It’s a new year, but many people have the same old business challenge. They need more customers to visit their websites and/or brick and mortar stores. You may be in the same boat. Before you drop a load of money on marketing that may not work, let me share this secret: Media coverage is one of the most cost-effective ways to reach new customers.
The beauty of media coverage is it works regardless of your audience. You just need to choose the best media outlets for your prospects. Let me give you an example:
Let’s say your target audience is stay-at-home moms. Research tells us that women in this market, on average, watch 32 hours of television per week. They mainly watch live versus time-delayed (using a DVR or streaming). So television coverage — especially daytime lifestyle shows — effectively reaches this audience. What if you’re targeting working moms? Members of this group watch TV but less of it. They spend more time listening to the radio.
An often-overlooked benefit of publicity is the credibility it builds. Think about your own reaction when you see a product or service discussed in media stories: If the product interests you, you are probably more likely to run a quick internet search to learn more about it because you know media coverage is carefully vetted. Not just any product is featured on TV or in the paper, right?
That brings up another important point: Both working and stay-at-home moms spend time on their mobile devices, laptops and tablets, so having a rich, online presence is also extremely important. There’s much to think about here from SEO, to digital advertising to social media. I’ll write about that next month.
Media coverage is less expensive than you think. You probably can’t afford to run a 4-minute commercial on TV, or place multiple newspaper or magazine ads. But you can obtain this type of full-bodied coverage through targeted publicity. And best of all, you can easily repurpose your media coverage on your website and through your social media channels. That’s a real win.
Bottom line: If you’re looking to grow your business in 2017, consider investing in media coverage. It’s a smart way to build your awareness and credibility, teach your prospects about your product and drive sales. Just give me a call at 952-697-5218 and I’ll walk you through our process.
Want more?
Watch this short video about our Pay Per Interview Publicity® approach. You’ll learn how our unique pricing model works, and why companies big and small across the globe depend on us for guaranteed media coverage.
