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Newspaper Web Revenue Model Works for TV Station As Well, Generating Over $100,000 of Online Dollars from Local Yellow Page Advertisers in Two Weeks!

The Challenge:
While local online advertising expenditures continue to increase, the majority of the revenue has gone to pure-play Internet and newspaper companies. Standard online banner sales make up the majority of the ad spending, while paid search represents 27% of the local money being invested in Online advertising (Source: Borrell Associates 2007). Last year, The Blinder Group was asked by Freedom Communications to work with some of their newspaper properties, in generating both banner and "local search dollars. Over three quarters of a million dollars of new online revenue was generated, by the local traditional media sales force, in just 6-months of sales as a result of the partnership! All of the banner revenue generated was at a high CPM. And most of the dollars gained were at the expense of local Yellow Page advertising. The management at Freedom Communications' Broadcast Division was anxious to see if the same model would work for their TV properties. So they asked the Blinder Group to develop and deploy a similar program at one of their stations. The results were just as impressive!

Synopsis:
The TV Station selected was WWMT, a CBS affiliate in the Grand Rapids/ Kalamazoo Michigan DMA. The Blinder Group suggested that the station ad a local Yellow Page Directory "search box" to their Web offering, as deployed at the newspaper properties. Using the same vendor, Local.com, the TV station was able to offer a complete directory of all local businesses to the Web site very cost effectively. Advertisers who participated in the sales program received a "Premiere Local Business Listing" that appeared on the top of the results page, of each category or "key word" related online search, performed on the Yellow Page search box. The Premiere Advertiser received a listing on top of all other non-advertising businesses.

The sales program developed by The Blinder Group, also offered a select number of advertisers a "Run of Site" (ROS) online "Medium Rectangle" ad (300 x 350) that rotated 20,000 times a month on all news pages of the Web site, "above the fold." For the past eleven years, The Blinder Group has been working with media ad reps, making sales calls on local advertisers, in all size markets, all over the world. It is not uncommon for an advertiser to reject online banner advertising because they might not be happy with their current Web site. Or, have none at all. In order to avoid this issue, The Blinder Group suggested that the banner ad could link to the advertises Web site, or to a newly created advertiser "Profile Page." This single Web page was placed within the TV station's dominant Web site, and offered in-depth information about the advertiser's business.

Also, by placing the Profile Page within the TV Station's Web site it actually facilitated the advertiser in being found higher on the results pages of online search engines, as part of the "organic results" of the search process. This model of "Search Engine Maximization" has been proven by a number of media companies, with great success.

Advertisers are now extremely susceptible to finding alternative solutions, like online Yellow Page enhanced listings, as provided by local media companies. When these offerings are blended with banner inventory, as well as "search engine optimization" elements, the advertiser is presented with a total solution, which is hard for them to resist. The Blinder Group has proven that this "blended" multimedia advertising model continues to generate new money from new advertiser categories for local media companies.

Packaging Pricing
All participating advertisers in this new sales program, received a guaranteed minimum of 20,000 monthly, ROS, online ad impressions, enhanced status on the results pages of the online Yellow Page platform, and a Business Profile Page to assist in "Search Engine Optimization." Participation was limited to 20 advertisers due to limited banner inventory, each committing to a full year participation in the program. The fee for participation was $99 per week.

Sales Team Training
The Blinder Group conducted an initial, in-depth training session with the traditional salespeople of the TV station to instruct on: prospecting new multimedia business, the basics of multimedia marketing and how the medium works, best practices in selling online solutions, the benefits of bringing interactive products to market, methods for using the Web to garner more market share and how to attack the competition with online offerings (More information and sample video offerings of the Blinder Group's "Multimedia Master Class" can be found at: BlinderGroup.com/speaking).

The training also included content informing the sales staff of the Blinder Group's return visit, in which "4-legged" sales training/closing calls were performed with the reps, to assist in the launching of this initiative. Salespeople were urged and encouraged during the meeting, to set up a large amount of appointments, with qualified "decision-makers" of area businesses.

During that training, the sales staff was supplied with proven support documents that re- enforced the training, as well as provided an appointment- setting script to assist them in setting up the calls.

Sales Support Materials
The Blinder Group also assisted in the production of the associated sales support collaterals necessary for this program's deployment. A simple, easy-to-follow multiple page flyer was developed so the advertisers (and the sales team) could easily grasp the features and benefits of this sales program being deployed. It is imperative that the program is explained graphically in an easy-to-follow manner, thus creating clarity during the sales process.

Download complete presentation: Blinder-KalamazooTV-SalesMaterials.pdf

The Blinder Group has incredible success creating powerful sales presentations for client media companies and provides this service as part of the entire staff training/ revenue generation process

Guaranteed Revenue Generation:
A key element in ensuring sales success of this initiative is garnering advertiser approval of meeting attendance, as well as the validity of the concept in general. Many of these advertisers are new to marketing their business online and feel wary of experimenting with new concepts. One of the most effective means of accomplishing attendance and acceptance is to introduce the advertiser to an industry respected "outside" consultant who has had success with similar programs, with similar businesses, in similar markets, all across the country. Because The Blinder Group is world known for their multi-media expertise, many media companies contract with the Blinder Group to assist with "4-legged" sales training/ closing calls. They provide additional value as; the accompanying salesperson learns new, valuable techniques on how to sell innovative programs, like this one, in an effective manner during the sales process.

The Blinder Group has a proven track record of generating high "closing" ratios, resulting in significant revenue, for client media companies that have deployed this form of advertising sales initiatives. During "4-legged," sales training/ closing calls with the TV Station sales reps, The Blinder Group achieved a 52% "closing ratio" during the initial 1st visit, when the call was performed in front of a "qualified decision-maker," resulting in over $100,000 of new online revenue during the initial week of deployment. The sales reps of WWMT-TV are continuing the sell this program and now many other online products to local advertisers as a result of the Blinder Group training process.

"It was a great week ... I recommend that this program be implemented by the rest of our Broadcast Group. Besides the dollars immediately generated, this is a great "door-opener" for other multimedia options available" stated Jim Wagner, General Sales Manager, WWMT-TV Grand Rapids/ Kalamazoo, Mi.

"Our reps our now excited about selling online," says Craig Brown, WWMT's Interactive Sales Manager. "Our goal was not just to garner new sales from the training program deployment. But to also train the reps to feel more empowered to the take the Web to market each day. I can gladly say we achieved that goal!"

Local Contacts:
Grand Rapids/ Kalamzoo (MI) WWMT-TV
Jim Wagner, General Sales Manager
269.388.4899, jwagner@wwmt.com

Craig Brown, Interactive Sales Manager
269.388.4876, cbrown@wwmt.com

For the Blinder Group:
Mike Blinder, President
727.847.2464, mike@blindergroup.com

The Blinder Group
Tampa Offices: 6139 Fjord Way
New Port Richey, FL 34652 USA
(727) 847-2464 ~ (727) 847-5959 (fax)
profit@blindergroup.com

SPEAKING PROGRAMS, seminars and workshops

CONSULTING/TRAINING: Strategic Planning ~ Basic Sales Training
Multimedia Sales Training ~ Assisted 4-Legged Closing Calls

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