3 Media Myths We Need To Get Over

Recently, I attended a webinar that set out to bust the media myths we’ve all come to believe. Ketchum and the USC Annenberg Strategic PR Center presented survey results from a media study including 500 communications and marketing industry professionals and 1,490 adult Americans in seven major cities.

I’d like to share a few lessons from this seminar with anyone looking to get their message out in the B-to-B landscape.

Myth #1 – Traditional media is dead. After all, I’m speaking to you through a blog, right? The dominating Baby Boomer demographic still relies heavily on traditional media. Even 18-34-year-old consumers have one foot in new media and one in traditional, meaning your marketing communications plan must include a media mix for the most impact and best results.

Myth #2 – All you need is a good web site. If you build it, they will come. That may work in baseball fantasy movies, but not in corporate communications. It’s important to keep corporate sites up to date, but the amount customers rely on your site has more to do with the information they are seeking.

According to the research, a company web site ranks very high when searching for reputation/recommendation information or stock information. However, it’s ranked low among other forms of media for corporate announcements or crisis response.

Myth #3 – Fiscal calendar timing is important. Too many companies coordinate communications around their schedules, such as the end of a quarter or fiscal year. But customers want information when they want it.

Remember to speak when your customers are listening, not just when you have something to say. Placing customer needs first will help you communicate with them when they’re open to hearing you … whether it’s a holiday season, industry event or a political debate.