Media Buyers Survey 2005

How would you describe your overall satisfaction with online media reps whom you contact to buy advertising?100% satisfaction - 0.00%
75% satisfaction - 27.27%
50% satisfaction - 60.00%
30% satisfaction - 7.27%
less than 30% satisfaction - 5.45%

In what maximum timeframe do you expect responses from your online media reps in order to deem them acceptable?

Within 24 hours - 41.82%
Within 48 hours - 40.00%
Within 72 hours - 14.55%
Within one week - 3.64%
At any time - 0.00%

About what percentage of the time to your media reps (new and existing) meet your response time expectations?

100% of the time - 0.00%
About 75% of the time - 50.91%
About 50% of the time - 34.55%
About 25% of the time or less - 14.55%

When contacting a site you have no prior relationship with what’s been your general experience in receiving responses from that site?

About the same response time as I experience with sites I already have a relationship with - 16.36%
Typically quicker to respond than sites I have previous relationship with - 20.00%
Typically slower to respond than sites I have a previous relationship with - 63.64%

About what percentage of the time do you get no response or a too tardy response from NEW sites (ones you don’t have a previous relationship with?)

0 - 24% of the time: 16.36%
25 - 50% of the time: 52.73%
51 - 75% of the time: 25.45%
76 - 100% of the time: 5.45%

Which of the below best describes your typical method for contacting a site about online media buying opportunities?

I rely strictly on email - 23.64%
I rely strictly on the phone - 0.00%
I email first then call to folllow-up - 52.73%
I call first then email a follow-up - 21.82%
Other - 1.82% (any method possible, usually the site itself is the first place to start)

If a web site from which you want to buy advertising only provides a contact form and no email or telephone information is there anything you do to help expedite receiving a response from that site?

Conduct WHOIS look-ups - 12.73%
Express urgency - 5.45%
Site gets scratched off my list - 3.64%
Try providing details/formal RFP - 7.27%
Network with other media buyers - 5.45%
I fill in the form multiple times - 3.64%
I don’t do anything - 36.36%
I try to get any phone/contact I can - 18.18%
Use Alexa - 3.64%

Which answer below best describers how do you feel about sites that only provide contact forms for interested media buyers?

These forms dissuade me from buying advertising on that site. - 23.64%
I dislike these forms but fill them out anyway not expecting much from the site. - 60.00%
I’m fine with these forms and fill them out without concern. - 14.55%
I like these forms. They make my life easier. - 1.82%

Not counting sites using only contact forms how often do you use/submit a formal RFP to a site network or publisher when requesting rate information??

100% of the time: 7.27%
75% of the time: 14.55%
50% of the time: 18.18%
25% of the time or less: 60.00%

What would you describe as your #1 source of frustration with online media reps when you’re trying to put together media plans for your clients?

Ignorance/unfamiliarity with the media - 13.21%
Inflexibility of media rep - 1.89%
Providing inadequate/wrong information - 18.87%
Mistrusting of reps’ information - 7.55%
Generic proposals that don’t address my request - 7.55%
Great on sales but no service post-sales - 16.98%
Not meeting my deadlines in a timely fashion - 32.08%
No creativity in proposal process - 1.89%

Are there any other comments you’d like to add about your satisfaction/dissatisfaction with online media reps?

- They need to work better with sales planners, to have available inventory sent to us faster. Understand the new technologoes that are coming out; understand specs better, and make sure that if there are any special needs for placements (in terms of specs) they are communicated upfront. Understand tracking.

- Some reps don’t pay attention to the details on the RFP about targets; A lot of reps don’t know how to fill out a simple Excel form.

- Many of the reps I work with aren’t resourceful about finding out what I need and how their products will help me fill my needs. I also am dissatisfied that often, it seems I know their products better than they do.

- 1) Hearing them typing on IM or email while you are meeting over the phone to go over the potential buy or the campaign…(just not listening); 2) Not being trained or educated about online advertising. Not understanding cost and ROI metrics, ad units and terminology. Basically having to educate the media rep/reps; 3) Being called incessantly before a buy and after I.O.’s are signed you do not hear from them for implementation or optimization efforts; 4) Not receiving notice when a campaign has launched, not receiving daily or log in reporting once the buy begins. Then 1 week later find 1/2 the budget is spent already; 5) This one is more of a site/property frustration. Dealing with high turn over rates. Especially after educating their reps and acquainting them with all the campaign details and needs.

- It’s the most frustrating part of my job. There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t say, ‘I guess they don’t need our money.’ I just can’t believe that these companies can’t get back to you in a timely manner. This combined with the fact that you can’t get all of the information that you need the first time around makes me crazy. Now most of this could be alleviated by having ‘complete’ media kits posted on the site. 50% of the time there is nothing, if there is something it’s in bits and pieces. If every site had a media kit we could gather all of the information that we need to make a decision and then move forward. This would make the reps jobs easier as well.

- I think the worst is when a rep doesn’t follow up with you as the canpaign is in progress. I like to hear what is working and what isn’t, make mid-campaign tweaks and revise future campaigns with results in mind. The best reps are great at that. The worst don’t even contact you when the campaign is over.

- Reps need to read the RPF fully before sending back a proposal. They often send back a generic proposal without targeting the segments that were detailed in the RFP, making their proposal far less attractive then their competitors.

- Don’t bother us incessantly. Take no for an answer. Establish a relationship in ways other than calling to hound for business. Know our agency or business before calling…don’t expect me to do your homework for you…I will not forward you to the right person for the account…you need to know that in advance.

- Why am I HOUNDING media reps to spend money with THEM? Are they at their desk, sitting on piles of money, talking to me on the phone while saying, ‘Sure, I’ll get a media plan to you,’ then looking around and thinking, ‘I don’t KNOW what I’d do with MORE money, I’ll have to ignore this client.’ This is what it feels like. I’m not a small-time buyer, either, I work for a company that spends millions in online advertising.

- Reps are divided, broadly into 2 camps: order takers and strategic partners. Any agency that truly believes in achieving their clients goals should make it a habit to insist, AND assist, that the former develop into the latter.

- Spend less time in PowerPoint and more time ensuring the campaign runs as scheduled.

- Some reps seem to only care about the sale and not about trying help ailing campaigns. With a little effort some ad buys could be saved if reps took the time to listen. They may make some money, but lose in the long run.

- I find that with many online reps they will sell me inventory which they don’t have enough of. They will not let me know ahead of time about low inventory for my targeted audience. Also, there are online media publishers who have strict minimums for signing IO’s and they actually don’t have the inventory for the amount of money they want from my clients.

- I’ve found that I generally get better results with campaigns where the rep responds quickly. There’s more of a vested interest on their part from the outset and they generally work to help achieve my campaign goals.

- I wish reps would read my RFP carefully before calling.

- The best reps are those with agency experience — they have a better understanding of what we need and why.

Related Links:

Hollis Thomases ClickZ Article “Half of Online Media Buyers Don’t Like Media Reps”
Web Ad.vantage survey press release

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