How Smart Digital Offerings Drive Year-Round Revenue

In today’s hyper-competitive advertising landscape—where each day there are more individuals, businesses and bots are contending for attention—media organizations can no longer afford to treat digital offerings as just another item on the rate card. While empowering your sales force and embracing a modern mindset are crucial, even the best-trained team will falter if the products they sell don’t align with advertiser needs. To stand out, digital offerings must evolve from being a checklist of formats into a portfolio of solutions rooted in business outcomes, strategy, and measurable value.

Too often, media sellers begin conversations by listing inventory: banners, video pre-rolls, sponsored content, and social boosts. But advertisers aren’t waking up thinking, “I need a 300x250 ad unit.” They’re wondering how to increase foot traffic, generate leads, or compete with national brands. The most effective sales engagements start by identifying those core challenges and reverse-engineering the solution. When sellers lead with, “Let’s talk about your goals,” instead of handing over a rate card, they reposition themselves as trusted advisors—not just vendors.

In this context, a well-executed “Best Of” contest—especially one that is newly launched or thoughtfully refreshed—can be a remarkably effective reintroduction to the local media brand. These contests don’t just generate votes; they generate energy. They reconnect audiences with businesses, and businesses with their media partners. Companies like NERUS Strategies, LLC, which power contests through their Optimum Ballots platform, have created scalable, turnkey experiences that spark visibility, community participation, and advertiser engagement. For media companies, these programs are not just about celebrating local favorites—they are strategic entry points into long-term advertiser relationships. When implemented with purpose, a “Best Of” campaign can lower the barrier to entry, build trust, and organically lead into deeper, more customized year-round digital strategies.

A common barrier to digital success is the tendency to overwhelm clients with too many choices. A la carte menus may seem flexible, but they often paralyze buyers and scatter sellers. Instead, pre-structured packages—clearly tiered and aligned with objectives like brand awareness, lead generation, or store visits—simplify decision-making and enhance performance tracking. Smart packages blend consistency with customization, offering a base framework with room for tailored elements. Adding seasonal or industry-specific bundles also increases urgency and relevance, making it easier to tap into current client needs.

Reporting must also rise to the occasion. Advertisers today expect more than impressions—they want tangible proof of return on investment. Every digital product should come with built-in success metrics such as conversions, clicks, form fills, or calls. Mid-campaign touch points allow for agile adjustments, while post-campaign reports should present not only the outcomes but recommendations for next steps. To support this, organizations should develop user-friendly dashboards or presentation-ready PDFs that allow sales reps to deliver a compelling story in just a few minutes. Benchmarks and industry comparisons can further contextualize performance.

Sustainable digital revenue comes from scale, not one-off creativity. That means building a suite of evergreen, repeatable products that can be delivered efficiently and renewed consistently. Offerings like SEO, social retargeting, listings management, and OTT/CTV campaigns lend themselves well to ongoing relationships. Where possible, automated or self-serve components can reduce workload while enabling rapid deployment. Just as importantly, structuring products around recurring contracts—monthly or quarterly—ensures both stability and growth. Custom, labor-intensive campaigns may deliver short-term results but are rarely scalable and often drain internal resources.

Organizations with traditional media assets have a unique opportunity to weave digital into broader brand experiences. Print, radio, broadcast, and event platforms shouldn’t be siloed—they should be connected. A fully integrated campaign might begin with a sponsored editorial feature in print or on-air, layered with digital amplification via social and native channels, reinforced through retargeting, and rounded out with personalized outreach like email or SMS. This approach transforms a digital product into a multi-channel narrative, delivering brand authority and performance in tandem.

Ultimately, the effectiveness of your digital strategy hinges on the products themselves. When they are designed to drive outcomes, built to scale across markets, and packaged in ways that simplify both selling and buying, they become a competitive advantage. In the evolving landscape of local media, those who invest in product innovation—not just in sales tactics—will define the future. Product is not a secondary concern. It is the strategy. And for many, a well-run “Best Of” contest is exactly the right place to start.

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About The Author

Bill Cummings is the President and CEO of NERUS Strategies, LLC, a Salem, Oregon-based firm specializing in digital marketing, revenue innovation, and media consulting. With over 25 years of leadership experience at major media companies like Gannett, McClatchy, and Freedom Communications, he co-founded NERUS in 2017 to help media organizations run profitable “Best Of” contests and community engagement programs. Under his direction, NERUS developed a turnkey platform used across the U.S. and Canada, engaging millions of voters and businesses. Known for his expertise in sales strategy, creative direction, and mergers and acquisitions, Cummings is also a sought-after speaker, consultant, and expert witness in advertising.