As I often say, publicity for your book, business, product, service or cause is not brain surgery or rocket science, but it does require some skills and tools that you may not have…yet.
The first essential element is contacts. Being able to tap into the contacts someone has already established is where the gold is. I just hit 20 years in business myself; McCall Media Group opened its doors in June of 1996 and is still going strong — stronger than ever, actually, because of all the solid relationships with media folks. These take time to build, and as is the case in all of life, relationships are critical. It’s tough to do anything without the help of others. In the words of workplace expert, Dr. Lois Frankel, “The time to build relationships is before you need them,” so going out cold isn’t as effective as having someone with relationships going out to media to pitch you. So true. So true.
There are options, of course. You can hire someone at $10 bucks an hour and they can do all kinds of research for you, but unless you or they have access to media databases, you’re going to be frustrated. Not to mention that fact that, depending on your goals, you need to make sure you have the right materials created before you even attempt to contact media. This is to make things easy on you! None of this has to be difficult, and, in fact, it can be easy and fun! But that’s only if you understand not only how the game is played, but what the game is.
You see, landing the interview is only the first part of it. Knowing how to work with media to get them what they need is also key. They may want to interview people who have the problem you are the solution to. They may want to interview other niche mates of yours (meaning your competitors, but I like the words “niche mates” better.), and they might want someone with a contrarian point of view. You stand a better chance of getting coverage when you can offer different scenarios. And finally, you need to know how to deliver. A publicist can make sure you’re ready, or get you the training you need if there’s any question about it.
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At the end of the video, I mention taking the How Media Savvy are you Assessment, which will give you a great idea of what you need to know as you seek media coverage. If you haven’t taken it yet, click here. You may be surprised at what you discover!
To your success!