Gen5 –The Entity Directory
A conversation between Skip and Francis
Skip:
Hello and welcome to Week Nine of the LeadScale Engine Gen Five Launch Podcast Series. I’m Skip Fidura, and with me as always is Francis. Hey, Frankie!
Frankie:
Hey, Skip. How are you doing?
Skip:
Very good, thank you. I hear you’re a little under the weather today.
Frankie:
Yeah, but I’m hoping it gives me that nice gruff, husky radio voice.
Skip:
(Laughs) Like Barry White, right? Today’s topic is the “Entity Directory.” It sounds like the title of a sci-fi novel!
Frankie:
(Laughs) Yes, or maybe a bad BBC4 radio play. But in all seriousness, the entity directory is just a company profile—essentially, our version of the Yellow Pages.
Skip:
For our younger or international audience, you might have to explain what the Yellow Pages were.
Frankie:
(Laughs) Right. It’s a searchable index of all the companies within our system. It allows users to search for companies of a particular type and evaluate them based on the profile they see.
Skip:
As a marketer, I get concerned about suppliers working with competitors. In this directory, can brands make themselves private from others?
Frankie:
Yes, we’re considering that. The entity directory concept has come from customer conversations, with some companies needing help to find new partners, while others want to protect their information. We’re being cautious with how we roll this out, and we’ll adjust based on market feedback.
Skip:
So the current setup is mainly email and spreadsheets, right? But this sounds like it’s going to build a community for both brands and publishers.
Frankie:
Yes, exactly. The directory helps companies discover new partners and makes it easier to manage existing ones. By streamlining everything, we’re empowering companies to try new things without the heavy administrative burden.
Skip:
And it’s not just about finding similar partners but also about trying completely out-of-the-box ideas.
Frankie:
Yes, it frees marketers to explore new opportunities. The system will accelerate the discovery of and reduce the admin required to onboard these new partners.
Skip:
That’s fantastic! It sounds like this will provide many new possibilities for experimentation.
Frankie:
Absolutely. I think people want to be more experimental, but the processes they currently use hold them back. By removing those barriers, we’re giving them the freedom to innovate.
Skip:
This directory could also be a tool for agencies to find B2B suppliers for B2B clients, right?
Frankie:
Exactly. Agencies can use the entity directory to find B2B specialists within the system, reducing onboarding complexity and speeding up the process.
Skip:
It’s also beneficial to know if a company is working with competitors, right?
Frankie:
Yes, it goes both ways. Some companies may want to avoid working with the same partners as competitors, while others may see it as a competitive advantage.
Skip:
This all sounds exciting and very helpful from a marketer’s perspective.
Frankie:
Yes, and the directory also helps with data security by providing centralized, secure access to sensitive information, reducing risks related to data stored in spreadsheets.
Skip:
So it’s better for confidentiality, integrity, and availability.
Frankie:
Exactly. It centralizes information in one place, making it more secure and easier to access and manage.
Skip:
That’s great. The directory will also help brands find new partners quickly and efficiently without spending hours Googling.
Frankie:
Yes, and the directory will provide public and private information. Public data will show basic engagement metrics, while private data will allow brands to track how well a partner performs for their campaigns.
Skip:
So the system allows for qualitative and quantitative assessments?
Frankie:
Yes, the private section will offer detailed metrics on a partner’s performance from RFP response time to the lifetime value of a record.
Skip:
It sounds like this will drive more transparency and make it easier for companies to choose the right partners.
Frankie:
Definitely. It’ll help create a more meritocratic market, where companies are evaluated based on performance rather than just relationships.
Skip:
That’s fantastic. Anything else to add before we wrap up?
Frankie:
I’m excited about the potential of the entity directory. It could grow into a much bigger platform, maybe even including creative agencies and data services providers in the future.
Skip:
That’s brilliant! Thanks for the chat today, Frankie.
Frankie:
Thanks, Skip.
