JOEL F. MILLER
Aberdeen
Summary
Experienced sales and business development executive with over 20 years in image asset management and monetization. Proven ability to assist image libraries, professional sports teams and brands in identifying new revenue opportunities and models in photography. Strong network with C-level executives in news agencies, major photo archives, and professional sports teams.
Overview
26
26
years of professional experience
Work History
Director of Sales (Contract Position)
SMARTFRAME
02.2020 - Current
- SmarFrame is an image-streaming, ad-driven technology that brings publishers, advertisers, and content owners together to monetize image content. As head of content, my key responsibility is content acquisition, focused on our publishers' needs. This includes relationship management with key content partners and professional sports teams' photography departments.
- What started as an image protection model, selling image protection as a licensed product to photo agencies globally, turned into a full-scale SmartFrame mega-photo agency, where we aggregated over 50M and counting images available as free embeds to online publishers. These all came from content acquisition, image, and client management.
- With a focus on news and entertainment, and pro sports in the UK and New Zealand, we became the official photographers and distributors for New Zealand Rugby (the All Blacks), Six Nations Rugby, Manchester City FC, Everton FC, Brentford FC, Portsmouth FC, and more.
- On a global scale, my role is to hire and manage the photo services teams and photographers that cover our pro sports clients' matches, training sessions, and press conferences.
- We also work with multiple other smaller pro sports photo agencies that give us more coverage. I manage all of these relationships.
- Under my direction is a team of photo editors who are working live photo desks as content comes in from our various content providers and pro sports teams. We supply our publishers with over 200,000 new images a month, delivered as embeds to publishers for free, as well as manage the content in our SmartFrame online library.
- Responsible for clients' annual budget for photography services, and work closely with our finance team to ensure our photo services teams and photographers are paid on time.
- I acquire image content through annual contract agreements global and local photo agencies, and partnerships that fuel the embed program, monetizing this image content through in-image advertising. These images create over 50 million impressions a month.
- Solicit, pitch, and negotiate contractual agreements with global photo agencies and pro sports photographers.
- Successfully manage and oversee relationships with SmartFrame's DAM clients from a sales perspective. My role is to identify DAMs who have a client base that can provide image content that improves our overall image collection.
- As part of the senior leadership team, my role expands beyond sales to include product strategy and operations specific to photography acquisition.
- Coordinated with publishing and advertising teams to align campaigns with sales objectives and strategies.
- Built relationships with customers and industry professionals to establish long-term business growth.
- Attended trade shows, conferences and industry events to promote the company's brand image.
- Analyzed customer feedback to identify areas for improvement in products and services.
- Utilized CRM systems to track leads, manage accounts and monitor competitor activity.
Global Sales
IMAGERIGHTS INTERNATIONAL
06.2016 - 02.2020
- Global sales responsibility for ImageRights cloud based recovery and compliance services.
- Signed 28+ exclusive contracts over a two-year period, more than doubling ImageRights annual gross revenue.
- Negotiated with Owners, C-level executives and GC’s of major news and stock photo agencies.
- Instrumental in creating both the compliance team, and the work flow and protocol around ImageRights compliance efforts.
- Trained all clients on how to invest in the process to provide them with the greatest ROI.
- Managed all agency accounts by, working closely with them to develop strategies around consistent revenue growth and protection of their copyrighted material.
- Heavily involved in all on-boarding, including liaising with our client’s DAMs.
Global Sales and Account Management
PICSCOUT (Getty Images)
10.2013 - 05.2016
- Global sales responsibility for PicScout’s brand new End to End, cloud based copyright compliance service.
- Signed 60+ exclusive contracts with both large and medium sized stock photo agencies and news agencies in North America, Europe, and Asia, culminating in over $7M per year in revenue.
- Negotiated with Owners, C-level executives and GC’s of major news and stock photo agencies.
- Instrumental in creating both the compliance team, and the work flow and protocol around PicScout’s compliance efforts.
- Trained all clients on how to invest in the process to provide them with the greatest ROI.
- Managed all agency accounts by, working closely with them to develop strategies around consistent revenue growth and protection of their copyrighted material.
Owner/Director/Chief Editor
HOME VIDEO STUDIO
06.2010 - 10.2013
- Produce, shoot and edit HD corporate videos and web videos for small business.
- Transcode film and film to various digital formats
- Winner of two International Video Awards in video production and post-production.
Head of Content & Business Development
PICTOPIA.COM
12.2002 - 12.2009
- Directed all business development efforts for Pictopia’s “Print On Demand” photo reprint business.
- Created a business model focused on driving revenue, brand extension, and increasing traffic to partners’ online stores.
- Generated over $17 million in top line revenue for clients including Getty Images, National Geographic, The Washington Post, Associated Press, Boeing, JumpTV, CBS College Sports, Source Interlink, Major League Baseball, National Basketball Association, Marvel, AOL, University of Texas Sports, Us Naval Institution, George Eastman House, Yahoo, Tribune Company, Gannet Corporation, EW Scripps, McClatchy Interactive, and Signatures Network.
- Worked with product management, marketing and engineering teams to build features and tools into the service offering to best address clients needs and drive revenue.
- Established new revenue streams for major brands in the newspaper, magazine, sports, and entertainment business.
- Negotiated and signed multi-year exclusive and non-exclusive contracts with c-level and upper management contacts at major publishing, sports, entertainment and photography companies in the US and internationally.
Director of AP/Wide World Photos
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
02.2000 - 05.2001
- Directed 30-person executive sales staff of AP/Wide World Photos (AP’s Image Licensing) and the AP Photo Archive.
- Managed AP online Photo Archive that was created for commercial photo clients, AP Members, and International subscribers. Online customer base consisted of 6000 newspapers, book and magazine publishers, Design Firms, Portals, Corporations, and advertising agencies.
- Negotiated a $5 million contract in the corporate trade market with a leading art publisher.
- P&L responsibility that included monthly progress reports up to the President of the Associated Press.
- Developed and maintained AP/Wide World Photos and Photo Archive’s annual budget
- Increased YTD revenue for Commercial Photos Division 25% over prior year and 6% over budget. Reduced spending by 50% in Wide World Photos.
Education
B.F.A. - Media And Film
Long Island University
Hempstead, NYSkills
- Content acquisition and image licensing
- Contract negotiation
- Client and customer relationship management
- Budget oversight
- Sales presentations and product demonstrations
- Revenue forecasting and deal closing
- Business development strategies
- Salesforce proficiency
- Collaboration tools expertise
Timeline
Director of Sales (Contract Position)
SMARTFRAME
02.2020 - Current
Global Sales
IMAGERIGHTS INTERNATIONAL
06.2016 - 02.2020
Global Sales and Account Management
PICSCOUT (Getty Images)
10.2013 - 05.2016
Owner/Director/Chief Editor
HOME VIDEO STUDIO
06.2010 - 10.2013
Head of Content & Business Development
PICTOPIA.COM
12.2002 - 12.2009
Director of AP/Wide World Photos
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
02.2000 - 05.2001
B.F.A. - Media And Film
Long Island University