By Samantha Jacobson, Founder of TenXPR
TV might date back to the 1920s, but that doesn’t mean it’s old news. In fact, TV is still one of the most powerful mediums to date – even among podcasts and social media. And with streaming in its corner, TV will not be leaving our living rooms any time soon.
Here’s why you should take advantage of that power when it comes to your brand marketing or PR campaign:
You never know who’s watching.
I once worked with a client who landed a fantastic piece in Business Insider. As if that’s not enough of an accomplishment already, a TV producer happened to stumble on it and was so impressed with my client that they asked them to star in a TV series!
You never know who’s out there looking for an expert just like you. Or a product that could benefit their lifestyle. Or a company or brand that is changing the world.
TV interviews often play more than once.
TV interviews often play more than once. This is true, especially on local stations. If this happens, your interview has the chance to reach even more viewers than it would have if you had created a social media ad campaign, joined a podcast as a guest, or had the opportunity to feature your insights in a print or online piece.
TV interviews have legs.
Speaking of online, a TV interview isn’t just a TV interview. Depending on the outlet, your TV interview will almost always get featured on the outlet’s website. If it’s a big story, your interview might even get featured on the outlet’s social media platforms.
Don’t forget about streaming! Some media outlets might additionally feature your interview on their streaming platform if they have one.
Moral of the story: by saying “yes” to just one TV interview, you are landing on anywhere from one to three additional platforms that you otherwise would not have. Naturally, this also means that you’re organically garnering a MUCH larger audience as a result – and isn’t reaching as many people as possible the whole point to brand marketing in the first place?
More people will find your product.
There’s a reason why TV advertising is a 66 billion dollar industry. Advertisers know its value. It’s how top brands like Nike and CoverGirl have stayed in business as long as they have.
But you don’t have to pay billions of dollars to get your product noticed.
Instead, you can market your product, brand or company for FREE through earned media, which is exactly what you’d think it is – media that is earned, or any publicity or awareness that is organically generated by customers, social media, journalists, bloggers, etc.
When you utilize the power of earned media such as broadcast PR to reach a targeted audience, you have a greater chance of organically creating a trusting relationship with your viewers. Therefore, you have a greater chance of viewers Googling you and even buying your product – all because they saw you on TV! Does it get any better than that?
Every TV interview opportunity is a good one.
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! That’s why when it comes to TV interviews, saying “yes” to everything will only open more doors for you than you ever could have imagined.
That includes local TV outlets. If you have a big goal of landing on Good Morning America right off the bat, that’s amazing! But remember that TV producers look to see if you’ve had any local TV experience first before considering you for a national TV interview. That’s why I like to think of local TV placements as the building blocks to increase your credibility.
Don’t be quick to dismiss outlets with smaller audience sizes either – bigger isn’t always better. Why? Because it’s more likely that your product, brand or expertise will resonate with a certain audience who has a unique set of interests, needs, and desires, and it’s not always guaranteed that you will find this audience by casting a wide net. Saying “no” to smaller audiences means you might miss the opportunity to resonate with potential consumers in truly meaningful ways.
In a nutshell, saying “yes” to every interview means more chances to share your product, brand or company message, while saying “no” will only further delay any goals you have to build your credibility as an expert, sell your product, or gain awareness for the incredible things your company is doing.
A TV interview is just about the best social proof you can have. 
If you’re working with a PR agency to garner awareness for your product, brand or company, you probably know that interview success and audience engagement are measured by TV metric systems like Nielsen. However, these typical TV metrics are often vague and inaccurate due to the ambiguity of how TV audiences are defined.
This can get frustrating to thought leaders who want to be able to measure the success of their brand marketing and PR campaign on the big screen, but I can’t stress this enough: your reach on TV goes so much further than vague and inaccurate metrics.
You’re better off focusing your energy on the significant social proof you will garner, which carries much more weight.
Let me explain. Are you the type to scroll through product reviews before handing your credit card over? There’s a reason why 91% of consumers do this. Reviews are social proof that you, the consumer, can trust the product before you buy into it because other consumers do.
It’s the same for TV interviews. When you’re on TV as an expert, viewers have a much greater chance of trusting you simply because the network’s producers and reporters have trusted you enough to join the network and share your expertise with their audience. Before you know it, your viewers have turned into consumers because they trust you enough to buy your product. If they enjoy your product, they become fans. And that is priceless.
Now you know the true power of TV PR, but leveraging that power is the hardest part. Save years of trials and tribulations and get the tips you need to get on TV right now in my FREE step-by-step guide: 5 PR Hacks You Can Use Right Now to Get On TV, Attract More Leads, Position Yourself as a Trusted Authority, and Dominate Your Competition (And What NOT To Do).
