THE 9 THINGS I DO AS A PUBLICIST… that you should too!
If you are asking the question “Why do I need a Publicist?” I can bet you money that you do! And not just for the obvious reasons such as my little black book of contacts, but because there are so many stories, angles and opportunities that you will miss simply because you don’t know the rules of the game.
It happens all the time - authors, speakers and small business owners (tuned authors) all too often, launch straight into their marketing campaign with no regard for the process of getting media. And let me clear - there IS a process. Those that respect the process have infinitely more success than though who plough headfirst and work the rest out later, if at all. Certainly, some authors manage to find themselves in a position of securing media hit after media hit, but this kind of thing is a rare occurrence.
And I’ll tell you why. In our motivation to tell the world about your story, we inevitably stumble over our own efforts. We send a blanket media pitch to several outlets at once, we get on the phone and realise we don’t know how to describe what it is we want to convey in two sentences or we send a pitch that is far too long to the wrong journalist. All of these things take up your precious time and energy an only ruin your chances of receiving the coverage you are looking for.
While so much in the publicity game has changed from media outlets shrinking to a twenty four hour news cycle and so much more competition to contend with, one thing remains the same. To be truly successful, not just once but continually, you need to understand how a publicist sees each aspect of their job. You also need to know that it is a combination of these aspects done over and over again that gives them the traction they seem to get for a particular story.
So let’s take look at these aspects and how you can work them into your own marketing effort in a way that is impactful.
Get in the mindset of a journalist: Your inbox is full, you have several deadlines looming and you need to always be on the look out for the next story your readers will love. Instead of writing your pitch centred around you book, find an angle that your book touches on that will relate to their readers and use that as your opus. If you have data to support it, even better! That journalist who finds the email in her inbox that ticks all of the boxes and makes her their job easier…. BOOM, you are on your way to landing some coverage and or building a rapport with the journalist.
Learn the rules of pitching. Any good publicist knows when to pitch, who to pitch to and how to pitch and they keep a running file with these notes in it. Media moves fast, here one day gone the next and and each journalist may have their own preferences. Don’t believe me? Try calling a journalist who only likes receiving email pitches and you’ll see what I mean! Or turn in a story or piece of content beyond their deadline and see how much traction you receive. Don’t get caught up in thinking your story is special, it may be, but not to the journalist.
Google is your friend: While there is no way you could possibly stay abreast of every topic of conversation going on in your area or know every news article related to your topic - Google Alerts is a Publicists friend and saviour. A simple Google alerts set up will help you know where your topic is getting traction and which journalists cover your area.
Media Call out platforms: I subscribe to several media leads services and check them daily. And not just for my clients but for trend analysis. Are there any patterns? What is piquing the media interest at this time? The more I do this the more I can see tie ins that will help me narrow down my pitches further.
Look through a different lens: Reading outside of your market with a view to see how changes affecting other markets can do a few things for you. To start with creativity in your pitching can’t be overstated, but in order to be creative sometimes you need to find your inspiration elsewhere. Secondly, when you are looking through a different lens it allows you to gain knowledge that could affect your own messaging for the long term.
Local vs. National: While we’re on the subject of local media and national media— local media loves a local angle on a national story. Tip: If you can hook your book or service into something that’s going on nationally? Then go ahead and pitch it to your local paper straight away! I am always looking for a local story that ties into a broader national discussion.The media love them!
Don’t be a snob: I’ve had many clients who aren’t interested in getting coverage in their local media but this is a mistake. Sometimes your own backyard is where you’ll find the gold. I love a local campaign, similarly local media love to boast about the people in their area doing great things. If you’r local media doesn’t know who you are, they should! It should be the first place you network with. I’ve had many clients who placed a story in local media only to have a national magazine, TV or radio outlet enquire about interviewing them off the back of that story. And remember how I told you media moves fast? Well your local media contact that you have great rapport with may well end up somewhere more glamorous before you know it!
Make your subject line sing: There’s no time for a weak subject line. I spend time agonising over my subject line to media outelts. They are extremely important. Take the time to craft them well and don’t assume that a journalist will take the time to open your email and read your perfect pitch if the subject line is lazy.
It’s all about relationships: So you placed a story! Congratulations! Now is your time to keep building that relationship and leave a lasting impression. Find the journalist on LinkedIn, thank them for the story they did or make and effort to read some of their articles and comment on them. . Send them a copy of your backlist or new book. Staying in touch means that when something pops up and they need a quick and timely response, they will think of you.
A publicist is so much more that a good email writer. It is the work of someone who creates an ongoing effort to be a reliable source. It’s this set of ongoing practices and attention to details that creates a funnel great mentions, features and even reviews. It IS a process that requires patience and time, but when done right works for you long after the project is completed and the bill is paid.
