Learn the ins-and-outs of optimizing your ballot for success, maximizing your ad sales strategies, and prospecting businesses from nomination to winners phase. Hear top trends among our most successful Best Of campaigns to level up your strategy, get your whole company and community excited, and drive significant revenue.
How to submit a standout Adobe Champion Application
Fine Tune Your Best Of Strategy to Maximize Revenue & Engagement
1. Master Class
How to Master Best Of:
Become the Best of the Best Of! How to craft a
successful campaign and get your company and
your market engaged.
2. First things first…
Julie Foley
Sr. Customer Success Manager
Upland Second Street
jfoley@uplandsoftware.com
Matt Hummert
Customer Success Manager
Upland Second Street
mhummert@uplandsoftware.com
Sara Gilbert
Manager of Contests and
Promotions
Lee Enterprises- Amplified Connect
sara.gilbert@lee.net
7. Your Best Of needs
more LOVE
• Pot of gold
• Revenue
• Database
• Audience
• Reach in the community
8. 5 Ways to Master Best Of
1. Designate a Champion
9. Designate a Champion
• Project manager:
• Set goals, plan, and execute
• Work with other departments
• Having a leader will grow your program
10. Designate a Champion
• 6 months out:
• Create timeline
• Designate market champion
• 3 months out:
• One on One weekly calls with local
market champion
• Make sure the timeline is on track
• 1 month out:
• Sales Kickoff and Training
13. Audit Your Ballot
• When looking over categories
there are three things to consider:
• Engagement
• Current Revenue
• Potential Revenue Opportunities
14. Audit Your Ballot
• Engagement
• What categories can you toss?
• What categories should you add?
• Did the categories perform well?
15. Audit Your Ballot
Current Revenue
• Where did you see the most revenue?
• Don’t lose categories that are generating
revenue
Potential Revenue
• Where could you grow within current
categories
• What categories should you add
Home Services, Legal, Real Estate
16. Keep It Simple
• 8 groups
• 150 categories
• Organize ballot for efficiency
• Less categories allows you to expand into
niche ballots later in the year
• Family Favorites
• Weddings
• Professional/Employers
17. Grow engagement
• Goal: Increase nomination and votes
from users
• Sweepstakes in both nomination and
voting phase
18. 5 Ways to Master Best Of
3. Re-evaluate Your Sales Packages
19. Re-evaluate Your
Revenue Goals
• We see 30% YOY growth on
average
• Run a 3 phase ballot
• Create revenue goals for each phase
• Hold sales reps accountable
20. Revenue Goals
Small Market Example
Nomination Packages
•4 premium packages x $1,599 each
•25 deluxe packages x $599 each
$21,371
Voting Packages
•6 premium packages x $1,599 each
•50 deluxe packages x $599 each
•30 basic packages x $299 each
$48,514
Winners’ Packages
•6 premium packages x $2,999 each
•50 deluxe packages x $999 each
•30 basic packages x $499 each
$82,914
TOTAL $152,799
21. Reader’s Choice
• Registered users up 145% YOY
• Nominations up 104% YOY
• Votes up 96% YOY
• Revenue up 160% YOY
• 12,785 opt-ins for daily headlines list
• 13,458 opt-ins for promotions list
Billings Gazette | Billings, MT
23. 5 Ways to Master Best Of
4. Prospect & Pitch Efficiently
24. Prospect Efficiently
• Target the top business
categories that:
• Show up in 3+ categories
• Are competitive
• Historically buy packages
• Healthcare
• Home Services
• Legal
• Insurance
• Real Estate
• Financial
• Funeral Services
25. Sales Training
• Sales launch party – fun and unique!
• Who to target
• Categories that will deliver
• What to say: Benefits
• We don’t sell votes, we sell audience!
• Practice elevator pitch
• 2nd Training Workshop
• Overcome objections/close more sales
• Feedback
26. 5 Ways to Master Best Of
5. Work Smarter, Not Harder
27. Work Smarter, Not Harder
• Create a lead-gen landing
page
• Include important information,
tips and tools businesses can
use to solicit votes
28. Work Smarter, Not Harder
• Put social media graphics
behind a survey form with an
opt-in with *hot leads*!
40. Thank You!
Julie Foley
Sr. Customer Success Manager
at Upland Second Street
jfoley@uplandsoftware.com
Matt Hummert
Customer Success Manager at
Upland Second Street
mhummert@uplandsoftware.com
Sara Gilbert
Manager of Contests and
Promotions at Lee
Enterprises