Promoting
Your Business on Cable Access TV by: Carolyn Moncel
"Don't knock it until you've tried
it." That's what I told a political opponent's campaign manager when he
laughed at me for using cable access television as part of my communications
strategy. Unfortunately for him, he would learn too late what I already
knew -- that implementing this medium into any communications strategy
(political or otherwise) is a pretty good idea, and can reap tremendous
benefits.
A few years ago, I took a break from
public relations to work on my first local city council race. The candidate
was actually my older brother, a person very active in his community but
felt it was time to do more in the realm of public service. So he decided
to run for office.
From the beginning we both knew that
one of the biggest problems he would face, as a first-time candidate, would
be how to gain name recognition. One of the ways in which we planned to
circumvent the problem was by integrating the use of cable-access television
into our communications strategy.
Yes, cable-access television! I know
it sounds strange, and the old Wayne's World skits from Saturday Night
Live must certainly come to mind. In fact, most small-business owners do
chuckle at the mere mention of the medium, but what they often don't realize
is that many of the same media strategies used in political campaigns can
and are regularly implemented to promote small-business owners and their
company services. Here's what you should know in order to take full advantage
of this often under-used medium.
Respect Cable Access Hosts as Potential
Customers
Sure, many cable access hosts are
just ordinary citizens who want an outlet for expressing their views, but
many of them also have prominent professional careers. No matter what their
backgrounds happen to be, don't they also represent potential customers?
You bet, and by appearing on their shows, you get a chance to describe
your business in plain speech, talk directly to your customers and also
practice doing interviews.
Contact Cable Access Hosts Early
Each cable outlet is different but
most only allow hosts to produce a limited amount of shows so that everyone
gets an equal chance at exposure. But, did you know that you can also use
this information to prevent your competitor from appearing on future shows?
Here's an example of how we did it.
During the campaign I was able to
book my candidate on five of the eight available shows devoted to political
issues. By the time our opponent's campaign manager discovered our plan,
it was too late to get a booking because the production schedule had ended
for the quarter -- a mere 60 days before the election. The cable access
shows really served as an electronic billboard for us, allowing our candidate
to appear on television twice per day on each access station for two solid
months. Potential voters saw our candidate 112 times on television, which
made him quite recognizable on the street.
Consider the Cable Access Host a
Member of the Media
Research each show's topic to make
sure you and your company's services offer the proper fit, and then pitch
story ideas. Follow up with them regularly and prove that you are a great
expert to have on the show. Provide the hosts with media kits, adhere to
their deadlines, answer their questions immediately, and take the time
to find out how they would like to be contacted. These are all the normal
steps you'd take with any other journalist.
We lost the election, but the use
of cable-access television helped to keep the race close until the very
end. More importantly, well-established political incumbents began to take
notice at what we had achieved. Appearing on cable-access television was
no longer taboo, and many of them now have their own shows. They now see
the value in using cable-access television to get their messages out to
their constituents -- a communications medium that has always been available
to them for free.
The bottom line here is this. There
really aren't very many differences between promoting a small-business
owner and a political candidate. Each can achieve favorable results simply
by properly executing their messages. And while it is true that we are
a nation of channel flippers, most people will and do stop -- on occasion,
to listen to guests on cable-access television. Furthermore, you'd be surprised
by just how many of them do act on what they have seen.
So don't get angry the next time
a business competitor laughs at you for appearing on cable access television
to promote your services. Just tell them the same thing I did, and take
comfort in knowing that your competitor will likely learn too late that
cable-access television can be an excellent way of introducing small-business
services to potential customers in your town.
About The Author
Carolyn Davenport-Moncel is president
and founder of Mondave Communications, a global marketing and communications
firm based in Chicago and Paris, and a subsidiary of MotionTemps, LLC.
Contact her at carolyn@motiontemps.com
or by phone in the United States at 877.815.0167 or 011.331.4997.9059 in
France.
Courtesy of http://www.ArticleCity.com/
