How did THAT happen? Where did this year go?
Everyone talks about how time flies, and you know what?
We’ll all be saying the same thing again next year at this exact same time: December 2016.
Time does fly.
Reminds me of some words of wisdom from my dad. “Joanne, be sure you are living your dreams because it’s later than you think.”
“Um, thanks, dad.”
The bottom line is: One way or another, this next year is going to go by, so are you doing the things you need to do in order to reach your dreams?
For most of us the answer is no. We know we could be accomplishing so much more…
The people I work with have businesses and most are very goal-oriented…or they WANT to be goal-oriented, but they simply don’t know what to do next. All of them have a message and they want to reach as many people as possible with that message. They are consultants, entrepreneurs, speakers, coaches, authors, and small business owners who are either writing a book or they’ve just published one and they want more exposure for it and themselves.
When it comes to getting earned media, more exposure, and more visibility, here are some questions to ask yourself:
How does your platform look? (And if you’re asking, “What is a platform?” then you definitely need to be working on this.)
What kind of numbers do you have? It isn’t all about the numbers, but you don’t want to look like no one is interested in you either. Social proof is very powerful.
Are your people engaging and responsive?
This is even more important than the actual numbers. You can have a smaller yet very active tribe, and that speaks volumes.
It looks really funny on Twitter when someone has only tweeted 6 times, yet has 23K followers. Don’t buy followers. It’s so obvious.
Are you indulging in social media and do you have confidence that you know what you’re doing?
Remember, we are learning machines and everything takes practice. You are not behind if you’re somewhat new to social media. Just jump in and get your feet wet. Before you know it, you’ll be having fun!
Are you having fun??
And if not, how can you make it fun? This is one of my favorite questions.
Do you feel overwhelmed?
Take a break and do something else. Go for a walk or a run. Take a nap. Play with your pet. Come back to it when you are in a more positive state, otherwise you won’t be nearly as effective.
Do you need help and support?
We ALL do at times. Be courageous. Seek it out when you need it.
Do you know where to go for it?
Pay attention to others who can do what you long to do. They could be your next mentor, coach, or trainer.
Can you discern what tools and resources are right for you and what you can ignore?
This is such a critical question so that you don’t end up chasing every shiny new object, which is easy to fall into. This is another reason to have people you can trust who understand you and your business.
Do you have a media room on your website?
I’m not speaking of a Hall of Fame here. I’m talking about a special area for Earned Media to get what they need to do a story on you. In another blog post, I will create a list of what should be in your “Media Room” or “News Room”.
Do you know what media is right for you?
Do they cover your topic area? Is their audience your market? Does your ideal client or customer consume the content at this particular outlet?
Do you know how to reach them?
Email is by far the best way. Follow on Twitter too so that you are familiar with how they communicate and the kinds of stories they write.
Do you know what to do, and even more importantly, what NOT to do?
Earned Media can be funny. You will have to jump through hoops to work with them, and you want to make it as easy as possible to work with you. Otherwise, they will bypass you to find someone who makes their life, and their job, easier.
Can you deliver an amazing interview?
You need to burn your talking points into your brain. You need to know how to set up the next question, and you need to know how to bring the interview back to one of your key messages if the interviewer is going down a path that you don’t want to go down.
Can you write?
You’d be surprised how many authors have difficulty writing articles and guest posts.
You also need the following: You need a hook. You need to be able to answer, “How are you different? How are you unique?” What are your top five key messages? Can you summarize what you do in 20 seconds? Can you be charming and be focused on the reader, viewer, listener?
Here’s the good news: It isn’t brain surgery and it isn’t rocket science. It can be learned and you are on the way. Wherever you are on the Media Darling Continuum, you can always get better. We all can.
If you’d like to know just how media savvy you already are, take my quiz here.
Happy Happy, Merry Merry!