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BONUS FREEBIE: Your message deserves the media’s attention. So how do you get out there in a bigger way? I’ve got you covered. CLICK HERE to grab my free “Checklist to Become a Go-To Media Expert.”
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I’ve always loved the idea of “standing on the shoulders of giants” — learning from the experiences and knowledge of others so we can succeed.
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JOIN ME FOR GO LIVE! MASTERCLASS: Everything you need to produce a polished, lucrative and fun live-stream show that makes you stand out. Sign up here!
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Communication is crucial to every aspect of life. But healthy communication isn’t always easy.
That’s especially true during the pandemic, when so much communication has become virtual.
Communication expert, professional speaker, coach, and consultant Robyn Hatcher, a guest on my live-streaming show Inside Scoop, helps people connect with purpose.
You never know who is following you on social media.
For example, my friend Cassandra Sethi, a personal stylist, has an awesome Instagram for her business Next Level Wardrobe. She’s full of outfit ideas and tips for looking more polished.
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MEDIA-READY AUTHOR: Go From Uncomfortable to Confident and Sell More Books with my Media-Training Class for Authors on Tuesday, October 18th! Reserve your spot now!
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Fresh content is great, and you can turn any podcast, blog post, video or thought you have into a media pitch!
The trick is knowing what (from your content) is most interesting to viewers.
This is especially important for authors who want to sell more books. A book is a piece of content and knowing how to leverage that content in the media is integral to sales!
(In fact, I’m hosting a quick and easy-to-implement live online training called Media-Ready Author: Speak in Soundbites, Set Up Your Virtual Studio and Sell More Books to help you learn those skills.)
I spoke with my friend Kate Hanley on her local news station about how to repurpose our content to create a media pitch. Kate is a journalist, podcaster, author of How to Be a Better Person, and has written for publications including Real Simple, Parents, and Martha Stewart’s Whole Living.
Here are three tips from Kate about how to turn your content into a successful media pitch.
In the beginning, the media probably isn’t going to come to you. You have to go to the media. You have to initiate contact.
Kate lives in Providence, RI, and she heard of a new morning show that might be looking for pitches. She posted in a local networking group to see if anyone had a contact, and a connection suggested reaching out to a producer over social media.
People who work in media often have their email address in their bio — because they want you to pitch them.
“That’s one thing that we have to just tell ourselves. We’re actually helping people do their jobs by pitching them,” Kate said.
Especially if you…
One of the elements of a well-written pitch is the “hook.” Why is this relevant right now?
Kate took this into consideration when she planned out her pitch. When Kate thinks of a pitch, she connects her ideas to current events or holidays.
“I just Googled ‘crazy national holidays’,” Kate explained. “There were all these wacky days like Flip-Flop Day and Hotdog Day. I noticed Make a Difference Day was coming up, which perfectly aligned with ‘How to Be a Better Person”.”
By connecting your pitch to an upcoming event, producers feel more urgency when considering your idea.
“Not only might they like that idea, but they need to act on it because that day’s coming up,” Kate added.
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One of the biggest mistakes people make when they start to pitch media is that they think they have to create completely new or different material for a pitch.
Nope!
Use all your content to feed your blog, your book, your podcast, your pitches. They all go hand in hand.
Tailor your ideas for each outlet, but use the ideas you already have.
Kate’s lightbulb moment happened when she realized she didn’t need to be creating totally separate blog posts and pitches. She made a Google Drive account to organize her ideas and realized she already had lots of great material. She just needed to update and adapt what she already created.
“I found old pitches and blog posts that I had written and stuff I thought might be useful in a lot of different ways,” Kate said.
That doesn’t mean you should use the same posts and pitches over and over.
It’s important to refresh and customize your content and pitches to the outlet you’re pitching.
Check out Kate’s podcast “How to Be a Better Person” and watch our entire conversation here.
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MEDIA-READY AUTHOR: Go From Uncomfortable to Confident and Sell More Books with my Media-Training Class for Authors on Tuesday, October 18th! Reserve your spot now!
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It’s Valentine’s Day! Whether you’re celebrating singlehood or blissfully coupled, romance is on the brain today. And there’s no better time to consider your relationship with the media.
If you find yourself singing Adele’s “Hello” to producers and editors, and all you hear back is Beyonce’s “Sorry,” it might be time to step up your seduction. Here are three tips to woo the media this year.
Don’t be that person who swipes right on anything with a pulse. A quick perusal of someone’s profile may not tell you whether someone is your soulmate, but it can certainly help you find a real connection—and rule out the red flags.
The same goes for your match with the media: Know the person receiving your pitch and their work. What kinds of stories do they love? Do they tend to gravitate toward a certain style? They will know when you haven’t done your homework—and it will make them want to “ghost” on you fast.
Get to know the person receiving your pitch by checking out their social media presence. Do they engage their followers? See if you can strike up a light conversation over a tweet or post. Are they attending networking events? Try to meet them in person. (Warning: Coming on too strong is disastrous in love and in media. Definitely keep it light).
But also ask yourself: Are they a good match for ME? While it may be tempting to throw yourself at every reporter, producer, booker or editor who comes your way, that plan can backfire in the long run. If all goes according to plan, this is the start of something ongoing—better to be single than entangled in a bad romance.
If you want to get rejected by the hot girl, ramble on about her looks while you ask her out. Likewise, the media knows it’s sexy—and it doesn’t want you to use it for its body.
Another surefire way to get rejected? Toot your own horn so much, you compose a symphony to your greatness. Confidence is hot, but narcissism is a real turn-off.
The key to being irresistible is simple: Be a giver, not a taker. If you want to woo the media, you’ve got to sell yourself as an attentive partner. Always link your pitch back to the audience: Why should those people care? How can you help them? How will your expertise transform their life? Show the editor or producer that you get what they do and you’re here to offer your help—not to use their platform, love ‘em and leave ‘em.
Picture this: You’ve just cancelled a date because you caught a monster flu. You’re a little bummed, but you were only lukewarm about the date in the first place. Thirty minutes later, the doorbell rings. You open the door and find a care package of chicken noodle soup, emergenc-C, tea, and a “Get Well Soon” card from your date. And just like that, things start heating up.
If you want to sweep the media off its feet, be the producer or editor’s hero. Don’t just figure out what they need—give it to them when they need it most.
The media needs pieces that link back to the top trending hashtags. If you’re a parenting expert, the Grammys would be the perfect moment to pitch a story on how celebrity feminists like Beyonce are changing the way our culture views motherhood. If you’re a constitutional lawyer, start drafting that pitch on what will happen next with Trump’s travel ban. Do the producer or editor’s work for them—they’ll thank you for it.