One of the subjects that often comes up amongst my clients is how to know whether a media opportunity is right for them.
Just this week, one of my 30 Days To Make your Business Famous course participants wanted to know whether she should share a personal story with the press or not. She had an incident from her past that she was considering sharing in the media, but wasn’t sure whether she wanted to ‘put herself out there’ in that way.
Another lady had responded to a request from a journalist as she fit the criteria perfectly, but wasn’t 100% sure about appearing in this particular publication, as it’s known for sensationalising stories.
My advice to anyone wondering if a press opportunity is right for them, is to have a good think about it before jumping in – after all, with the rise of online media, that saying about today’s news being yesterday’s fish and chip wrapper isn’t entirely true any more. Nowadays if you appear in a newspaper or magazine, there’s a good chance it could end up online, meaning anyone Googling your name will be likely to find that article. And it will probably be quite high up in the search rankings…
This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t say yes to media opportunities that push you out of your comfort zone, you just need to find the ones that are right for you.
How to know if a media opportunity is right for you
1) Forearmed is forewarned
If you’re offered the chance to appear in the media, find out as much as you can about the opportunity beforehand. What kind of interview will you be required to give? Will you need to attend a photo shoot? If you’re appearing on TV, will it be live or pre-recorded? If you’re appearing on the radio, will it be over the phone or will you need to drive to the studio?
2) Do your research
Find out as much as you can about the media outlet. Who is their demographic? Will your ideal client be reading/watching? What kind of features or interviews do they tend to run? Will you be given a grilling or will it be a more light-hearted interview? Will the article run a sensationalist headline? (And if so, do you care?)
3) Think about what you’ll gain
Before carrying out any kind of PR activity, it’s a good idea to think about what you are ultimately hoping to achieve. Do you want to raise your profile? Do you want to build your brand? Do you want to be perceived as an expert in your industry? Do you want to reach a new audience? Then think about whether this particular media opportunity will help you to do that.
4) Is it a good fit?
Is this media opportunity a good fit for you? If your ideal clients are corporate executives who read high-end, glossy mags, will appearing in a tabloid be beneficial to you? If you’re specialist subject is X but the journalist wants you to focus on Y, is this the best way for you to showcase your expertise?
5) Do you feel comfortable with it?
Having a good human interest story helps massively when you’re contacting journalists with your press release. But you need to make sure you feel comfortable talking about whatever that particular angle is. Is it something you need to discuss with your family first? Is it something that you’re happy to talk about to a certain degree, without revealing everything?
When you’ve considered all of the points above, you can make an informed decision. Remember, not every opportunity is going to be right for you. However, if there’s a way that you can make an opportunity work for you, then you should go for it!
Got any queries or comments? Leave me a message below.
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