| September 2006 | |
Members throw money away with ad mess-ups
No one likes driving down the highway throwing $100 bills out the window. But, that’s very similar to what happens all too frequently in our association. Some years it’s a catastrophe, other years it’s a minor wreck, but in all cases it’s costing us money. And we do it to ourselves, in most cases. I’m referring to advertising that the Texas Press Association staff works so hard to get for its members and then the members fumble the ball and for one reason or another don’t get the ads in on time or in the shape or form intended. As you get into this column, don’t think this is a finger-pointing session. If any finger-pointing is being done on this end, it’s being done in front of a mirror. I’m one of those who knows of what he speaks on this subject. On more than one occasion I or someone in my office has been on the telephone with members of the TPA advertising staff trying to fix a mistake. Almost always it’s a mistake on our end. Like all newspaper people, I detest mistakes if they are mine. I am much more forgiving of mistakes by other people, as most of us are, I think. So, when we have to dial up TPA and grovel over a mistake, it is not something we enjoy. It carries a lingering aftertaste and promises that it will Never Happen Again. Recently we went through those motions of calling ad director Ken Long. The incident triggered a mention in our TPA board meeting of the previous month where executive director Mike Hodges reported that during the previous 12 months, newspapers associated with TPA lost a total of $78,179.67 in advertising due to missed ads, incorrect run dates, incorrect ad copy or problems in reproduction. In mulling this over, I called Ken and asked him to do some research. He did, and I think it is interesting what he turned up. Fiscal year 2002-03 was obviously a year when a lot of us were just breezing down that highway with the window down and our wallets open while we tested our major league pitching arm. Hundred dollar bills must have been plentiful that year, because lost revenue amounted to $125,022.38. The following fiscal year in 2003-04, it fell to $88,577.00 and then even farther in 2004-05 when the lost revenue dipped to $36,975. However, 2005-06 did another upward swing and newspapers lost $78,508. As of Aug. 22 in our fiscal year to date, the newspapers have lost $12,400.93. As Mike pointed out in his summer report, those figures certainly would have been much higher had it not been for the efforts the staff put forth in getting make-goods and thereby saving the revenue for the newspapers. And, while this is a part of what the staff is supposed to do, think of all the other things they could be spending with their time instead of fixing mistakes. The other part of this equation that must be figured in is the money TPA lost. Because comission percentages vary on almost every ad order they place, it is hard to tell how much TPA actually lost over those years. Slightly under 11 percent profit on national advertising is average, according to Ken. So, it goes without saying that while the newspapers have lost tens of thousands of dollars over the years, TPA has not fared much better. There’s enough information to carry this column on into several other pages, but we won’t do that to you. I believe we’re all intelligent enough to realize we have to make a better effort ourselves if we are to correct this problem. Ken offers some suggestions on how we can cut down on ad placement problems. Here’s what he says: · Read the entire insertion order carefully to understand what the advertiser is asking for. · Call TPA if there is confusion about the insertion order. · Double-check the run sheet to make sure all ads are scheduled. · Double check the ad copy to make sure the correct ad copy is used. · Check the newspaper immediately after the paper is printed to make sure all ads ran as ordered. If there is a problem, call TPA immediately. |
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