The Changing Classified Model

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The Changing Classified Model

• Tom Caywood
• April 6, 2009

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The Platinum Rule

• Know yourself
• Know your sales staff
• Know your product
• Know your market
• Know your competition
• Know your customer

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What does the future hold?

• Recent trends
• Auto dealers are contracting
• Real Estate is a mess
• Unemployment at all time highs
• Craigslist---out Craig Craig
• Emerging business models
• Mobile is growing
• Transactional is cash rich
• Social networks are fun
• Aggregation is not bad
• Print fortress in jeopardy
• Print is old fashionreally?
• Change is requiredWhat is role of the call
  center?
• Park old notions and create excitement

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Examples of Free, Aggregation New Looks

• Atlanta Journal Constitution
• AJCExchange
• TBO.com (Tampa)
• Aggregate listings
• Houston Chronicle
• New recruitment section
• 3 Column format
• Mobile
• iPhones

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(No Transcript)
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Tampa (TBO) Marketplace
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TBO
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NYT Classified and iPhones
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Houston Chronicle-New recruitment section
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Business Trends---Secular or Cyclical

• Maybe a little of both
• Category spendinglook at more than advertising
• Leads and conversions
• CPA models
• Transactions
• Services
• Who moved my cheese?
• Online
• Mobile
• Social
• CGM
• Search

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Change the model---NOW!

• Get transactional
• Life after listings
• Change the pricing model
• Supply and demand
• Aggregate the listings
• Broaden the audienceenrich the experience
• Web first, print second?
• Make it VERY easy
• Regardless of platform
• Integrate the product lines
• Serve multiple platforms
• Innovate and invigorate the core
• Why 8-9 or 10 columns?

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Changewho owns it?---you do!

• Bottom up approach
• What feedback do you hear from customers
• They speak loudly with their wallets
• Competitive leverage
• Cultural change is needed
• Publishers have to buy this
• Role of core-value proposition
• Fundamental base of operations
• How does the core change
• Why not print as an up-sell?

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Audience and Customers

• Audience based targeting
• Customers know their customers
• Higher rates are possible
• Dont quit on the franchise