Central Penn Business Journal - Exemplary Rankings

Central Penn Business Journal has been conducting book of lists e-commerce online for years and years. It is one of DataJoe's oldest clients. I'd consider them an "old faithful" case when it comes to basic, solid practices for interactive online publishing and data e-commerce using the DataJoe platform.

View Central Penn Business Journal's Online Storefront >>

Here are a few reasons why I consider CPBJ to be exemplary in their execution of data e-commerce.

1. CPBJ has a dedicated, full time researcher who cares about the data, and has taken responsibility for doing it well.
2. The online store has explicit textual instructions for its proper usage. 
3. They have a mind-blowing number of lists, available in print and online. 
4. Nearly all lists are available for viewing in HTML format (free) and download-able in *.PDF and *.XLS formats (pay-per-download).
5. CPBJ sells an Premium Product, the Annual ListCentral Subscription, which sports unlimited view and download access for a premium price-point.
6. The Online Data Store is just plain useful. Visitors can view data for any list for free, obtaining instant, valuable business insight into the Central Pennsylvania market, in a variety of industries. 
7. Many of the HTML views of lists feature interactive Google mapping.

Crain's Chicago Business - New Online Storefront

*BR Alert*

Crain's Chicago Business, a well-established business journal serving the business community of Chicago, has unveiled a redesigned online storefront for its Book of List data. Crain's Chicago has always been an innovative and effective player in the realm of data e-commerce and Book of Lists marketing, promoting their ranked lists aggressively with online house ads, e-news alerts, twitter, and a variety of other channels. This is the second time I've witnessed them redesign their online storefront interface in the last few years.

View the New CCB Online Storefront >>

The newest iteration showcases a sleek new design that has been compacted to limit the need for vertical scrolling. Nearly every ranking sports multiple avenues for interacting with the data, including (1.) A Top 5 Preview, (2.) PDF Download (Pay-Per-Download,) and (3.) XLS Download (Pay-Per-Download.)

The most notable change is the addition of a completely new product -- the Crain's Unlimited Research Package. This one-year subscription provides access to all lists in Excel, PDF, or HTML format, with access to updated versions of the lists as they come available throughout the editorial cycle. The Unlimited Research Package also includes a few side benefits, namely unlimited online access to the weekly edition of Crain's Chicago Business, and a one-year print subscription. The cost is $599 - a bold move, as this surpasses the pricing for any other Book of Lists product they sell by a margin of $200 or more.

Again, Crain's Chicago tends to be an innovator, as far as pushing the boundaries of Book of Lists marketing and e-commerce; so I would not be surprised if you see other regional business publishers follow suit, at least in principle, by selling a premium product of similar dimensions, with added perks bundled in.  Some publications predated Crain's Chicago in selling an "unlimited access" premium product; and my bet is that there are more to come.

When a List Gets Chopped, People Notice - And React

*BR Alert*

I have a pack of electric hounds. Every day I set them loose on the Internet to sniff out content relevant to Book of Lists, business journal ranked lists, and other topics related to the business publishing / data publishing niche.

This morning, my hounds dragged home fresh meat and dumped it on my porch step, just like I taught them.

I won't say much to preface, except that the article below continues to confirm the significance of the business journal ranked list in any given market. The business community is watching. And when something happens, like a list gets canceled, the business community notices and responds. Sometimes violently.

The following article is an intense critique levied towards a local business journal. The trigger event for this critique was, according to the article, the fact that the business journal canceled its Web Development category of ranked lists from its Book of Lists. I found this to be an interesting and rare glimpse into the complex dynamic of business journals, their products, and their relationship with the local business community. Obviously this article showcases only one side of the issue, so keep that in mind.

Click here to read the article for yourself.

Online Survey Software (Automated Survey Blasting)

Online Survey Software - Considerations
You're probably familiar with Survey Monkey and Zoomerang. These guys are great for quick polls, or for one-off projects where you need to get fast feedback from companies, and collate results into an Excel file. But what if you are building a comprehensive, ever-growing database of company records, which feeds into multiple products? A one-off solution won't cut it.  In cases like these, using an online survey system that is not tied into a rich, sustainable database can be the recipe for a nightmare. Here's the old pattern -- survey, export, import, format, publish. And do it all over again.

Online Survey Software - DataJoe Components
DataJoe is a software system engineered for business publishers who produce ongoing interactive ranked lists, editorial directories, and other rich data sets.  The DataJoe system contains a flexible database engineered for data management, tied to a suite of survey tools for data acquisition. Your database, your surveys, print publishing, online publishing, and data e-commerce are all integrated into a single system. Think about that for a second.

• Data Management System. Search and group companies and send blasts to particular industry sectors. Once you've isolated the right group, blast all contacts within that group. 
• Custom Surveys. Create and save your own customized surveys, built right into the database so all data collected flows to the right place. 
• Online Survey Blaster. Send out individual or batch blasts in a few clicks. Send e-mails, digital faxes, or HTML attachments directly to contacts in your database.
• Online Submission. For email surveys, recipients will be directed to their own, unique, survey form (pre-populated with their data from previous years, at your discretion.) No log in or password necessary - just a direct link to a secure environment where they can input and update information for their company. This is incredibly convenient -- and optimizes response rates.
• Survey Logs. Track successes and failures, and narrow down your follow up opportunities.
  Track opens, bounces, and submissions.
• Holding Area. Maintain strict editorial control. All submissions flow to a "holding area," pending approval. You will be able to view the survey, with any conflicts with existing data highlighted (so you can spot red flags.) Once you approve -- and only when you approve -- the survey updates the live database. This instantly updates the applicable online products using the data.

Taken together, this process eliminates unnecessary manual entry. It  also eliminates steps between getting data from your survey utility into your database utility -- DataJoe bridges the gap by becoming both at once. 

With DataJoe it's not: "survey - verify - export - import - format - publish."

It's: "survey - verify - publish."

BizTimes Online Directory Using DataJoe Platform

BizTimes, a business publication serving the business community in the Milwaukee, WI, region, produces a series of directories using the DataJoe platform. In producing the directory, BizTimes utilizes DataJoe's Online Survey Blasting technology, Custom Online Display, and DataJoe E-commerce (the "out-of-the-box" Online Data Storefront).

What's unique, here, is that there are multiple revenue streams. The directories are printed products, which can generate ad and enhanced listings sales. The directories are also online products, which can generate online enhancement sales. And finally, they are data products, which can be purchased on a "pay-per-download" basis by those who want to purchase the data for sales leads, job leads, and analysis. 

Use the following links to view public aspects of the BizTimes online directories:

All Directories Splash Page (all directories listed)
Individual Directory Splash Page (Access to Capital Directory)
Example of Individual Directory (Access to Capital Directory)
Data Submission Page (online forms for data collection)
Products Page (purchase and download Excel files of directory data)