Build your Own Media Platform and Take Back the Power

Wow…Times are changing. It isn’t enough to reach out to media anymore when you want publicity. Now you have to build your own media empire so that media can find you—and you can talk directly to your clients and potential customers too!

The key is, you want to deliver the right message. Here’s an example of what NOT to do: I had an epiphany earlier this summer when I viewed a video posted on Facebook by a well-known, small business expert and then watched his brand deteriorate in mere seconds. The years he had spent building and nurturing his business image blew up in about 6 seconds (maybe less). My heart ached for him because with a little training, he could have put out a compelling and informative piece of video that enhanced his brand, his business, and his book. Instead, it hurt him. And, here’s the scary part: the video doesn’t go away. It’s still online and still available for all to see. You do not want to make a similar mistake by communicating an unpolished look that distracts from your important message. It could cost you a lot of business.


I hope this story caught your attention. It certainly caught mine, and prompted me to expand my service offerings to ensure others are not only protected, but understand how significant the changes taking place regarding publicity and marketing can impact a person's business, product, service, or cause. I also have suggestions on what actions need to be taken now to ensure your business stays healthy and profitable.

As a publicist and “media insider” stemming from my career in broadcasting, I’d like to talk about the “olden days” for a moment (which is only a couple of years ago, by the way). Media worked like this: You, the expert, pitched media a story or segment idea. If they liked the idea, they then interviewed you, which is turn was presented to their audience…the readers, viewers or listeners who then bought your product or services.

Reality check: This model has morphed considerably.

The above is still true—you still pitch media for interviews—but now in addition to the traditional media model, you have what some call the “new media”—all the online opportunities through Web sites and bloggers. But that’s not all. You now have direct access to your audience through your Web site, blog and social media and they can all talk to each other! We have a completely different landscape than ever before, but wait! There’s more. We now have the ability to go viral. One video has the capability of circling the globe—sometimes many times over. Problem: If you don’t know how to take this information and make it work for you, then it really can’t help you. In fact, it can really hurt you. Again, the story of the small business expert blowing his brand in mere seconds illustrates this point well.


Reality check: You no longer have the option about whether to be online or not.

In fact, it isn’t enough anymore to simply have a Web site. To be effective in this day and age, you have to be present in all the places where your market expects to find you, AND you have to be proficient in multimedia. Gone are the excuses, “I don’t have time for social media,” or “I don’t know what I’m doing, or….” etcetera, etcetera. I’ve watched people either sit back and deny what’s happening or downplay that they don’t need it. I’ve watched others get proactive but because they don’t really know what they’re doing, they make a lot of mistakes: no plan, no strategy.

Here is the secret to success. Are you ready? The time has come to learn how to take powerful control of your business—your brand—and have fun doing it! You see, I value having a good time while working and I’ll bet you do too. However, it’s hard to do that if you’re feeling overwhelmed. It’s hard to do that if you feel scared. You may worry that it’s going to take too long, or maybe you’ll never really get it. (Why do I need social media anyway?)

Reality check: You can’t afford to wait.

You can’t afford to put it off any longer because the world just keeps moving forward—whether you’re there or not. So, If you’re ready to figure this stuff out, then let me help you. For years I have been preparing people to do interviews, to prepare their own publicity materials, and to prepare for doing media interviews.

Now—I am helping people to prepare in a new way. I will have more on this soon. It's a good time to reflect on all of the changes that are taking place.

Joanne