By Samantha Jacobson, Founder of TenXPR
“Yes” is a powerful word. It means you’re welcoming new opportunities, new doors and new people your way with wide open arms.
This is especially true when it comes to brand marketing on TV. If you’re turning down interviews left and right because they’re not Good Morning America or they don’t have a large enough audience, and you’re still not seeing the results you want (an increase in product sales or social media followers, for example), you’re holding yourself back from not only raising your profile but reaching the people who need your message the most.
Trust me. Saying “yes” to every interview means more chances to share your product, your company or your expertise with the world – and studies prove it. In fact, it takes at least 7 times for your audience to hear your message before they take action to engage with you or buy your product. Sometimes even more!
So, if you admit that (1) you’ve been saying “no” a bit too often when it comes to getting booked on TV and (2) you aren’t getting the visibility you’ve been hoping for, you might be falling for these 4 common TV PR myths:
Myth #1: Local TV will get you nowhere.
I remember working with a client who agreed to both local and national TV PR outreach. We hit the ground running, and she was willing to say “yes” to everything. Then, one day, I was able to secure an interview for her on Good Morning America, her dream placement! She was on such a high after her GMA appearance (rightfully so!) that she stopped saying “yes” to local TV interviews. Why bother taking local TV interviews when you’re on track to reach national stardom, right?
Wrong! Of course, national TV outlets like GMA are incredible for boosting your visibility, but local TV interviews are just as important, and they should definitely not be ignored.
Trust a former national TV producer – having local TV experience is crucial if your goal is to get booked on national TV. In fact, when national TV producers are considering you as a subject matter expert for their show, they look to see if you’ve had any local TV experience. Why? Because it’s a great way to get a sense of your interview style and to find out if you’re able to talk in small bites while still engaging with an audience. At the end of the day, if a national TV producer is comparing you to someone who has a great deal of local TV experience, you will be the one to miss out.
That’s why I like to think of local TV placements as the building blocks to increasing your credibility. In other words, the more local TV interviews, the more you’re name is out there, the more likely you are to be considered for national TV interviews, and the more likely you or your brand will become a household name to the audience you want to reach. Like anything else, it takes a lot of hard work and a lot of patience, but it is 100% possible and always worth it!
Myth #2: Don’t bother with platforms that have small audiences.
We live in a culture that encourages the idea that we should be attaining the biggest and the best of everything, and nothing less. But sometimes, the biggest doesn’t always mean the best.
The same rule applies to TV interviews. While it might seem obvious to only say “yes” to networks with the largest audience, that’s not necessarily true. It’s likely that your brand or expertise will resonate with a certain audience who has unique interests, needs, and desires, and it’s not always guaranteed that you will find this audience by casting a wide net.
Bottom line: don’t say “no” to smaller audiences, or you will miss the opportunity to resonate with people in truly meaningful ways.
Myth #3: Streaming news isn’t really news.
I disagree with this statement so much that I wrote an entire blog post about it, but I’ll sum it up for you.
Streaming is the future of news consumption, and it’s already gaining momentum in our growing digital world. Platforms such as Cheddar, for example, have become increasingly popular, especially among Gen Zers and Millennials who would rather watch TV on their own time rather than feel bound by the rigid schedule of appointment viewing TV.
This means that streaming news platforms are a must when thinking about your TV brand marketing and PR strategy, or you will hold yourself back from an entire audience who has gone digital. In fact, last year, for the first time, viewers spent more time streaming programming than they did watching broadcast TV. This is not to say that cable TV will ever disappear, but rather that streaming will become the preferred method of TV viewing for the majority of people.
Most news organizations have realized this and have already jumped on board. Major networks from ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC to new players including Cheddar, Al Jazeera, Bloomberg, Newsmax, and Newsy all have their own 24-hour live news streaming platforms, and you never know who will be watching (hint: it could be someone very interested in your message!).
Myth #4: I don’t have time.
I get it – we all lead busy lives. The thought of saying “yes” to everything feels impossible, but if you want to grow your platform, agreeing to as many opportunities as possible will only open more doors for you to reach your goals.
