Licensed Provider of Media Monitoring Services For Sale

Business description

The business was established in 1998 to provide media monitoring and press cutting services, monitoring all of the local and national news publications, consumer press and trade publications and also the local and national broadcast output available in Ireland.

Designed for busy press officers and PR executives or anyone whose job it is to gather and monitor media reaction to information.

The business covers four key service areas

Press Clippings
TV and Radio Monitoring
Media Evaluation & Analysis
Internet Based Press Release Distribution System

Press Clippings

Delivery to customers has been in the form of web upload and hard copy, delivering press cuttings to multiple clients electronically and within deadline on a daily basis.

Each client has their own directory or folder, containing sub directories. Cuttings are uploaded as PDF's. The PDF files trigger email alerts, if requested by the client. Email alerts provide links to the client’s online account, where they can log in to download the cuttings.

Key features of the service include:

•All UK national, daily and weekend papers
•Local consumer and trade magazines daily and weekly press
•Pricing per complete cutting
•Coverage delivered in multiple formats

The business’s skilled readers are briefed on client’s exact requirements. The production teams ensure the information is delivered as a client needs it - in hard copy or electronic format.

Applications include:
• Use in a crisis when you need to know how news is developing minute by minute
• Detect positive and negative coverage of your organisation
• Detect mentions in the press of key spokespeople
• Detect mentions of "issues" e.g. industry regulation, new technology
• Detect press inaccuracies

Advantages include:

•24/7 coverage of national daily and regional publications
•Accurate article retrieval. Specify not just keywords, but relationships between keywords
•Email alerts easily set up for delivery to designated staff
•Access to secure, personalised, web page with 30-day searchable archive
•Ongoing keyword specification changes
•Ability to add and remove titles
•Tailored to clients requirements

Coverage includes:
•National daily and weekend publications, regional daily and weekly newspapers and regional trade and consumer magazines
•Consumer and technical titles

TV and Radio Monitoring

As the only comprehensive provider of TV and radio monitoring services in Ireland, the company has developed an unassailable market lead with growth potential. Monitoring all relevant regional broadcast output the company has a well deserved reputation for providing an accurate and speedy service.

TV and radio clips are provided on DVD, CD-Rom, on audio and video tape and can be emailed as attachments to clients anywhere in Ireland or the UK. Additional services include transcript production and Audio/Video digests.

The Audio/Video department has a small team of three dedicated staff who between them have over 25 years experience in broadcast monitoring.


Media Evaluation

The company has been providing media evaluation services since 2000 and although this accounts for less than 10% of the overall business turnover it is deemed as a significant growth area in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

Media analysis is provided both quantitavely and qualitatively enabling clients to understand both the impact and value of media coverage. This is of particular benefit when measuring events to gauge the level of sponsorship coverage.

All Ireland Internet Based Press Release Distribution System

The company has developed the only internet based press release distribution system in Ireland. With over 900 publications detailed it has the most comprehensive data base of daily, weekly and monthly Irish publications available.

With a limited number of key strokes users are able to email their press releases to a specific person within any publication or a specific group of people at multiple publications in Ireland.

Publications can be targeted by geographic location, type or genre.

Known as a Media Monitoring Exchange, the product already has a number of early adopter clients in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland contracted on a subscription basis. The Media Monitoring Exchange solution is a business opportunity in itself.

Advertising and Marketing

The business continues to grow from word of mouth recommendation through a strong advocacy of the key business activities by key individuals in key client companies. Since the inception of the business, growth has been consistent without the need for direct marketing or advertising save for inclusion in well known online business directories and participation in charity events/dinners.

With further marketing in direct sales the business can extend its markets and be better able to capitalize on the increasing demand for its services based on today’s sound foundations.

Customer Service

The business prides itself on excellent customer service. On that basis the company has maintained levels of service quality intended to best guarantee customer satisfaction levels. The result of the company’s commitment to customer service is evident in the number of clients that engage in ongoing and repeat business. It is also apparent in the company’s ability to consistently win new clients over its competitors.

Key strengths

The early success of the business has been through a commitment to service quality and delivery both in administration and service offering. This sustainability sets the business apart from its competitors and illustrates its clear advantage within the marketplace.
The business is an organisation where the vendor has very quickly developed and nurtured a proposition based upon the clear commercial advantages of its service along with the combination of content and event frequency to corporate clients.
As a result the business has earned an outstanding reputation for its honesty, service, reliability, open and transparent delegate experience delivered by a knowledgeable and experienced team.

Property information

Location:

The current premises are available and already fully serviced with telephone, broadband and network facilities. There is ample on-site car parking for staff.

Other information

Expansion potential:

The market for such service offerings are always in demand. The business has a robust product and service portfolio backed by professional staff training contained within a proven corporate environment. The business is well positioned to take maximum advantage of the growth in this sector as it develops.

In recent years there has been a healthy growth in business both in the Republic of Ireland with international investment flowing in from both North America and Europe, and within Northern Ireland with the recent political landscape changing for the better. This company is well positioned to provide a stepping off point into the Irish market without the risk of incurring the high overheads that are otherwise experienced.

The vendor believes the business has all the ingredients for the right person or business with the right resources to take this sustainable business and turn it into the largest media monitoring company in the UK/Ireland.

Competition / Market:

The business continues to grow from word of mouth recommendation through a strong advocacy of the key business activities by key individuals in key client companies. Since the inception of the business, growth has been consistent without the need for direct marketing or advertising save for inclusion in well known online business directories and participation in charity events/dinners. With further marketing in direct sales the business can extend its markets and be better able to capitalize on the increasing demand for its services based on today’s sound foundations.

Support & training:

The current owner will provide all necessary training and all relevant contacts to allow continuity of trading.

Reasons for selling:

The business is for sale due to the owners wish to emigrate in 2008