The Relationship Game

In what some refer to as one of the golden eras in media, before measurement and research, there was a time media was bought and sold over lunch and cocktails. It was the relationship that sold the platform. Heck, there were only a handful of publishers to choose from, and reaching people was a lot more simple. Fast forward more than fifty years and we have an enormous amount of data to measure every media platform from linear to digital, and audience research that surpasses even that. So why is it there are still publications (and agencies) that are out there selling solely on relationships? That's a rhetorical question by the way. As Peter Parker's Uncle Ben once said, "with great power comes great responsibility." With everything we have today to help us better understand the people we are connecting with, and how to make a meaningful impact, there is no reason for relationship based media transactions. 

When media is transacted based solely on a relationship without taking the time and resources to understand how the medium and the people engaging with that medium respond, you automatically diminish the value of the platform itself and the results it will have toward your goals. You set yourself up for imminent disaster. As a Titanic buff (my colleagues are laughing right now), it's like going through a time machine from the 21st century and boarding the Titanic. You KNOW what's going to happen to the Titanic, right?! So would you still board the ship... NO! Ok, I digress, but I hope you're following.

My battle cry is for publishers to stop underselling the value of your own platform and medium, while responsibly approaching how you sell it. You need to be competitive and start looking at the entire media eco-system, not just your own. Own what is great about the content you offer, the product you have, the people that engage with it, and then stop trying to fit a square peg in a round hole. Not every business and marketing goal makes sense for your platform and the people that engage with it. From someone who has sat on the publisher side and agency side, I promise you the sooner you can accept that your product will not be a fit for everyone, the more successful you will be, and in return, your clients will be. 

For clients, we know it sucks to say no. Media reps are not only a part of your team in some instances, but they're your neighbors. I promise you though that with a well-informed decision there is no reason to feel guilty for turning down a media opportunity. Understand this, your success is more important and no media company will put a black mark on your record for not advertising with them. And if they do... well, that's for another post. If you don't have the resources to have an agency who houses their own full media team and the research tools to objectively pull audience and media data as a holistic source, than sometimes the key to understanding an effective media plan comes down to simple math and knowledge of capabilities. Knowing the market value of certain mediums will very quickly help you whittle down the options that make the most sense for your budget and goals. It will also open up opportunities! You can read more about some media terms you should know from a previous blog if you're approaching the media planning. 

Here's the thing, we wouldn't be in the media business if we didn't value publishers and the role they have in the communities they serve. In case you didn't know before I even sat on the ad sales side for many national media conglomerates I was a broadcast journalist and producer so trust me when I say that we truly appreciate the role of all people behind the media machines. We at Dirigo Collective take great pride at the lengths we go in order to vet the right media platforms to pair with our client's marketing and business goal. Remember that we're all in this business for the same reason and there is more that connects us than divides us. With that, be educated and be proud of how informed you are the next time you invest your media dollars.