As a business owner, you may receive many television, radio, billboard, or other media package sales pitches. Often a station will put a mix of spots together for the package. The packages make more money than selling individual spots for the company. For you, the customer, it can be good, or it can be a real waste.
How do you know if a media package is a great deal or too good to be true? If the first words are FREE or no additional out-of-pocket cost, then stop before proceeding! After all, nothing is free, at least long-term. So, follow the tips below when reviewing a media package.
First, ask yourself these questions about the package:
- Does the package fit within the company’s overall marketing strategy?
- Will the package help achieve the set goals and objectives?
- What audience does the package reach, and is this who we want to reach?
- Where does my customer base live, and does the package reach that area(s)?
- Are the required creative elements already available, or will they need to be developed, leading to additional costs?
- What is the required length of commitment to the vendor? Is there a cancellation opportunity?
- What is the cost breakdown by spot and by week?
Next, ask the representative: (these are usually things you have to ask directly as they are simply wanting to sell you on the idea)
- What are the ratings by program for each audience demo?
- Will the spots be in set programming or rotators?
- What is the payment structure? Do you need to pay upfront, or will it be billed monthly?
- What digital components are included?
- Will you (as the business owner) have flexibility within the package? Can I make changes throughout the program to ensure success?
- If the vendor is developing the creative, will the business own it, or will the vendor? If the vendor owns the creative (spot, jingle, etc), is there a talent fee required to use the spot elsewhere?
- What is the overall delivery (reach, frequency, impressions) of the package?
- What additional bonus elements can be included in the package?
What next?
After negotiating the final package, make sure to stay in touch with the representative to ensure everything is running correctly.If you’re running a TV schedule, broadcast or cable, requesting the weekly pre-logs will tell you the run times for each spot. Pre-logs are fun to share with your team members; as a bonus, the reps will continue to engage with your account.
Purchasing packages can be a great opportunity, but they can also cost more initially than purchasing spots a la carte, so be sure to plan for your purchase. By scheduling ahead, you can often take advantage of prime packages such as sports, including NFL, Golf, NCAA, and more. Seasonal packages can be very beneficial and may hit an audience you would not expect.
Media Venue evaluates media packages every week from all types of media service vendors. Some are good, some are OK, and some truly knock our socks off. Call us today at 502-855-4783, and we will be happy to review and offer a point of view on a package you are considering. We will take care of everything from start to finish, guaranteed.
