The New Rules of Custom Publishing

Junta42 | The New Rules of Custom Publishing customer requires you to show line items, do so, but those line items individually should add up to a greater number than the final “combined” price. This shows your customer a discount for the “turnkey” process. Pricing is not rocket science, but the key to successful pricing is a clear focus on what’s most valuable to the customer. Charge for what’s valuable and use basic pass-through charges or minimal markups for those that aren’t. Tomorrow’s custom publishers will have a clear understanding of the value they bring to the table and why, essentially, the customer buys from them. content. That’s why a project manager may be your most important content asset, even though this person won’t be creating any of the editorial. The project manager must ensure excellence in every content marketing tactic, including: • • • • • • • • • • • Content/editorial Design/art/photography Web development/integration Content-specific marketing Project budgeting Contract negotiation with freelancers Print/web production and maintenance List/audience development and maintenance Overall marketing distribution Research and measurement And more! #8 Value the Role of the Project Manager All custom projects need a leader. Some call this leader a project manager, some a publisher, others an account executive. Whatever you call it, the project manager may be the most important person in the custom publishing process. I’ve seen it happen all too often in custom publishing companies: project management as an “also-ran.” The role of the project manager is relegated to a designer, a production manager, an editor and sometimes (God forbid) a salesperson. Those people all have individual responsibilities that do not include the ultimate management of the client’s marketing goals and the execution of the project. Any custom publisher that discounts project management is either a minor player or does not understand the importance of the project manager. Superior execution is the core of a successful content program. One person in your organization should be responsible for the client’s content initiative. Ultimately, this person is responsible for executing the goals you set out to accomplish for the client. This person should also have decision-making authority to move quickly and to advise clients on proper marketing decisions. Custom publishing programs usually fail because of poor project management, not a lack of quality Make sure that you look at your organizational structure and set up your processes with a project manager mentality. The project manager is a symbol to your customers that you truly can be flexible and adapt to their changing needs (and deliver on their goals). Also, in the era of “many birds in the cage,” your customers need one person whom they can contact anytime, anywhere. That’s the project manager. #9 Use Questions, Not Answers: Five Steps to Closing the Deal Although all individual custom sales processes have their own quirks, there are generally five key steps that will get you to an equitable and profitable close. 1. Ask the question to uncover an opportunity. 2. Get your client to ask for help. 3. Present the proposal. 4. Present the pricing proposal. 5. Come to an agreement. www.junta42.com/match 10 http://www.junta42.com/match

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of The New Rules of Custom Publishing

The New Rules of Custom Publishing World-Class Custom Publishing... Is Possible #1 Understand the Changes... #2 Be Active in Social Media... #3 Acquire Expertise in All Forms of Content #4 Walk the Talk #5 Position Yourself... #6 Have a Clear Value Proposition #7 Price Your Services... #8 Value the Role of the Project Manager #9 Use Questions, Not Answers... About the Author

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