I’m thrilled to report that our 35th annual YPA conference, “Transformers” was a great success. More than 425 Yellow Pages industry professionals from across the country and around the world joined us in sunny Las Vegas for four days of informative and imperative dialogue about the changing nature of our industry.
Like our industry, our conference was transformed this year to include a new format that highlighted Strategic Exchange Sessions (SES) instead of the traditional exhibition hall. The SES program was designed to allow companies to easily make appointments with industry executives during the conference – and the feedback we received so far has been outstanding. We’ve heard that those who participated were able to make more connections and have more quality 1:1 conversations than ever before.
Our general session and breakout sessions were also well received. The level of engagement and enthusiasm about the topics was significant – as the posts (and video) on InsideYP and on Twitter (via our hashtag, #YPA10) clearly illustrate. Some highlights include:
Eastman KodakChief Marketing Officer Jeffrey Hayzlettcaptivated the audience with a discussion of the transformation Kodak has made as the world moved away from film/print imaging to digital. As one attendee said, “If Kodak can go through that big of change in their business in that short of a time, and actually come out of it stronger, this industry should have no problem.”
Although unable to join us in person because of the volcanic ash situation in Europe, Jesper Karrabrink, CEO of Eniro shared a keynote address by video which discussed, among several things, the transformation necessary in our databases to be able to deliver truly relevant searches and to not be constrained by our traditional directory heading structure.
Picking up on Chris Cummings’ point, our Advertisers Panel discussed the important of data in driving marketing decisions. Sales representatives from SuperMedia and Yellowbook, along with two long-time YP advertisers, expressed optimism that local businesses are increasingly realizing the importance of maintaining—or in some cases, reengaging—their Yellow Pages offerings.
In addition to these activities, our attendees enjoyed networking and reconnecting with one another – most notably during our Monday night Gala dinner (with our special guests!).
Thanks to everyone who helped make this year’s conference a success.
Frank Rowan, founder of Mr. Business Builder, not only preached passion, belief and persistence as the key ingredients to successful selling, he demonstrably confirmed those traits in his presentation yesterday at our annual conference in Las Vegas.
The focus of Rowan’s speech was that YP sales reps must believe in themselves and in the products they sell before they can become successful. He said that so little is sold when so little enthusiasm is offered. Successful sales reps are good listeners who have moved from a product-centric to a service-centric mindset. More importantly, they build relationships with their customers by identifying and fulfilling their needs.
Rowan went on to say that customers want our advice and are looking for the best executions in terms of reaching their target audience.
As we finish up our annual conference here in Las Vegas, I’d like to share our top ten favorite tweets from today’s sessions. And in case you missed it, click here to see our top tweets from yesterday.
OscarSMarques:#ypa10 Eniro’s Jesper gave the best presentation. his company’s on the right track
ym_sam:#ypa10 Both SuperMedia’s Bill Brewer & YellowBook’s Chris Heilbrock reporting uptick in Yellow Pages advertiser count & spending.
ym_sam:#ypa10 YPA Conference was great! Thanks to all! Travel safely.
MarketingMoxie: Matt Stover nailing the future of local search: “It’s all about the relationships, stupid!” #YPA10
davehucker: #ypa10 STATISTIC: 93% OF SOCIAL MEDIA USERS THINK COMPANIES SHOULD ENGAGE VIA SOCIAL MEDIA, BUT ONLY 16% OF BUSINESSES USE SOCIAL MEDIA
Charles Laughlin from BIA/Kelsey moderated an advertiser panel today. The key takeaway: data drives marketing decisions.
“I like monthly reports with as much detail tracking as possible,” said George Bochanis, Esq., owner of George T. Bochanis Law Offices. “It seems like the technology is increasing every year. I would love to have something that shows tracking, timing, calls – whatever is available.”
Shannon Rodman, director, YPMG Marketing Ops, ServiceMaster, talked about the difference data can make in an organization where stores are a mix of company owned and franchised. In the economic downturn, the company-owned stores have maintained ad levels with print Yellow Pages. Franchisees, however, have been skeptical and want to move to Internet-based marketing tools.
“We need to go them to stay in the directory,” said Rodman. “They need to see that the books are delivering and they need to stay in the directories.”
Chris Heilbock, regional vice president of national sales from Yellowbook and ServiceMaster account rep commented that franchisees are coming back to print Yellow Pages after other options haven’t worked out. “Our corporate spender is more stable. They’ve done measurement and understand the marketplace. A lot of the franchise owners are influenced by other people around them without other statistics or data. We’re seeing some of that come back now. They’ve tried some other things and they’re coming back to what they had before.”
Bill Brewer, regional vice president of sales for SuperMedia, said building systems to give advertisers performance metrics is a key priority. “We’ve doubled our testing budgets year over year for the last three years now. We think it’s key to the future growth of all of our platforms.”
In a thought-provoking address this morning, Mat Stover, CEO Local Matters, gave his decree on what he called “the bottom line on social”: The future of the Yellow Pages industry is all about relationships, and social media is the most powerful and efficient environment to build those relationships.
Stover argued that social media, more than any other communication platform available today, can build rich networks to engage customer, advertiser and internal relationships that lead to revenue and loyalty. Used internally, social media can also benefit quality, production, expertise and innovation in organizations, particularly when used as a sales force tool to increase collaboration, share information and best practices and follow leads.
Here are some eye-opening statistics shared in the session:
48% of the US population has a social media profile, and it’s not just young Americans: 64% of 25-34 year olds use social media and 51% of those age 35-44 have a profile
More people visit Facebook everyday than Google – and the gap is widening
27% visit search engines a few times a week, 26% visit social networking every day
30% of all Facebook users check the network when they wake up in the middle of the night
The average teenager texts more than 2,000 messages per month
93% of social media users believe a company should have a presence in social media
52% of small businesses believe having a social media presence is important, but only 16% of them leverage social media
The data presents a pretty compelling argument and highlights some great opportunities for local search providers.
Taking a page from the social media playbook, Stover gave some tips as the industry continues its transformation. In his opinion, the successful media industry players of the future will absorb and enhance the best qualities that social media platforms offer today to users and advertisers:
Build loyalty by offering personalized content and value
Make it easy to bring friends along and share your experience
Make it a simple, efficient user experience that offers local insights
Don’t just wait for audiences to come to you – take content to the audience
Create widgets and tracking measures to evaluate value and impact
Make it easy for your network of users to add rich, unique content
The ladies of the YPA really look forward to the women’s networking reception each year at the annual conference, and this year’s gathering did not disappoint. Not only did the guests have a great occasion to network and hear updates from the women helping the industry to transform – but they were also treated to a fun and unexpected history lesson from Kimberli Lewis of Mediatel on the evolution of women’s purchasing power from the 18260 to present.
According to Lewis, women went from having no voice in their family’s day-to-day purchases the late 1800s to more voice in the 1920s during World War to becoming chief decision officers today – accounting for 85% of purchases.
“In Europe, our data shows us that three out of four women make the purchase in most households and 75% of those purchase are being made online,” she added.
Lewis argued that understanding the female approach to purchasing is a key to innovation.
“IYPs that integrate social media and brand-specific search functionality are essential,” she said. “They tap into two key insights: First, that 75% of online shoppers seek suggestions when making a purchase and second, that the average family mentions brands 90 times per week. This is the way consumers are operating and we need to adapt to that.”
Take notice, ladies: To better tap into the female purchasing cycle, Lewis suggested that more should be done to increase female executive leadership in the industry.
“If you want to know whether we are transforming, you have to ask who is leading the innovations in IYP platforms. Women make 85% of purchasing decisions – but represent only 18.2% of the CEOs in the industry globally.” An eye-opening number.
Special thanks are also owed to Lisa Mahoney of Century Interactive who led the annual raffle. A key prize among this year’s give-aways was a new iPad tablet… perfect to stay on top of the latest mobile innovations.
See our top ten favorite tweets below – and join in the conversation by using our #YPA10 hashtag.
matterslocal: LM CEO, built to last means a sales force that understands and uses social media to connect with their customers #YPA10http://ow.ly/1ArSc
ym_sam: Eniro: changed White Pages into a social media hub with Facebook, Twitter & email! The directory is dead, long live the directory! #ypa10
jc_losangeles: At #YPA10. Buy, rent or build? overarching theme. Also, everyone loves Morgan Stanley’s internet trends report–mobile overtaking desktop!
davehucker: Krishna Pillai: “don’t build a rocket ship if your client needs a bicycle” #ypa10
ym_sam: Sergio did same search on his iPad, iPhone & desktop. All yielded diff results due to attempts to deliver ‘local search’ by Google. #ypa10
ym_sam: Kimberli Lewis saying they’re seeing consumers asking for more locally focused directories in Europe. I think that’s a global trend. #ypa10
TavisMcPherson: YPA sales force changing to trusted advisers – this means more time spent listening less time selling – #YPA10 (panel)
MarketingMoxie: Imperatives for survival = speed, customer-centric focus, fearlessness and relationships. #YPA10
brendanking: Speed, Service over products, fear of failure, relationships – things the YP industry needs to change to survive (panel says) #ypa10
peterrand: To everyone at YPA conference – spare a thought for those of us left under a cloud in Europe! Have a good one #YPA10
Jesper Karrabrink, CEO of Eniro rounded out today’s session with a video presentation made especially for “Transformers” after international air travel difficulties grounded him. Eniro has a global reputation for successfully transforming its business and Jesper shared insights with the audience on “transforming with a smile.” He spoke of transformation not as an option, but a requirement, emphasizing the transformations taking place at Eniro are not just about going from print to online, but represent at total transformation of the entire company. He also noted it was about “moving from print dependency to online opportunities.”
Eniro is focused on providing relevant search results, with Jesper noting that “those who can show the most relevant search results will be the true winner.” He showcased the search functionality on Eniro.se with an example for finding a hairdresser. They have taken their system to the next level, allowing consumers to not only search for the nearest salon, but to also input the date and time they are looking for the appointment, and actually closing the loop by allowing the consumer to book and confirm the appointment, all within the search.
Jesper acknowledged that these and other transformations take time, and require real investment in both the back-end systems and also in shaping the company’s culture to move forward in serving the needs of consumers in the way they think and search.
I caught up with Jeroen Coppelmans, VP Business Development for Spotzer Media Group, the Dutch-based advertising agency part owned by European Directories, here in Las Vegas to hear more about his company’s announcement today that it is launching an affordable websites creation tool for Yellow Pages advertisers.
Spotzer, which serves as a video partner for major Yellow Pages companies in 20 countries, will take its experience in video product management and apply it to the mass production of websites for local businesses. The company has partnered with Websplanet in creating a turnkey fulfillment solution for YP publishers, which includes content gathering, client support, copyrighting, photo and image provisions, as well as search-engine optimization and URL registrations and transfers features.
In a session chaired by BIA/Kelsey managing editorCharles Laughlin today at YPA 2010, a panel of CEOs sat down to discuss the state of the Yellow Pages industry and share thoughts on what changes are critical to ensure long-term success and growth.
A key to the future, said Laughlin, is acknowledging the change in the “consumer purchase funnel” – i.e. the consumer decision-making process that leads to a purchase decision. According to BIA/Kelsey data, in 2007, shoppers consulted 5.5 reference sources before buying. Today, they check 7.9 resources before making a purchase. How are Yellow Pages organizations staying relevant in this competitive environment?
Sensis CEO Bruce Akhurst thinks it all about “[finding] buyers for customers.” Answering the larger question about “what type of company are you, and where are we going?” he responded that: “Usage of our print products continues to be pretty much what it’s been for the last 5-6 years, so we’re not believers in the end of print. But at the same time, we are adding a range of products to ensure that we are providing leads to our customers – including from platforms those we don’t own. Our role is putting out our customers’ content on Google, Twitter, mobile and online to ensure that they are visible in all places where customers are going to find buyers.”
Speaking from a European perspective, Mediatel CEO KimberliLewis agreed that the core of her business is about delivering leads, but commented that Mediatel’s path to success has been about reinventing the sales model. “So we have no rate card any longer. We sell only packages. These packages provide a certain amount of leads … This is the direction we see our business going… This shift has margin implications, but we handle that by working more like the fast moving consumer goods market, prioritizing sales of high margin services, but providing product offerings to support all types of customers.”
From a systems perspective, Local Matters CEO Matt Stover commented that “the industry is up to the task, but different players in the industry… start at very different places… [One] approach is getting a better understanding of where each company is strategically, and what their priorities are… and then, what tools are needed to deliver the quality, speed, and interoperability they need to provide better service and drive down costs.” In Stover’s opinion, being built to last will depend on being more aggressive and building a sales force that understands social media and can use it to connect with their customers.
Berry CEO Scott Pomeroy suggested that it comes down to making a fundamental shift from B2C to B2B businesses. “In order to continue to provide consultancy to our customers and leverage the rich SMB relationships our industry is the historical beneficiary of, we need to acknowledge that yellow pages are no longer the sole lead generator and help local businesses crack the code on how to use those other 7.9 sources that their consumers are referencing before they buy.” But that change is not easy to realize – it takes time and a focus on training, said Pomeroy. In order to transform from product salesmen to SMB consultants, the channel needs to recognize that the goal is now to “listen more than we talk.”
On the question of increasing competition, Pomeroy added that ownership is not always best. “We can provide leads through a myriad of portals. We don’t have to own them. Honestly, I’d just as soon rather sell someone else’s platforms, because there will be some failure as things continue to evolve,” he added.
“It’s been an unbelievable transformation. It was a matter of absolute survival.”
Eastman Kodak Chief Marketing Officer Jeffrey Hayzlett captivated the audience in this morning’s session with a discussion of the transformation Kodak has made as the world moved away from film/print imaging to digital. He opened the session with a comical but powerful video self-assessment from Kodak CEO Antonio Perez.
Five years ago, $15 billion of Kodak’s revenues were generated from consumer film … today, it’s less than $200 million. Revenues now are generated from 13 products, which make up 80% of revenue. All are No. 1, 2, or 3 in market share and half didn’t exist at all two years ago.
For example, its online photo center Kodak Gallery today has more than 75 million members and stores over 5 billion high-res photos – more than all other sites in the world combined. It is the third largest social network site in the world and is made entirely of paid memberships.
As the company worked to transform its brand, it made an effort to maintain the attributes that make Kodak familiar to consumers. “We wanted to transfer the old things to the new things because you just don’t throw it out,” said Hayzlett.
Hayzlett says he is a big believer in print. “You’re only as close as you are to the customer. Print is one of those lasting things that really works in the mix.”
Still, Hayzlett’s marketing strategy for Kodak focuses on repositioning the company for the digital age to reflect where revenues are generated today – 70% digital and 60% B2B. He has revamped the company’s Web site to strengthen the visual identity of a brand leading in digital photography and realigned sponsorships to capture the business customer.
He also takes the use of social media seriously and prefers to think about the “return of ignoring” instead of ROI in the traditional sense. As an example, Hayzlett discussed the incremental sales increases by adding user-requested features from online communities to its product line. To that end, Kodak has gone so far as to hire a chief listening officer.
In a nod to his book “The Mirror Test,” Hayzlett closed at the session by asking the Yellow Pages audience to look in the mirror and ask if we have the kind of people and the leadership in our businesses to make transformation happen.
Awards are part of any good trade association conference, celebrating your best and brightest isn’t just fun, it’s necessary. Singling out innovative members and honoring them in front of their peers is a great way to highlight outstanding efforts in new products, services and for community outreach.
The YPA has had an award program for over 30 years, and this year’s program was transformed along with the rest of the Conference. Categories were trimmed and for the most part, only the top or Gold winners were acknowledged.
At a “red carpet” reception, winners from across the country and around the world were feted with applause and trophies.
SuperMedia took home the gold for both Marketing Innovation (SuperGuarantee) and Community Service for “Summer of Good Reads and Good Deeds”. Ketchum Directory was honored in the Advertiser Success Story category and TMP won in the Process Innovation category for a unique measurement tool.
Other companies honored include AT&T Advertising Solutions, Telmetrics and ConnectFKM. Several individuals were honored, as well, for their contributions to the Yellow Pages industry.
In his annual President’s address at the YPA 2010 conference, President Neg Norton spoke of a transformed Yellow Pages industry that has seen dramatic innovation despite recession in 2009. Highlighting the new products, services and breakthroughs that have characterized the last 12 months in local search, he gave special recognition to:
SuperMedia and Dex One’s re-emergence as stronger, revitalized companies after financial restructuring; and YPG’s new multi-platform-focused brand.
New marketing strategies like The Berry Company’s new go-to market strategy and SuperMedia’s SuperGuarantee program – which both leverage the trust consumers have in Yellow Pages.
New integrated web platforms that bring together news, local directory listings, social content, video and other interactive content all in one space like AT&T’s yp.com and Buzz.com, YPG’s Calgary.com, and LocalEdge’s launch of Skunkpost.com.
Avantar, Yellowbook and Yellow Magic’s new yellow pages application for the iPad, SuperMedia’s sp411 and Yell Group’s augmented reality iPhone App.
New strategic partnerships and vertical innovations like SuperMedia’s acquisition of EveryCarListed.com; YPG’s acquisition of RedFlagDeals.com, CanPages.com and Restaurantica.com; and DexKnows weddings.
New measures introduced to reflect the needs and environmental concerns of our consumers, including Dex One’s “Select Your Dex” program, Sensis’ carbon neutral certification and Yellowbook’s efforts to significantly minimize the size of their directories.
“These transformational steps coupled with a recovering economy can make this the best of times for our industry,” said Neg.
“We have a clear vision of what the future looks like for our business, and that is as trusted consultants to local businesses, offering smart and effective multiplatform solutions to generate sales leads wherever, whenever on whatever platform their consumers are searching. We have the resources, the knowhow, the channels, and the transformative leadership to realize that vision better than any other player in this space.”
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