Tag Archive for: How to get more media coverage

Whenever I walk up to the counter to pay for a cup of tea or a t-shirt I always make a point to smile at the person at the register before saying anything. I make eye contact and have a moment.

That’s not something people often do. We just rush between transaction after transaction.

But what if you did pause and give a smile? What would that do?

I’ll tell you what it does on camera – it makes you likable and makes people want to pay you for stuff!

Isn’t that the point?

Think about it – how often do you buy something based on how likable the person selling it to you is?

Maybe you decided to see one acupuncturist over another one because the one you chose was kind and seemed to be generally interested in you?

Or how about the last book you bought?

Did you buy it because you saw the author on TV or at a book signing and he or she seemed fun and nice?

Take for instance my media training client,

Chef Todd Richards.

He’s the author of the new book Soul: A Chef’s Culinary Evolution in 150 Recipes. 

I worked with him just prior to his book launch to get him prepped for any media opportunities that popped up.

We met like I do with all my clients via Zoom video conference.  He’s in Atlanta and I’m in New York City.

I had already seen a few media appearances of him and I will admit I thought I had him figured out.

But when I met him I was blown away by how personable and friendly he was.

You see I thought he was super serious because guess what he wasn’t doing in those media appearances?

Yep – Smiling!

So I had a different version of what he would be like in my mind given that one piece of video.

But I was dead wrong. And you’d be too if you saw that same segment.

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. Grab my free “Checklist to Become a Go-To Media Expert.”

Practice makes perfect – even with smiling!

Our media training sessions were focused on getting the “real” Todd to be seen on camera.

He was a good sport with me when I would stop him mid sentence and say, “Why aren’t you smiling? We’re talking about bacon!”

Just like an athlete practices drills and plays – any expert who wants to be on camera has to practice the same way.

Many people think they’ll be “just fine” when it comes to an on camera interview. But I’ll tell you in my nearly 20 years of experience as a TV producer that is not the case at all.

Something strange happens to people when they get in front of a camera. And without the proper training you could blow your big chance.

I love a happy ending and thankfully all that practice with Todd paid off and I feel like a proud mama!

Todd was asked to appear on CBS This Morning and he knocked it out of the park.

He was smiling, storytelling (something we also worked on,) cracking jokes and being the life of the party.

THAT is the Todd I know and I was thrilled to help him feel comfortable enough on camera to be himself.

You don’t just snap your fingers and feel more like yourself on camera – it takes practice and work.

Todd put in the time and it paid off – oh and hopefully sold some books too!

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. Grab my free “Checklist to Become a Go-To Media Expert.”

Have you ever been talking to someone at a party or event and you get onto a topic that they are clearly really passionate about? Even though it might not be your cup of tea, their enthusiasm for it becomes kind of infectious! A person’s passion or interest can really help to connect with them.

On the other hand, passion can also be your downfall. As my friend and business partner Terri Trespicio points out in her TEDx Talk, which has nearly 4 million views by the way.

You might also have been at a networking mixer listening to someone talk about a project or side gig and, while their heart might be in the right place, but they just keep talking and talking and you keep losing interest! Read more

Pitching the media is not easy if you don’t know what producers and editors are looking for. It’s all about understanding what draws producers into your story and why their audience will care.

But, if you thought pitching yourself to the media was hard, even harder is pitching an event. There are a million and one events out there at any given time – so what makes yours so special?

The unfortunate truth is no one in the media cares about your event.

As a national television producer with nearly 20 years experience I can say definitively that I can count on one hand the amount of events I’ve actually covered. That’s because most events are self serving – ribbon cuttings and grand openings. What does that do for the viewer or reader? But that doesn’t mean you can’t get your event into the media, it’s all about how you pitch it!

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. Grab my free “Checklist to Become a Go-To Media Expert.”

 

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When I first started working at Fox News Channel in NYC back in 2008 the idea of producing video just for the internet was pretty shiny and new. I had been working in local TV for years  producing live newscasts. Then I landed a great job at Fox News as a health producer. My job […]