Cable Marketers’ Pet Peeves About Programmers

Programmers are famous for doing some things that simply make cable marketers crazy!  (The reverse is also true, but that’s for next week) Please note that what I’m describing here has nothing to do with the actual programming or the rates charged for said programming.  Rather, these “pet peeves” are mostly associated with the marketing of the programming.  Please note also, that I have enjoyed working as both a programmer and as a cable marketer, so I know both worlds quite well!

Death By PowerPoint! This isn’t the most important pet peeve, but it seems to be nearly universal (no pun intended, honestly).  Programmers seem to love to design and deliver elaborate (and often long) PowerPoint presentations about their products and campaigns.   Some cable marketers think that programmers get paid by the number of PowerPoint presentations.

It’s More Than Just Cable! Cable marketers these days are promoting more than one product; a fact that some programmers seem to forget.  Today’s cable marketers are selling a variety of products including high-speed Internet services, telephone, VOD, HDTV, and even business services.  Unfortunately, there is often less time to focus on each programmer’s offerings.

There’s More Than One Network! Although there’s been an enormous amount of consolidation, there are still a number of companies seeking to involve cable marketers in brand promotions.  Cable marketers simply don’t have the time to focus on all the brands and all the promotions of those brands.

One Size Doesn’t Fit All! When cable marketers actually do take part in promotional efforts with programmers, they are sometimes confounded by “one size fits all rules” for the promotions, or for validation and redemption efforts.  Cable Marketer “A”  might represent a given DMA, while Cable Marketer “B” might represent an entire MSO.  Programmer forms and/or online registration are designed one way, but not both.   Often, cable marketers must complete repetitive forms for each location or entity enrolled.

Can’t Tell The Players Without a Scorecard! Programmers seem to reorganize or restructure quite often, so it’s often difficult to keep track of current reps.  Sadly, that consolidation I mentioned earlier has a lot to do with this issue.

Let Me See Your Marketing Plan. All new programmer representatives are told that they should work to form a true partnership with the cable marketers they’re calling on.  Sometimes this can be taken to extremes.  I recall one very new (and very green) programming rep calling on me (when I was in a operator role) and nearly demanding to see my complete marketing plan.  I doesn’t quite work that way.

Save Your Dollars! Cable marketers marvel at the amount of money that is being “wasted” on elaborate promotional efforts.  Expensive glossy mailers and promotional packets are being sent regularly from a variety of networks.  (However, keep sending the cool premiums!).   And you may want to take a look at those mailing lists.  Are you sending very expensive BetaSp dubs to corporate offices– where no playback equipment exists–to people who are no longer employed?

Next week we’ll take a look at the programmers’ pet peeves about cable marketers.  Stay tuned!

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~ by ROI Marketing on January 25, 2010.