Muscle Media Buying

by Early To Rise (09/1/2007)

Issue #2136

  • WEALTHY: Strategies from the frontline of online advertising (Wendy Montes de Oca)
  • HEALTHY: Is your fitness routine stuck in the 80s? (Craig Ballantyne)
  • WISE: Fairfax Cone on advertising

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:

  • 3 little things that make meetings go smoothly (Michael Masterson)
  • Your insurance company keeps all its receipts… do you? (Jason Holland)
  • It’s Fun to Know… about mosquitoes
  • Add "mulct" to your vocabulary

== Highly Recommended ==

Imagine Knowing of a Casino Where the Dealer Tipped His Hand Before You Made Your Move and Didn’t Care How Many Times You Beat Him.

When would you stop going there?

This is nothing to do with games of chance, but I hope your answer to that question would be a resounding, “NEVER!!” Assuming you’re sane that is… Well, that is a virtually PERFECT analogy of the power of the insider signal!

It’s often said, “The Stock Market is just a big casino”. And it’s true. But the important omission in that statement (to keep the masses out!) is the dealer in this casino tips his hand to the select few… the insiders.

Such powerful knowledge could make YOU very rich indeed… Click here to learn more…

"Advertising is what you do when you can’t go see somebody. That’s all it is."

Fairfax Cone

Muscle Media Buying

By Wendy Montes de Oca

If you’ve got have a strong e-mail campaign going but you’re looking to expand your direct-response tactics to include online ads, chances are you will do some media buying. Why? Because purchasing banner, text or other display ads can be a very cost effective way to attract customers.

As a multi-channel marketer, many of my responsibilities over the years have required me to buy ad space in magazines, newspapers, radio, TV, and the Web. Along the way, I’ve become an expert (especially with online media), and picked up a few techniques that could save you hundreds, maybe even thousands, of dollars

But before I explain further, I’d like to point out that there are differences in online advertising.

You can focus your ad to be direct-response-oriented, which includes lead generation (acquiring e-mail names) and product sales. Or you can focus your ad on branding. Branding isn’t direct-response marketing - meaning it doesn’t require an immediate action from the consumer. Its goal, rather, is to build awareness and name recognition of a product over time and help it stay in the minds of prospects. In the offline world, think the battle of the cola giants. In the online world, it’s typically video ads like the ones you see for a new car or truck.

Because results are harder to measure with branding, many online marketers lean toward the direct-response model.

Your job as a media buyer is simply to try to get the best bang for the buck when purchasing media units. It involves allocating money for advertising in various outlets, print or online, and negotiating the actual advertising agreement with the publisher. This agreement is known as an IO (insertion order), and will cover the ad unit cost, size, placement, and other critical components (which I’ll address shortly).

Here are some helpful hints to keep in mind when buying media for your sales campaigns.

Hint #1: Keep up with the industry.

Sign up for free industry trade papers, such as DM News, Response Magazine, and Target Marketing, and as many free e-letters as you can read. One of my favorite e-letters is Clickz.com, because it covers the online marketing world in a comprehensive and dynamic way. I also like mediabuyerplanner.com, which keeps you abreast of the latest media-buying news, and DoubleClick.com, which provides some of the marketing industry’s best practices, trends, and forecast reports.

One current trend is flash banners. These ad units support audio/video use (which engages the viewer and is great for branding), but they are more costly than standard flat (no animation) or animated banners.

Hint #2: Know the ad units.

There are many types of banner ads to choose from: leader boards, skyscrapers, buttons, micro banners, and more. You can find a full list of types of ads, as well as industry guidelines for how and when to use them, at iab.net. All of these ad units are available on most websites, but not every type is effective.

For instance, it has been my experience that leader boards (ads that run horizontally across the top of a Web page) or skyscrapers (ads that run vertically along the side of a Web page) are the least effective. The best placements are typically LRECs - large rectangles, such as 300 x 250 IMUs, at the top or middle of a page or within the content. (IMU stands for Internet Marketing Unit.) Putting an ad inside the body of an article is a great placement, since the reader must breeze over the ad while absorbing the content. A recent eyetracking study by The Poynter Institute supported this observation, indicating that banner ads at the top left of the page, as well as ads close in proximity to the body of an article, garnered the most attention from viewers.

This is where you want your message to be!

Hint #3: Master the art of negotiation.

You will be required to analyze many proposals when you’re looking for the right ad space. You’ll need to determine if the prices are cost effective and comparable to industry rates. If you’re looking into buying ad space on CNN.com, for instance, check out the prices for that same ad unit and timeframe on similarly ranked news websites. Also, check out various ad networks to see if any include CNN.com in their coverage. (For more on ad networks, see Hint #7.)

Since many variables can affect ad prices, I recommend starting an "ad unit matrix" to keep track of rates. Break down a spreadsheet into columns for ad unit type, size, placement, website, impressions (how many times the ad unit appears on the website), and CPM (cost per thousand impressions). Click here to se a great tool that easily calculates the CPM for you.

Another factor that can affect pricing is seasonality. Internet traffic typically drops during July and August (because so many people are on summer vacation) and, depending on the industry you’re in, can be slower around the holidays as well. So, when you’re negotiating your media buy, try to get lower rates during those times. If you’re running near a typically slow time, let’s say around Thanksgiving, you may want to pause your ad unit the day before the holiday and the day after so you don’t waste impressions.

To help ensure that you’re getting a comparable rate, check out each site’s traffic ranking and page views to see where it stands in relation to its competitors in terms of popularity and reach. It’s best to get this information from a subscription ranking service, like Nielsen//NetRatings or ComScore - but if you don’t have access to such services, consider the free Alexa ranking website (Alexa.com).

Hint #4: Reporting rules.

Make sure, especially if you buy media from an online ad network, that you have full access to the OAS (online ad server) reporting system. Look for key performance indicators, such as impressions served (ad units that ran), and click-thru rate (the percentage of people who saw your ad and clicked on a link in it). If you are testing various ad units and sizes, each one should have a unique tracking code. If your advertiser doesn’t give you access to their OAS, ask about getting daily or weekly reports from your account executive. These reports will be critical in refining your ad to get maximum results.

As a general guideline, the average click-thru rate for a banner ad/text ad is 0.5 to 2 percent, and the average click-thru rate for a dedicated e-mail (an e-mail ad that a third party sends to their subscribers on your behalf) is 7.5 percent.

Hint #5: Know when to hold ‘em and when to fold ‘em.

In your insertion order, have a clause that allows you to terminate your advertising commitment without penalty at a given time (an "out clause" or "termination right"). For instance, most online campaigns can be optimized in about a week. If you’re watching your reporting daily (which I suggest you do for the first two weeks) and notice that not many viewers are clicking on your ad, then you should switch to a different ad. If the second ad is not working, you may want to initiate your termination right, end the campaign, and pay only for the impressions you were served.

Not all advertisers will offer this option, but you should certainly ask for it.

Hint #6: There are no stupid questions.

If you’re buying banner ads or other advertising spots on a website, it’s key to find out a few things from your account executive:

  • Will your ad be ROS (run of site)? Typically, this means your ad will randomly appear on a site’s home page and most (if not all) subpages within the site. This is more cost effective than a targeted ad in a specific section of the site.
  • Will your ad position be fixed or rotated (shared) with anyone else’s ad? If shared, what percentage of impressions will your ad receive?
  • If you’re considering buying a dedicated e-mail from a third-party, find out the size of their e-mail list, how often the list gets mailed, the AUS (average unit sale) per subscriber, and whether or not there will be an introduction or implied endorsement by the list owner. (According to copywriting genius John Forde, this can often help boost response rates by 25 percent or more.) All of these factors will help determine the value of the list and, ultimately, the cost you’re willing to pay to access the people on it.

Hint #7: Be on the lookout for low-cost options.

If you’re targeting a specific audience or a niche buyer, go directly to the website’s publisher for an advertising quote. Cutting out the middleman (ad broker) may get you a better rate. PLUS, it will help you build a relationship with the publisher - which can be advantageous for you down the road.

If your goal is to reach the biggest, broadest audience possible, and you want to run an ad on various websites that have a distinct "channel" or genre (such as entertainment, finance, health, etc.) within the broader subject range of the site, consider an ad network.

Ad networks have an agreement with a variety of popular websites to serve up their ads, and they can sort by website type. Since they typically buy their ad units in bulk from the publishing sites, the networks can pass the savings down to the advertiser and charge a lower CPM rate. Some popular networks include Advertising.com and ValueClick.com. You can find a full list at iwebtool.com.

Just remember to get proposals from more than one network. Some of the lesser-known (Tier 2) networks are looking to make a name for themselves, and may offer better rates. But be wary of "micro" sites, which have little traffic or Web presence. Be sure to ask for a sample of the network’s site listings. I always go for quality over quantity.

Depending on how many impressions you buy from these ad networks, your average cost for an LREC can range from $2 to $5. For blog ads and blog networks, you can often find CPMs lower than $1 or even 50 cents. And if you’re looking to save even more money, ask if remnant inventory is available. Remnant inventory is simply an advertising unit that is not as popular as other ad units on a site and is unsold. Depending on your marketing goal, these ad units may accomplish your objective - and to make them more attractive, networks usually offer them at a lower rate.

Hint #8: Show your poker face.

In this industry, it’s all about confidence and knowledge. If you come across as someone who is savvy to media buying, you’re less likely to be taken advantage of.

Do your homework and follow some of the recommendations above… but your best lessons will happen as you buy.

[Ed. Note: Wendy Montes de Oca, MBA, is ETR's Vice President of Marketing and Business Development. Learn more money-saving, time-saving, business-building Internet marketing techniques at this fall's Info Marketing Bootcamp: Making a Fast Fortune on the "Other Side" of the Internet.]

== Highly Recommended ==

FREE Urgent Teleconference!

Join us on September 6th to learn about…

1. Why the Fed isn’t able to rescue the markets this time…

2. What you need to do to protect yourself from run away inflation and a falling dollar…

3. How to make money as consumers cut back in fear of a future recession…

4. PLUS, we’ll tell you about the only strategy you need to know to thrive during the credit market meltdown.

Registration is free – just click here

Quick Leadership Tip: 3 Little Things That Make Meetings Go Smoothly

By Michael Masterson

When you’re in charge of running a meeting, your primary concern should be to move the group forward toward a common objective. Other considerations - communication, correctness, and courtesy jump to mind - are far less important.

That said, there are three relatively trivial things you can do to make meetings go more smoothly:

1. Start on time.
2. End on time.
3. Stick to the agenda.

Complying with those three rules won’t give you any business breakthroughs, but it will make people more relaxed and willing to work hard the next time you bring them all together. (I tell you this from experience, because I have run a few meetings in which some incredibly good information and advice was lost because the attendees were fretting about the schedule.)

[Ed. Note: Get Michael Masterson's insights into becoming successful in your business and personal life, achieving financial independence, and accomplishing all your goals on his brand-new website. You'll find updates on all of Michael's books, news on upcoming ETR events, Michael's blog, and room to send in your comments and questions. Check it out today.]

Simplify Your Life: Preparing for the Worst

By Jason Holland

An earthquake, fire, hurricane, or tornado can destroy your home and treasured possessions. That’s why you have insurance, right? But sometimes getting properly reimbursed for your lost or damaged property can be difficult. As Michael Masterson said in ETR #1241, "[Insurance companies] are friendly and helpful when you are buying, scarce and niggardly when it comes time to settle."

Michael avoids this problem by "going bare" - carrying no insurance at all. This is fine if you can afford to cover the costs you might incur if disaster strikes… but if you haven’t yet reached a wealth threshold where you can go without insurance completely, try these suggestions from Real Simple for getting your due:

  1. Read your insurance policy carefully, paying attention to the details and fine print. Does your policy pay you the original purchase price of an item - or its current estimated value, which can be considerably less?
  2. Get documented professional appraisals of valuable antiques, jewelry, and artwork. Keep them in a safe place.
  3. When sending in reimbursement forms, attach as much documentation as possible. If you’ve lost a receipt, find a similar item for sale online, print out the page, and use that.
  4. Keep a detailed record of all your valuable possessions. It will help when you’re filling out paperwork.

Make sure you’re fully prepared before you to talk to your insurance company about making a claim. Have all your documentation in order and be familiar with your own policy and the insurer’s rules. The prep work may seem tedious and time-consuming now, but the effort will pay off.

[Ed. Note: ETR has put together a special monthly report that's designed to help you save time, use your time wisely, even create "new" time where you thought you had none. When you read this interesting (and fun!) report, you'll discover dozens of unusual and surprising (but proven-to-work) ways to make your life simpler and productive. To learn more about it, click here.]

New Rules of Fat Loss

By Craig Ballantyne

One thing I hate to see in the gym is someone on a workout program that is stuck in the 80s. The common wisdom back then touted low-fat, high-carbohydrate diets and lots of cardio as the best ways to lose body fat.

But it just didn’t work.

Since the late 90s, higher-protein diets and programs that combine resistance training with a form of cardiovascular training are becoming more popular. The new rules of fat loss certainly appear to work much better than the old - and research backs them up.

American researchers studied three groups of overweight, inactive men and women with an average age of just over 40. Group One performed high-intensity resistance and cardiovascular training and ate a balanced diet (RC+BD), with 40 percent of their calories coming from carbohydrates and 40 percent of their calories coming from protein. Group Two performed moderate-intensity cardiovascular training and ate a traditional "food-pyramid" diet that provided them with 50 to 55 percent of their calories from carbohydrates, only 15 to 20 percent from protein, and less than 30 percent from fat. A control group made no changes.

Overall, the combination of strength training, cardiovascular training, and a balanced carbohydrate-and-protein diet resulted in more fat loss and better health. The RC+BD group lost more body fat and abdominal fat than both other groups. It was also the only group to decrease cholesterol (-13 percent), LDL cholesterol (- 20 percent), and systolic blood pressure (-5.7 percent).

Start moving toward a better body and improved health by doing 20 minutes of total-body strength training three days per week. Focus on squats, push-ups, and a rowing exercise to train your entire body with only three moves. At the same time, eliminate processed carbohydrates and grains from your diet and increase your intake of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and lean protein.

[Ed. Note: Fitness expert Craig Ballantyne is the creator of the Turbulence Training for Fat Loss system. If you want a free online source of information, motivation, and social support to help you improve your health, lose weight, and get fit, sign up for ETR's brand-new natural health e-letter.]

It’s Fun to Know: About Mosquitoes

  • More than 2,500 varieties of mosquitoes live in habitats ranging from the Arctic tundra to tropical rain forests.
  • Only female mosquitoes drink blood. The males feast on nectar and plant juices.
  • Prehistoric mosquitoes were three times bigger than mosquitoes are today.
  • It’s theoretically possible for a person to be drained of blood by a swarm of mosquitoes… 1.2 million of them.

(Source: Discover Magazine)

== Highly Recommended ==

Turn the Tables on Microsoft, AOL, & Time Warner!

Oh no! Yet another mandatory upgrade from Microsoft. On top of that, they say you probably need a new computer too. Then there’s your Internet provider hiking rates and fees again. Meanwhile, more time flushed down the drain surfing the web for endless hours.

There’s got to be a better way.

Shhhh… There is…

Let me take you on a trip to T.O.S.O.T.I.

- Patrick Coffey

Word to the Wise: Mulct

To "mulct" (MULKT) - from the Latin for "a fine" - is to (1) deprive of by deceit or (2) punish by imposing a fine.

Example (as used by William H. McNeill in A World History): "Officials repaid such loans by mulcting the public in a variety of legal and extra-legal ways."

[Ed. Note: Become a more persuasive writer and speaker ... build your self-confidence and intellect ... increase your attractiveness to others ... just by spending 10 VERY enjoyable minutes a day with ETR's new Words to the Wise CD Library.]

Michael Masterson
Copyright ETR, LLC, 2007

Similar Articles:


Posted to Daily Issues

Did you especially enjoy this issue of ETR? Why not share it with the world?
with a friend…

Return to the newsletter directory

Comments

  1. Hassan Shoker
    September 30th, 2008| 7:17 am

    Hi,
    i am a buying manager in Mindshare Dubai and i am looking for an advance media buying training (5 days),so appreciate if you come back to me with more details about the same.

Leave a reply: