If you're a product based business, service based business or blogger... you KNOW how important getting press can be for your brand. One major media mention can completely turn your world upside down, in a good way!!! If you don't already know, check out THIS post.
So today I'm giving you a few tips to get your brand some serious press to make sure you're on the right track. Read this post and you're already ahead of the game because you'll no longer be pitching like a newbie. I got yo' back babe.
P.S. Make sure to snatch my free cheatsheet to help you get started with press HERE!
1. TARGET PUBLICATIONS RELEVANT TO YOUR BRAND
This may seem obvious, but it's SO important. Too many people overlook this step when it's probably the most important one. A men's sock company is wasting its time pitching to a children's publication or a women's fitness magazine (unless they're doing a story on the top 10 gifts for Father's Day).
The last thing you want is to be wasting your time pitching some killer stories to a publication you don't even have the tiniest chance of getting into. Because let's face it, pitching can take some freaking time and our time is valuable yo!!!!
Action Item: Pick 3-5 publications you KNOW are relevant to your brand. Magazines, TV segments, major websites, blogs etc. with an audience you KNOW are your ideal customers. Now focus only on reaching out to those publications for now. Quality vs quantity couldn't be more relevant here peeps.
2. CREATE A STORY, NOT AN ADVERTISEMENT
Wakeup call... magazines aren't going to feature you because you want them to. You have to give them something they WANT to publish because they know their readers will love it. In case you didn't already know, editors DO NOT want to write a story that sounds like an advertisement.
What do they get out of this? The relationship needs to be mutual, you have to give them a narrative that fits in to their publication, a story that sounds natural and interesting.... and your product, service or blog just happens to fit into this story.
"Our new lipstick is the perfect addition to date night. Completing your outfit with one application." Is an advertisement.
"With names like; Bold Bitch, Confident Babe and Superwoman... our new lipstick is sure to give women the extra boost they need for date night. Every bathroom touch up gives you the confident to rock the night with your man when you apply your forever lasting perfect shade." This is more of a story than an advertisement.
Now that's an interesting story that could be written from so many different angles.
Action Item: Find YOUR story. We all have one, whether you realize it or not. Take the next few days to figure out what yours is and write it down for safe keeping.
free press cheatsheet
Click HERE for my cheatsheet on how to get press.
3. MAKE NICE WITH THE EDITORS
Become familiar with the publications you want to reach out to and find the editors writing similar stories. When you think of reaching out to a major publication like Cosmopolitan magazine... it can seem pretty f*cking intimidating. But when you think of finding one person that works for Cosmo and being able to reach out to them, it doesn't sound so daunting.
My guess is you're following hundreds, if not thousands, of people on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. Start filling your friends list with editors, reporters, producers, etc. and get them to notice you.
Sure you can pitch to someone who's never heard of you, but wouldn't it be awesome if they already knew who you were BEFORE you pitched them?
Get them to notice you online and become familiar with your name or brand. That way, when you do decide to reach out, you're already ahead of them game because they know EXACTLY who you are.
Action Item: Next time you're reading Cosmo (or whatever publication), look to see WHO wrote which stories and make a list. Then go find them on social media. As long as their accounts aren't set to 'private' go ahead and give them a follow, then start commenting and liking their posts when they pop up in your feed.
4. BE AWARE OF TIMING (MAGAZINES!)
That new swimsuit you just designed is pretty bad ass, you know it and you want the world to see it. Awesome, we want to see it. But make sure you're reaching out to magazines at the right time. Because it's summer right now, you think it's the perfect time to pitch... you're WRONG!
Magazines work on their editorial calendar at least 2-5 months in advance (depending on the magazine). If you're pitching a summer product in the beginning or middle of summer, sorry to burst your bubble, but it's already too late.
You have to always be thinking ahead. You should be pitching summer products anywhere between February and May. Don't miss a great opportunity simply because you were too late to the game.
Action Item: Figure out the time(s) of year your product would be best received and pick a time that's 4 months before that, circle the date. THAT is when you should start pitching to magazines.
5. WRITE THE STORY FOR THEM
This is probably my favorite tip from today and I think is the most effective. Make the editors job easy by writing the story for them. Make it as simple as possible for them to literally copy and paste your pitch.
I find that when I write a pitch that includes bulleted lists, quotes and strong statement sentences... they literally extract those specific points and include them in their story. Less writing for them, right? This makes their job super easy.
They don't want to get your pitch and rewrite everything, they want to receive a story that's ready to go (with a few minor tweaks). It takes a lot of time for an editor to go back and forth with you because they need more quotes or more concrete facts. Include all this info the first time and I assure you, they'll love you for it.
I don't know how many times I've pitched a story where the editor literally copy and pasted directly from my email. I love that for two reasons: I get to control what's written when I write it myself and the editor is likely to come back to me because they need a source for a story at a later time (simply because they know I can give them juicy, usable stuff).
Action Item: Next time you send a pitch, be aware of what you're writing and be strategic by placing quotes, facts and statements that are ready for print.
Click HERE to snatch your free cheatsheet and start getting press ASAP!
If you want to start taking your press strategy serious, make sure to enroll in my free email course HERE.
-Linds
Professional Gangsta Boss
Lot801 Marketing