Do you need to bring some attention to your business? Getting media mentions is a way to build brand awareness. Pitching and landing media mentions can feel like a daunting, intimidating and expensive task. But it can be done even if you don’t have the budget to hire a publicist. Here are a few steps to take to start landing media mentions:
Develop your story
What’s your story? What do you have to share with the world? Reporters want to tell interesting stories. Figure out what stories about your business are worth telling to get the attention of the media. Maybe you had a successful launch, your customers are raving about your products or you’re doing something great in the community. Put together a few key talking points to pitch and discuss.
Write down your pitch list
List 15 to 20 media outlets that you want to pitch. Think about online publications, podcasts, YouTube channels and other media outlets that cater to your audience. Be sure to tap into your resources. Write down places to pitch where your competitors have been featured. Ask other business owners if they know of media outlets you should pitch. I get recommendations of podcasts to pitch from friends. I also get tips from friends on how to format my pitch. Use your network to land media mentions.
Start pitching
Formulate your pitch template email. Start the email with a little bit of backaground about yourself and your credentials. List brands you’ve worked with and media mentions you already have to show off what you’ve done. Pitch the idea or story that you want to share. Personalize each pitch instead of sending pitches out in bulk. Schedule a time each day where you’ll send out 2 to 3 pitches. This is a task that you can outsource to a virtual assistant after you put together a pitch template.
Follow up
Follow up is key. I’ve got the attention of clients and publications the second time I reached out. The second follow up shows that you’re truly interested in the idea that you pitched. Give it about a week before the first follow up. You don’t want to come off too pushy, but you do want to give the impression that you’re diligent. Pitching and landing media placements takes time. You may pitch 20 media outlets and only hear back from one. Don’t give up!
Sign up for leads
Help a Reporter Out (HARO) is a site where you can sign up to receive leads right to your inbox. Reports go there to submit inquiries when they need sources in different industries. Sign up for HARO to get daily inquiries through email. Respond to relevant requests and you could get a few media mentions that way. Another option for financial experts specifically is Qwoted. Qwoted is a site that connects reporters with experts in finance for articles.
Final Word
Bringing attention to your business can attract new clients and customers. If your budget is slim, you can still get media mentions on your own until you can invest in an agency to handle it. Put pitching in your schedule as something to do every day and you may find yourself featured in one of your favorite publications.
