By now you will have your marketing stories weaved in your launch campaign as we discussed in our last post. And you will be ready to release them to your audience. 

How will you know which media outlet enables you to better engage and connect with your target audience? 

Ask yourself the following three questions when you zero in on a media outlet for sharing and distributing your marketing stories-

1: Who is your Target Audience?

You'll want to clearly define who the people you want to reach are and identify which channels of communication they actively use. 

Not everyone who uses Facebook also uses Instagram! As you begin researching you'll understand just how different those audiences are which means you will need to adapt your marketing campaigns accordingly.

2: What is your Budget?

How much can you spend to distribute your marketing stories? This is a vital sep because this forms the basis on which you will decide your format, and the duration of the distribution process. 

3: What Format will you choose?

You will also need to determine the format in which you will present your story. You can tell your marketing in a variety of formats – in text, video, photo, or audio formats. 

Each of these is different and will have its own advantages and disadvantages. Hence, you’ll need to do evaluate each and determine what works best for you. 

Considering the above, there are various marketing channels that are available to you - like blogs, video communities to print media, etc.

It does not mean you have to use every single channel. Instead, it is best advised to pick and choose a few targeted channels where your target spends most of their time and then test the waters. 

However, as you narrow your focus down to just a couple of these channels, you need to evaluate your options by asking yourself these 2 questions:

First

Which marketing channel is your business using currently? It's always easier to integrate new storytelling campaigns into mediums where you already have a presence.

Second

Which of the channels that you'd like to add to your marketing campaigns are accessible to you? Since every platform is different, the outcomes will also be different. Just because it is available does not mean it is good for you.

Now that you have an understanding of what goes behind choosing a marketing channel, identify which channel do you think will help you better maximize your reach and help you connect with your customer base.

A key question to ask again is - Will your marketing budget support a campaign on that channel? 

Think about these two questions as we wrap the discussion on Storytelling Marketing over the weekend with a final post on a very important topic: How to effectively track the success of your marketing stories?