Thursday, June 27, 2019

Meet The Team – Customer Support

BluHorn® Media Solutions is proud to introduce one of the newest members of our customer support team, Cristin Combs.

Here is the short bio Cristin provided to introduce herself to you:

I am a second generation Sun Devil of Arizona State.  GO DEVILS!  I started my career taking a break from college to start an entertainment company where I provided DJs/Karaoke/MCs for bars and clubs along with A/V consulting and equipment install.  (Oh to be 20-ish again).  After six successful years, I decided to grow up and go back to college where I graduated with a BA in Film & Media Studies.  Following an internship at Fox Sports Arizona my “senior year” I accepted a full-time freelance position in the production department. After close to 7 successful years in production, I decided I wanted to understand where all the money came from.  I transitioned to the other side of the room at FSAZ and managed all the incoming national advertising dollars and worked closely with the AEs and traffic department to get orders/creative successfully placed and logged.  Insert the advertising agency life and media buying.  I was hooked.  I was able to stay in the business and become a sports FAN again!  My unique background led me back to my entrepreneurial spirit where I can now help my clients with an array of most things media!  Very excited to join the BluHorn family and continue to assist our partners and clients in the best alternative to the competition in their media placement.  Cheers!

Just like in our prior “Getting To Know You” posts, we wanted you to be able to read a little Q&A about our new staff:
 
What is your role at BluHorn?  Customer Support Representative 
What did you do before you were with BluHorn?  Sports Production at Fox Sports Arizona.  Marketing/Advertising/Media Buying.  I currently own cSquared Consulting where I offer consulting services to clients that need help in any of the above areas.
What are you looking forward to working for BluHorn/in the software biz?  Helping the industry continue to shift and move into a more cost effective and efficient to construct and place their traditional & digital media buys.
What’s your favorite feature of BluHorn?  The Marketplace offerings.
Where do you live? Brandon, Florida.
How long have you lived in Florida?  Six weeks.  Just moved from New Jersey of 2 years and previously from Phoenix, Arizona.
What do you like to do in your free time?  Sand volleyball, golf, swimming, playing the guitar (not well, still learning) and reading!
Describe the media industry in one word.  Fickle

 

Cristin will be providing BluHorn users and potential users with the same level of customer support that you’ve grown to know and love.  We are so happy to have her as part of our team, and we know you will love her too!

Tuesday, June 25, 2019

“Inside Look” with Lauralie Levy from Crowd Siren

Each week on Inside Look, our host Wes Benwick talks to experts in the media buying industry. This week, Wes talks to Lauralie Levy from Crowd Siren. Crowd Siren is a social media marketing agency that helps brands create the best social media campaigns through dedicated social media managers. To learn more, visit https://www.crowdsiren.com.

We’re here because we needed to solve our own problem. As media buyers, we had used multiple media planning and buying software programs—and Excel, of course—but kept running into the same issues: expensive platforms with tons of features we didn’t need or use, slow and lackluster customer support, punishing contract and subscription terms, and more.

We scoured the planet for an option that was affordable without scrimping on features, provided the support we deserve at the speed we move (fast!), and didn’t insist on locking us into a long or unreasonable commitment. Alas, we couldn’t find what we were looking for. So we built it.

And since we also remember the frustration of having to submit contact information (or more) just to watch a demo, we make our demo readily available (and ransom-free). The same goes for our trial when you’re ready to test-drive BluHorn. We want you to experience the platform as it truly is, hence our 14-day free trial: all features on deck, no financial commitment.

Monday, June 17, 2019

BluHorn TV-“Five Minutes With” Chris Yano from RYNO

RYNO is a digital marketing company based out of Phoenix AZ that is focused on the Home Services industry (HVAC, Plumbing, Electrical) since 2008.Their 2 main pillars are that they focus on the Home Services industry (HVAC, Plumbing, Electrical) vertical exclusively and their RYNOtrax Total Transparency Reporting. RYNO also in Q1 went into a partnership with Gary Vee and his team at VaynerMedia/The Sasha Group to offer our customers world class Social Media marketing and get ahead of the Voice Search game. Their motto is “We Exist To Grow Your Business.” and that’s exactly what they do. If they don’t grow our customers business we are failing them. RYNO tracks lead volume, cost per lead, lead type, listen to every call that comes through the website to offer coaching opportunities, all to help close the leads.
Chris Yano is the CEO of RYNO and he is inspired by customers & employees #RYNOfamily. He enjoys it when customers WIN and my staff WINS. They both trust Yano with their livelihood and he accepts that challenge to make them better with wide open arms.

About BluHorn
We’re here because we needed to solve our own problem. As media buyers, we had used multiple media planning and buying software programs—and Excel, of course—but kept running into the same issues: expensive platforms with tons of features we didn’t need or use, slow and lackluster customer support, punishing contract and subscription terms, and more.

We scoured the planet for an option that was affordable without scrimping on features, provided the support we deserve at the speed we move (fast!), and didn’t insist on locking us into a long or unreasonable commitment. Alas, we couldn’t find what we were looking for. So we built it.

And since we also remember the frustration of having to submit contact information (or more) just to watch a demo, we make our demo readily available (and ransom-free). The same goes for our trial when you’re ready to test-drive BluHorn. We want you to experience the platform as it truly is, hence our 14-day free trial: all features on deck, no financial commitment.

Friday, June 14, 2019

BluHorn TV – “5 Minutes With” Sue Canfield from Ausoma

Each week on 5 Minutes With, our hosts Wes Benwick and Gary Spurgeon talk to experts from the Media Buying Industry. Today, Wes and Gary talk to Sue Canfield from Ausoma. Ausoma specializes in social media consultation & marketing for nonfiction authors, saving you time and energy by managing and monitoring your social media presence. To learn more, visit https://ausoma.com.

We’re here because we needed to solve our own problem. As media buyers, we had used multiple media planning and buying software programs—and Excel, of course—but kept running into the same issues: expensive platforms with tons of features we didn’t need or use, slow and lackluster customer support, punishing contract and subscription terms, and more.

We scoured the planet for an option that was affordable without scrimping on features, provided the support we deserve at the speed we move (fast!), and didn’t insist on locking us into a long or unreasonable commitment. Alas, we couldn’t find what we were looking for. So we built it.

And since we also remember the frustration of having to submit contact information (or more) just to watch a demo, we make our demo readily available (and ransom-free). The same goes for our trial when you’re ready to test-drive BluHorn. We want you to experience the platform as it truly is, hence our 14-day free trial: all features on deck, no financial commitment. To learn more about BluHorn Media Buying Software, visit https://bluhorn.com.

Wednesday, June 12, 2019

BluHorn TV – “Making a Difference” with Joe Tran from Joe Tran Media Group

Each week on Making a Difference, our host Mike White talks to experts on everything media. Today, Mike talks to Joe Tran from Joe Tran Media Group. Joe Tran Media Group, LLC is a digital marketing and creative design agency with nearly 60 clients across the country. They specialize in Wix website design, social-media marketing, branding, graphic design, photography and video production. To learn more, visit www.joetranmediagroup.com

We’re here because we needed to solve our own problem. As media buyers, we had used multiple media planning and buying software programs—and Excel, of course—but kept running into the same issues: expensive platforms with tons of features we didn’t need or use, slow and lackluster customer support, punishing contract and subscription terms, and more.
We scoured the planet for an option that was affordable without scrimping on features, provided the support we deserve at the speed we move (fast!), and didn’t insist on locking us into a long or unreasonable commitment. Alas, we couldn’t find what we were looking for. So we built it.
And since we also remember the frustration of having to submit contact information (or more) just to watch a demo, we make our demo readily available (and ransom-free). The same goes for our trial when you’re ready to test-drive BluHorn. We want you to experience the platform as it truly is, hence our 14-day free trial: all features on deck, no financial commitment.

Monday, June 10, 2019

BluHorn TV – “Making a Difference” with Danny Monzon from DM Digital

Each week on Making a Difference, our host Mike White talks to experts on all things media. Today, Mike is joined by Wes Benwick who is the Software Architect for BluHorn. Together Mike and Wes welcome Danny Monzon from DM Digital.

We’re here because we needed to solve our own problem. As media buyers, we had used multiple media planning and buying software programs—and Excel, of course—but kept running into the same issues: expensive platforms with tons of features we didn’t need or use, slow and lackluster customer support, punishing contract and subscription terms, and more.

We scoured the planet for an option that was affordable without scrimping on features, provided the support we deserve at the speed we move (fast!), and didn’t insist on locking us into a long or unreasonable commitment. Alas, we couldn’t find what we were looking for. So we built it.

And since we also remember the frustration of having to submit contact information (or more) just to watch a demo, we make our demo readily available (and ransom-free). The same goes for our trial when you’re ready to test-drive BluHorn. We want you to experience the platform as it truly is, hence our 14-day free trial: all features on deck, no financial commitment.

BluHorn TV – “Making a Difference” with Heath Hill from Lime Media

Each week on Making a Difference, our host Mike White talks to experts on all things media. This week, Mike talks to Heath Hill from Lime Media.

We’re here because we needed to solve our own problem. As media buyers, we had used multiple media planning and buying software programs—and Excel, of course—but kept running into the same issues: expensive platforms with tons of features we didn’t need or use, slow and lackluster customer support, punishing contract and subscription terms, and more.

We scoured the planet for an option that was affordable without scrimping on features, provided the support we deserve at the speed we move (fast!), and didn’t insist on locking us into a long or unreasonable commitment. Alas, we couldn’t find what we were looking for. So we built it.

And since we also remember the frustration of having to submit contact information (or more) just to watch a demo, we make our demo readily available (and ransom-free). The same goes for our trial when you’re ready to test-drive BluHorn. We want you to experience the platform as it truly is, hence our 14-day free trial: all features on deck, no financial commitment.

BluHorn TV – “Marketing Buzz” with Tom Morrison

We’re here because we needed to solve our own problem. As media buyers, we had used multiple media planning and buying software programs—and Excel, of course—but kept running into the same issues: expensive platforms with tons of features we didn’t need or use, slow and lackluster customer support, punishing contract and subscription terms, and more.

We scoured the planet for an option that was affordable without scrimping on features, provided the support we deserve at the speed we move (fast!), and didn’t insist on locking us into a long or unreasonable commitment. Alas, we couldn’t find what we were looking for. So we built it.

And since we also remember the frustration of having to submit contact information (or more) just to watch a demo, we make our demo readily available (and ransom-free). The same goes for our trial when you’re ready to test-drive BluHorn. We want you to experience the platform as it truly is, hence our 14-day free trial: all features on deck, no financial commitment.
Tom Morrison is an acclaimed motivational speaker and author with titles such as “How To Make Sure Your Obituary Doesn’t suck” and many others. By using key elements he discusses in his presentations, Morrison has lead his company to a 1000% growth since 2006.

BluHorn TV – “Making a Difference” with Kelly Dyer from Source Fuse

We’re here because we needed to solve our own problem. As media buyers, we had used multiple media planning and buying software programs—and Excel, of course—but kept running into the same issues: expensive platforms with tons of features we didn’t need or use, slow and lackluster customer support, punishing contract and subscription terms, and more.

We scoured the planet for an option that was affordable without scrimping on features, provided the support we deserve at the speed we move (fast!), and didn’t insist on locking us into a long or unreasonable commitment. Alas, we couldn’t find what we were looking for. So we built it.

And since we also remember the frustration of having to submit contact information (or more) just to watch a demo, we make our demo readily available (and ransom-free). The same goes for our trial when you’re ready to test-drive BluHorn. We want you to experience the platform as it truly is, hence our 14-day free trial: all features on deck, no financial commitment.
Source Fuse help clients develop secure digital products that are centered around users’ needs and achieve business goals. Since 2005, they’ve made custom solutions for more than 100 companies. Empowering them to run smarter, offer more services, and leapfrog the competition.

BluHorn TV – “Making a Difference” with Tyrone Johnson Sr. from First Coast Social

We’re here because we needed to solve our own problem. As media buyers, we had used multiple media planning and buying software programs—and Excel, of course—but kept running into the same issues: expensive platforms with tons of features we didn’t need or use, slow and lackluster customer support, punishing contract and subscription terms, and more.

We scoured the planet for an option that was affordable without scrimping on features, provided the support we deserve at the speed we move (fast!), and didn’t insist on locking us into a long or unreasonable commitment. Alas, we couldn’t find what we were looking for. So we built it.

And since we also remember the frustration of having to submit contact information (or more) just to watch a demo, we make our demo readily available (and ransom-free). The same goes for our trial when you’re ready to test-drive BluHorn. We want you to experience the platform as it truly is, hence our 14-day free trial: all features on deck, no financial commitment.

First Coast Social takes social media off business owners’ “daily to-do list”. Now you can focus on doing what you do best – grow your business. (As small business owners in Northeast Florida, we know you have about a million things to do every day but posting to your social media pages doesn’t have to be one of them.

BluHorn TV – “Making a Difference” with Jean Ginzburg from JeanGinzburg.com

We’re here because we needed to solve our own problem. As media buyers, we had used multiple media planning and buying software programs—and Excel, of course—but kept running into the same issues: expensive platforms with tons of features we didn’t need or use, slow and lackluster customer support, punishing contract and subscription terms, and more.

We scoured the planet for an option that was affordable without scrimping on features, provided the support we deserve at the speed we move (fast!), and didn’t insist on locking us into a long or unreasonable commitment. Alas, we couldn’t find what we were looking for. So we built it.

And since we also remember the frustration of having to submit contact information (or more) just to watch a demo, we make our demo readily available (and ransom-free). The same goes for our trial when you’re ready to test-drive BluHorn. We want you to experience the platform as it truly is, hence our 14-day free trial: all features on deck, no financial commitment.

Jean Ginzburg’s education company is helping entrepreneurs and startups to find new customers using digital marketing and social media. Our founder is a #1 best-selling author of the book “Win New Customers.” We offer up immense value up-front of digital marketing and social media strategies to grow your business. We have a Youtube channel of over 150 videos about digital marketing, as well as articles, interviews and case studies.

BluHorn TV – “Digital Champions” with Ricardo Rohaidy from Rodaidy.com

Each week on Digital Champions, our host Mike White talks to experts in the media industry. Today, Arthur Carrion joins Mike and welcomes Ricardo Rohaidy from Rodaidy.com to the show.

BluHorn TV – “5 Minutes With” Ken Brady from 1010XL

Thursday, June 6, 2019

10 Questions from a Potential User

no contract, easy cancellation BluHornBluHorn loves hearing from potential users.  It is truly our pleasure to speak with you to determine if our software is a good fit for your business/agency.  Oftentimes we speak on the phone, but we can also answer questions via email (send yours to support@bluhorn.com).

Recently we received 10 questions from a potential user that we were happy to answer.  This Q&A discussion may be valuable to other potential users, so we decided to make a blog post out of it!

Take a peek below about some common questions that may help you determine if BluHorn is right for you!

  1. Can I import .html files or upload digital files out of wide orbit?  We allow uploads of .xml, .scx, .sbx and .srx files.  Wide Orbit should support a .xml export.   Can I upload Excel files? – Export to Excel?  We recently added the ability to import .csv files that fit into a template that can be sent to you for formatting.  We are happy to report that all our worksheets and reports can be exported as .csv as well (which translates to Excel).
  2. Can I create and send traffic instructions?  Yes! We have an entire traffic “portal” where you can create and send separate traffic instructions that can include links or even full creative files.  You also have the ability to enter simple instructions on orders sent from the worksheet.
  3. Does this software manage digital, print, OOH, and sponsorship buys or is it just TV and radio? Yes we have customized worksheets for Broadcast TV, Cable TV, Radio, Outdoor, Print, Digital and Services.
  4. Is there a limit on market counts with your subscriptions? Is the limit based on comScore or Nielsen data only, or is there a market limit whether I use a ratings service or not?  Limits noted in the subscription levels are for Comscore & Nielsen, however they are not true “limits”.  We can accommodate as many markets as you subscribe to – they just involve additional charges above what is listed on a subscription level.  There is NO limit to the number of “unrated” markets you enter with any subscription level (and you can still include ratings information, however you have to provide or upload directly).
  5. How good will this be on political buys where rates change on a weekly basis?  We can accommodate tiered rate card uploads which are typical with political buys.
  6. What is the detail available for outdoor, print, and digital – can I show non-media costs such as outdoor production and digital ad serving costs separately from the media elements We have different customized sheets for each type.  You can view the videos on each at bluhorn.com/videos for more detail.  Production is offered as a calculation column in the Outdoor sheet, and there are numerous ways to add/calculate digital.
  7. Broadcast stations generally do not send political rates out as downloadable digital files because they must also post disclaimer information on the rates. Is there a way for them to do this in their software so that it can be caught up in BluHorn files?  They can include comments in an .xml file that will translate in the upload.  This can also be manually populated – and would live in the comments on each line of your worksheet. You can choose whether or not to include those comments in the orders you send to the stations.
  8. Can I have the software show costs by various commission rates – i.e., 10% of gross instead of 15% . Yes, you can set the commission rate for every worksheet at any rate you would like.  The only stipulation is that there is only one commission rate per worksheet.  
  9. How well does this integrate with my billing software and which software does it work best with?  We currently offer integration with Quickbooks Online, and have done a lot of development on this feature.  It allows users to send worksheets to their QB Online account with just a few clicks to generate client invoices.  We have a video on this integration available as well in our Videos section of the website.  And we’re always happy to offer training!
  10. If I have to post cable, how easy will it be to do that?  How easy will it be to match cable invoices?  Our invoice reconciliation and post buy portal allows upload of .txt files from tvinvoices.comradioinvoices.com, etc.  You can also request these files from individual media reps, or you can manually enter invoice line items individually.  For posting, you must be a Rated subscriber.  When loading invoices for matching you select a post book at the same time – line items will show the invoice match up as well as expected ratings vs. actual.

 

BluHorn TV – “Digital Champions” with Gary Spurgeon

Each week on 5 Minutes With, our host Mike White talks about all things media. This week, our host talks to Austin Van Horn from Chitozan Health.

We’re here because we needed to solve our own problem. As media buyers, we had used multiple media planning and buying software programs—and Excel, of course—but kept running into the same issues: expensive platforms with tons of features we didn’t need or use, slow and lackluster customer support, punishing contract and subscription terms, and more.

We scoured the planet for an option that was affordable without scrimping on features, provided the support we deserve at the speed we move (fast!), and didn’t insist on locking us into a long or unreasonable commitment. Alas, we couldn’t find what we were looking for. So we built it.

And since we also remember the frustration of having to submit contact information (or more) just to watch a demo, we make our demo readily available (and ransom-free). The same goes for our trial when you’re ready to test-drive BluHorn. We want you to experience the platform as it truly is, hence our 14-day free trial: all features on deck, no financial commitment.