A GOOD MICROMEDIA STRATEGY STARTS WITH CLEAR GOALS

Kevin Cashman is a longtime consultant and client whose last book, The Pause Principle, offered an informed perspective that speed has some serious downsides in life and career. He likes to say “slow down to go fast,” meaning allow yourself time to decide on the best course of action, before you begin, so you can move swiftly in the right direction. That mindset is so important when it comes to growing your audience. Before you decide how to spend your time, you want to first get clear on what your goals are. Do you want to build a consultancy? Would you like to ramp up your speaking? Do you want to acquire a thousand new customers over the next three years? Are you hoping to raise awareness for an important cause or mission? Would you like to build an audience for a future book or product offering that you’re not sure about right now?

In today’s media environment, your ability to achieve any of these goals starts and ends with your ability to successfully engage with earned, rented, and owned media. But if you aren’t clear on your goals, you may end up spending time in areas where you won’t get a maximum return on your investment.

There are an endless number of options when it comes to growing your audience. We often see people either spread themselves too thin by trying to create a presence on every social network they can find or do exactly the opposite by focusing all of their efforts on the channel they know best (typically Facebook).

Both are big mistakes because neither is driven by the question you should be asking, which is, Which channel provides the best intersection between my skills/passion and my audience’s attention? For many speakers, a podcast is the perfect intersection for them, as it highlights their audio gifts, the very attributes they are trying to sell. Another thought leader trying to score coverage in a well-read business publication may decide to focus on his writing, figuring that a well-crafted piece will further his skills and move him closer to landing a contributor’s spot.

We’ve seen successful micromedia channels built across every single platform online, so don’t feel pressure to follow the crowd down a certain road. There is no one answer or one way to gain widespread attention. The thing all success stories have in common is a singular focus on providing content of value to an audience in a consistent and unique way.

The right channel for you is one where your target audience is listening; your passions, interest, and skills are suited to that media outlet; and activity there will put you closer to your goal. Your success often depends on the ability to find just the right situation and pursue it with equal parts skill and persistence. Essentially, that means you will begin thinking like a media executive.