We have the tree up in our office (apparently he's called Humphrey - don't ask) and the Asset Bank Christmas party is imminent. But how can we shoehorn Christmas into the technical world of Digital Asset Management Software.
A memorable and worthwhile Christmas advertising campaign we always remember at Asset Bank is a 'Dog is for life, not just for Christmas'. Now we know not many of you will be hoping for a nice bit of DAM software in your stocking but maybe, just maybe, we can make a spurious link between Dogs and DAMs. Just buying and installing your DAM overnight (aka 'for Christmas') won't immediately solve all your document storage and sharing issues. It's a long term commitment. You need to invest time, effort, training and a little bit of love to truly benefit. Just like owning a Dog. Still with us?
Here's some key tips for getting the most out of your investment in a Dog DAM.
1. Understand why you need a Digital Asset Management system Spend some time reviewing the current situation: how you manage and share all your digital assets (brand materials, images, etc.) with partners and staff; how you go about sourcing images for campaigns; etc. It might be useful to estimate the number of assets by key categories such as images, videos, documents and the amount of memory space each of these take up. How many users need access to these files? Do authorised personnel need to approve usage? Should different sets be visible to different groups of users?
2. Who are the key players? Which departments and partners are involved in the asset management process. Identify a contact for each and get them involved in the process to help understand any niche requirements they may have. Ditto for directors who will sign off the budget.
3. Choose the right system You know you want one and a crack team is in place. Work with your new collaborators to create a detailed specification document. Use DAM industry overview reports and reviews of Digital Asset Management software to help you shortlist a few relevant vendors. Give them your specification and ask them to prepare a demo that shows how you will meet these, ask them to give you access to it so you can have a play yourself and then get them to submit a formal proposal that will outline how they meet your requirements and what the costs are in year one and ongoing.
4. Configuration You've chosen a vendor. Make sure you spend enough time working with them to configure your system so it matches all your key requirements. Use workshops to get the taxomony right and invest time with your keywords and other metadata fields. Integrate your DAM with other existing systems to maximise the return on your investment.
5. Use it Consider how you will launch your new DAM system to your staff and partners. Ensure there are regular training sessions for your new admin users so they can get the most of it. Monitor usage via reporting to ensure it is being used and being used properly. Develop a programme of communication to keep users up to date with the latest news and features. Create sub admins in different territories to help spread the load and the expertise. You also might want to schedule yearly reviews with your DAM vendor to ensure you are getting the most from the solution over time.
There you have it. Next Christmas buy yourself a DAM. But don't forget the time, effort, training and a little love!
