At some point, most media buyers have told friends or parents what they do for a living.

“I’m a media buyer.”

“Oh, so you … buy ads. That’s it?”

That’s not it. At all.

Signing a contract is a very small part of a media buyer’s job. When you see an ad – whether it’s on Facebook, Forbes or Fox Sports 1 – it’s likely that a media buyer did much more than just purchase that ad. They spent hours researching, thinking and negotiating.

Media buyers are investigators. They are scientists interested in creating just the right formula to help your brand grow. Before the first dollar is spent, media buyers have asked dozens of questions to help them make the most informed, effective decision possible. We call these …

The Five Ws … and the one H.

Who is our target? Are they old or young? Nebraskans or New Yorkers? Who do we want to reach first?

What does our target read, watch, say, do and think? What do we know about them? Do they prefer podcasts over the radio? What more can we learn about them?

Where does our target turn for advice? Do they trust influential voices in the blogosphere? Do they do their best thinking on the drive to work?

When do our customers make a purchase decision? Or when are they not in the mood for a product pitch? When are they most likely to pay attention to us?

Why should our client invest this money? Why this media channel over that? Why do we think this is the best way to reach our target?

How much is this media worth? Are we getting the best possible deal? Are there other publishers that have a better offering?

And after all these questions are answered, we sign on the dotted line.