For three years, I’ve had a spot on our local CBS station as the local “go to” person for questions about branding, marketing and business. In addition to that Thursday morning spot, any time they need a snippet of information, a quote or a comment, the local media comes to me first. This has translated into statewide and even national recognition as well as articles in national publications such as Entrepreneur Magazine. This didn’t happen by accident. Here’s what you can do to make it with the media. Start in your local market, no matter the industry you are in and become that big fish in the small pond. You can expand after wards. For right now, start solid in your current locale.
Sales without selling
If you “sell” things on the web and also want to be viewed as an expert in your field, then you need two distinct sites. One, has your sales oriented website (selling your products (or you), services, programs or workshops) and the other is your web portfolio. The web portfolio includes nothing for sale on it. The media doesn’t want anyone interviewed who will say “In my book, I cover that” or for more information “you have to buy this.” You will have moments when those opportunities will be provided for you but first you must earn the right to be heard.
In your web portfolio include:
- Current head shot
- Unique value proposition (UVP – what you alone deliver in your unique style)
- Signature story
- Audio/video supporting your UVP
- Testimonials
- Current appearances listed (could be local publications; a talk at a local organization or scho0l)
- Topics that are your expert area
- And, a custom URL that reflects your personal brand
Know what they’re already talking about
Sign up for HARO (Help a Reporter Out – http://www.helpareporterout.com/ ) provided free by Peter Shankman. This source comes out three times a day and lets you know what reporters are “buzzing about” right now and need information about. Think of ways you can translate that to your local market and come up with a THREE topic areas you could talk about.
- Take each topic area and expand it into four points you would like to make about each area.
- Use those four points to create four questions a reporter could ask you.
- Create a NO LONGER THAN two sentence summary (140 characters are better – think Twitter) as to why they need to talk to you about this subject.
Create a one sheet on your area expertise for the media, public talks and positioning opportunities:
- Topic
- Brief Summary (2 sentences or 140 characters – no more)
- Four reporter questions (do not provide answers)
Now, you’re ready to take your passion and propel it into a stellar public performance!
Author:
Maria Elena Duron | chief buzz officer, speaker and coach focuses on helping you move, touch and inspire others to action and speak positively on your behalf at buzz2bucks | word of mouth firm
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[...] first step in crafting your personal positioning vis-à-vis others is to know intimately your intrinsic pros and cons. In other words, your [...]
Maria, this is a new dimension to what I have known already. my fear is that what if there is nothing like “HARO’ in my environment, what do I do and I am not a reporter? establish one ti help them out?
Yinka,
1. I would recommend that you still sign up for HARO because it’s telling you what the majority of the planet is discussing. You will need to do the foot work to “connect the dots” to a local story – but most all of us need to do that anyway. No one cares about national until they know someone, some thing or some company affected by national news.
2. Spend some time on Monday’s from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. CST (or read the recaps) of #journchat on Twitter and on Wednesdays, 8 pm CST visit or read recaps of #editorchat – it’s what journalists and editors from all over the world have on the top of their mind.
3. Use twellow and find out who your local reports are and follow them on Twitter or fan them on Facebook. Follow and see what’s on their mind, what are they writing about and what are their biggest challenges that you can assist with.
4. Create a listening station pulling RSS searches from blogs and news sites in your area so that you can be the source for ‘a local tie in or an expert comment.
5. PIck up the newspaper every now and again and read the classifieds. You can see in the classifieds whose hiring, whose had a recent opening (so potentially there’s a backstory on who had the position) or about the growth, whose coming to your area and what departments/areas are growing. Reading the classifieds is a great way to know what’s happening in a community.