You’ve followed the advice of your social media gurus to be a media darling, found your inner Tweet, created a popular e-book, maximized your SEO, and built a respectable Facebook following, but you’ve reached a plateau?
Let’s not forget that most successful thought leadership strategies get a considerable boost by bridging the gap between the blogosphere and conventional media. Saying it on your blog and getting nods from fellow bloggers is a great beginning, but getting quoted in the second paragraph of a breaking story in New York Times or a leading trade magazine can propel you into a totally different league as a media darling. Bottom line (though we hate to admit it): people care more about what you have to say when you’re quoted as an expert by mainstream news media.
While taking the ‘If you build it, they will come’ approach to blogging may lead some industrious reporters to your door, targeted media outreach can help reporters make the expert connection faster and more often. Here are a few tips we recommend for getting on the inside track with media when and where they need you most:
- Audit editorial calendars for your top trades and regional magazines. Develop pitches far in advance before the editors assign the story. Ask ‘What perspective do I have to offer the story?’ and get on their radar of experts to interview. Avoid self-promotion and stick to a what-I-can-do-for-you approach.
- Subscribe to free daily media query alerts from HARO (Help A Reporter Out) and monitor the leads for relevant stories.
- Keep your eyes peeled for breaking news and contact reporters directly to help fill the second paragraph of follow up stories. Check out best-selling author and social media strategist, David Meerman Scott’s blog with tips on riding the media wave while a story’s still hot.
