December 20, 2006 – 11:56 pm
It is the end of the year, and the executive turntable is spinning a little faster. Today, it was TrueLocal Head Jake Baillie’s turn to announce his departure. TrueLocal,
a spin-off from GeoSign, provides unique, local company URL information for Internet Yellow Page and others. The company has hired an executive search firm, and will likely turn to a seasoned sales, data and organization person.
Baillie says he is leaving, along with several other members of the 36 person company, to launch an incubator company funded by GeoSign head Tim Nye. “My strength is in growing a business,” he says. Baillie adds that TrueLocal is meeting its goals, but he can’t see running it as it becomes an enterprise with hundreds of employees.
The company, in fact, has embarked on an effort to break free of its dependence on licensing its data. It is currently attempting to sell local advertisers directly. For the past couple of months, it has been working with a 3 person telemarketing firm that has sold several hundred ads on a test basis. Just last week, Baillie apparently decided to upgrade the effort and has advertised, via LinkedIn, for a VP of sales. “In 2007, our entire growth plan revolves around our marketing department,” he noted in the ad.
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December 19, 2006 – 8:49 pm
R.H. Donnelley Senior VP of Digital Strategy Innovation and Products Simon Greenman confirmed today that he is stepping down and likely to be replaced by Sean Green, 36, who was promoted to VP of Strategy and Business Development in October. Greenman says that he basically declined to relocate from Denver to RHD headquarters in Cary, NC. After a brief sabbatical, Greenman says he will look for new executive positions in the business. He can be reached at sgreenman@gmail.com .
“It’s been a wild three years, starting on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange,” says Greenman. We just launched a new site, and really helped position Dex and RHD as true local search players that can keep adding the right features.”
He noted that his tenure had a number of notable highlights, including the introduction number of “groundbreaking SME products, including Dex Web clicks and deals with Google and Yahoo and the acquisition of Local Launch” to accelerate online sales. RHD’s acquisition of Dex – and its appreciation of Dex’s progressive innovative nature –in itself was a highlight, he says.
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December 13, 2006 – 6:43 pm
Newspapers have always been a pied piper kind of industry, where everyone follows the lead of a few influentials. Right now, the pied pipers are whistling for the recruitment partnerships offered by Yahoo HotJobs or Monster.
There are definite merits in working with Yahoo or Monster. By doing so, newspapers gain access to their tools, national networks, and overall sense of momentum. But Adicio (formerly CareerCast), the “last” independent recruitment vendor and network, argues that newspapers shouldn’t give up their autonomy by going with a pure play.
It is a myth that newspapers can’t have state-of-the-art tools and participate in a meaningful national network while retaining their independence, says Terry Baker, Adicio’s VP of Business Development. Baker’s position, not surprisingly, is that newspapers are taking the risk that Monster or Yahoo may end up holding all the cards five years down the line if they make a “partnership” pact with them today.
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December 12, 2006 – 12:36 am
If newspapers are to grow, they’re going to have to leverage their local, regional and national credibility to reach into advertiser segments where they don’t have much of a presence today. This means B2B and SME.
But somewhere, it is written that newspapers can’t do B2B. After flirting with job fair services (BrassRing), and vertical pubs, most newspapers have stopped looking beyond their traditional lines of business. The most they’ll consider are new slices of traditional vertical markets (“Entertainment,” “Home Improvement”)
This week we have a new case study, as The Washington Post Co sold off of its Post Newsweek Tech Group to 1105 Media in Chatsworth, CA. The division includes FOSE Government Computer News, Washington Technology, Government Leader and Defense Systems. Also included is FOSE, the annual information technology convention.
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December 8, 2006 – 10:26 pm
The power of road mapping and directions sites like MapQuest and Yahoo Maps is now being channeled by HopStop, a New York-based startup providing the same type of complete info for walkers and subway and bus strap holders in major cities. In addition to standard mapping and direction info, the site hosts city guides and enables users to share tips on construction delays, rate various lines, and so forth.
The ad-supported site is being financed by IDT Ventures, a VC firm. It launched in January 2005, and has been syndicated on a co-branded basis to The New York Post and AM New York. It now claims 750,000 unique visitors per month – 95 percent in New York.
The site has had some agency support for nearby businesses and urbanite brands, and its advertiser roster now includes Wachovia Bank, New York Times, Volkswagen and Dewers Scotch. Wachovia, for instance, uses the site to promote a $50 metro card to customers opening new accounts at branches next to subway stops. In addition, Amex is using the site to promote its InNewYork imprint.
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