Digital media underpriced

Okay, this is preaching to the choir, but I'm convinced, after talking to other magazine professionals at this year's Folio: conference in Chicago, B2B digital media is way underpriced relative to its value.

All publishers--all of us--need to start increasing digital media prices. And certainly increasing value, wherever possible.

And for God's sake, please--please, I'm begging you sales types out there--stop giving it away. You're short-changing your own future--and mine, too--in exchange for puny short-term gains.

"Integrated packages" is often a $75 word for "value-added".

Selling a newsletter sponsorship for $1,000? Make it $1,200 next year, and $1,500 the year after that. And $1,700 thereafter. And when you upgrade your site, make it $2,500. And when your traffic increases, or your list size, make it $3,000.

We're NEVER going to navigate the tipping point from print-centric to non-print centric unless we start raising prices.

Okay, enough ranting. One other note: There were LOTS of great presentations at the conference, especially Hearst's John Hartig, svp consumer marketing. The two regular readers of this blog know I have a love-hate relationship with audience development. (Love the idea of doing it well, hate the way we do it today.)

John blew me away with what Hearst has put together--an automated online audience marketing campaign deployment tool with real-time metrics. Tired of waiting months to see results of A/B direct mail creative? Do it online with Hearst's tool ("Circules!") and get results back in 48 hours. Hearst likes it so much, they've stopped doing any testing via direct mail.

The tool makes it incredibly easy to deploy--by marketing people, not tech people--all manner of e-media aud dev promotions for cross-selling, up-selling, in a variety of channels. It's a beautiful dashboard that shows real-time orders clicking in.

John said CDS Fulfillment is going to make this available to customers as a tool. Other fulfillment houses--please take note! You need to offer this! Stat!

Bottom line, John's running a well-oiled, finely tuned, emedia audience development operation. Well done.