Years ago, revenue growth zoomed throughout 2010 -- up 20%, and more for many TV station groups.

For the first quarter, "the industry had a respectable revenue growth rate," says Michael Alcamo, president of M.C. Alcamo.

By way of comparison, revenue growth grew 15.3% for broadcasters in the first quarter of 2010 over the same period in 2009. The fourth quarter of 2010 rocketed up 27.1% over the fourth quarter of 2009.

Good news for stations and other media companies is that their cash flow has remained fairly robust. Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization (EBITDA) slipped just a bit to 31.2% from 33.9%. Sinclair Broadcast Group continued to have the biggest margins among all media companies: 42.2% in the first quarter.

"People expect more profit weakness in the first quarter after a strong political year," says Alcamo. "Also, the first quarter is weakest for retail."

Alcamo says the seven pure-play broadcasters (Belo Corp., Lin Television, Sinclair Broadcast Group, Fisher Communications Group, Nexstar Broadcasting Co, Entravision Communications, and Gray Television) showed first-quarter revenue growth of 2.2% to $645 million.

Eight other "integrated" media groups -- those with magazine, newspaper, radio and other media platforms -- were virtually flat (a 0.1% decline) to $508 million. Those eight include: McGraw-Hill Cos., Media General, Gannett Co., Journal Communications, Saga Communications, E.W. Scripps, and the Washington Post.

Some of the biggest individual revenue gainers included: McGraw-Hill's broadcast group, a revenue improvement of 10.2%; Fisher Communications, up 7.3%; and Sinclair added 7.2%.

More good news for TV stations: TV advertising categories remained steady for the first quarter of this year, says Alcamo. Also benefiting media companies is the growth of "issue political advertising," which is evolving into a year-long ad category. "Issue advertising is going to be part landscape," he says. "It won't be as cyclical."

TV Trends

2011-05-17T16:36:00.001-07:00

Media Post Blogs
by Jack Loechner, Friday, May 6, 2011, 8:15 AM

According to Trends in TV Viewing from the Nielson Company, new and enhanced technologies are fueling the demand for video content. The average American watched 34 hours 39 minutes of TV per week in Q4 2010, a year-over-year increase of two minutes. The heaviest users of traditional TV are adults 65+ (47 hours 33 minutes per week), followed by adults 50-64 (43 hours per week). Trailing all other age groups, teens age 12-17 watch the least amount of TV (23 hours 41 minutes per week).
Over the 2010-2011 TV season, several trends have emerged in what and how consumers are watching. A fact sheet from The Nielsen Company highlights these trends:

Total Day TV and Peripheral Usage by Race and Origin (Daily Hours: Min)

Legend for below* 1.Total U.S. 2.White 3.African American 4.Hispanic 5. Asian
Total Use of TV
1.5:11
2.5:02
3.7:12
4.4:35
5.3:14

Live TV
1. 4:17
2. 4:05
3. 6:16
4. 3:54
5. 2:34

DVR Playback
1. 0:24
2. 0:27
3. 0:20
4. 0:14
5. 0:17

DVD Playback
1. 0:15
2. 0:15
3. 0:18
4. 0:14
5. 0:12

Source: The Nielsen Company, April 2011

Timeshifting continues to be a significant factor in how consumers watch TV. Overall 38% of TV households in the U.S. have a DVR. In Q4 2010, the heaviest timeshifters were:

•Adults 35-49, watching 3 hours 8 minutes of timeshifted TV a week.
•Teens ranging from age 12-17 watch the least amount of timeshifted TV per week, just 1 hour 31 minutes and the
•Adults age 18-24 are close behind, watching 1 hour 32 minutes of timeshifted TV per week.
As of February 2011, 28.8% of Hispanic TV households owned a DVR, whereas 36% of Asian TV households owned a DVR

In Q4 2010, 301 million Americans used a mobile phone; 24.7 million mobile subscribers watched video on a mobile phone, a 41% increase from last year. The growing popularity of mobile video is due, in part, to the rapid adoption of media-friendly mobile devices, including smartphones, which make up 30% of the marketplace.

Mobile subscribers on average watched 4 hours 20 minutes of mobile video a month (Q4 2010). Younger consumers ages 12-17 are the heaviest mobile video viewers, watching 7 hours 13 minutes of mobile video a month (Q4 2010).

143.9 million Americans viewed video online in January 2011, spending an average of 4 hours 39 minutes viewing video on PCs/laptops. 46% were female and 54% male

Online Video Viewers by Ethnicity:

•77.9% are White
•12.1% Hispanic
•10.6% AfricanAmerican
•7% Other
•3.5% Asian
•1% Native American
In January 2011, 40% of Americans active online (79.5 million consumers) visited TV network and broadcast media sites. During that same time, 49% of Social Networking & Blog Site visitors, also visited TV network and broadcast media sites. Social Networking & Blog Site visitors account for 151.7 million Americans.

Spending on TV grew 8% in 2010. Ad dollars spent in primetime specifically increased 6% from 2009 to $20 billion, accounting for 43% of spending. Ad dollars spent in primetime specifically increased 6% from 2009 to $20 billion, accounting for 43% of spending.

The 30-second commercial remains the television advertising standard in primetime, accounting for 53% of all commercials (2010). However, commercials are getting shorter; the number of commercials 30-seconds or less increased 12%, while the number of commercials 35 seconds or more decreased 6%.

Commercials that air during drama/ adventure shows generate the strongest brand recall, as consumers who are engaged in the programming also remain attentive during the commercials. Reality shows follow, with relatively stronger brand recall than sitcoms. Two exceptions are Asian Americans and younger viewers (ages 13-34), who remember the ads that air during reality shows better than sitcoms.

Summary of highlights:

•Timeshifting continues to be a significant factor in how consumers watch TV.
•Mobile Video viewing has increased 41% from last year
•Video online viewing continues to increase
•The TV audience for sports is expanding
•The audience overlap between visitors to network and broadcast media sites and social networking & blog sites is significant
•Television advertising spend was the largest medium for all ad spending in 2010

Personal Data: Most Top Apps Lack Privacy Policies

2011-05-17T16:28:00.000-07:00

MEDIAPOST NEWS ONLINE MEDIA DAILY
by Mark Walsh, Friday, May 13, 2011, 12:44 PM

Nearly three-quarters of the most popular mobile apps lack even a basic privacy policy, according to a new survey by the Future of Privacy Forum. The think tank found 22 of the top 30 paid mobile apps across the major mobile platforms including Android, iOS and BlackBerry had no policy governing use of personal data.

The finding comes as the U.S. Senate held a hearing on mobile privacy issues this week following much-publicized reports that iPhones, iPads and Android devices collected detailed information about users' locations. One focus of the inquiry by the Privacy, Technology and Law Subcommittee of the Judiciary Committee was the privacy of personal information collected and used by apps on mobile devices.

Discussion of that topic led to questioning on the lack of privacy policies for apps. An investigation earlier this year by The Wall Street Journal found that 45 of the top 101 iPhone or Android apps analyzed did not provide privacy policies on their sites or inside the apps at the time of testing.

"Without a privacy policy to review, consumers may not have the ability to understand and control the use of their personal data by the Apps," stated a blog post on the Future of Privacy Forum site. "And although privacy policies should not be the only way companies communicate with users about data use, posting a privacy policy is the essential first step for companies to take to be accountable for their practices of collecting and using online data."

The group's own analysis includes looking at the top paid iPhone and Android apps as of May 10, as well as industry standard reporting from mobile analytics firm Distimo. In addition to examining developer Web sites for app privacy policies, it also downloaded a sample of the paid apps to determine whether at any time during the download or installation process a policy was presented to the user.

Out of the sample tested, only one app -- "Angry Birds" on iOS -- had a privacy policy link from within the user interface, suggesting that including such a link will not affect the potential popularity of an app. Other titles in the study included "Doodle God," "Cut the Rope," "Vignette," "WeatherBug Elite" and "Chat for Facebook Pro."

The Future of Policy Forum maintains that developers at a minimum should have privacy policies for all apps."Once a consumer reviews a privacy policy, he or she can choose whether to install or continue using the App, a fundamental part of privacy control," stated its blog post. The nonprofit said it's working with the Center for Democracy and Technology to recommend other ways that developers can improve privacy practices to protect consumers.

In connection with the Senate hearing, the deputy director of the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection said in a prepared statement this week that the agency is also investigating mobile privacy, including children's privacy.

Working Harder Doesn't Get You Ahead

2011-05-17T16:24:00.000-07:00

bNET The CBS Interactive Business Network
By Tony Schwartz | May 17, 2011

Late last week, I had several different challenging projects on my plate, each with fast-approaching deadlines. Feeling the pressure, I awoke earlier than usual in the morning and got to my desk by 7:00 am.

Four hours later, I was still sitting there, barely having budged from my chair. To my surprise and frustration, I still hadn’t finished my project.

At first, I attributed my failure to the difficulty of the task. But the more I thought about it, the less that made sense.

A Faulty Instinct to Work Harder

Suddenly, it dawned on me. Anxious about all the demands on my plate, I’d defaulted into a way of working that doesn’t work.

I hunkered down, powered through, stayed the course. Along the way, something insidious, inevitable, and mostly unconscious happened.

I started reading emails, and responding to them. I remembered little things from my to-do list, and decided they were actually quite urgent. I made some phone calls. I rewrote my to-do list. Feel familiar?

This isn’t the sort of thing that should happen to me. I run a company called The Energy Project, and we’re in the business of energizing individuals and organizations to be more productive and higher performing by learning to balance work with strategic periods of renewal.

Alas, I’m also human. I violated the very lessons we teach.

Professionals live today in a world of relentless demand. To meet their obligations, their default instinct - including mine, if the pressure gets high enough - is simply to push harder.

The problem is human beings aren’t meant to operate the way computers do: at high speeds, continuously, for long periods of time. To the contrary, people perform best when they pulse rhythmically between spending and renewing energy - not just physically, but also mentally and emotionally.

Unfortunately, rest and renewal get no respect in the organizational world. Most managers view the need for downtime as weakness. The problem is that when their employees work without pause, they very quickly get decreasing incremental returns on each hour invested.

Just as I did, you stop thinking as clearly, creatively, and strategically, and you take more time to get less accomplished.

Though you may not realize it, you’re physiologically designed to operate in cycles of approximately 90 minutes, during which you move from higher to lower alertness. These phases are called “ultradian rhythms.”

Don’t Ignore Your Body’s Signals

When you need a break, your body sends you clear signals, including fidgetiness, hunger, drowsiness and loss of focus. But if you’re like most people, you override them. Instead, you find artificial ways to pump up your energy: caffeine, foods high in sugar and simple carbohydrates, and your body’s own stress hormones - adrenalin, noradrenalin and cortisol.

Relying on these hormones for energy prompts the state we all know as “fight or flight.” It’s great for escaping danger, and terrible for performance. In fight or flight, people become less capable of thinking clearly and reflectively, more emotionally volatile, and burn down their energy at a rapid rate.

The Value of Working in Spurts

The counterintuitive secret to great, sustainable performance is to live like a sprinter. In practice, that means working with the high intensity, uninterrupted, for periods no longer than 90 minutes, and then taking a break to renew and refuel.

For the first several books I wrote, I typically sat at my desk for 10 or even 12 hours at a time. There was no way to stay fully engaged the whole time, so I found ways to distract myself along the way. Each of the books took me at least a year to write.

For my most recent book, I wrote without interruption for three 90-minute periods in the morning, and then took a break in between each one. I wrote no more than 4 ½ hours a day, and I finished the book in less than six months.

Obviously, it’s not possible for most people in most companies to work in a series of uninterrupted sprints the way I did. Let me challenge you instead to try a smaller experiment.

For the next week, take on your most challenging task first thing in the morning, for 60 to 90 minutes, uninterrupted. Then take a break. You’ll get an amazing amount done - and feel better the rest of the day.

Tony Schwartz is president and CEO of The Energy Project, and author, most recently, of Be Excellent At Anything. You can follow him on Twitter at @TonySchwartz and @energy_project.

Fox Leads In 18-49s, But Most Nets See Ratings Declines

2011-05-16T15:59:00.000-07:00

MediaDailyNews
by Wayne Friedman, Friday, May 13, 2011, 11:22 AM

With just two weeks to go in the regular TV broadcast season -- and right before the upfront TV presentations -- Fox is tracking to take another crown in the still important 18-49 ratings race.

Fox is averaging a Nielsen live-plus-same-day 3.5 rating among 18-49 viewers after 33 weeks of a 35-week season. Fox recovered from its disastrous start -- a fourth-quarter 2010 period where ratings were down 15% or more, due in part to the quick cancellation of "Lone Star" as well as other under-performing shows.

Fox will be down 5.3% from a year ago. It also benefited from airing the Super Bowl -- always a major factor in a network's seasonal performance. Even without the Super Bowl -- and still thanks to "American Idol" -- it would have been ahead.

CBS is tracking for a second-spot placement with a Nielsen 2.9 rating among 18-49 viewers, down 8.2% versus a year ago. CBS has been strong in most media buyers/' eyes, just looking at regularly scheduled entertainment programs. For most of the season, leaving out its airing of last year's Super Bowl, CBS was actually up in 18-49 viewers -- a rare occurrence for most TV broadcast networks.

ABC will decline around the same amount as CBS -- 8.5% now with two weeks to go. It's currently at a 2.4 average rating among 18-49 viewers.

NBC will sink by massive double-digit percentages. Right now, it is down 14.4% to a 2.3 rating number -- but the decrease is not being blamed on NBC's usual entertainment series woes. It was up against last season's big numbers, which included much higher prime ratings for a two-week period in February from the Vancouver Winter Olympics.

The only broadcast net to show gains is Spanish-language Univision, which is up 8.6% to a 1.5 rating. Lastly, CW is down 5.2% so far to a 0.9 rating in 18-49 viewers. While this is not its primary demographic -- it is more narrowly targeted to women 18-34 -- it has also had mediocre results this year.

When looking at the overall 18-49 rating average, the five English-language broadcast networks are down around 9% year-to-year so far -- again faring against the higher ratings of the Winter Olympics of last season. Without the Olympics, the numbers are off around 5%.

As usual, CBS will grab the top spot among total viewers -- now running at 11.7 million viewers. Fox is at 9.7 million viewers; ABC is at 8.4 million; NBC has 7.10 million; Univision is at 3.71 million; and The CW claims 2.01 million viewers.

2011 Forecast: Local TV Ad Revs Drop 10%, Digital Climbs

2011-05-04T19:30:00.000-07:00

MediaDailyNews
by Wayne Friedman, Friday, April 29, 2011, 10:37 AM

The absence of big Olympics and political advertising will pull down local TV advertising revenue almost 10% in 2011.

Local media research firm BIA/Kelsey is estimating that local TV advertising revenues will sink 9.8% to $17.4 billion, down from $19.4 billion in 2010. But online/digital revenues for local TV stations will climb 22% to $550 million.

2010 was the first year since 2006 that witnessed year-over-year gains -- improving 23.2% over 2009's deep recession-scarred performance, which pushed down local advertising revenues to $15.8 billion.

For the better part of two decades, TV stations have been subjected to two-year cycles: soaring gains from Olympics and political advertising dollars in one year, followed by declines with their absence the following year.

True to form, BIA/Kelsey estimates the local TV advertising market will recoup virtually all its 2011 declines in 2012, rising to $19.3 billion. Local TV-connected digital advertising will continue to gain strength -- a 15.8% hike to $638 million.

However, research suggests that TV stations will not top the big $20 billion totals in recent years -- 2005 to 2008 -- before the recession hit anytime soon. The 2006 year was at an all-time high of $22.8 billion. By 2015, BIA/Kelsey projects local TV station advertising revenues of $19.5 billion -- virtually the totals of 2010. But it says local TV stations' digital advertising revenues will continue to climb, topping to $890 million.

Local TV -- as with all broadcast TV -- continues to witness lower ratings. But business continues to be steady.

Mark Fratrik, Ph.D., vice president of BIA/Kelsey, stated: "Even with some erosion of viewers, it was a strong demonstration that local television continues to show its value to advertisers by delivering the shoppers, voters, and influencers they want to reach."

BIA/Kelsey says revenues for the overall local media advertising marketplace -- as defined by media that provides local audiences to all types of advertisers -- will grow at a 2.4% compound annual growth rate over the next five years, reaching $153.5 billion by 2015

Get Rid of your Salesman Voice and Sell!

2011-04-30T17:29:00.000-07:00

bNet The CBS Interactive New Network
By Geoffrey James | April 27, 2011

If you want to be effective at selling, you must get rid of any and all traces of “salesman voice.” You know what I’m talking about… that breezy, TV-pitchman voice that’s filled with false excitement.

Many real-life sales pros unconsciously talk in “salesman voice” because they’ve been subliminally cued by listening to other sales pros who have it. The problem with “salesman voice” is that it raises the hackles of your prospects, and makes them think of you as a salesman first and a person second.

Every time you sound “like a salesman,” you’re communicating that you’re only there to sell and your credibility flies out the window. But not to worry. It’s pretty easy to get rid of salesman voice. It takes about an hour. Here’s how.
Set up a device that can record your voice. You’re going to make three recordings and you want them to be as similar as possible in terms of content, so this works best you’ve got a script that you use for cold-calling, a standard elevator pitch, or something like that.

• Your Recording #1: Imagine yourself talking to a customer. Go through the script as if you were participating in a normal communication. Don’t focus on the sound of your voice but rather the message you’re trying to communicate. This is your baseline.

• Your Recording #2: Imagine yourself talking to your best friend. Go through the script as if you were relaxing with a coffee, across the table from somebody who really know you and likes you. Focus on your desire to help your friend understand your message.

• Your Recording #3: Imagine that you’re on a TV show, playing a loud, obnoxious cartoon sales guy. Go through your script, and don’t be afraid to ham it up a little. However, don’t lose focus on the message, and stick to the script.
Listen to the three recordings in this order: #2, #3, then #1. If you’re like most sales professionals, recording #1 will have some elements of tonality, cadence and rhythm that appear in recording #3, but NOT in recording #2. That’s your “salesman voice” and it’s what’s turning off your customers.

Now listen to #2 again. That’s closer to the voice that you’ll need in order to be really successful at selling. If you can incorporate that relaxed tonality into your day-to-day work, you’ll find that prospects will warm to you more quickly and tend to give you more of chance to prove that you can be of value to them and not “just another salesman.”

Sure, it’s ridiculously exaggerated, but that’s the point. If you want to sell more, you need to sound more like Will Smith and less like Philby Sellmore.

In short, it’s all about the tonality in your voice. Sound like a salesman and you’re probably going to lose the sale! It’s really that simple.

Arbitron, Marketron Unveil New Radio Tracking, Planning Tools

2011-04-22T19:01:00.000-07:00

MediaDailyNews > Monday, Apr 18, 2011
by Erik Sass, Friday, April 15, 2011, 6:59 PM

As the radio business struggles to win back billions in ad spending, some of the key factors in getting advertisers to sign will be ease and accountability in terms of planning, buying, reporting and analyzing radio ads. Some of the major players in the radio business are introducing new Web-based platforms for tracking and analyzing radio spending and planning new radio ad campaigns.

Arbitron, the dominant radio ratings research firm, has partnered with Media Monitors to create new interactive tools offering users the latest radio ad campaign data from all markets covered by Arbitron's Portable People Meter.

The platform, called "Get a GRiP," allows Arbitron clients to see the frequency and reach of specific ad campaigns, which they can sort by advertiser, client, market, station, station genre, demographic target and schedule.

Among other things, "Get a GRiP" allows clients to conduct competitive comparisons for ad campaigns, breaking data down by GRPs, percent share of GRPs, commercial units and percent share of commercial units. Users can track station GRPs over time, as well as by hour and client.

Get a GRiP's tools should allow them to calculate spending and cost per point for various campaigns at the market level. All this data is available within two days of spots airing, meaning that advertisers can check on the effectiveness of radio buys and tweak them, if necessary, with a much faster turnaround time.

Also this week, Marketron announced the launch of a new, integrated online platform for reporting, analyzing, planning and buying radio inventory, and other media, if users wish. The new Marketron platform, called MediaScape, offers users access to a suite of capabilities that already exist independently -- including its Exchange, revenue builder and mobile platform.

"in one common operating environment that allows me to execute campaigns across different channels," according to Marketron CEO Steve Minisini. Users can also build in data integration from third-party services -- for example, for online measurement or ad-serving.

Because it is an open platform, Minisini said MediaScape can easily be expanded to interface with online exchanges for buying and selling other kinds of media, including print, TV, online, out-of-home. "We've built an open application layer that allows everyone to play together."

To that end, MediaScape can import financial and inventory information from other media, for example, to a common analytics dashboard; it can also be modified to handle billing for different sorts of media. Minisini concluded: "Anyone else in the industry can participate, and plug their services into the framework here."

Upfront: Cable Nets Expected To Take In $9.2B

2011-04-22T18:57:00.000-07:00

MediaDailyNews Friday, Apr 22, 2011
by David Goetzl, Yesterday, 4:23 PM

A Barclays Capital report continues the trend of forecasting a stellar upfront for cable networks, but throws some cold water on the ad market at large. Volume for the cable market is projected to jump about 15% over a year ago. Cable is expected to take in total dollars on par with the Big Four broadcast networks for the first time, with both at $9.2 billion.

The report, authored by analyst Anthony DiClemente, does offer favorable predictions for the Big Four broadcasters in commanding price increases. CBS would lead the pack with a 12% gain -- with ABC and Fox up 10%, followed by NBC, up 8%.

Driving upfront health would be a strong scatter market, prompting buyers to lock in inventory before suffering down the road. Cable should also benefit from higher ratings that have chipped into broadcast viewership.

At the same time, with the print and outdoor sectors showing mild performances, Barclays is lowering its forecast for the full U.S. ad market for 2011 to 2.9% growth from 3.9%.

Also, the projection for 2012, even with an Olympics and campaign cycle, has been lowered from 6% to 5.2% -- although TV and Internet dollars should be up.

Barclays wrote that local print and outdoor advertising may be increasingly losing out to the Web, notably with the emergence of Groupon and LivingSocial as options.

Cable in Ad Sales Driver’s Seat: MagnaGlobal forecasts 11% gain in revenues

2011-04-19T15:45:00.000-07:00

TVNewsCheck
By Anthony Crupi April 19 2011

Everything’s coming up roses for the cable TV networks, as a once thorny ad sales market promises to be particularly sweet smelling in 2011.

According to IPG’s MagnaGlobal, the national cable networks will boost their advertising dollars by 10.8 percent this year. Based on estimates from the Cabletelevision Advertising Bureau, that jump would bring cable’s overall ad sales haul to a whopping $22.7 billion.

While the upfront isn’t a perfect indicator of the general strength of the market, the total year increase predicted by MagnaGlobal echoes Tabak & Co.’s forecast for the spring sell-off. Cable nets are expected to grow their upfront commitments by 11.5

Cable’s forecast is extremely favorable when compared with the advertising industry as a whole. MagnaGlobal is now forecasting a 3.1 percent boost across all media. Cable is also on track to post much higher gains than the broadcasters, as the agency predicts a 2.4 percent lift at ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, and The CW.

“Increasingly, large advertisers with reach and frequency goals are turning to network cable as an alternative national mass medium to broadcast TV, attracted by lower rates and broader options,” the MagnaGlobal report said. “We see a similar trend in 2011, in which large, national advertisers continue to shift dollars to cable.”

If cable is flexing its muscles heading into the 2011-12 upfront bazaar, the industry as a whole still lags broadcast on price. Estimates place the average cost of a 30-second spot in broadcast prime at around $130,000; on the whole, cable nets command an average rate of around $45,000. (Ratings leaders and networks with more aggressive pricing packages are much closer to bridging that 3-to-1 shortfall.)

Spurred by opportunities in online and mobile video as well as display advertising, MagnaGlobal sees national digital advertising growing 18.7 percent in 2011.

Weakness in several key economic indicators could bring a slowdown in the second half of 2011. Last week, the International Monetary Fund reduced its estimate for U.S. GDP growth in 2011 to 2.8 percent.

Facebook Doesn't Click For eBusiness Retail Companies

2011-04-08T14:54:00.000-07:00

OnlineMediaDaily
Editor's note: While Facebook is great social medium, traditional broadcast media and mobile may be best with which to attract consumer activity.
Philip Jay LeNoble, Ph.D.
Feature article follows......

by Gavin O'Malley, Yesterday, 3:57 PM

Like Google, Facebook represents a looming and largely unknown threat to many sectors of the Web. And while ecommerce seems like fertile land for Facebook to farm, not everyone is convinced that it can.

According to new research from Forrester Research, eBusiness professionals in retail collectively report little direct or indirect benefit from Facebook. In fact, social networks overall trail far behind other customer acquisition and retention tactics, like paid search and email, in generating any ROI.

"For some companies and brands, Facebook promises to support branding and awareness efforts ... but for most eBusiness companies in retail, Facebook is unlikely to correlate directly to near-term sales," according to Sucharita Mulpuru, principal analyst at Forrester and lead author of the report.

Barring any unforeseen events, U.S. ecommerce spending will reach $278.9 billion by 2015, Forrester recently predicted.

It credited new online shopping models -- like "flash sales" and "daily deal" services -- with continuing to generate excitement among shoppers. And it's worth noting that Facebook is exploring these areas.

Yet, two years worth of data that Forrester has collected with Shop.org shows that social networks fail to drive meaningful revenue for eBusiness retail pros, have a questionable ROI and are generally ineffective as customer acquisition tools.

"Furthermore, while Facebook proponents would argue that the best of Facebook commerce is yet to come, the fact remains that, in spite of an open architecture and several hundred thousand developers making efforts to develop useful social shopping applications, few, if any, have managed to create a breakaway success," Mulpuru says.

Led by Mulpuru, Forrester said it spent eight weeks interviewing nearly 24 technology vendors, retailers and interactive marketers to craft a perspective on the topic. Facebook apparently did not respond to requests to be interviewed for the report.

In theory, Facebook is well-positioned to address something that the Internet has been notoriously bad at supporting: product discovery, according to Forrest. "But the key challenge is that Facebook is about socializing rather than shopping," says Mulpuru.

Unfortunately, eBusiness professionals in retail regard this tactic as the least lucrative of Facebook commerce opportunities; click-through and conversion rates for links from these pages/links are anemic.

Furthermore, they report that commonly clicked on features from their Facebook efforts center on coupons and promotions. This leads many retailers to believe they are not attracting particularly valuable shoppers through Facebook initiatives.

Life Is But A Stream

2011-04-08T14:30:00.001-07:00

MediaPost's Engage: Gen-Y
By Dan Coates Friday, April 8, 2011

All this buzz about clouds is not hyperbole. There's a fundamental shift in how media is being consumed, and Gen Y is at the epicenter of it all.
Let's start with television. While traditional consumption via a television set remains the most common mechanism by which Gen Y consumes TV programming, they are rapidly adopting online technologies that feed their insatiable entertainment appetites. In our recent report on Gen Y's use of technology, we discovered via a nationally representative survey of 1,300 teens and collegians that, in the prior week, nearly one in four members of Gen Y watched video content that was streamed to a computer, one in seven downloaded video content to a computer and one in 20 watched video content that was streamed to their mobile phones.

On average, Gen Y spends nearly three hours a week watching streamed TV programs, and an hour and a half a week watching downloaded TV programs. Gen Y streams and downloads video from a variety of locations: they are nearly as likely to do so at home as they are at a friend's house. That is the essence of online video: students want to watch it when they stumble across it, no matter where they are. And they want to share it with friends by pulling up videos when they're hanging out, as well as by sharing links via Facebook.

Gen Y most commonly streams full-length, professionally produced videos, such as movies and TV shows, with music videos not far behind. College students watch a wider diversity of content than teens, with most checking out news clips, commercials, sports, and political videos in addition to long-form movies and TV shows.

Growing up doesn't mean giving up cartoons -- a majority of high school and college students watch them online. In fact, among boys, streaming animation increases during their college years, while it declines among girls. This is connected to how the genders define themselves as "adults"; boys don't feel any less adult for watching cartoons and playing videogames.

Streaming music is as common a practice as streaming video, with Gen Y spending an average of two hours and 40 minutes a week listening to streaming radio stations. Services such as Pandora and Spotify give users access to hundreds of thousands of songs at their fingertips. Traditional terrestrial radio still accounts for the lion's share of radio listening at a little over four hours a week, however, Gen Y spends just one half-hour less streaming feeds from traditional radio stations and online-only stations combined.

Looking at the impact of digital consumption on the music industry, sales are declining not only due to piracy, but also due to consumption via streaming services that allow users to custom create music channels. Only one in five of teens and collegians are buying more music than they did a year ago, compared to two out of five who are buying less and two out of five who are buying the same amount.

Two-thirds of Gen Y download music from the Web, whether legally or illegally. College boys are the least likely to download music, but that may be because they are spending more time following college sports and going out. The most common reasons students say they don't download music is that it costs too much or they can't afford it, suggesting that their first inclination is to obtain it legally. (We should also note that Gen Y is the generation that is most comfortable with the idea of paying a fee for digital content.)

More than a quarter don't download because they are concerned about security on their computer, which is a common problem with file sharing services that are riddled with viruses and malware. A similar proportion is concerned about being sued.

The trend towards cloud-based, on-demand digital media shifts the locus of control from the producer to the consumer. Having grown up immersed in digital media, Gen Y will lead this shift. Producers of entertainment (as well as all those who advertise, sponsor or otherwise participate in the entertainment ecosystem) should begin their transition strategies with Gen Y at the center of their digital universe, studying their preferences and behaviors and developing services that align with, rather than buck how, where and why they want to consume.

Advertisers Using Relevant Ads Score More Attention

2011-04-08T14:15:00.000-07:00

MediaDailyNews
by Gavin O'Malley, Yesterday, 5:09 PM

Consciously or not, consumers spend 25% more time fixating on ads that are personally relevant to them. That's according to a new study conducted by Yahoo and Innerscope Research, which examined the emotional and cognitive responses to online ads using biometric and eye-tracking measures.

"This research ... sheds light on the nuances of when and why marketers should use behavioral [versus] contextual targeting or both," said Lauren Weinberg, Yahoo's senior director of strategic insights and research.

"If there is one thing the study makes exceedingly clear, it is that the combination of contextual and personal relevance is much greater than the sum of its parts," Weinberg added. "By leveraging both methods of targeting simultaneously, advertisers assure that their message resonates emotionally and will be remembered."

When viewing personally relevant ads, participants' pupil dilation increased by 27%, which is a strong indicator of increased cognition of the ad. That means people are processing the key messages to a greater extent.

Within a lab environment, 60 participants were presented with 12 different "Yahoo content" plus "display ad" exposure scenarios, totaling 720 different exposure scenarios.

When viewing contextually relevant ads, time to first fixation increased by 15%. This, according to Yahoo, increased the chances that the ad would be stored in long-term memory and ultimately lead to higher recall. What's more, contextually relevant ads elicit an emotional response that is almost twice as high as those without.

When an ad has both contextual and personal relevance, its impact is even more powerful, producing a stronger emotional response than either condition alone. In this case, pupil dilation increased by an unprecedented 40%, indicating an impressively high level of cognition of the ad.

Each targeting technique delivers a unique value to the experience of online display advertising -- thereby delivering great value for both consumer and advertiser, according to Yahoo. By leveraging both methods of targeting together, advertisers can maximize their ad's emotional and cognitive engagement.

Biometric measures are automatic human responses, such as heart rate, skin conductance, respiration, kinesthetic differences, and eye tracking.

TV Station Groups Post Huge Gains

2011-03-31T12:48:00.000-07:00

MediaDailyNews
by Wayne Friedman, Monday, March 28, 2011, 5:27 PM

For the fourth consecutive quarter in a row, major TV station groups posted eye-popping double-digit gains -- and saw rising profit margins, some nearing performance levels of the 1980s and 1990s.

New York-based media investment/adviser M.C. Alcamo & Co. says profit margins for TV stations grew by 10 points to 40% for some 15 broadcasting companies it covers in the fourth quarter of 2010. This was versus a 30% profit margin number in fourth-quarter 2009.

These results near the 50% or greater gains that virtually all TV station groups had garnered decades ago. Some, like Sinclair Broadcast Group and Meredith Corp., got to this magical mark, posting the quarter's highest profit margins of 51% for all TV companies.

For the 15 broadcasting companies it covers, M.C. Alcamo says revenues rose 27.1% to $371.8 million -- in part helped by the turnaround from major ad categories such as automotive marketers, as well as a surging political ad market.

The best performers: Fisher Communications grew 49% in revenue to $18.9 million; Gray Television added on 47.8% to $37.1 million.

Alcamo covers seven "pure play" broadcasters: Belo Corp, Entravision Communications, Fisher Communications, Gray Television, Lin Television, Nexstar Broadcasting and Sinclair Broadcast Group. Eight other multimedia companies are also followed: Gannett Company, Journal Communications, Meredith, Media General, McGraw-Hill Companies, Saga Communications, E.W. Scripps and Washington Post Co.

"The unusually strong profits will likely be utilized in three ways," says Michael Alcamo, president of M.C. Alcamo & Co. First, he says many broadcasters will continue to pay down outstanding debt. Plus, many will set aside these big cash reserves for strategic investments. Third, stations will look to upgrade station infrastructure, such as HD technology.

Consumer Prices Headed Up Come June

2011-03-31T12:02:00.000-07:00

USA Today Retail
3.31.2011

Get to your clients who utilize your media voice and have them promote good pricing on goods and services they sell so as to help consumers see their intrinsic value based on the coming inflationary surge to begin in June according to Wal-Mart's U.S. Operations head...see below..PJL

U.S. consumers face "serious" inflation in the months ahead for clothing, food and other products, the head of Wal-Mart's U.S. operations warned Wednesday.

The world's largest retailer is working with suppliers to minimize the effect of cost increases and believes its low-cost business model will position it better than its competitors.

Still, inflation is "going to be serious," Wal-Mart U.S. CEO Bill Simon said during a meeting with USA TODAY's editorial board. "We're seeing cost increases starting to come through at a pretty rapid rate."

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Along with steep increases in raw material costs, John Long, a retail strategist at Kurt Salmon, says labor costs in China and fuel costs for transportation are weighing heavily on retailers. He predicts prices will start increasing at all retailers in June.

"Every single retailer has and is paying more for the items they sell, and retailers will be passing some of these costs along," Long says. "Except for fuel costs, U.S. consumers haven't seen much in the way of inflation for almost a decade, so a broad-based increase in prices will be unprecedented in recent memory."

Consumer prices — or the consumer price index — rose 0.5% in February, the most since mid-2009, largely because of surging food and gasoline prices. Core inflation, which excludes volatile food and energy costs, rose a more modest 0.2%, though that still exceeded estimates.

The scenario hits Wal-Mart as it is trying to return to the low across-the-board prices it became famous for. Some prices rose as the company paid for costly store renovations.

"We're in a position to use scale to hold prices lower longer ... even in an inflationary environment," Simon says. "We will have the lowest prices in the market."

Major retailers such as Wal-Mart are the best positioned to mitigate some cost increases, Long says. Wal-Mart, for example, could have "access to any factory in any country around the globe" to mitigate the effect of inflation in the U.S., Long says.

Still, "it's certainly going to have an impact," Long says. "No retailer is going to be able to wish this new cost reality away. They're not going to be able to insulate the consumer 100%."

Borrell Associates’ 2011 Ad Forecast Memo

2011-03-29T12:37:00.000-07:00

2011 ONLINE AD GROWTH TO OUTPACE TOTAL AD SPEND GROWTH

Borrell Associates is forecasting a moderate increase in overall ad spending for 2011, but continued strong growth for online advertising, including mobile. Overall, advertisers will increase their spending next year by less than 5% above this year's projected level, bringing U.S. ad spending totals to $238.6 billion.

We're expecting total online ad spending to grow almost 14%, from $45.6 billion, in 2010, to $51.9 billion, in 2011. The fastest-growing segments of online advertising are the local sector, anything targeted, and everything involving social media.

By next year, local online advertising should grow by almost 18%, from $13.7 billion, in 2010, to $16.1 billion, in 2011. The big driver will be targeted display (such as banner ads) advertising, which we expect to grow almost 60% in 2011, reaching $10.9 billion for national and local combined. While national advertisers will increase their use of targeted display by nearly 50%, local advertisers will outperform even that. Use of targeted display by advertisers local to the markets where their ads run will more than double, reaching more than $2.3 billion next year.

However, the Web's initial darling –run-of-site display– continues to lose luster. Sales of run-of-site display ads will continue to decrease, dropping nearly 14% from this year's level – from $9.5 billion to $8.2 billion for both local and national. This early online format has simply been overshadowed by newer, more productive ad formats, and competition has pushed display unit prices down. Most of the spending decease will come from national advertisers. Local run-of-site ads are forecast to decrease less than 3% next year.

The national paid search ad format will experience a double-digit spending decline next year, moving down 11.3%. This drop will be caused by lower pricing and churn, but will be mitigated by a local advertiser increase of more than 10%. (In general, local online advertiser trends tend to lag those of the larger national advertisers by about two years, and that is certainly the case for paid search.) Local spending decreases in paid search are sure to follow, perhaps as soon as 2012.

Email advertising will see moderately strong growth in 2011, up 9% to $16.0 billion for national and local. Growth in this format is almost all from national advertisers; only 3% is local. White paper marketing is a major contributor to its popularity – especially among B2B advertisers.

The streaming video format is expected to continue its dramatic growth, increasing more than 60% to $5.6 billion next year. More DIY and less expensive tools put this ad format within the budgets of even small advertisers. Because of this, two out of every five streaming video ad dollars will come from local advertisers next year. Streaming audio, on the other hand, looks to remain a footnote. Though it too will enjoy double-digit ad spending increases in 2011, streaming audio has yet to pass the $1 billion ad spending level.

Unlike legacy marketing, where promotions overshadows advertising, online advertising has historically gotten far more attention from marketers than online promotions. But changes are coming. Online promotions will top $24 billion next year, up 10% from this year's totals. Much of this increase will be due to the rising use of online couponing, forecast to grow almost 14%, to $9.1 billion, in 2011. Proximity advertising is also on the rise, up 11% next year. Mobile devices that can tell users when a particular merchant is in their immediate vicinity continue to sell briskly, and advertisers are expressing interest in this form of advertising.

Mobile marketing continues to grow, fueled by ubiquitous apps, user-friendly browsers and 3G/4G speeds. As smartphone ownership now comprises 25% of all cellphone ownership, mobile ad sales will enjoy growth of more than 20 cents of every online ad dollar spent next year.

Subscribers to Borrell research will be able to download the 2011 Detailed Forecast for free. Everyone else will be able to download the 2011 Summary Forecast for free. For more information about a subscription, call Martin Nyberg at 253-678-1975 or email him at mnyberg@borrellassociates.com .