Business Owners Can’t Ignore the Media

Stop for a moment and look around the world that is taking place outside of your business.

If you tend to ignore what the media is saying and doing, you might think that you are better off. That said you may actually be hurting your business in the long run.

By at least having some interest in what is going on outside of your business (especially in the political world), you can be better positioned to act when politicians and/or their policies have an impact on your financial well-being.

News-media-standards

So, with all the hype (pro and con) coming into this month’s inauguration of a new U.S. President, are you staying in touch with what is going on? If you’re not, you may be able to stay unaffected by what is happening. On the flip side, knowing what is going on may better position you to be pro-active and not reactive.

That said would business owners be better or worse off if they ignore the media?

Keeping in Touch with the Outside World

When it comes right down to it, there is little doubt that your primary focus (and rightfully so) should be on your business.

With that in mind, here are several reasons why it would not hurt for you and your business to keep your ears to the ground with what the media is saying:

  • Relationship between business and politics – Like it or not, there is a relationship between the business world and the world of politics. As politicians at all levels come and go, they can oftentimes have an impact on what goes on in the business world. As a result, at least knowing what the media is saying about them can benefit your business to the degree that you are better informed. Even if you do not decide to take actions one way or the other, at least you will be better-served knowing what is going on in the business world;
  • Media voices and their roles in reporting news – It should not come as a big surprise that some in the media have agendas. Yes, even if they say they don’t, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out otherwise. That said many others will put the information out there, letting you decide what is factual and/or important to your business dealings. One thing you might consider when running a company is having some media experts come and talk to you and your team. Whether that choice is a savvy media pro such as Mika Brzezinski or someone else you’ve likely heard of, consider tapping into their expertise. In doing so, you and your staff could be educated on how the media goes about covering today’s news, especially the news that has a regular impact on the business world.

Informed Employees Do Matter

  • Having informed employees – Finally, while you don’t want your workers sitting around the office all day discussing what is going on in the world, hiring informed people is not a bad thing. For example, if you’re in the business of selling health insurance, you know all too well the troubles that many consumers have had in recent years finding affordable healthcare coverage. That said having employees taking customer calls oftentimes goes better when those workers know what is going on in both the business and political worlds. Will Obamacare be repealed? If so, what will come in its place? Should your clients who purchased health insurance policies from you in recent times be worried? Lastly, while your employees can’t pick a policy for consumers contacting your business, they can better understand the needs of those consumers when they know how the political winds are blowing. How those winds are blowing will oftentimes be discussed in the media. As you can see, a well-informed business owner and his or her team are of more use to the average consumer.

When you and your employees are at least somewhat tuned in with what the media is saying, you and your business stand to look better in the eyes of many consumers.