How has the industry changed since the inception of ESco? 

“ESco began in 1984 and technology has changed our industry dramatically over the last 40 years. Having literally grown up in the publishing industry (from family dinners to boardroom meetings), things have shifted enormously in the last 17 years that I’ve been officially involved at ESco. The advancements in technology has brought with it the ability to communicate with customers in a highly personalised and relevant way – making each communication more effective than ever before. Publishers aren’t expected to be just publishers anymore. The bar is constantly being raised, greater value needs to be delivered to each subscriber to be heard above the noise of every other contender vying for the consumers’ attention. Publishers need to be more creative when it comes to delivering greater value without eating into their revenue – more creative than 40 years ago, indeed more than 17 or even two years ago”.

Tell us a bit more about your areas of expertise.

“Simply put – subscriptions management but more specifically, data management – in all its guises. We really shine when it comes to supporting publishers, event organisers, membership organisations, and charities to bring their data together, then dissect it again. We administrate, analyse, report, and provide marketers with the tools to squeeze every opportunity from their data.

But I don’t think our knowledge is what makes us a trusted industry partner, knowledge can be learnt, taught, and shared. Now if you’d asked, “what makes ESco stand out as an industry partner that publishers should want to work with?” I would say, it is the high calibre management of every service we offer. I can proudly say, that really is our expertise. Our repeatedly demonstrated ethos – service with integrity. That, and our eagerness to learn”.

What is the biggest area of opportunity for publishers currently?

“Reach. We have such a huge reach to our target audience now, wherever they may be. And in order to make the most of that reach, we can target individuals based on their previous engagements and habits. The opportunities are in ensuring that customer and potential customer data is captured at every possible stage, and pooled together in a unified, reviewed, segmented, and targeted way. With the right tools, our publishers can reach new potential, and as a service provider, it’s really important that we help our publishers get set up with the right tools to reach that potential. A good partner doesn’t hold the cards close to their chest. What’s the saying about teaching a (wo)man to fish?”

For a lot of our b2b members building corporate subscriptions is front of mind, what are your top tips for maximising success?

“Honestly? Involve a professional. Working with a bureau who have experience managing corporate subs for a broad spectrum of clients will ensure the approach is tailored to your niche requirements. Utilise existing relationships with individual subscribers or event attendees from the same companies – look at where these can be rolled into a corporate subscription. If you have a grip on your data, and know all the touch points you have with companies, you can really help drive your corporate subscriptions forward.

Try and test price points, get the content right, ensure a slick UX, and mostly – value your content, don’t give it away for free. It’s important to deliver a tailored user experience, to ensure that each member of a corporate sub is being delivered the relevant content for their particular area of expertise or interest. Of course, know your corporation, but also know the individuals. Taking it back to the top level – you need to ensure you have a solid system that allows agility and adaptability so you can tailor the subscription, because companies’ needs change”.

What excites you most about our sector right now?

“That it isn’t confined to only publishing. How exciting is that? The opportunities are endless for publishers – information can be disseminated in so many different ways.

And as an individual who thrives on working with people, the community aspect that publishers (both b2b and b2c) are tapping into now is a great way to deliver value, constantly define their brand, and engage their current and potential audience – which yes, I do find exciting!”

What does the next year have in store for ESco?

“I laughed a bit when I read this question.  Then contemplated a power nap!

We’re really thriving on the pace of change and opportunity available to all of us, as an industry, with more and more tech solutions out there that are constantly adapting and improving.

We have our client “connect” day on 10th November at a new venue in Shoreditch which always brings huge insight and an opportunity to share knowledge, stats, failed and successful ideas, across a spectrum of publishers.

We’re working with some innovative (and brilliant) consultants who are helping us to design and deliver a continually improving tech stack. Whilst it’s tempting to cast our net wide with so many options available to us, we’re taking a clear and measured approach to our roadmap release which will feature a number of positive developments and partnerships to greatly improve value for our publishers. Plus, we’re supporting our industry partners to make sure that we (and our publishers) are getting exactly what we need to thrive, grow, and flourish in the years ahead”.

To find out more about Esco, visit their website here.