How good media coverage creates more sales and bigger profits

by Dustin Siggins

Marie Miller began performing at the age of 12, playing concerts of local music in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley. It was very stressful, she told Zenger – sometimes hundreds of people would watch her with her sister on stage.

Fast forward 20 years and Miller has performed in front of not hundreds of people, but hundreds of thousands, live on CNN and Fox. She shared the stage with historical artists like Aretha Franklin and Five for Fighting. And her songs have been aired 8 million times and featured on CMT, VH1, and “Dancing With The Stars.”

This is a far cry from the humble beginnings of Miller and the vast majority of musicians who, according to the federal government, have “long periods of unemployment” and who have “permanent jobs… in other professions”. Even during the pandemic, Miller was able to continue growing his business, expanding his target markets from ticket buyers and festivals to corporate event planners.

Miller attributes much of her success to the media coverage that puts her above the competition. “Anyone can upload a YouTube video with a few hundred views,” she told Zenger. “I send my videos with a HuffPost article calling me ‘the next Taylor Swift’ and several Billboard 100 articles about my singles. It creates huge brand value that secures more shows, earns more money per show, and creates long-term passive income from streaming.

Create more sales and more profits

For Miller, there is a linear relationship between media coverage and improved sales. More festivals and venues want to hire her, creating a base income that she can count on week to week and month to month. And when business opportunities arise, she can charge a lot of money, which is very profitable.

Your business’s sales cycle can be more complex, so media coverage is likely to act less of a direct lead generator and more of a lead accelerator as part of a larger strategy.

An article or opinion piece can be used to build trust with existing prospects through your newsletter and social media, and as a blog post on the company’s website. Cold calls will get warmer because new prospects want to know more about the solutions you provided during an interview or trial. And when all prospects look for you before meetings, your information will be more believable because their trusted media sources have trusted you.

“In a global market where most products are raw materials, people make deals – and buyers will go to the most credible and visible seller first,” said Will Barron, Sales Trainer and Host of Salesman Podcast. “Our podcast generates 17,000 monthly leads and half of our revenue, and has been the key to our recent HubSpot partnership, which has led to a premier speaking opportunity, more press and more visibility. “

Long-term growth opportunities

Media coverage that creates more revenue and more profit today can also create long-term income opportunities by positioning its brand in front of new – and sometimes bigger – customers. Miller’s primary audience is the occasional music listener. But his strategy is to “reach out to everyone who likes my kind of pop country.”

“I have purposefully created a brand that engages my target audience while opening new doors to ‘customers of all kinds,’ she told Zenger, ‘from concert ticket buyers to event planners at business to people who broadcast from their homes “. Miller reaches these various markets by gaining excellent press at local outlets, which directly leads to more ticket sales per show.

“Without shows, I have no business,” Miller said. “Without concert halls and corporate events, I have little profit. And without streaming, I don’t have long term passive income. Each of these revenue streams reaches a different target market, and each is critical to my success.

“We hired Marie to perform in 2019 because she is so well known to our target audience through her performances and media coverage,” said Brian Lohmann, Artist Liaison Officer for Appaloosa Festival. “We rely on the media for many of the artists we hire because we can’t see every contestant perform in person before the festival. Coverage at outlets like Relix, Bluegress Today, and Rolling Stone gives us the assurance that emerging talent will resonate with attendees in the same way as Marie and our Grammy-winning performers.

What about the negative media?

It may not all be positive media coverage. What do you do if you get negative press?

Bill Greene, a seasoned strategic communicator in Washington, DC politics, observed that “Speed ​​is key to responding to bad press. Use your press contacts, social networks or external validators to respond with respect and force – and preferably in the same news cycle. And when you run into turmoil in public relations, keep track of how you react, so you’re always prepared to give your side of the story. “

He added: “No matter what field you find yourself in, always remember the wisdom of the Catfish Hunter Launcher, who said, ‘The sun doesn’t shine on the same dog, it’s a ** all days. What this means to anyone in the public eye, even in less controversial business contexts, is that you can expect a little bad press every now and then. If you’re honest and hardworking and people love you, or if you’ve carved out a niche for yourself, people will love you even more when they see you standing up for your honor or overcoming a challenge.

Steve Susens, a seasoned communications manager who specializes in crisis communications, agrees speed of rebuttal is essential. “It is best to deal with the situation immediately, even if it means providing a more general statement that the company or individual is aware of the situation and is looking into it and will provide a more detailed response once all the information is complete. will be available, ”he said.

“In the meantime, it always pays to work with a trusted media connection to give your side of the story. This will provide a better forum to get the right messages across in a fair and non-combative way to help resolve the situation, ”said Susens, who has served in many conflict areas, including Iraq, Afghanistan and Yemen.

Boost your sales today and tomorrow

Miller has been on a steady rise for two decades due to his hard work and unique brand positioning. Along the way, excellent media coverage convinced her target markets to hire her more often and pay more than the competition. Business owners can take its success and own it by having a media strategy that:

• Set you apart from the competition – like Miller’s mentions from HuffPost and Billboard.
• Uses press to create greater following and engagement for newsletters and social media content, as well as quality content on the company website.
• Reaches your target markets directly – like Miller’s songs broadcast live on CNN and Fox – to turn cold calls into warm conversations.

All businesses want better leads, faster sales, and bigger profits. The right media strategy can help you do all three today, tomorrow and, as Marie Miller has proven, for years to come.