As entrepreneurs and startup founders, it’s important that you know how to get media attention. After all, the more eyeballs you have on you, the more chances of getting paid. Additionally, getting media attention helps you build your credibility.
I’m going to let you in on a little secret about getting media attention, which is based on my many years of experience as a writer and blogger: believe it or not, it’s not that difficult to get media attention. Especially not in today’s day and age when you have the internet at your fingertips.
It wasn’t until recently that I began paying another company to help with my public relations. It’s not just me, either. My students and coaching clients do it themselves, as well. One of my students also recently got featured in NYLON and a nod from the Vogue Australia editor thanks to what I taught her about getting media attention.
Here’s exactly what I taught her so that you, too, can get media attention for your startup:
Related: Q&A with Media Trainer Rachel Hanfling on Distilling Your Business Messaging
Keep your pitches short and simple
In the case of my student, she was sent a lead from a writer who was looking for a sustainable fashion expert. This is exactly what my student’s company focuses on, but she still had to prove her expertise to the writer.
The secret to writing pitches to writers is to keep them short and simple. You have to keep in mind that writers are on extremely tight deadlines. If you’re too wordy, they won’t read your pitch because, quite frankly, they don’t have the time.
You want to let them know off the bat that you know your stuff. A couple of short paragraphs is usually enough to get your message across. From there, you can attach a media kit and a link to your website if they’d like to research you further.
After helping my student write this pitch, she heard back from the writer within 24 hours. She successfully proved that she was the right person without writing three pages worth of content.
Befriend writers and producers
If you really want to increase your chances of being quoted in the media, start befriending writers and producers. How exactly do you tackle this?
The best method I have found is to attend conferences and events. For example, I often get quoted in financial and business media outlets because I’ve met so many finance content creators through The Financial Blogger Conference. A couple of weeks ago, I attended Hispanicize and met countless editors and producers in Latin media. By attending events, putting yourself out there and networking, you increase your chances of making a connection that will prove to be valuable down the line.
Have an angle
If you want media attention, you need an angle. What’s your unique viewpoint? What about your story is interesting? What new perspective can you provide on a topic?
For example, I get a lot of attention because I’m Latina and there aren’t many Latina personal finance experts out there. This makes me unique in the marketplace because I can provide a different viewpoint based on my experience. What’s yours?
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Know your story
Many people don’t know this, but I have my Bachelor’s Degree in English Literature. Because of this, I can spot a good story from a mile away, and I can put a good story together pretty quickly.
Most business owners don’t know how to put together a good story, but the reality is, a good story is a part of what gets you media attention. I graduated into the Great Recession, couldn’t find a job and started writing personal finance articles to teach myself money. Fast forward a few years and I’ve built a six-figure business as a writer, influencer, consultant and thought leader.
Here is something else I’ve noticed: the entrepreneurial stories that perform best have the same common themes and are pretty universal. It’s usually something you don’t expect (i.e. English lit major turned finance blogger) or some sort of hero’s journey in which the hero faces adversity and overcomes it.
Final thoughts
These are the main elements of getting media attention for free. As a bonus, I would encourage you to consistently publish content to your startup’s blog, social channels, etc. You never know who is watching online, and building up a portfolio of work is an easy and free way of showing your expertise over time.
