In the publishing world, partnerships are key to driving distribution and success. Columnist Jeanniey Mullen discusses Outside Directors, a c-level talent network that can help publishers drive distribution and find success in new markets.
A new (old) route to publisher success? Tap the experts, affordably.
In the publishing world, partnerships are key to driving distribution and success. Many times I have found that the right partner can introduce your publication to an entirely new world of soon-to-be fans. Finding those partners and distribution outlets can be challenging, time consuming and costly.
In my search for “a better way” to thrive, I came across a new company in the US (the operation has been around for almost a year in the UK) OutsideDirectors.net. They’ve introduced a novel idea: create a network where experts who have day jobs, but want to help others, can get involved with companies who need help, but can’t afford to, or don’t want to hire a full time person right now.
Outside Directors spans many industries, not just publishing, and that is part of its brilliance. Now, smart publishers can post searches for experts in areas where they need distribution or expansion help, including telecom, retail or even entertainment. What’s even better, subject matter experts can list themselves as willing to help out other companies. We learn and get director-level experience while we help others grow.
I become so fascinated by this new concept that I got in touch with Outside Director’s Ian Wright, who told me, “OutsideDirectors.net provides the talent via an open platform to share their knowledge and profile. The OutsideDirectors.net technology allows members to create highly SEO enriched online profiles for free as well as the ability to search the database for free. The reality is that engaging an Outside Director with a career of contacts and hindsight at one or two days per month is much more affordable than the full-time C-level salary.”
According to recent research from Docstoc, more than 50 percent of the American workforce is employed by an SMB.
Could this help your publishing network grow in a cost effective way? I was so compelled I signed up to check it out. I’ve also talked to a few companies who have posted listings and have nothing but great things to say about the quality of candidates they speak to. This could be a new and innovative way to make the most of our expertise and put our networks to good use.
If you’ve seen any innovative companies or offerings like this, share in the comments.
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