Should TV be in Your Marketing Mix?

When George to the Rescue contacted me to do a segment for their TV show I was very flattered and excited but had some immediate reservations.

  • Was the show in line with my target audience? (No)
  • Will it bring me clients? (Probably not)
  • How much time will it take from existing clients? (Probably too much)
  • Can I showcase my work at the level I would like to be seen at (Difficult proposition since the show has no budget)
  • Can I procure all donations needed to get the rooms completed? (Daunting task)
  • Most importantly what if my work was a colossal fail? Did not look good, did not film well, did not meet the needs of the family?
  • And did I mention? What if I looked and sounded like an idiot?

The FEAR list in my head was never ending. I am sure that many of you can relate to this inner demon in your ears. And the marketing rationale was pretty weak. In fact, tackling the George to the Rescue show was probably not a wise business decision. If I had presented all the facts to Gail and Erin they most likely would have told me not to take on the project.

So why did I say YES and when should other designers consider TV as a marketing channel?

  1. Does the show have meaning to you? I happen to watch GTR each week and love that they help struggling families renovate their homes to create life changing results.
  2. Will the exposure showcase your brand positively? Just the charitable nature of the show was enough cause for me to participate.
  3. Can you execute your brand identity in the show? This is important, a few years ago I was not sure what my brand ID was. Having a strong brand message is important to TV or your contribution will get lost.
  4. Are you comfortable with the format? TV as a format matched my personality and brand (better than other possible marketing outlets like writing, teaching, mentoring). Think about what feels right to you.
  5. Can the TV show lead to other opportunities? One never knows the answer to this but if you don’t put yourself out there you will never know.

Last, will the experience be fun? Challenging? Fulfilling? Participating in George to the Rescue was one of the most rewarding design accomplishments for me personally and professionally. Sometimes we just need to say YES. Enjoy the show.

(Karen Wolf is a Trends Insights contributor for Profit & Passion Inbox Magazine)

Follow me on Instagram @karenbwolfinteriors

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Karen B Wolf

Full of energy and excitement Karen sets the vision and tone of KBW Interiors. Imbibing the studio with new resources, fresh design and designing amazing homes for her clients. ​She has combined her Fine Arts and Marketing degrees to set apart Karen B Wolf Interiors. They deliver professional, organized, and creative approaches to their clients.

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