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Ep 339: Shaping Your Public Image Through Media with Tam Lawrence
Are you curious about the media industry and how to gain exposure for your brand? In this captivating episode, Elzie talks to Tam Lawrence, an industry veteran with over 30 years of experience and the CEO of Exposure Magazine. Together, they dive into the world of media, sharing valuable insights and strategies for entrepreneurs and business owners.
The conversation explores the differences between earned, owned, and paid media. Tam emphasizes the reliability and truthfulness of earned media, which is based on empirical data and also highlights the importance of public relations in building a brand and making it newsworthy. Tam offers practical advice on leveraging publicists and marketing together, stressing the need to understand brand leadership and messaging.
Tune in as they delve into demographic targeting, seasonal campaigns, and cause marketing as effective approaches to reach the media and make a positive impact in the community. Tam is passionate about sharing knowledge and facts often overlooked by mainstream media, so don't miss this episode filled with valuable insights and practical strategies to gain exposure for your brand.
Episode Highlights
04:32 - It's so important for our children to know who we were and the contributions in which we provided in society. And so a lot of times, we don't see that narrative written in media about African Americans. And for me, following the footsteps of my parents, my daddy always told me, choose your weapon. And so for me, this media is the choice of weapon.
06:12 - I would always have to go with earned media because earned media gives you the accountability or the credibility that you need in order for you to get the consumer's trust. To earn the consumer's trust, earned media is always going to probably trump all the others.
07:33 - In public relations, we're able to help business owners really formulate a message that speaks or resonates, not just with consumers. Because when you're going into earned media, like 4, 6, 12 or 58, whoever you're going to go to, the thing is that they have to see, how does this fit for their consumer? How does it impact the end user? How does this not seem like an advertisement piece? And so a lot of times where people try to go at it themselves, it's an advertisement so they send you back the rate chart. Whereas when you're going through a publicist, you're going through a protected or entrusted source. And so we work to help reporters find stories and so if we can take that story and make it newsworthy, then it gains earned media versus having to pay for media. So I think that's the difference.
09:03 - If I look back 30 years and I said, what was the first thing that I wish I would have had? I wish I would have had an opportunity to sit down with a PR person and really just put it all on the table and get the help to really break apart all of the facets of my business so that I could be able to build a Coca Cola, build a clientele. That would be longevity, not just a short term trendy or viral campaign because traditional values are Polo, Pepsi. So if it was me and I could go back 20 years and reshape my business, I think I would start with consulting with a publicist.
16:16 - There's so much that a brand can do to create amazing and phenomenal content today. And so, you do want to take a look at more than just the holidays, and I would definitely say backtrack even some of the content or some of the things that you've seen out there. And I'm sure if you started a business, your business is about impacting people, you saw a big problem, and you said I got the solution. So, stay knowing that 24 hours a day. As a business owner, I've never had a job. My whole entire life was always chasing problems. I used to say to myself, "You're a solutionista, girl. You better figure it out. Chase the problem." If you keep chasing the problem and then if you are really good at what you do, the money will follow. So, it's never been about vanity with me in business. It's always been, I'm a solutionista. I need to find a problem and I need to solve it, and I need to solve it for 2 million people. And then I need to solve it where 2 million people spend $1,000 to get it.
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