by Kent Sterling
If it’s Friday, it must be time for another Sterling Media Tip of the Week!
Hey, talent, hosts, anchors, producers, and everyone else in media,
Build your brand however you can. The value of your brand is in perfect proportion to the value to your employer. In media, the value of your brand is driven by your ability to connect to users, and those who take seriously the measures needed to build those connections win. Those who don’t go wanting – either for jobs or additional money.
Management is all agog over Facebook and Twitter usage, and some talent are slow to follow. That dynamic should be reversed. Talent should seek out and use every method possible to connect with the people responsible for ratings and traffic. Facebook and Twitter are perfect vehicles to make “friends” who can not only be superusers of your product, but serve as town criers for your brand.
Build meaningful popularity, and you build the kind of leverage that leads to more money and security. The great thing about the internet, is that brand building can be done by anyone, and in your own way.
Their are hosts, and I won’t mention any names, who are not terribly compelling communicators. But they are so good at making friends during remotes that over the years, they have become moderately successful and sought after by managers who don’t know the difference between a good and mediocre host.
Facebook and Twitter give you the chance to connect with hundreds and thousands of people everyday who want nothing more to be connected to you. Management encourages (or mandates) that you create, maintain, and publicize these portals. Don’t curse those managers. Kiss them.
Your livelihood depends upon your likability and popularity. Embrace every method available to build that popularity. Using Facebook and Twitter to connect is not an item on your to-do list, it’s a great way to fortify your career.
Make your Facebook page a lively place and post meaningful tweets everyday, and you win.
Get ambitious, and you can easily build and maintain your own blog site which will allow you to monetize your brand popularity.
Pot it up!
