Unlike ad sales clients of the James G. Elliott Co., many consulting clients of Ads&IDEAS prefer to remain anonymous.  Here are some brief descriptions of some types of clients the company has served:

  • A top-25 newspaper that needed to restructure the sales operation to increase accountability and increase sales

  • Three Fortune 500 companies who were considering adding an advertising component to products they were launching

  • Large international media company with newspapers, magazines, and radio stations

  • Highly regarded large niche consumer publisher

  • Prominent association that serves other associations

  • Several technical and scientific associations

  • A large event-oriented company with media assets

  • And many more

Consulting Project Examples

TWO ASSOCIATIONS WANTING TO MERGE INTO ONE AD SALES GROUP:

  • Prepare background and rationale for the consolidation of several member publications’ advertising sales activity, currently managed by two different organizations, into one advertising sales group.

  • Participate in the presentation and discussion of the consolidation idea.

  • Answer questions relating to organizational needs if this consolidation occurs.

A MULTI-PRODUCT B2B MEDIA COMPANY EXAMINING THEIR CURRENT SALES STRUCTURE (WITH A LOT OF LEGACY SELLERS):

  • Analyze sales compensation and recommend changed with focus on:

    • Retention

    • Succession

    • Fairness

    • Cross-Selling

    • Incentives

  • Recommend how to grow digital revenues without cannibalizing print revenues. 

A B2B PUBLISHER LOOKING AT BEST PRACTICES IN THEIR CATEGORY:

  • Examine advertising, marketing and sales operations and results of select competitors and comparable organizations. 

  • Compare findings above to client’s organization.

  • Recommend changes in staffing and packaging that will improve efficiency and performance.     

  • Provide analysis of sales compensation and incentives; suggest changes to improve both sales performance and overall publishing profitability.

A B2B PUBLISHING GROUP LOOKING AT MULTIPLE ISSUES:

  • Assess the current state of business and make recommendations in the following areas:

    • Leadership & Sales Management

    • Structure

    • Editorial & Products

    • CRM System

    • Marketing

ASSOCIATION PUBLISHER LOOKING AT MULTIPLE ISSUES:

  • Identify competitive set and analyze advertising available for each of client’s media.

  • Analyze ad revenue performance of client media:  revenue, trends, pricing.

  • Observe and make recommendations on positioning, pricing, circulation, audience, frequency, and additional revenue-creating opportunities.  

  • Evaluate sales processes, staffing, marketing tools and needs, and research tools and needs.

A FORTUNE 300 COMPANY LOOKING TO GET INTO MEDIA:

  • Develop an advertising sales plan for client to create advertising sales channel based on printed receipts at retail:

    • Identify competitive set and advertising available

    • Identify barriers to success

    • Discuss strategic elements:

      • Audience

      • Positioning

      • Pricing

      • Promotion

      • Other revenue-creating promotional opportunities

      • Concept-testing

      • Timing

    • Recommend tactics:

      • Sales staffing

      • Marketing needs

      • Research needed

    • Propose revenue and expense goals

A LARGE CONSUMER MEDIA COMPANY LOOKING AT THEIR ADVERTISING BUSINESS:

  • Analyze the advertising businesses of the client’s media brands, consisting of magazines, websites, newsletters, and other assets in four sectors:

    • Identify competitive set and advertising available in each sector.

    • Create target lists of advertising competitors are getting that are missing from client’s media.

  • Analyze performance of client’s media brands:

    • Review revenue by title / channel / year

    • Examine trends by category

    • Compare pricing to competitors

  • Make recommendations:

    • Positioning

    • Circulation / Audience

    • Packaging of all assets

    • Other revenue-creating promotional opportunities

    • Sales effectiveness

  • Recommend tactics:

    • Sales processes (evaluate CRM)

    • Sales staffing

    • Marketing tools / needs

    • Research tools / needs

A LARGE PACKAGED GOODS COMPANY WITH MEDIA ASSETS:

  • Evaluate current strategy and tactics and recommend changes in both to achieve strategic goals of the magazine. 

  • Consider the following questions:

    • Is the current competitive set appropriately based on product categories the target demographic actually buys?

    • Should the Top 50 Target List be revised to include new accounts and categories?

    • What sales rationales can be created that may be more likely to accepted and endorsed by advertising agencies?

    • Are sales and marketing operations adequately staffed; what changes or additions should be made?

    • How should print be integrated with other media assets?

A LARGE ASSOCIATION WANTING A LOOK AT THE AD SALES OPERATION FIVE YEARS OUT:

  • Assess how client’s publishing initiatives are currently positioned and recommend steps for improving sales position versus competitive set.

  • Recommend new or improved revenue building concepts.

  • Review advertising rate structure and make recommendations for change.

  • Assess budget and make recommendations.

  • Recommend sales management software.

  • Assess sales staff structure and skill sets needed.

  • Give opinion on sales compensation and incentive structure.

ANOTHER FORTUNE 300 COMPANY LOOKING TO DIVERSIFY INTO MEDIA:

  • Develop an advertising sales plan for client considering creating new video sales channel:

    • Identify competitive set and advertising available

    • Identify barriers to success

    • Determine strategic elements:

      • Audience

      • Positioning

      • Pricing

      • Content / Advertising

      • Other revenue-creating promotional opportunities

      • Timing

    • Recommend tactics:

      • Sales staffing

      • Marketing tools

      • Research tools

    • Propose revenue and expense goal

A REGIONAL CONSUMER MEDIA COMPANY IN 30 DIFFERENT MARKETS:

  • Analyze the advertising businesses of the client’s media brands, consisting of a diverse assortment of magazines, websites, newsletters, and other assets in five sectors:

    • Identify competitive set and advertising available in each sector.

    • Perform a SWOT analysis.

    • Determine strategic elements:

      • Audience

      • Positioning

      • Pricing

      • Frequency

      • Content / Advertising

      • Other revenue-creating promotional opportunities

    • Recommend tactics:

      • Sales processes (evaluate CRM)

      • Sales staffing

      • Marketing tools needed

      • Research tools needed

    • Propose revenue and expense goals