you survived! now what? a publisher's post-recession checklist

8/4/2019 You Survived! Now What? A Publisher's Post-Recession Checklist

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2011 Conference & Expo

You Survived! Now What?

A Publishers Post-Recession Checklist

Frank Finn

Executive Vice President & COOBriefings Media Group, LLC


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About Briefings Media Group Diversified B2B publishing & training company

Headquartered in Richmond, Va.

Product Lines:

Magazines Newsletters

Training Seminars & audio conferences

Training Products books, videos, multi-media

programs, online courses


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About Briefings Media Group Core mission:

Provide valuable information to help

business people grow their companiesand succeed in their careers.

Website:

www.briefingsmediagroup.com


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About Briefings Media Group Markets/audiences served include:

Business management and communications

Human resources

Industrial safety

Healthcare facility managers

Residential painting contractors


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About Briefings Media Group Products include:

American Painting Contractormagazine

FacilityCare magazine

Communication Briefings newsletter Workplace HR & Safetyezine

The Organized Executive newsletter

Bud to Boss seminar series

The Ultimate Communicatorseminar series

Audio conferences and in-person events


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Congratulations!

You Survived . . .

The bursting of the housing bubble

The financial crisis The jobless recovery

The rise of search


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Ad PageD

ecline ReversedAd Pages % Change

-35%

-30%

-25%

-20%

-15%

-10%

-5%0%

5%

2008 2009 2010 2011

onsume

BtoB

Sources: Consumer data: PIB. BtoB data: BIN. 2011 PIB thru June, BIN thru April


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Circulation

Decline

Continued

Consumer Ma azine Circulation % Change

-2.50

-2.00

-1.50

-1.00

-0.50

0.00

2008 2009 2010 2011

Consume

Source: ABC FAS-FAX. 2011 First Half.


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The Landscape HasChanged

Were not in Kansas anymore, Toto!


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While

You

Were Fighting to Survive

Your Customers Options Have Multiplied

Readers More places to get information

Advertisers

Many more places to advertise


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Checklist Item #1

Identify Your Growth Areas

Review Your Revenue Streams

Advertising

Print

Online

Circulation

Subscriptions

Single Copy

Events

Ancillary Products


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Checklist Item #1

Where is revenue growing?

Or remaining stable?

Flat is the new up! Which revenue streams generate the

highest contribution?

What will it take to accelerategrowth?

FOCUS!


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Checklist Item #2

Review Your Competition

Your competitive set has probably changed

596 magazines closed in 2009

176 magazines closed in 2010

Whos left in your space?

Has their positioning changed?


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Checklist Item #2


Case ofPWCvs. American PaintingContractor

Our head-to-head competitor Residential painting contractor market

Fall 2010 PWCrepositions New focus: architectural coatings

New name: Durability+Design New audience: added architects & specifiers

Result: APC Ad Rev up 16%


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Checklist Item #2


Let your customers define your competition

Survey readers to identify where they aregetting the content they want

Track circulation & mailing statements

Survey your advertisers to identify where theyare spending their money

Monitor ad spending by key accounts

Look beyond print


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Checklist Item #3

Plot Competitive Moves

Defend against attacks

Go on the offense to exploit yourstrengths


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Checklist Item #4

Evaluate Your Core Product

How does it measure up?

In the eyes of readers? In the eyes of advertisers?

Survey, survey, survey

Invest in upgrading the things yourcustomers care about


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Checklist Item #5

Evaluate Your Staff

Can they execute your strategy?

Editorial: Deliver quality content inmultiple formats (print, web, etc.)

Ad sales: Sell print and digital?Sponsorships and ad schedules?

Circulation: Develop audiences across allplatforms?


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Checklist Item #6

Surround Your Audience

Be there wherever they turn

Strong print presence Strong online presence

Events

Ancillary products

Social media


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Checklist Item #6

Surround Your Audience

What about:

Tablet editions? Apps?

Mobile?

If your strategy is Me, too NO

If they support your overall plan -MAYBE


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Checklist Item #7

Consider Partnerships

Extend your reach with a modest

investment


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TheCase of

Government Executive

BtoB title owned by Atlantic Media

New CEO Peter Goldstone

We see five to seven opportunities. Digital media

Education

Print

Events

Data, research & analytics


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TheCase of

Government Executive

First step:

Redesign GEmagazine

Print, really? The audience demographic is really 40-

and 50-year-old people. They still relyheavily on the magazine.

Next step: Website redesign


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TheCase of Briefings Media Group

Ad-supported magazines UP

Subscription newsletters DOWN

Training programs UP National seminars

Regional seminars

Videos & multimedia programs

Audio conferences


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Whats Next?

e a survivor!


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ThankYou!

Frank Finn, EVP &COO

Briefings Media Group, [email protected]

804-762-9600 ext. 249

you survived! now what? a publisher's post-recession checklist

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