CAREER: Your Success and How Media Can Help

Define success in your career.  What is it now?  What would it be five years from now?  What about ten?  Have you ever thought about that question?  I'll never forget being at a two-week camp just before my senior year in High School.  We were asked to hand write 10 goals you'd like to achieve before you were 30.  When we left, we put them in a sealed folder and were asked not to open it until we hit the 3-0.  I stuck to my guns and waited it out.... not remembering most of them.

Some were personal, some were porfessional.  Truth be told, I had hit 9 of 10.  Nobody's perfect.

My first piece of advice is to define success for you and you alone.  Nobody else’s definition matters. 

I’ve heard a lot of people talk about their favorite successful media personalities and why they are most successful.  Everyone has an opinion, which is great.  But until you jump into that business and understand the how’s and why’s of how the ladder gets climbed and what it really takes to stay the course, I’ll stick to the belief that success means longevity and relationships as much as exposure and money.

Athletes and executives thrive and survive with relationships as well.  In sports, a good agent will prep his client with the proper game plan of advice and support on the topics of both finance and media.  In business, a good CEO should prepare his team with counseling on how to deliver dollars and dividends to a company’s shareholders and a good bit of training of delivering the company message with clarity, conviction and connection.

Media Platform is Your Bridge

It's my belief that media and a great social media platform can be the link between good and great when it comes to your career.

A few years ago I was asked by my good friend, financial advisor and personal business partner to serve as a founding member on the newly created Krilogy Athletic Advisory Board.  Kent Skornia runs Krilogy Financial but like so many successful business entrepreneurs, he wanted to go beyond "ordinary."  Made up of current and retired athletes from various professional leagues, business, media and finance leaders, the plan is to service professional athletes with career advice now and after their careers are finished.  I was also asked to be a part of soon-to-be-released book project The Playbook which discusses all sorts of career planning for athletes.  My part discusses the importance of creating a media platform, a message and a brand.

Today’s media is everywhere.  They’re in your locker room and on your playing field.  They’re also in front of your office building and inside at your press conference.  It’s unavoidable if you're in the business of being in the public spotlight or simply getting your brand noticed… so making the most of it is huge.  Use IT… don’t let the media use YOU.

Many people wait for the media to come to them.  Very few create a tactical plan to go get the media.  Here are a few things to ask of yourself, your team or your company:

Kraig’s List

* What are your individual goals?

* What are your company goals?

* Is there someone on your team with a plan to create a media strategy to get there?

* If not, how fast can you bring in a media consultant to help you?

* Are you promoting yourself?

* Do you wait for the interview and hope it works to your advantage?

* What would one feature story on the local news do for you?

* What would a well planned announcement do for your brand?

* What would a social media strategy do to create demand and leverage?

When talking to groups or engaged in conversations about our plans at the LPGA… there is always a need to discuss what the media might or might not think about what we do. Like you, my professional background doesn’t provide me the answers to every question, but I do feel confident in telling people how the media will react to decisions that are made.

So the next time you have a brand to launch, or an announcement to make with big success as the obvious goal…. carefully think about the reaction you might get.   And if you’re looking to make a big splash in the business world over the next 10 years… think about a growth strategy – marketing you -  tied to your well-earned press clippings

A visit to your local newspaper columnist, or the local television reporter might serve you well.  Reading up on social media would be a huge asset.  ( start with Jeffrey Gitomer's Social BOOM! )My advice – research results of others who’ve ventured into similar waters and see what type of reaction they received.  And then… devise a plan to make the media work even better for you!

Let me know your experiences and how you think positioning yourself in today’s media world could benefit you.  Thanks for reading this blog… and sharing with others.

* Need help with your media message?   Kraig Kann and HTK Media 

www.HTKnow.com

Kraig@HTKnow.com