Media Info Bureau

Prospective advertisers have been tightfisted with their dollars over the past few years. Trust through success and success stories will loosen the purse strings—but trust involves relationships, and relationships take time. How much time? With whom? And how? Whatever you call it—networking, word of mouth marketing, referral-based marketing—it involves planning, process and strategy. What considerations, strategies and expectations are proper and realistic in pursuit of gaining new clients through referrals?

It comes as no surprise to those of us who transact business in the spot television arena that local audience

When it comes to the direct response television industry, the trend for 2014 will be producing commercials that are of higher quality coupled with an overabundance of toys. Great commercials center on the product. The product is king. While various reports note that the success rate for short-form commercials is 1 in 40, others have stated that it is 1 in 20. Yes, the odds are long, however, the vast majority of those failures are for products that don’t fit the DRTV mold. As highlighted in the Scimark Report (scimark.blogspot.com) week after week, companies are throwing their cash in the trash by repeating the same failures time after time. Although not a guarantee of success, following the basic rules can raise your batting average to 1 in 5 at least. My company has been batting .400 ball for the past decade. We concentrate on what we know, venture selectively in new categories like Tag Away, but always try to stay true to the rules. It makes our inventors and product scouts that we sign up happier to know at outset that there is meaningful chance of success at the end of the journey. All great successes begin with mass appeal. Television is a mass medium.

Can you really blame people? Everyone is getting a little sales weary! From the second we get up in the morning until the moment our heads hit the pillow and our lids close we are getting pitched, asked, negotiated, told, closed, cold called, prospected, and so much more! I’m in media sales and I protect myself all of the time from it and I believe it is your right to protect yourself as well. Even though you are in media sales as well.

It’s happened again. Another hostile incursion into a broadcast facility. This week – a deranged man, claiming to be God, speaking

Dear FM radio, Oh how I loved thee. In 1980 you turned me on to The Clash’ London Calling and I was changed forever. I remember walking down the street, boombox planted firmly on my right shoulder, volume at 9 cranking WMMR 93.3 making sure anyone within a football field distance could hear this new discovery that this great rock station turned me onto.

Political ads are descending on the American public like snowflakes in a blizzard

Did the FCC make the right decision?

The first full week of April featured a healthy amount of action

Michael DeLier says TV stations have a problem that is costing them money.

The drama that ensued before Melissa Perry Harris & MSNBC parted ways intrigues columnist Mike DeLier.

Garvey Schubert Barer's Art Harding addresses repack questions.

Womble Carlyle's Gregg Skall explains questions concerning multiplatform political bonus spots.

New research shows one-third of online adults aged 18-34 say digitally delivered ads and promotions have zero sway

Identify breaking stories and find a creative way to become a part of them -- a new marketing philosophy