Scott Bieda

Custom Solutions

"Penton Custom Solutions exists to provide our clients with custom designed communication programs that differentiate them from their competitors. To accomplish specific client objectives, Penton is experienced in creating integrated strategies that include print, electronic, database, and research elements that are proven in establishing our clients as leaders in their respective markets. Whether the objective is brand awareness, new product introduction or lead generation, Penton Custom Solutions will create a winning program and provide measureable return on investment."

— Scott Bieda, Vice President, Penton Custom Solutions

client objectives

  • Brand Awareness
  • Company Awareness
  • Thought Leadership
  • Lead Generation
  • Proprietary Research
  • Industry Research
  • Licensing / Reprints
  • Education
  • Video Capabilities

Brand Awareness

Case History

A large, technology solutions provider sought to educate an audience on a new product therefore increasing sales. To accomplish this objective, the client knew it would first have to educate the market on the new revenue-generating opportunities that its product would create. The client met with Penton Custom Solutions and the American Printer staff and decided a series of webinars would be the best approach. The program proved effective as the client was able to track actual sales based on the leads generated from the awareness-building webinar program. As a result, the client has signed on for another series of webinars to continue to drive sales.

Elements of Solution

The solution consisted of a series of webinars that shared the elements of the client’s direct mail program. The webinars were moderated by a well-known industry sales trainer who was joined by two companies that actually executed the new types of projects.

Services Provided

The webinar group inside Penton Custom Solutions created a turnkey event by providing the following services:

  • Design of e-mail promotion program
  • E-list Acquisition
  • Scheduling and Deployment of e-mail Promotions
  • Coordination of Presentation Materials
  • Dress Rehearsal
  • Training for Webinar Participants
  • Attendee Registration
  • All Performance Metrics

Example of Execution

Contact for More Information

Scott Bieda
Vice President of Penton Custom Solutions
(312) 840-8406
scott.bieda@penton.com

Amanda Wegryn
Marketing Consultant
(216) 931-9768
amanda.wegryn@penton.com

Company Awareness

View Example

Case History

After Simon Property Group (SPG) completed its acquisition of the Mills Corp. portfolio, it wanted to effectively tell The Mills’ story to retailers, leasing agents, and other key industry decision makers as they were making their upcoming leasing decisions. Because advertising and traditional editorial would have been ineffective in conveying The Mills’ message, a custom insert was the best way to achieve Simon’s objectives.

Elements of the Solution

Featuring beautiful photos, a letter from CEO David Simon, and an editorial focus on The Mills’ versatility and relevance to a wide range of retailers and consumers, the insert was turn-key produced by Penton Custom Solutions. On-site photoshoots and interviews were scheduled at three Mills locations, and Penton wrote and designed the insert with input from SPG. The piece was inserted into Retail Traffic magazine, and was distributed at the International Council of Shopping Centers' annual convention and to leasing reps. An interstitial for the Retail Traffic homepage was also created to promote the insert.

Service Provided

  • Project Management
  • Photography
  • Editorial
  • Design
  • Printing
  • Distribution
  • Development of interstitial

Contact Information

Scott Bieda
Vice President of Penton Custom Solutions
(312) 840-8406
scott.bieda@penton.com

Thought Leadership

View Example

Case History

Altair Engineering, Inc. sought to position itself as an industry thought-leader in product development. It also wanted to drive traffic to its website to generate sales leads and to provide a tool for its sales staff to use. Altair turned to Penton Custom Solutions for consultation. Penton Custom Solutions and Altair collaborated to develop a turnkey solution that met the client’s needs – a print magazine targeted to upper-level managers and engineering executives called Concept To Reality: Ideas and Strategies in Product Development.

Elements of the Solution

Altair and Penton Custom Solutions had a kick-off meeting to determine the overall content and graphics direction. As part of the turnkey process, Penton Custom Solutions carried out content development, design, prepress, printing, distribution and circulation development. Today, Altair posts current and past issues on its website. According to Altair, the international, award-winning Concept To Reality magazine has become the most preferred sales collateral piece used by the Altair sales staff. What’s more, it is one of the highest lead-generation tools Altair has ever implemented.

Service Provided

  • Project Management
  • Content Development
  • Creative Design and Layout
  • Production Management
  • Circulation
  • Distribution
  • Brand Development

Example of Execution

www.altair.com

Contact Information

Bev Beckert
Account Manager
216-931-9836
beverly.beckert@penton.com

Thought Leadership

View Example

Case History

Motion controller manufacturer Delta Computer Systems is a regular contributor of technical articles to Hydraulics and Pneumatics magazine. In order to share this knowledge with more customers in a cost-effective way, Delta and the Penton Media Reprints team, part of Penton Customs Solutions, compiled a 32-page Practical Design Guide that can be requested online at Delta’s website, www.deltamotion.com. The design guide has been so successful that it is being expanded to 64 pages in 2009.

Elements of the Solution

The Penton Media Reprints team worked with Delta to identify the articles and ads that were most important. The Reprints team came up with various layout designs and collaborated with Delta on flow of the book. The Reprints team invited the editor of Hydraulics and Pneumatics, Alan Hitchcox, to write a foreword introducing Delta’s expertise to further promote the Hydraulics and Pneumatics brand.

Service Provided

  • Project Management
  • Creative Design and Layout
  • Printing of Books
  • Shipping

Contact Information

Joel Kirk
Marketing Sales Consultant
(216) 931-9324
joel.kirk@penton.com

Lead Generation

View Example

Case History

i-Gard was looking for a lead-generation tool along with a venue to review a paper that discussed typical grounding practices and ground-fault protection methods for medium-voltage generator stators, highlighting their merits and drawbacks. Particular attention needed to be given to applications of multiple generators connected to a single bus. Additionally, i-Gard wanted to provide an overview of the generator damage mechanism during stator ground faults, identify problem areas associated with each type of grounding and discuss solutions.

Elements of the Solution

i-Gard, along with EC&M, saw that a live webinar was the perfect vehicle to deliver this information to the EC&M audience and allow i-Gard to answer the market’s questions about the material in a live presentation. More than 1,400 people registered for this event. Over 700 people joined the live event, and close to 100 questions were submitted by the audience.

Service Provided

  • Project Management
  • Full Environment Set-Up and Support
  • Promotion and Marketing Management
  • Live Event Coordination
  • Lead Generation Tracking & Reporting

Contact Information

Tim Stark
Director Online Events
(216) 931-9375
tim.stark@penton.com

Proprietary Research

View Example

Case History

National Real Estate Investor and Marcus & Millichap have partnered for the past six years to present an investor outlook to the commercial real estate industry. This allows both parties to present valuable, original industry information that professionals have come to expect. The results have been reported multiple times in the Wall Street Journal.

Elements of the Solution

Each year, representatives from National Real Estate Investor and Penton Custom Solutions meet with Marcus & Millichap to review and update the annual outlook survey to capture current industry trends. Penton Research, part of Penton Custom Solutions, conducts the study and presents the findings, which are then incorporated into an 8-to-12-page whitepaper inserted into Penton’s real estate publications, posted on the publications’ websites, and presented at industry events.

Service Provided

  • Project Management
  • Survey Construction
  • Data Collection
  • Data Analysis
  • Report Writing and Trend Analysis
  • Creation of whitepaper (service provided by Penton Custom Solutions)

Contact Information

Kristin Letourneau, Ph.D.
Associate Director of Research
(913) 967-1892
kristin.letourneau@penton.com

Industry Research

View Example

Case History

TD Ameritrade is a leading national brokerage firm that provides investment products and services to consumers as well as to financial advisors. Changes in the economic climate, and, in particular, in the financial services industry, presented a unique opportunity for TD Ameritrade to attract financial advisors to its platform. The firm’s objective in working with Penton Research and Registered Rep. magazine (an industry-leading Penton publication for financial advisors) was to deliver resources and objective thought leadership to financial advisors who expressed interest in learning about their career options.

Elements of the Solution

Penton’s research team, along with Registered Rep. magazine editors, worked with TD Ameritrade to develop a high-impact monthly e-letter, THE NEXT MOVE, featuring valuable industry research, trend pieces, instant polling, and interviews with leading investment managers, recruiters and advisors. THE NEXT MOVE e-letter was promoted to develop a very targeted audience of Registered Rep. readers

Service Provided

  • Research Services
  • Content Management and Creation
  • Design and Deployment of E-newsletters
  • Project Management

 

Contact Information

Kristin Letourneau, Ph.D.
Associate Director of Research
(913) 967-1892
kristin.letourneau@penton.com

Education

View Example

Case History

The Society of Fire Protection Engineers (SFPE) enlisted Penton Custom Solutions to produce its quarterly magazine, Fire Protection Engineering. After producing five issues on its own, SFPE found that its team's forte was overseeing fire and safety engineering issues rather than producing a quarterly magazine. The association asked Penton Custom Solutions to manage the magazine more efficiently, increase circulation, upgrade the design, and uncover additional avenues of growth.

Elements of the Solution

Penton Custom Solutions executes all aspects of publishing for Fire Protection Engineering, including project management, editorial management, creative design, production, printing, distribution, and advertising sales. The Fire Protection Engineering brand has expanded over the last few years to include a bi-annual special supplement, Careers in Fire Protection Engineering; an eight-time e-newsletter, Emerging Trends; a microsite; and an online career board.

Service Provided

  • Quarterly Magazine – editorial, design, production, printing, distribution, sales, marketing
  • Bi-Annual Special Supplement -- editorial, design, production, printing, distribution, sales, marketing
  • E-newsletter – editorial, design, deployment, sales, metrics and tracking, marketing
  • Microsite – maintenance, sales, metrics and tracking, marketing
  • Online Career Board – maintenance, marketing

Contact Information

Carol Schumacher
Account Executive
(216) 931-9934
carol.schumacher@penton.com

 

Licensing / Reprints

View Example

Case History

Reidin, an international company with a business information service designed to help Real Estate professionals, was interested in adding information to its service/database. Reidin serves developers and builders, investors and lenders, designers, property and asset managers, lawyers, etc. The company was in the process of adding content partners around the globe. It came to Content Licensing, part of Penton Custom Solutions, with an interest in licensing content for its service from National Real Estate Investor (NREI).

Elements of the Solution

Through discussions with the company representative, Penton Custom Solutions realized that not only did NREI seem to be an ideal fit for this relationship but also Retail Traffic. The teams negotiated and executed a licensing agreement in which Penton Custom Solutions provided Reidin the monthly issues of NREI and Retail Traffic in an XML format. (This was already available, so there was no cost involved.) In exchange for the content, we receive a royalty from revenues earned from our content. Along with this, a description of Penton and a link back to our site appears when our article is discovered through a search - thanks to REIDIN.com’s back-end infrastructure.

Service Provided

  • Project Management
  • Contract Negotiation
  • Relationship Building
  • Readily Available Content in an XML Format

Contact Information

Susan Tusken
Content Licensing Manager
913-967-7465
susan.tusken@penton.com