A lesson: The exposure products get on Shark Tank should be a marketing lesson for all businesses: There’s money to be made by appearing in the media.
An example: Trump. Super PACs spend hundreds of millions on ads while Trump goes around appearing as a guest and spending almost nothing.
Another example: Our clients. Their cost for media interviews is about a tenth of the cost of running ads. They are reaching massive audiences in a low-cost way. That’s smart marketing.
The secret: The media is so ingrained in people’s lives that most don’t give it a thought. But while the masses sit in front of TV, a few are working behind the scenes, using it to their advantage.
Love/hate: Thirty years ago, I was the marketing director for Investment Rarities, Inc. We were spending millions on direct marketing and we decided to try a little media coverage to see if it worked. I was blown away by the favorable results, but I hated the way PR firms charged: by the hour with no guarantee of coverage.
A smart idea: I talked with the owner of the company, Jim Cook, about my idea of starting an agency that priced media coverage by the story. He thought it was smart and agreed to fund my startup.
Vindication: I bought Jim out, for a handsome profit, 15 years ago. I suspected other companies would rather pay for media coverage by the story than by the hour. I was right.
Branding: Captains of industry such as Steve Jobs, Mark Cuban and Donald Trump understand the selling power of appearing in the media. It’s not only the path into America’s living rooms, it’s the path into America’s minds. And what is a brand? It’s the definition people hold in their minds of a company and its products.
Our customers: Our company has arranged tens of thousands of brand-building media stories for Breathe Right Nasal Strips, Great Clips, Cargill, and hundreds of other companies and products. Every single day we have reporters interviewing our clients for stories. I even received an email five minutes ago telling me I’ll be interviewed about our company by a Florida business publication today at 2:00 p.m.
A big mistake: If you are waiting for the media to come to you, you’re making a mistake. You need to be proactive. It’s not easy but we’ve learned lots of tricks over the past 30 years.
Test it: Test us and see if it works. Many companies are surprised at how much media they were missing. Call Heather Champine, who is a partner in our agency and heads up our team of publicists. She’s been with us almost from the beginning and has a wealth of knowledge. Her number is 952-697-5269. Or fill out our form. You’ll like Heather. She’s a smart strategist, and she understands the media better than anyone I’ve ever met.
Post script: Once in awhile we have to turn down clients because we already have a client who is a direct competitor. I feel sorry for them. There aren’t many media opportunities left by the time our publicists are finished.
