How to Sell Your Digital Signage Ad Space: Tips From an Ad Sales Expert
Retailers are gradually getting used to the idea that, through in-store media, they now own the largest mass media outlets, the advertising real estate that is growing even faster than Internet (see previous posts). Digital signage networks, in turn, are the fastest-growing segment of retail media.
One of the pains of such fast growth is that, unfortunately, very few digital signage networks have people with media sales background on their staff. Quite often the people in charge of selling network airtime try to re-invent the wheel, running into problems that could be avoided should they have media sales experience.
I asked Ian Dobson, VP of one of the largest national retail networks in Canada, Neo Advertising Canada, to share his views on how to sell airtime in digital signage.
Q – How do you get agencies interested in your ad space? What are the criteria by which they decide if they want to buy it or not?
ID – Ad agencies buy environments and audiences. They want positive results. They want to visit a location and see their ad running and in exceptional quality. They want to hear from their clients that they received positive feedback from customers; uplift in sales, visibility etc. They want to know if their competition is advertising on your network. They want to know where you reach their audience and if you engage them with your content. If the campaign strategy includes an environment where a network is located, they will look and consider it.Q – What exactly do media buyers want to see in your media kit? Do they care about details like loop length, day parts, etc.?
ID - Media planners certainly want to know about loop length, day parting and other critical features of the network. Loop length determines how many times their ad will be seen in a day/week and month. Day-parting allows them to really target their campaign to reach the audience of choice. Most planners are not using this feature enough yet but will as they begin to use digital signage more in the future. Media kits must contain relevant and accurate information on the network and the environment; weekly and annual audience numbers, screen location, network features, unique advertising programs, rates and network specs and contact information. Printed media kits are out – electronic kits are in. The media kit must be supported by an exceptional and easy to use website.Q – What do you think the ad sales efforts should be focused on: national advertisers or local?
ID - Our main focus is on national advertisers. That’s where you’ll make the majority of your revenue. Build your agency/account list and monitor daily the strategy and deployment of upcoming campaigns. Stay in constant contact with agency planners/buyers ensuring they are aware of special promotions and new network features. Local advertisers must be respected. Digital advertising is affordable and most advertisers are interested in only 1-5 locations so they can be encouraged to buy more and longer time on the network. I believe the best way to attract interested and qualified local advertisersis by running a “interested in advertising?” spot on the network. If they’re interested, they’ll call or visit the website. This will eliminate “tire kickers” and save you time and money.Q – Aggregation of digital signage ad space: is it happening in Canada?
ID - Offering advertiser’s ad space on different networks sounds good for the advertiser. It does though raise a lot of issues. Digital advertising is too young and not mature enough in Canada to begin this process. The quality of networks is questionable. There are a lot of small, under-financed networks that don’t have the credibility yet to participate in the national ad level. Every network has different rates, audiences, environments and advertisers negotiate making it a tedious process to arrive at a final plan. Advertisers in Canada know what environments they are interested in and what networks are there to support their campaigns. It’s a very small number and at this point it’s simpler for them to deal directly with each network.
12 comments September 28th, 2007