Archive for the ‘events’ Category
What media owners can learn from the hospitality industry
Wednesday, July 21st, 2010I’ve long believed that a specialist media owners’ greatest asset is not their content but their audience’s attention. Once you have built a community of interest it is much easier to find new products and services to sell to them, and even find ways to get them to pay to contact each other. Miles Galliford of Subhub has long been a proponent of this view, and a discussion he started on the Specialist Media Network on Linked-in moved in some interesting directions - read on to discover what a media business can learn from the hospitality industry, and the importance of valuing and entertaining your audience… (more…)
Tags: audience, Colin Bradshaw, content, entertaining visitors, events, hosting an event, Miles Galliford, networking, Penmaen Media, Specialist Media Network
Posted in b2b, business strategy, consumer, content, events
Bright future for specialist media: build audiences; develop many revenue streams
Sunday, June 20th, 2010What is it that unites specialist media businesses, whether they serve consumer or professional audiences, in print, events or digital or some combination of the three? Listening to the speakers in the “future of specialist media” session at the Specialist Media Show conference, I’d say the common thread is building a specialist audience, with particular interests and information needs, then finding many ways to create revenue streams around that audience, from supplying content, facilitating connections online or at events, and creating opportunities for advertisers to reach that audience. Here are the highlights of the presentations from Phil Redwood of Fusion Communciations, Miles Galliford of Subhub and Riva Elliott of PMA media training: (more…)
Tags: content, digital editions, editorial team, Fusion Communications, Miles Galliford, paid-for content, Phil Redwood, PMA Media training, revenue sources, Riva Elliott, specialist media show, Subhub
Posted in b2b, business strategy, consumer, content, events
Secrets of launching events from media brands
Sunday, June 6th, 2010Many media brands have discovered the value of live events to reach new audiences and deepen customer relationships. At the Specialist Media Show last week, events gurus shared stories of successful event launches and provided tips for specialist media owners. Here’s my top 5 insights from the presentations by Trevor Foley, Claire Jenkinson, Mark Elliott, Peter Harris and Andrew Mercer: (more…)
Tags: b2b conferences, Claire Jenkinson, consumer events, content, events, Homebuilding, Mark Elliott, media brand, specialist media show, Time Out, Trevor Foley
Posted in b2b, business strategy, consumer, events
Video highlights from Specialist Media Show
Thursday, May 27th, 2010The first Specialist Media Show took place on 25 May, drawing an audience of specialist media owners from print, events and digital. This short video shows the highlights - thanks to Stream Exchange for turning it round so quickly. (more…)
Tags: specialist media show, video
Posted in business strategy, events
Bring your brand to life - events insights for media businesses
Wednesday, May 12th, 2010Traditional media businesses are increasingly taking their brands into live events - whether big consumer shows at the NEC or niche conferences. But this requires a whole new set of skills to acquire. I recently brought together a group of events organisers and publishers who are making print, events and digital work together - they are the speakers for the events session at the Specialist Media Show on 25 May at Exec Peterborough. Here are some of the insights from Trevor Foley of tfconnect, Claire Jenkinson of RBI conferences, Peter Harris of Centaur, Mark Elliott of Time Out and Andrew Mercer of Exec Peterborough. (more…)
Tags: Centaur, conferences, databases, digital integration, event launches, events, Exec Peterborough, RBI, specialist media show, tfconnect, Time Out
Posted in b2b, consumer, content, events
Growing an online content business through building trust
Sunday, March 21st, 2010Traditional and digital publishers alike are grappling with how to build a profitable business around online content. But the old model of ad-funding isn’t enough anymore. I believe that specialist publishers can learn from the experience of small niche digital publishing entreprenueurs who have built businesses around online content. Miles Galliford, one of the founders of SubHub, an online platform for niche publishers, is currently writing a book on this subject called the Funnel of Trust. It details a step by step approach to building multiple online revenue streams that seems to work for a wide range of content entrepreneurs. I have read a pre-publication draft, as Miles is speaking at the Specialist Media Show on 25 May 2010, which I am organising, and he has kindly given permission for me to summarise his first chapter here. You can get a free PDF of the first chapter if you register to attend the Specialist Media Show. If you book a ticket to the conference you will get a copy of the final book on the day, hot off the press! Here are the key steps to profitable online content publishing: (more…)
Tags: content, e-commerce, events, marketing, Miles Galliford, online subscriptions, paid-for content, Penmaen Media, Subhub
Posted in b2b, business strategy, consumer, content, events, news
Creating an event cycle that drives content and community
Monday, March 15th, 2010Many media owners are branching out into live events - either putting forward their experts as speakers or organising their own paid events, conferences, seminars and networking sessions. Events complement online content well, especially on controversial topics where the gurus disagree, and the audience has specific questions. Participants also love to meet each other in person even if they have already made contact online. But the greatest value in events is created by planning the entire event cycle to maximise the event’s ability to create lasting content and stimulate discussion in the community well beyond the time and place of the physical event. Here are my tips on creating an event cycle: (more…)
Tags: Business Zone, community, content, event marketing, events, networking, Penmaen Media, Specialist Media Network, specialist media show
Posted in b2b, consumer, events, news
Building an active professional online network
Thursday, February 11th, 2010Business to business media owners planning to strengthen the community of their readers, or stand-alone networking and events businesses are keen to develop active vertical online professional networks, whether in the guise of forums, discussion groups or pure networking sites. Yet many struggle to build numbers of active members and encourage contributions. I don’t claim to have all the answers, but below are some approaches that I have seen work for other businesses or on the professional network that I run myself (it’s the Specialist Media Network on Linked in): (more…)
Tags: events, linked in groups, moderation, online networking, professional networks, surveys
Posted in b2b, business strategy, content, events, marketing
2010 priorities for media owners
Tuesday, January 5th, 2010Now that 2009 is a rapidly fading bad dream, it’s time for media owners to look ahead and set their priorities for 2010. Based on the businesses that I have seen succeed in the last year, and the trends in how people consume media, here’s my take on what needs to be on your to-do list for the next 12 months. (more…)
Tags: content, customers, events, media sales, mobile apps, online subscriptions, publishing
Posted in b2b, business strategy, consumer, content, events, marketing