You’re a Media Company Now

The best marketers are storytellers. They sell the emotion, not the product

It doesn’t matter whether you sell houses, cupcakes, yoga sessions, or treadmills, you are a media company. Or, at least should be thinking you are.

Let’s look at today’s consumers…

• They care about the origins and ingredients of the products they use.
• They care about the people behind the products.
• They want to understand the market before buying.
• They want to be educated enough to make the right decision and not look foolish in the process.
• They care about what other buyers have to say about products and services.

Now, let’s look at the traits of a successful media company:

A media company excels at telling the story of a product; how it came to be, the people behind it, why decisions were made, how materials were sourced, selected, and manufactured.

A good story highlights the characters who contributed, presents the passion behind the work, and the importance of their input.

A media company educates prospective buyers before they are fully aware of their problem or frustration. A media company helps the uninformed become informed. A media company reassures the buyer that they have made the right choice. A media company proudly shares the feedback others have reported — the good and the bad. They go to extra effort to right the wrongs and to go from good to great.

Disney did not reach their position by making movies. No, Disney told a story. Early on, Disney operated like a media company, wholly embracing (and controlling) every aspect of the interaction.

The successful real estate agent does not gain notoriety by working 18 hours a day and bragging about their work-life imbalance. No, they win by telling the success stories of their clients and creating an experience worth sharing.

The local baker does not build a franchise by showing today’s flavors. No, they grow by telling the story of the stressed bride and assuring her that her wedding cake will be perfect — look at how we’ve helped these other brides.

The media company tells a story. They also sell a product. In that order.

How are you positioning your media company? Are you telling the story that matters? Are you sharing the wins, educating the unaware, and reassuring the recent buyer?

If you’re not, beware, your competition will soon be telling their story and capturing the hearts of consumers.

Today’s consumers care about the story and connect with the emotion around it.

All the best,

-Shaun