How to navigate the product-agnostic sales world of the future: Salesforce Media Cloud

We can all see the challenges that media businesses are faced with today: from shifting patterns in media consumption to the emergence of new channels and ad formats; and the increase in data complexity to the need to adapt to new subscription-based revenue models. In this rapidly changing business environment, survival depends on adaptability, efficiency, and the ability to meet the diverse demand of clients and end consumers. As media companies look to protect income and expand their offerings, the question arises: how can they serve clients most efficiently amidst this flux?

The very nature of this shift in the industry is why a powerful product-agnostic solution like Media Cloud is an essential tool to navigate a challenging ecosystem.

The media industry in flux  

The media industry has been and is undergoing tremendous change. Consumers have shifted their preferences from traditional media to digital platforms, putting pressure on media companies to adapt and innovate. To stay competitive, media companies must go the extra mile to satisfy client demands.

But it’s not just digital media where media companies are evolving. Subscriptions have become a key revenue source. This, as well as interactions with their consumers and their data, drives the need for e-commerce solutions to help pivot from what was traditionally a B2B model to that of a hybrid B2B and B2C model.

Currently, we are seeing a trend among media companies to grow through acquisition and the in-house management of newly acquired sales channels. However, sustaining this growth requires presenting a unified face to customers. This customer 360° view is the foundation for delivering seamless interactions, one order and one invoice across different types of products.

Achieving the customer 360° view requires a unified sales tool capable of supporting various sales channels. However, sustaining growth becomes challenging when attempting to fit new products into inflexible, non-product-agnostic sales tools. While leaving these products in a siloed system may seem like an option, it leads to further fragmentation of the ecosystem and introduces complications linked to multiple data silos. With the growing importance of data as a strategic focus for media businesses, it’s crucial to think about how data is managed.

There are also increased complexities around channels and products that are being offered to an ever demanding and competitive market. All this needs to be considered holistically with one solution.

Salesforce Media Cloud: A game-changer   

So, what are the options? Well, Salesforce and its industry solution, Salesforce Media Cloud, is a product-agnostic sales tool that is designed to empower media companies to sell anything, allowing for the rapid deployment of new products through configuration, not code!

Of course, there are other important considerations to bear in mind. Namely, reducing data siloes, optimising that data for sales teams, and simplifying internal development and support to minimise reliance on multiple systems and costly licences.

Why is this so important? Well, simply put, media companies that serve their customers the best will prosper the most, and here’s how:

Increased flexibility

Media businesses often work with a mix of products and services, from ad placements to sponsored content, event promotions and subscriptions. A product-agnostic solution like Salesforce Media Cloud allows them to create and manage quotes for any combination of offerings, providing rapid adaptation to evolving industry trends through configuration, not code.

Scalability

As media companies grow and diversify their portfolios, they require a scalable solution that can accommodate new products and services. Media Clouds’s flexibility ensures it can grow with the business, eliminating the need for costly system overhauls.

Futureproofing

In a dynamic media landscape with evolving advertising formats, products and channels, a product-agnostic solution allows media businesses to quickly adapt to market changes.

In the challenging ecosystem, Salesforce Media Cloud stands out as a vital tool for streamlining operations, optimising pricing, and staying competitive. Its product-agnostic nature provides a key advantage to media companies with the flexibility and scalability they need to thrive in an ever-changing landscape.