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Secrets to Success
Deborah Cole Micek
and John-Paul Micek
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Fox jumps on new-media bandwagon
It's no secret how popular the Fox television show "American Idol" is. It's so popular, in fact, that Fox has decided to capitalize even more on the show that fans can't get enough of: Fox is now turning to new media to meet the demand for the show and make millions more in profits.
Good for them -- and good for you.
Why is this good for you?
Here's what I'm thinking:
My partner, Deborah, and I were visiting friends, Armando and Veronica Montelongo, in San Antonio, Texas. While there, Armando and I were developing his podcast strategy to leverage the popularity of their hit show on the A&E channel, "Flip This House." That's when I came across this interesting tidbit of info:
On Feb. 18, 2008, Fox began a partnership with iTunes whereby "American Idol" fans can now purchase the top 24 semifinalist performances, found exclusively on iTunes, for just 99 cents per song.
I immediately thought that this is so cool, and just like Armando, you will be able to get a free boost to your new-media marketing.
"OK, smart guy," you say, "I understand how Fox is going to make millions, but how is that going to work for me?"
Think about it. Fox is driving hundreds of thousands of people to iTunes who might never have heard of the service. That's a lot of new iTunes visitors.
And, even if those people who are already familiar with iTunes are included in the hundreds of thousands, they will be returning a lot more frequently than they would have without Fox's push of American Idol.
It's just like when a shopping mall has a great restaurant or high-end anchor store. That one larger store usually markets much more aggressively than the other stores and restaurants in the mall. Many of the shoppers and diners who it attracts will explore the other stores in the mall while they're there. The other stores and restaurants have the opportunity to get customers without spending any extra dollars.
The same is true with "American Idol" promoting iTunes: You get the chance to attract more prospects and customers to your podcast as "American Idol" fans browse around iTunes.
This is just one more reason to get your new-media marketing in full swing, and get your podcast going.
My suggestion is to stop putting it off. Stop telling yourself that you don't have any real reason to do a podcast. Stop saying you don't have the time. In fact, stop all the excuses. You don't have to be a media giant like Fox. As a small-business owner, you can take advantage of their millions while spending very little; and reap the rewards.
John-Paul Micek is the lead business coach at RPM Success Group Inc. Reach him at
JPM@RPMsuccess.com or toll-free at (888) 334-8151.
Deborah Cole Micek, chief executive officer of RPM Success Group, is a business success coach and life strategist. Reach her at
DCM@RPMsuccess.com or toll-free at (888) 334-8151.