You might hear a new brogue in this week’s episode of SUCCESS Line. Conor, an Irish entrepreneur with a Ph.D. in neuroscience and psychology, is the subject of my conversation. He’s been producing articles to distribute free information online, but he’s becoming irritated with his low viewership.
He’d like to grow his readership and have his writings featured more prominently, but he’s not sure how to break through the over-saturated media scene.
It’s a convenient excuse to say, “There’s too much competition, and no one will listen to me,” or “I don’t have a large enough following.”
These are arguments for not doing the work necessary to determine whether or not the assertions are true.
Of course, the media is overflowing with information. However, there is a severe scarcity of quality content.
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Don’t let yourself off the hook with false excuses; I’m here to hold you accountable. Marketing is an important aspect of your craft. You must be willing to go out into the world and tell people about your art, whatever it is.
If you’re not sure where to begin, here are my three main ideas for getting mentioned in the media.
1) The Media is in the Interest Trade.
The media is in the business of capturing people’s attention. You must position your knowledge, thoughts, and material in a way that corresponds to what attracts attention. One of the simplest ways to do so is to connect your knowledge to a current event in the news cycle or to a topic you know your audience is interested in.
If you want to be featured in an industry publication, you must customize your pitch to the audience of that publication. Most news organizations are in desperate need of new content, but it must be clickable.
This isn’t to suggest that accuracy isn’t important—it is—but it can’t be your main focus. Attention is the most important factor in getting your work published in the media.
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2) The Media is More in Need of You Than You are of Them.
Yes, it’s true. Every month, week, day, hour, and even minute, media outlets must provide new material. They’re anxious for specialists who are qualified and trustworthy to contribute to their platforms. Even if you feel like you’re just one of many creators, keep in mind that these channels require you and your experience.
Consider how you may establish yourself as a credible expert who can pique your audience’s interest. You will become an important part of their outlet if you can increase the number of people who visit their website.
3) Relationships are Important in the Media.
The media, like everything else, is all about developing relationships. And the greatest time to form a bond is before you need one. Before you ask someone to assist you, think about what you can offer or how you can help.
Reach out to the folks with whom you’d like to form bonds and offer to assist them with no strings attached. If you do this often enough—and in a genuine way—when you need support, these folks (now likely friends) will be delighted to provide their advice, expertise, and connections.
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Be of service first, whether it’s assisting with editing, offering social media strategy, or capturing images. Relationships are a golden ticket in the life of an entrepreneur, and this is especially true when it comes to getting your work published in the media.