Do you PLAN your company’s media or are you just buying space based on what the media outlets are putting in front of you?

Many organizations spend thousands of dollars researching their competitors only to drop the ball when it comes time to roll out that great new campaign. The fact is that creative matters MUCH LESS than strong ad placement. You know the saying, “If a tree falls in the woods…” So, if a beautiful ad is designed and then placed where the target audience doesn’t see it, does it make a sound? No. Not one sound. Wait, I do hear something…

Do you hear that noise? Those are crickets.

Media planning and placement is a skill, simply put. Often, I encounter people that claim they purchase their own media for their organization or the task is simply tacked on to someone’s already lengthy to-do list in the company. The assumption for many leaders is that someone in their organization is spending a few hours a month to place some ads and throw out few billboards, and the media buying effort is then complete. If this sounds like your organization, save your money and don’t place anything. You are throwing money down the drain.

We all hear that newspapers are dying, and traditional television is out and while I agree that these mediums are getting fewer views and readership than they did five years ago, they still matter. Why?

Let’s assume that you are attempting to reach young males, 25-30 years of age, with an income of $35,000+ to come into your business and buy your merchandise or services. Digital and social media are the natural forums that come to mind, correct? The challenge with limiting your media mix to new media only is that you have kicked one of your target’s primary INFLUENCERS out of the equation. The parents; the people your audience still goes to for most mid-to-high level purchasing decisions. If you sell cars or houses, this is ten-fold.

How many of us have parents up into their 70s and 80s that still rattle off where to get the best price for that new gadget we are considering? Over Christmas this year, my 87-year-old father told me who had the best price on a large ticket item I am considering, and I assure you he didn’t see it on Facebook. I checked, and he was dead on; not only on the pricing but on the product’s rating with Consumer Reports. I had never heard of the company that he mentioned. I will now be purchasing from them.

These are the people reading newspapers and watching cable TV. These Influencers are an extension of your sales team and therefore need to be considered in your media mix.

Now, am I recommending that you spend a large portion of your budget on traditional media? Maybe. Maybe not. It certainly depends on many factors. Keep in mind, this works both ways. Don’t assume that older Americans are not online because they are. However, these older consumers use the internet differently than the younger generations. A qualified media planner will know how and when to reach them, both online and off.

Hire a professional and give the process of media placement the attention it deserves. Media, done well, costs money. Media done poorly costs a fortune. You need a strategic media plan, a budget, measurable benchmarks, and auditing to ensure that you end up with media that hits the target for the money you have invested. Otherwise, you are just buying space. And expensive space at that.

-Betsy McCloskey, Principal/Partner

Plaid Swan is a full-service
marketing communications firm,
providing national media services to
many companies across the United States.

Have you ever found yourself stuck on the interstate, looking for the next opening in the fast lane so that you can finally get out of traffic? If so, then you’ve experienced what the net neutrality repeal may mean for consumers and small businesses.

Let me explain.

The net neutrality rules that were passed during Barack Obama’s presidential term were aimed to level the playing field for all service providers. The goal was to stop internet service providers from creating backroom deals with big consumer providers while squeezing out the little guys and ultimately limiting the amount of accessible content to consumers.

With the latest repeal, you might start seeing some major changes to your internet experience. To put it in layman’s terms, this repeal has given internet service providers the ability to create their own express lanes – forcing those who have the funds to pay up while leaving the smaller providers with nowhere to turn.

So far, companies like AT&T and Comcast have said consumers will not see a change. The NY Times makes a great point by saying, “With such a big spotlight on them, the companies will probably be careful about changing service plans, partly to avoid angering customers and attracting lawmakers’ attention.”

What does this mean for businesses?

It’s great that these companies have made statements saying there won’t be changes, but should we take their word for it? At the end of the day, business is business – and money is a huge motivator. It wouldn’t be surprising to see some changes to the ‘net down the line.

While big content providers like Netflix, Google, Facebook, etc. will be able to afford hiked up prices, smaller businesses may not.

If you’re a business owner, chances are you’re using multiple social media platforms to market your content. There may come a time where you will have to pay more for certain “privileges,” like Instagram or a faster download speed.

This means even SEO can be affected. Page speed is a factor in determining your domain authority, meaning a slower download speed can negatively impact your marketing efforts. Startups, especially those in Silicon Valley, may take a huge hit.

Net Neutrality was meant to spark innovation.

With net neutrality, users were able to create an app without ever having to worry about excessive prices for bandwidth or streaming quality. Without net neutrality, this may not be the case. Everything from upload speed to streaming quality may be affected. As it stands right now, these are the different speeds required for streaming live video:

• 500Kbps – Lowest Speed Required for Streaming
• 5Mbps – Provides Quality Viewing
• 3Mbps – Provides Standard Definition
• 5-8Mbps – Provides 720p and 1080p HD
• 25Mbps – Provides 4K Ultra HD

Without net neutrality, ISP’s (Internet Service Providers), will now be able to charge premiums for higher bandwidths. Let’s take Netflix for example. Netflix now produces most of its shows in 4K, giving their consumers an array of high-quality shows.

If Comcast decides to start charging Netflix a higher premium based on the amount of bandwidth Netflix requires – what is going to happen next? More likely than not, Netflix will offset these added costs by charging their users more. So, while Netflix would have to pay a higher cost upfront, they’d be able to recoup their loss by simply charging you more.

Congressman Tim Ryan from Ohio spoke on the issue in Business Insider, saying, “I think the FCC decision on net neutrality is going to damage the internet as we know it today. I think the internet’s going to start looking a lot more like cable television.”

Oh, one more thing.

The repeal doesn’t stop with our internet providers. The repeal also has ripple effects in the mobile industry.

Your mobile plan is based off an amount of data you have available to enjoy all your features and apps. If you take away the net neutrality rules, then your service provider, such as Verizon or AT&T, will be able to charge multiple premiums.

You might even start seeing mobile plans that would require a higher payment just to stream HD content.

To sum it up…

The way internet currently works is like a toll-free highway that everyone has the same access to drive. The repeal of net neutrality could mean that this toll-free highway starts charging tolls of different amounts, with semi-trucks paying more than a sedan. Those who are willing and able to pay for faster express lanes will be charged more money.

Don’t head for the hills just yet.

The net neutrality repeal is still a new issue, one that should be treated with caution. With expected lawsuits and attempts to push back these regulations, this story is still far from over. For now, as consumers and small business owners, all we can do is trust ISP’s when they tell us our web viewing experience won’t change.

Emily Bettridge is Plaid Swan’s Content Strategist and
a graduate of the University of Iowa’s School of Journalism
with a B.A. in Journalism and Mass Communication.

Strategic Planning. I can hear the groaning as I write this. The term has been so overused, that a vision of a huge document sitting on a dusty shelf comes to mind, doesn’t it? Those 4 weeks of your life every year that you never get back.

Ready for good news? Those oversized, 200-page strategic plans are outdated. In today’s world, everything is moving too fast to create a detailed action plan of where the company is going over the next 3-5 years. Long-term goals are great to document but plan to revisit them every 6-12 months. For instance, “We want to triple our growth in 3 years.” Great! This goal should be in the plan, but with factors such as the ever-changing technology landscape, politics, the environment, the economy and on and on, it is likely a waste of to spend weeks planning steps farther out than 12 months.

So, what’s the plan, Stan?

There are many different frameworks and methodologies for strategic plans. To be effective and measurable they should contain the following:

• Do you understand your current internal and external environment?
• Research your competitors. What do they do better than you?
• Research your industry for trends. How is technology impacting your industry?
• Complete an analysis of your current revenues vs expenses and determine if you are satisfied with the results. If not, document steps to bring it back on track.

Next up, figure out how to execute by creating action steps for everything you wish to accomplish.

• When must it be done?
• Who is accountable to see that it is done?
• What are the benchmarks/measurable for success?

Finally, you’ll need to figure out how to evaluate progress by confirming successful completion of the action items and ongoing performance.

Time is ticking…

So, how do you accelerate the process and spend less time away from your accumulating daily work, but still have a valuable living document in a reasonable amount of time? Narrow the discussion.

Focus on the top 5-10 areas where you can create the most impactful change. A few examples may include:

• Implementing new technology
• Hiring a senior leader for a new role in the company
• Outsourcing services that are taxing on your payroll and your time
• Acquisitions
• Review current services and products and consider changing or adding to this lineup. What is and is not profitable?
• Review your organizational chart. Can one leader manage two areas?
• How do we currently measure up against our competitors? How will we surpass them?

Include more people in the discussion. Not less.

Everyone does not need to be sitting in on these meetings, however, you should survey both your front-line staff and your customers concerning major initiatives – unless they are confidential, such as an acquisition. While they may not play a role in the actual implementation of your plan, they will play a role in its acceptance and success.

Additionally, your Board should be very involved. Inviting them to be part of the process will lead to more impactful board meetings. Communicate with them how they can assist in the fulfillment of goals outlined in the plan and how tying your vision in with theirs will simplify the next year for all involved.

See? It doesn’t have to be so painful after all.