Easier Ad Workflow

The relationships between magazine publishers and their advertisers aren’t matters of “us” and “them.” On the contrary, these relationships—if they’re strong—are true partnerships. And it’s the publisher’s duty to not only supply its readers with valuable editorial content, but to also provide first-class customer service to its advertising partners, which means being able to provide pricing quickly, to notify them of opportunities for premium placement and exposure, to develop long-term programs that best suit the advertisers’ needs, and to ensure that their advertising materials are handled with care and reproduced—whether in print or online—with integrity.Maintaining the RelationshipCustomer relationship management (CRM) software is just as important to a publisher’s sales initiatives as to any other type of organization, and there are literally hundreds of CRM tools out there—but few that have been designed specifically for the unique requirements of magazine publishing. While many CRM systems are simply souped-up contact databases, CRM solutions for magazine organizations offer not only that component, but also tools for managing the total advertising workflow—from the time space is scheduled, all the way through to billing.A solution like Datafest Technologies’ AdSystem, for example, helps schedule insertions, calculate pricing, track ads through production and, ultimately, manage accounts receivable. The Salt Lake City-based developer says that it’s a scalable solution, well-suited to publishing houses that produce only a single title to those with multiple titles and as many as 100 concurrent users. By complementing AdSystem with the AdTrack module, publishers also can use it to track market share and keep close tabs on competitors’ strategies and sales success.Stamford, Conn.-based The Media Services Group Ltd.’s Élan Ad also monitors the competition, in addition to controlling all of the front-end advertising-related duties—order entry, rate-card and issue management—production workflow, and back-office tasks.Service With a SmileIn addition to standalone, install-based technologies like these, there are also several hosted CRM and advertising production services available to publishers with more modest resources.Canadian developer Publish2Profit.com, for example, created P2P Ad Sales, a Web-enabled, hosted system used by publishers like Greenspring Media Group, to manage ad sales, materials workflow and accounts receivable. Based on a subscription model, the solution can be deployed for as little as $85 a month, depending on number of users and titles.“In-house software typically has much higher start-up, purchase-price costs—often 10 times the implementation cost of a hosted solution with comparable functionality,” says Andy Balch, director, sales and marketing, The Magazine Manager, Mirabel Technologies, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. “Customization and control of the software can be greater with an in-house solution, but that comes with a steep price.” Conversely, The Magazine Manager—deployed by an array of regional and national publications—can run a publisher as little as $144 a month.The other obvious benefit of a hosted solution is accessibility, though some self-installed solutions may be easily integrated with a publisher’s Web site. “Most publishers have a widely dispersed workforce, starting with the sales force, and a hosted solution provides far greater connectivity and real-time access to data,” Balch notes. “Connecting to a hosted solution via an Internet browser provides greater versatility for an ever-increasing mobile workflow.”Ad Management SolutionsWhether you’re looking for a hosted solution or an in-house solution, or are still unsure, there are a number of CRM solutions for magazine publishers, as well as software and services enabling digital advertising exchange and workflow. Here are some of the leading solutions on the market:5 fifteen Inc.Product: ad Depot—a browser-based solution consisting of a number of interconnected components. Publishers can search for key account information, monitor sales performance, analyze trends and manage workflow. Users can tailor their own experience, providing quick access to often-used features.Publishing customers include: Rhinegold Publishing; The Tablet; Shortlist; MacmillanPricing: An annual fee of $1,000 per user, per annum, inclusive of upgrades and maintenance.Contact: (813) 425-3651, www.5fifteen.comAbelson Communications Inc.Product: SM4 Software—designed to track all aspects of advertising (display, Web, classified, etc.) through production. It offers CRM functionality, multiple reporting options and its own accounting software. Or, the solution may be integrated with a publisher’s existing accounting program.Publishing customers include: Fox Associates; The Daily Deal; The Independent; The Engravers JournalPricing: Starting at $4,995 (for five concurrent users), plus optional on-site installation support and training. Additional licenses available for $995 each.Contact: (516) 596-9610, www.sm4software.comAdstream Pty. Ltd.Product: Q-Automate—designed to enable publishers to automatically validate, convert and proof display and classified advertisements, as well as commercial print material, all from the desktop. The solution manages the workflows of file movement and direction by automating the commands for files entering the workflow. Q-Automate works in conjunction with other Adstream solutions, including QuickPrint—Adstream’s cross-platform desktop application that provides validation and optimization of print PDFs prior to sending to publishers and printers—and PageStore—with PageStore, advertising agencies, designers, publishers and printers are linked digitally worldwide for on-time delivery. Pricing: QuickPrint and PageStore are a combined package that begins with a $1,000/month license fee for five seats, with transaction fees of $25 per domestic transaction (and $35 per international transaction) thereafter. Q-Automate pricing is available upon request.Contact: (866) 994-9089 or (805) 653-5337, www.adstream.comAtex North AmericaProducts: Atex Enterprise—designed to provide publishers with streamlined management of advertising order entry, customer account management and contracts management. AdBaseE Enterprise Edition—enables online ad booking and management. It supports private-party, trade, agency and contract advertisers. Classified, semi-display and display ads may be booked directly by the advertiser or agency, using a secure, browser-based interface.Publishing customers include: Not available for publication.Pricing: Not provided.Contact: (781) 685-3240, www.atex.comDatafest Technologies Inc.Product: AdSystem—developed for Windows-compatibility, AdSystem is designed to enable publishers to schedule insertions; calculate pricing, discounts and commissions; prepare and print billings; and print monthly reports. Every aspect of a publication’s advertising—from sales and production tracking to billing and accounts receivable—may be controlled by the system. The solution is scalable, suitable for single users to as many as 100 users. It may be complemented by AdContact, an optional add-on that features contact- and time-management tools. The optional Classified AdSystem module provides publishers with streamlined classified-ad order entry, billing and production. AdSystem’s AdTrack module enables users to track market share and analyze ad sales compared to competitors.Publishing customers include: Moffly Publications; WoodenBoat Publications Inc.; Business in Vancouver Media GroupPricing: Not provided; based on the number of AdSystem users and overall number of publications supported by the system.Contact: (801) 261-4608, ext. 157, www.datafest.comDatatrax Publishing Systems Inc.Product: Datatrax Publishers’ Ad Management System—available as a hosted or Windows-based standalone application, the system organizes, processes, reports on and analyzes the entire ad management operation, including CRM, sales transactions, production, invoicing, sales analysis and more. The scalable solution supports small publishers to large-scale, multilevel publishing organizations.Publishing customers include: Not available for publication.Pricing: Not provided.Contact: (888) 568-6157, www.datatrax.ccDesign for Tomorrow Inc.Product: Ad_Tracks—powered by QuoteWerks, this quote, order and invoice software is designed to assist in sales forecasting and ad tracking, no matter the size or type of media company. The solution may be integrated with an existing contact-management system.Publishing customers include: Not available for publication.Pricing: Not provided.Contact: (303) 666-6434, www.dftnow.comGroup Logic Inc.Product: MassTransit—designed to empower users to quickly and easily exchange even the largest files with remote users and sites, using industry standard technologies, including the FTP protocol. The solution aims to improve users’ ability to find critical information regarding file deliveries in a timely fashion.|Publishing customers include: Not available for publication.Pricing: Not provided; varies with the customer’s specific workflow requirements.Contact: (800) 476-8781 or (703) 528-1555, www.grouplogic.comImpact Workflow SolutionsProduct: CertiFyle—a digital advertising validation and delivery system designed to allow advertisers to submit ads to magazines and newspapers with the assurance that their ads will be reproduced accurately. This virtual prepress solution allows publishers to outsource the validation of PDF/X-1a files and provide additional quality controls for advertising insertions.Publishing customers include: American Way; Life; Marie Claire; Men’s Health; Bon Appétit; OK Magazine; Popular MechanicsPricing: CertiFyle is paid by the advertiser on a transactional basis—approximately $10 to $80 depending on the publication and specifications. There is no charge to the publisher. Complementary services are available—proofing, file conversions, etc.—for an additional charge.Contact: (732) 792-6704, www.certifyle.commagSendProduct: magSend—enables advertisers to preflight and size ads to meet the production specifications established by magazine publishers without purchasing any additional hardware or software. Users can create ICC-calibrated soft proofs for viewing on the desktop, or request optional hard-copy proofs, prior to utilizing magSend to deliver their print-ready ads to publishers.Publishing customers include: Not available for publication.Pricing: $30 per ad. Hard-copy proofs are available for an additional charge.Contact: (888) 256-4440, www.magsend.comThe Media Services Group Ltd.Product: Élan Ad—a software application for advertising management. The solution is designed to control order entry, billing, rate card and issue management, reporting and analysis of ad pages and revenue, production workflow and other publishing-specific tasks. With its Competitive Ad Tracking and Market Share feature, publishers are able to enter and analyze competitors’ advertising billing revenue. Its production workflow features are designed to streamline the process of producing publications.Publishing customers include: Not available for publication.Pricing: Not provided.Contact: (800) 234-4674, http://msgl.com/adMirabel TechnologiesProduct: The Magazine Manager—a hosted Web-based, cross-platform application designed to enable publishers to better control and optimize publishing functions, such as contact management, ad order entry and tracking, subscriptions, sales, accounts receivable and more.Publishing customers include: Auto Dealer Monthly; Gold Coast Magazine; InTouch Weekly; San Diego MagazinePricing: The hosted solution starts at $144 per month, plus a one-time start-up fee, which starts at $1,250.Contact: (954) 332-3205, www.magazinemanager.comPublish2Profit.com Inc.Product: P2P Ad Sales—manages display and classified advertising sales and receivables. The Web-enabled solution offers client and prospect contact management and scheduling; sales management and analysis; materials management; invoicing; and accounts receivable. P2P Ad Sales is scalable to any publication size, and is delivered over the Internet on a subscription basis.Publishing customers include: Portsmouth Magazine; Flourish Magazine; Greenspring Media GroupPricing: Services start at $85/month. Cost is determined by number of users and publications. An initial $300 set-up and training fee includes three months of unlimited support.Contact: (877) 811-1811 or (403) 270-8913, www.publish2profit.comSendMyAd LLCProduct: SendMyAd.com—an end-to-end solution designed to enable publishers to provide an easy-to-use, personalized Web site where advertisers can submit advertising materials and collaborate online with the publisher, to facilitate the approval, edits (such as sizing changes), insertion information and final delivery of the ad materials once completed.Publishing customers include: Not available for publication.Pricing: SendMyAd basic services are charged on a per-ad basis and include upload of the ad to the SendMyAd ad portal; preflight of the ad to the publication’s specification; insertion-order generation; approval cycles with e-mail notification; creation and delivery of a PDF/X-1a; electronic digital receipt delivery; and 30-day retention.Contact: (504) 274-4080, www.sendmyad.comVio WorldwideProducts: AdSend.com—a Web-based digital ad delivery solution, backed by 24/7 customer support, that enables advertisers to transmit ad materials concurrently to multiple publishers, using an international network. It is designed to provide higher reliability and security than e-mail or FTP transfers, and each transaction is tracked through its final destination. AdSend AdPortal—designed to enable publishers to streamline delivery of print ad materials and related information into their production workflows and order-entry systems. Advertisers can check their materials against publishers’ specifications and, if necessary, make adjustments to size, color, fonts, etc., before sending it across AdSend’s secure network. Publishers can receive high volumes of advertising files directly into the production workflow. Preflighting options ensure only files that meet specifications enter the production stream. Custom Web job tickets allow publishers to gather information about the advertisement and customer, and its Certified Soft Colour Proofing features allow agencies to submit ICC-compliant soft proofs along with their creative materials.Publishing customers include: Time Inc., CMP MediaPricing: AdSend.com charges senders (advertisers) $8 per transaction, with discounts availa le to volume senders. AdSend AdPortal ranges from approximately $60,000 to $90,000.Contact: (800) 2-ADSEND, www.adsend.com Gretchen A. Peck is a freelance author who writes about the international printing and publishing industries.

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