Now that I’m reviving my podcast, I’ve been interviewing many media insiders about their work and media in general. It’s one of my favorite subjects and I’m always interested in how things are changing.
Media tip for the day: There is one question every media person has on his or her mind when they hear from you, but before I say exactly what that is, it’s important to remember that when it comes to pitching a story idea to media, remember: It’s not about you.
Now, it seems like it should be about you. After all, you’ve been researching, writing your book and building your business for quite some time now. You’ve been impacting others in a huge way and you are definitely a mover and a shaker. How could it not be about you?
I know it’s tough to swallow, but it isn’t.
When pitching media, particularly top tier, national media, you have to put on a different hat. You have to think like a journalist, a producer or a publicist. Which means, are you part of a trend? Do you have a study or statistics you can quote? Have you conducted a study or poll that you can discuss? Are there others you can bring in to be a part of the story? Can you respond to something happening in the current news cycle?
The number one question they have in the back of their mind is, “Why you, why now?” If you can answer that right away and it truly makes sense, you are halfway there.
To your success!
Joanne
P.S. Have you taken the How Media Savvy are You Assessment yet? You can do so by clicking here. Find out what you already know and if there are some gaps you need to work on. I’d love to hear how you do.