Ask the Expert

Traci Mueller, Reprints Manager, Penton Media

QUESTIONS

• How do you typically work up pricing on e-prints vs. reprints, taking into account that e-prints don’t have the production charges of hard-copy reprints?

You look at what the industry is doing out there, what other publications are charging and you price it accordingly. You price it based on the market.

• How do you secure an e-print so that it can’t be forwarded or printed, depending on your parameters?

That’s the advantage of the e-print – they can be forwarded. We do lock it and secure it from printing and the ability to not to make changes but we don’t prevent it from being forwarded. We do occasionally offer the ability for printing, as well, and what we have been doing is we watermark the e-print and the watermark only appears when it prints. We also copyright the e-print and the copyright will say, “Copyright Penton Media – for personal use only.” So you can still read it but you can’t reproduce it.

• Can you set up an e-print to expire after a certain date?

We actually use a vendor for our e-prints and here’s the process: Once that expiration date comes up – and we’ve reached out to the customer and they’ve decided that they don’t want to renew – the link goes dead.

• How do you manage, administer and control the use of e-prints?

We sell managed e-prints, which are timed three-, six- or 12-months and then the unlimited version which commands a higher price and we don’t have control over where they use it. So, we just offer them different types of e-print products. We also include e-print pricing in all quotes we send out and the uses for it. The margins are phenomenal with e-prints.

• What are lead-generation e-prints and how do they differ in pricing compared to standard e-prints?

With a lead-generation e-print, a client would send the e-print out to a customer or post it on their Web site. But in order to actually view the document, the person would have to fill out a Web form, which asks specific information. Once it’s filled out, the person would be able to view the e-print. This is different from a regular e-print where you click on it and can view it right away. The leads go to the client, so they pay for it that way, getting the leads and hopefully getting the business.

We definitely can command a lot more for a lead generation e-print than for just a standard e-print. It would depend on the publication and the readership and your flagship publication will definitely command more than your lower or smaller publications.

 

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Matthew Solomon
Matthew Solomon, account executive, Reprints Group, Incisive Media

QUESTIONS

• How do you typically work up pricing on e-prints vs. reprints, taking into account that e-prints don’t have the production charges of hard-copy reprints?

For us, if they just buy an e-print, it’s generally less expensive than if they bought 500 color reprints, however that is also dependent on the number of pages in the reprint . We also reduce the rate by 50 percent on the e-prints if they are purchasing both.

• How do you secure an e-print so that it can’t be forwarded or printed, depending on your parameters?

Our e-prints are always sold with electronic distribution rights so we haven’t come across that issue. We will also lock the e-prints from printing. We do often have requests for the ability to print so we will work with our clients on this. Clients want their clients to be able to print at least one copy. I think a lot of people when they receive a PDF want to view it in hardcopy as opposed to reading it on the computer. Each organization has to tinker with this because they probably will get requests about unlocking the PDFs.

• Can you set up an e-print to expire after a certain date?

We’re currently not incorporating that feature. We do however send out reminders of renewals after the one-year license has expired. If they aren’t renewing, we ask them to remove the e-print from their Website. Our vendors do have the technology, but there are some additional costs associated with that and we’ve chosen not to incorporate that yet. It’s something we’re considering.

• How do you manage, administer and control the use of e-prints?

They make different types of e-prints where the e-prints expire, so that’s one way of controlling it. I definitely would say you’re missing out on huge revenue by not offering e-prints. If a client is in contact with me and mentions that they only want hardcopy reprints, I still provide pricing for e-prints in every follow-up email because a lot of times, they just don’t know about it or haven’t thought about it. Our e-prints are usually offered with one-year licenses and we will contact the client about renewal or removal from their Website when the year has expired. We keep a excel database of all licensees.

• If an owner of an e-print controls the time limits – let’s say for one year on a Website – how is that controlled or policed on your end? In addition, how do you administer an annual e-print license?

Currently, in terms of renewal processes, we have it all put into an excel spreadsheet so each month we know what will be expiring and so we contact them personally. Actually, the sales rep for that particular publication will contact the customer. There are probably different and more efficient ways to do that, but by doing it personally, you’re touching base with the client and it gives you an opportunity to contact them. Because the e-print is a one-year license, it is captured just like a subscription and therefore the revenue is divided up over a 12-month period.

 

 

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