The biggest publicity weapon for a talented professional?
Multiple languages.
It’s not even close. In matter of fact, forget publicity power. The ability to speak and understand multiple languages is the most valuable ability in the history of communications. To break down those barriers and exchange information with people (and potential business) from around the world, that takes talent. I get exited thinking about it.
Spanish? Terrific. The Hispanic market is the fastest growing in the country and being able to communicate and build trust with potential business is invaluable. Here in Florida we’ve got great Spanish speaking media in Orlando and one of the biggest in the world down in Miami
The others? French? We’ve got opportunities with French-Canadian organizations up north. Other European or Asian languages? If you’re offering a product or service that can be made available to potential consumers overseas then, you can’t afford to ignore it.
It’s a talent. And using all of your talents is essential to moving your public relations strategy forward.
The number of media appearances you can get with an extra language? If you speak Spanish are they’re doubled. Speak German? They’re tripled. Speak Mandarin or Russian? Well, I’ll advice you how to approach and pitch.
You’re unlocking a completely new part of the world, and one where the possibilities for success are in some areas, less competitive. We live in a country that drives the conversation for the rest of the planet.
I’m heading back to my French pronunciation workbook, and you’re picking up the phone to interrupt with your story and the extra languages you speak!
Multiple languages mean more media markets all over the world!
Television appearances are great. They reach huge audiences, look great on websites, and if you’re booked and have a great segment. It’s a publicity touchdown.
Yeah, television is a lot of fun and I’ve had clients with no previous media coverage say “I only want television” and when month’s go by and they haven’t gotten booked, I’m mailing they’re retainer back. What happened?
They didn’t have the print publicity from the newspapers, magazines, and blogs to pass the vetting process for television.
The perfect publicity clip book has diverse coverage from television, radio, blogs and yes, print media. It’s unfair but interviews for print publications have been viewed as more of a publicity field goal than a touchdown.
Print publicity is just as valuable as television and here’s why:
A complete audience in your market: Let’s use my Orlando market as an example. If you’re doing a media hit on channel 9 at 11pm, that’s great. But, everyone in Orlando doesn’t watch channel 9 news, some watch 13, 35, 6, or 2. They’ve got regular viewers that watch that specific broadcast. They might miss you.
We’ve got one newspaper in Orlando. The Orlando Sentinel and everyone reads it. Including readers that don’t always watch the channel that your interview is being aired on.
It’s an interview that sounds like a conversation: You can relax! Ums, uhs, and “can you repeat that?” are okay and doesn’t ruin coverage like a bad television segment might. Get comfortable, take the interview in sweat pants for all I care, just provide value to the reporter. A calm environment means a better interview and building a stronger relationship with the journalist.
Print reporters love strong sources too: Speaking of relationship building, print reporters are often working a certain beat. If you’ve established yourself by providing them with good content and are easy to work with, they’ll go to you again in the future.
Better content and showcased sound bytes: Print will often cover more ground with it’s stories than a television hit. You’re also being quoted so, if you’ve got next level information or a potent soundbyte, it’s going to drive the point home with more emphasis.
It’s disappointing to see print coverage not getting the love that television receives. In the age we live in with reputation management and an audience that pulls it’s information from different places . It’s more important than ever.
Yes, print publicity is just as valuable as television.
“Don’t start a company unless it’s an obsession and something you love.”- Mark Cuban
That’s a great quote and it’s true. I’m obsessed with publicity and politics. And if you’re seeking out publicity to tell the world what you do, then you’re probably obsessed too.
That means working long hours, dealing with trial and error operations, and taking a ride on the business roller coaster. Ups and downs, good times and bad.
This is especially true when you’re trying to get publicity. It’s like nails on a chalkboard when I hear clients trying to pick apart an appearance by complaining why they’ve got to get up early, or why they can’t get an exact time the newspaper will be calling.
The truth is, you’re using the media to take you to the next level of your field. To establish yourself as a top tier player in what you do. You must be flexible and easy to work with to make that happen.
Being available on short notice is also a must. Unless it’s a magazine or blogger, the journalist working the story only finds out what their working on the day of, or the day before the assignment is expected to be completed. This means you must be available within a few hours notice.
A lot of your competitors won’t be flexible, especially in your upper class professions. They’ve got appointments, or other professional obligations that keep them from taking the interview.
They’re loss, you’re gain. Shift the appointment, take the opp. You’re obsessed remember?
Open availability will make you the media’s “go to guy”, and that earned coverage that trumps paid advertisements any day of the week, and twice on Sunday (organizations will rerun good features if it’s a slow day). This means more sales, more clients and using your obsession of what you love, to take you to the next level.
When you're doing what you love, this sign should be blinking in your head.
It happens all of the time, it’s part of the news and media business.
You’re getting ready at home, you’ve got your best suit or new dress on, and your cellphone rings. “Oh it’s the nice producer/reporter/Manager calling. They are probably calling to make sure I’m on my way”.
It’s not that kind of call. It’s a different kind of phone call and the worst kind you can receive in the publicity business. “Hey buddy, we’ve had this breaking news and we won’t be able to use you today…something, something, something….thank you”
The rest doesn’t matter and there is a sense of rejection there. I’ve made the phone call plenty of times and it doesn’t get easier however, I warn clients when they’re booked each time. “Don’t thank me until the interview airs or until the paper hits the stands”
The 24 hr news cycle is a both a gift and a curse to getting publicity for clients. It’s a gift because there is a hunger for every kind of expertise out there to fill the time and provide great content to the audience.
It’s a curse because a bigger story can come along anytime and get your appearance cancelled.
If you plan on doing a lot of work with the media, there is one thing you have to know. You WILL eventually be bumped. It’s inevitable. When it does happen remember this.
Don’t go nuclear:Want to make a bad situation worse? Completely go off on the person giving you the bad news and let them know how incredibly inconvenient this is and why they’re wrong for abandoning your cooking segment for that fatal car pile up on the interstate. Then scribble out that media contact because there never going to call you again, and enjoy your new reputation…as a diva.
It’s not personal: These things happen and while you may have rearranged your schedule and done a lot of preparations for you appearance, there will be other opportunities. Thank your media contact for the call and let them know you’re available down the line.
Your pitching techniques are working!: This is a big because, you’ve managed to get someone’s attention and you’ve been booked. That’s what the game is all about! It’s proof that your relationship building, branding, and reputation management efforts are paying off.
You’ve gotten booked once, you’ll get booked again. Keep your head up. This is how the business works.
When it became the acceptable for mainstream media to use Skype for television and web interviews it was a huge victory for anyone trying to establish themselves as an authority in they’re respective field.
Think about it. No longer being confined to one market, no longer having to lose opportunities to lesser qualified colleagues because they happened to be in the city where their input was needed. Panel discussions with Skype participants added a hip “techy” dynamic to a broadcast. Being out of town no longer meant you had to turn down an appearance.
Skype means always being available and if you don’t have an account, get one because this is where the business is going.
In the past it was easy to be skeptical about a Skype interview. Slow internet connections meant poor audio. Crappy webcams meant looking like an egghead. The whole interface was unreliable and awkward.
Times have changed and now with better tech, you can have high quality video, you can have crystal clear audio. You can have the 2nd best experience to actually being in the studio, on your side and it helps me book.
Now some quick pointers for a strong Skype showing.
1. Try to replicate a studio environment: Look at your environment. Make sure it’s well lit and pay attention to what’s in your background. You’re not in a studio but do what can to make it look professional.
2. Earbuds and Mic: Don’t count on the onboard mic and speakers on your 9 year old Gateway. Spend a couple of bucks and buy a pair of earbuds to make sure you can hear and an external clip-on mic to be sure you can be heard.
3. Strong internet connection: If you’re in a location with a sketchy connection move to a better location. If you’ve got an aircard, use it. The interview shouldn’t take very long and won’t do dent your data allowance too much.
4. Look good and put on some pants!: So you’re not in the studio, you’re not shaking hands and meeting producers and reporters. You’ve still got to look good. Shave, cut your hair, put on a nice shirt. Ladies, put on make up, wear something nice and get your hair did (that’s how it’s said right?). Bad interviews with poorly groomed guests will actually set the Skype platform back and we don’t want that.
Skype is gold and now that the media is using it, it means more appearances and more opportunities to reach your publicity goals.
Skype is the future and part of a successful publicity campaign
Earning media coverage, doing a great interview, providing value in what you say, it’s all part of a good publicity strategy that will help your business. But, what are you doing after the interview is over, after you’ve hung up the phone or driven away from the station?
Are you putting that coverage behind you? Letting it be and forgetting about it?
If you do then your shortchanging yourself. Recycling your media coverage is absolutely necessary to have it seen by as many potential clients as possible. After all, it’s a 2 to 8 minute interview in which you have zero power over how it’s presented, when it’s aired, and who’s at home to see it. Take advantage because, you never know when another opportunity (if any) comes along again.
So how do you do it?
Use your DVR!: If it’s on television, please DVR your appearance. I record all of my clients appearances but, if you’re on your own then you must tape your interview. Don’t have a DVR? Ask a buddy. If you don’t have a close relationship with someone at the news organization, please don’t ask for a burned DVD. It reeks of inexperience and there already on to their next project. Don’t make them go back and do something you should be doing yourself.
Put it on Youtube: Remember how valuable YouTube is? You’re not going to have any control over when your interview will air. Put it on YouTube, embed it on your website and lead your audience to that recent footage.
Getting the most out of print coverage: TV gets all of the glory but, print media is just as valuable. Almost every publication publishes online now. Drive your web traffic to those terrific articles by linking to them from your website. This will convince the Google gods that the article is relevant. This pushes the article up in the search rankings and strengthens your reputation online.
Are you getting the most out of your media coverage?
Evergreen:a story that is not reliant on a deadline and stays relevant for an indefinite amount of time.
Pros: The pitch doesn’t revolve around a one particular event or a set of circumstances. This means that the media can wait until it’s a slow news day and take a good look at it. Evergreen pitches are ideal for monthly or quarterly publications because their readers can take an interest in the article months down the road. Evergreen pitches usually make for better storytelling because there’s more time for interviews, research and follow-ups. Television Evergreen stories can run several times, reaching a larger audience.
Cons: They have a tendency to be soft. I hate pitching soft news! Because there isn’t a hard timeline involved they can sit in an inbox for weeks.
Advice: Make your Evergreen pitches, in person, after you’ve built a strong relationship with the news organization. If it’s a profile piece (shudder), only pitch to editors that have asked for that kind of material. Do your research and reach out to publications that specialize in what your client does.
Evergreen stories are often the centerpieces of a client’s PR portfolio. The specialized material and storytelling dialogue make terrific publicity. The video footage or photography is often flattering and translates into marketing gold.
If a journalist picks-up an evergreen pitch, have some food delivered to their office or at the very least send a thank you card. They just helped your business.
Facebook, Twitter (if you don’t have an account, you should), Google (remember when the answer wasn’t always at our finger tips?)
My favorite website is Youtube. I love it, anything you’ve ever watched in your life just a short search away. Where else can you watch complete non-sense like this.
The publicity power of Youtube is unlike anything else on this earth. There is no other resource that can create a national sensation out of a lot of people that have a lot less to offer than you do!
Alright, down to business. How do you effectively use Youtube as one of your publicity weapons.
1. You should pepper your website with embedded video: You’ve got to have a media section on your website and it should feature embedded Youtube video. If you’ve earned coverage and it’s less than 30 days old then it should be on the front page of your website. You should always be making your case that you’re the authority in your field.
2. Tag and Title: No, not like the ones you have on your car! This ties into good SEO practice. The more effectively your name your vids and use relevant keywords on the topic, the more love it will earn from Google and the easier it will be for people to find. Don’t overlook this!
3. Make sure every commercial or how-to video you’ve made is feature as well: This is a publicity blog but, don’t forget about the commercials or how to videos you’ve made in your past. Remember, you’re building a house and a demonstration of your ability is the foundation.
4. Links to your website should be everywhere: As much as I love it, Youtube is still not your webpage. Make sure you’re web address and links are readily available on the video (will go over graphics later) and in the description of the vid. Funnel web traffic to your website! This is also honest link-building and it will help you climb the Google search ladder.
5. Distribute your video…but don’t be obnoxious: It’s important to post your videos on Facebook and Twitter but don’t shotgun blast 20 videos to your friends, followers, and subscribers in 10 minutes! It’s an express lane to the ignore, unfollow, unsubscribe bin. If you go on a media blitz and do 10 interviews in a week then roll out the time sensitive topics first and then the evergreen videos over the next few days or even weeks.
6. When the media passes on your pitch: It happens. The media doesn’t work for you and they’re not going to run with every pitch you’ve got. There is no need for that idea to go to waste. Get out your camera and take your message directly to the people. It’s far from defeat and if your message has got real value, a self produced video can be almost as valuable.
I love Youtube, and you should too. It’s too valuable to ignore!
You’ve heard the phrase or something like it. “There are two different perceptions of a person, how one sees them-self and how the world sees them”
It’s an exiting exercise of self discovery. If your doing an honest self evaluation of your behavior and image, how close will it line up with how world sees you?
This a fun topic and today we’re going to go over building and maintaining your image, and how it affects your brand. Let’s ask some very important questions.
Are you dressing the part?
Your look should make an impression of who you are? In photographs, your clothes, personal grooming, and body language all broadcast to your potential clients or customers, who you are. Small accessories should strongly accent your attitude. When I’m talking to clients about building their image, it boils down to one important question that ties into the opening sentence of this post.
“How do you want to world to see you?”
Does your image work with what you’re doing?
If you’re a doctor trying to publicize a technique or study, you’re working on, then you’re not going to want to show up to an interview with torn jeans and a tattoo sleeve. It works the other way around, if you’re an artist or someone who works in a shop with heavy equipment, then don’t walk around looking like Don Draper from Mad Men.
There are marketing exceptions but, unless your launching a campaign and being a stylish alternative to others in your niche, it’s going to be difficult to be taken seriously.
Are your marketing materials in sync with your image?
Take a look at this….
I love that commercial. You get the point. T-Pain, (the gentlemen in the commercial) didn’t fit in with the company’s brand. Their product completely conflicted with T-Pain image. Could you imagine a computer with T-Pain’s face on it?
The same goes with your products and marketing materials. Your website, literature, and swag all need to have your influence on it. If it doesn’t then your shortchanging yourself. Your image doesn’t lie solely on your appearance, it should be reflected on everything you market.
Throw away the Cookie Cutter!
You must stand apart from what others in your field do. If you don’t then your just another fitness trainer, just another attorney, just another college professor. When the other people in your profession zig, why not zag? Don’t be afraid to be daring and innovative!
After all is done, make sure your still true to yourself!
One of the more fascinating stories about branding this year was from singer Lana Del Ray. The controversial vocalist use to go by the name Lizzy Grant and sported a completely different style. Unhappy with her progress, she completely changed her image. She allegedly went under the knife, changed her clothing and her personality.
The Lizzy Grant- Lana Del Ray scenario was unfortunate.
What happened next? She went on SNL and had a really bad night.
This brought up questions about her history, which led the mainstream to her transformation, and an argument over her singing ability. She’ll survive and has actually gotten a lot of attention but, the “Rebbeca Black” kind of buzz that’s made her a punchline rather than a marketable talent
What does this mean? It means at the end of the day an image is just that, an image. It can be photo-shopped, copied, cropped and blurred. But, under it all the real you is still there and it will be your knowledge and commitment that ultimately makes you successful.
Where’s your website? I like to look at it as they describe to me what they do, and what they’re all about.
This is non-negotiable. You must have a website that showcases what you do, to the rest of the world. No, a Facebook page, or Twitter account won’t do. Those should be social media extremities of your website. They should drive traffic there and answer any questions that potential business, or in this case reporters might have.
It’s the first, and often only impression you’ll have a chance to make, so it’s important that it does you justice. It’s a container of your talent and when pitching a reporter from a trade publication across the country for a phone interview, it’s as close as they’re going to get to reaching out and touching your work.
It establishes credibility. After all, if you don’t care enough about your work set up a website, then why should anyone in the media speak to you?
Pet owners dedicate websites to their dogs. College students have pages stood up, to document their partying. You must have a website to create an identity online. Without one, you might as well not exist.
If dog lovers can set up a website for they're dogs, you can do it for your business.
There will be much more on this topic but I’ll cover some of the basics of what your website will need before you can make serious pitch to the media for coverage.
1. A media page with video, podcasts, and print clippings/links of coverage you’ve already received: If you’re a media “noob”, a page with your professional credentials must be predominantly featured instead. You’re to convince the media that your a legitimate authority in your field.
2. Search Engine Optimization (SEO)- Hundreds of books have been written about this and it’s a funny hybrid of art and science to make it effectively work. More on this later.
3. A memorable domain name!: Simple but memorable. Clever but not so clever that it throws off someone that is looking for you. Example: stampcollectorfromkalamazoowithmadskillz.com won’t cut it.
4. It needs to look good!: If you can afford to hire a designer, go ahead but your website should at least be as nice as this one. Generic layouts are junk. Your website is your virtual home and there should be a touch of your personality in it. Make sure it’s visually pleasing and easy to navigate.
5. A head shot or promotion picture of yourself: Newspaper write-ups, magazine articles, and radio shows will ask for it. Make sure you’ve got a nice shot of yourself, that can be copy and pasted on whatever they need it for.
Guys, I can’t stress enough, how important this is. If you want to Pitch, Book and Sell, this is an absolute necessity.
