Ahh, the media. It’s something that every creative and entrepreneur desperately wants to get in front of.
Ninety percent of our clients come in with no clue of how to gain media attention. So, this week’s blog is going to give all of you nervous Nellie’s out there a few tips on how to get yourself in front of the people who can instantly give your career a boost.
- Media Kit. You will never get anyone’s attention without a media kit. It is mandatory to pitch to the majority of media outlets. Think of your media kit as your resume for the entertainment industry, just way cooler. Be creative. Make sure it represents your brands from the font type to the headshots. This is the media’s first introduction into who you are, so make it good.
- Media training. Before you take yourself onto anyone’s blog, podcast, or television show, you need media training. You have to be prepared for every single question that could be thrown at you. You need to make sure that you are representing your brand mission, brand goals, and brand vision with every answer you give. Media training will ensure that you are ready.
- Research. Guess what? Google is your best friend. You need to spend time every week finding media outlets. The easiest route is to start locally. Find out the names of the journalist and editors of your local publications or the programming director of your local radio station. This is going to take some time and, but you will need to build a list of contacts to gain the media attention you want.
- Networking. When it comes to the media, it is all about who you know. You have to build connections with people. Go to the local networking events in your area and schmooze. Shake the hands and kiss the babies. I know, I know, I know. You don’t feel like it. You’re tired from busting your butt, trying to build your business. The last thing you want is to go out and network. Well, suck it up, buttercup. That’s how this business works. As we say here at D.L.M., no brand is an island. You will need people to move forward, and that includes getting the media attention you deserve. You never know the connections that someone you meet has until you go out there and network.
- Pitch. Okay, so you got your media kit, you’ve been trained, you’ve done your research, and you met someone at a networking event which is a close friend of one of the editors you have on your list of contacts, and they’re going to put in a good word for you. All you have to do now is pitch yourself. This is the make or break moment. This is where everything comes together. Please don’t blow it by being long-winded. You need to use what you’ve researched to build a personal connection, quickly lay out why you would be a good feature for their outlet, attach your media kit, say thank you, and that’s it. This should be three to four short paragraphs at the most, not a novel. All the pertinent information goes in the body of the email, save the fluffy language for the media kit. Do not regurgitate your bio in the pitch since it’s also in your media kit. Make sure to show your personality while still being professional.
- The Follow Up. This is a step that most skip but is so important. You have to follow up. Now, I’m not saying be a bug. Don’t email them day after day after day. No. Send your pitch, wait two to three weeks, and then send a follow-up email. If they don’t respond, then they don’t want you. Plain and simple. Rejection is part of the game, and you need to get used to it. Just mark that pitch down as lost and keep it moving.
- The Stats. After you sent out several pitches, you can see what your stats are. How many respond, how many decline, how many accepted, and how many ignored you. From there, you can tweak your pitch. This will be a continually evolving thing. Even from outlet to outlet, your pitch may change. See what works and what doesn’t and go from there.
Pitching yourself to the media can be scary, but the benefits outweigh any apprehensions you may have. At the end of the day, you have to have confidence in yourself and your brand. You also have to know when you’ve reached the end of the road. At some point, we can only take ourselves so far and will need to get outside help. If you’re at that point in your career, do your research and find a company that fits you, your brand, and your vision.
That’s all I have for y’all today. I wish you luck on your journey with the media. Hope to see you in the magazines soon!