This has been a year of unprecedented change. Large in-person gatherings remain impossible for the foreseeable future. Retail stores have been shuttered. Supply chains have been upended. So much of the way we typically do business is no longer possible. How do you continue not only to survive but to thrive, in a business environment …
Elvis Presley. The Beatles. Beyoncé. These performers have done more than sing songs; they’ve built a powerful fandom. For their followers, it’s not just about the music. It’s about the persona behind that music. This phenomenon speaks to the crucial difference between loyalty programs and memberships. Loyalty programs make you feel nice about getting a …
Why It Might Be Time to Switch from a Loyalty Program to a Membership Model Read More »
In mid-March, we suddenly found ourselves working from home. While some teams had been distributed all along, many more had to adjust very quickly to the realities of remote work. One of those realities is virtual meetings. These days, we’re all spending a lot more time on Zoom. For those of us used to in-person …
Combatting Zoom Fatigue: Tips for Getting Everyone Engaged Virtually Read More »
Our team at the Sterling Woods Group has been hosting bi-weekly Campfire Chats for our community of executives throughout the COVID-19 crisis. We’re all leading through an uncertain, unprecedented time. We wanted to create a space where we could unite, share ideas, and help each other and those around us. At our most recent Campfire …
Contributing to Your Community in the Time of COVID-19 Read More »
McKinsey recently released a survey in which they asked over 5,000 U.S. consumers what they look for in a subscription service. Subscription has been a trend in publishing and media for a while. In fact, nearly half of all the consumers polled in this survey already had a subscription to a streaming media service, like …
Buzz! That alarm clock goes off on Friday at 6 a.m. You normally roll over and press snooze. But not today! There’s a CreativeMornings gathering this morning. If you’re unfamiliar with what they do, CreativeMornings organizes a series of in-person breakfast lectures for local creative communities around the world. The events are run by volunteers, …
CreativeMornings: Building Membership Around Events Read More »
As the internet continues to disrupt the traditional publishing industry model, companies everywhere are struggling. We’ve seen giants in the publishing world falter, and for smaller businesses—who lack the resources and manpower of a national or international company—it’s been even tougher. Just last week, Automattic, the parent company of WordPress, announced that they were teaming …
Last week we covered the ins and outs of creating a stellar user experience for the Millennial generation. Today, we turn our attention to the generation with the largest population: Baby Boomers. Born between 1946 and 1964, as of 2016 (the year for which we have the most recent Census data), there were 74 million …
We all know we need to launch new digital products to diversify our online income sources in these challenging times. The problem is, the deck is stacked against us! In fact, I’ve found five forces that hold publishers back from growing the digital side of their business. Some forces are external, and some come from …
The Five Forces Killing Your Online Revenue Growth (And How to Overcome Them) Read More »
From June 5-7, specialized publishing professionals gathered in Washington, D.C. for the 42nd annual SIPA Conference. There, they discussed the latest industry trends, shared best practices, and heard from keynote speakers who are finding innovative ways to survive in this ever-changing business. I reached out to my colleagues after the conference and asked them for …
Media Experts Weigh in on Trends at SIPA Conference Read More »
You’ve got great content and want to make more money with it online. In this essential book, Rob Ristagno uses his innovative Five Forces Framework to help you do just that. A Member Is Worth a Thousand Visitors guides you step-by-step through the five forces of dramatic online revenue growth, and shows why it is vital to identify your …
