$2M per month?
Since I started working from home in 2006, I have had the chance to watch TV in the afternoon, and observe the ratings success of certain TV shows.
One such example is the Glenn Beck program. You either love him or hate em. Either way, there is no denying that Barbara Walters selected him as one of the 10 Most Fascinating People of 2009, and just recently, he was rated as the 2nd most popular TV personality behind Oprah.
Winfrey – the undisputed Queen of TV!
I’m not about to discuss Beck’s political views, that’s not the subject of this post.
This is about my observations of the marketing lessons we can learn from Mr. Beck. Can you imagine making almost $2 million a month? That’s what Glenn’s empire makes.
As I see it, there are 3 main ingredients that we should always have in any marketing campaign, whether it be through the internet or not.
1. Visibility
While Beck’s TV program is his primary marketing medium, it is estimated that his personal income from Fox News is less than 10% of his total income. In addition, he has a radio show, 3 NY Times bestselling books, an offline & online magazine publication, a website that brings in more revenues than his TV salary, plus his live tours and appearances.
What can we learn from this? Diversification. For your business, that means: Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, blogging, LinkedIn, Launchpad, etc. Wherever your ideal customers hang out, you need to be there as well.
Obviously, you can’t have all of these overnight. Beck started in radio, about 20 years ago, and built his marketing presence one medium at a time.
Likewise, your business should start with one tool, e.g. Twitter, and you methodically build up, according to a strategic master plan. As you develop a better understanding of your customer’s needs, you adjust and execute your master plan accordingly.
2. Controversy or Compelling
I first came across Mr. Beck when he was at CNN. In 2008, I remember telling a friend that Glenn Beck is a milder version of Bill O’Reilly. Since Beck’s transfer to Fox News, however, he has become the wilder version of Mr. O’Reilly. If you know Bill, who would have thought that anyone can be wilder!?
Whether you love or hate Glenn and/or Bill, it is a fact that these 2 political commentators DOMINATE TV ratings. Whether they intentionally create controversy or not, that’s entirely a different topic.
The marketing lesson is: controversy attracts eyeballs, and if your message connects with your audience, it translates to revenues.
However, if you cannot squeeze an ounce of controversy from your product/service, then you have to be a little more creative.
You have to discover a compelling message for your ideal customer, something that would trigger their emotional hot buttons.
3. Consistency
I’m not only referring to the frequency of your marketing messages, but more importantly the integrity of what you’re saying. If your marketing is built on a foundation of principles, then this should be fairly easy, and it comes naturally.
You see, your customer is looking for your opinion about a particular brand or model. When they ask why or why not, your explanation needs to be consistent with your personal convictions or values.
If they sense that you are recommending one product over another, just because one puts more money in your pocket, then you’re going to lose credibility.
In business, your most valuable asset is the TRUST you have established with your customers.
On the internet, trust is even more critical. You must do everything you can to earn it, and keep it.
What say you? Do you have any examples of how you’re using these 3 ingredients in your business?
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi Dennis,
I’m so glad you’re home in the afternoons to catch some TV, do you eat bon bons too? hah. Actually I enjoyed your take on Glen Beck and spinning this with tips for us to import into our business model.
As owner of Presentation Solutions, I think you are right on with these observations: Visibility, Controversy or Compelling message and Consistency. I’m working hard on these very items for our business.
Thanks so much for making TV relevant for us all,
MaryAnn Dalessi
Presentation Solutions
http://www.psbind.com
Hi MaryAnn,
I do stay away from bon bons, something I definitely disagree on with Beck.
Instead, I snack on mixed nuts.
Dennis,
Having watched Glenn on and off over the years I think there is a sister element to the trust he elicits from his audience and that’s loyalty. He talks to them directly through all of his mediums addressing them as if they were his best friends. They fly all over the country to see him and defend him with a passion.
We just started using facebook a few weeks ago and got our first negative wall post about our product. The owners instant reaction was delete it!! I cringed as we did just that…Glenn didn’t build the loyalty and trust by using these media outlets like billboards, he used them interactively while constantly listening to his audience through them. I hope we can learn that lesson soon.
You’re on to something Aaron. That’s exactly the reason why social media is so powerful – you’re allowing your customers to express themselves. Listening sincerely and addressing their concerns are the building blocks of loyalty and trust.
Hi Dennis: I built my brick and mortar business and sold it.
I am now building my click and mortar business and am intrigued with social marketing. Thank you for all your help. keep up the good work. jb
Great point Dennis. Did I get it right?
Using controversy to get people interacting about your service or product. Then taking a stand based on your convictions, being congruent throughout your arguement you attract like thinkers to your side and become a person who is worth listening to. This in time develops a connection and a relationship that can bring you business. As an example as a small business marketing consultant I might throw out there the arguement, that just like cigarette ads were banned from tv years ago, beer commercials should be banned now. Look how smoking has gone from being cool to being uncool. Without beer tv ads making drinking seem so fun and socially necessary would the number of deaths from drunk driving, would the number of teen pregnancies and would the number of domestic fights be significantly reduced. TV advertizing is too powerful of a meduim to continue to allow it to convince our youth that death, unwanted pregnancies and broken homes are an acceptable price to pay for the pleasure of drinking beer.
Hows that? Is this what you are talking about? Get people to chime in with their opinion while I talk about the power of marketing and become a source of marketing expertise in some of the peoples eyes?
Did I get it? How would you do that differently?
Michael Carlson
Target Marketing Spokane
I’m not about to discuss Beck’s political views, that’s not the subject of this post. – REALLY DENNIS??
-Can you imagine making almost $2 million a month? That’s what Glenn’s empire makes. (So what? He works his tail off for it. I doubt he gets to watch much Oprah in the afternoon like some people)
-Since Beck’s transfer to Fox News, however, he has become the wilder version of Mr. O’Reilly. If you know Bill, who would have thought that anyone can be wilder!? (Obviously you don’t know Bill, he is probably the most mild commentator in Fox’s lineup; he just won’t let anyone get away with spin. Now if you would have said Hannity I would have agreed with you! Compared to some of the folks on MSNBC Bill is practically comatose)
-Whether they intentionally create controversy or not, that’s entirely a different topic. (WHAT? your right it is a different topic so why do you have it in your article AND underlined the word intentionally? Hmmm maybe you do want to talk about political views, or at least do some underhanded bashing)
Either write a marketing blog or a political blog don’t hide one in the other.
Hi Gregg, thanks for your comments. I think it highlights the 2nd ingredient in this blog post.