RISE #14: How To Get Quoted In The Media Without An Expensive PR Firm

What have you done for the media lately?

Ahhh the media. Journalists. Reporters. Hosts. Producers. TV. Online TV. Magazines. Newspapers. Radio. Big Online Blogs. Small Online Blogs. Medium Online Blogs. Oh my!

But is media coverage important for entrepreneurs? You better freaking believe it.

Unless you hate:

-The possibility your business could be fully financed due to one article.
-People going to your website to buy products/services and find out more information.
-Making your grandma proud when you tell her to tune in, log on (tech savvy granny!) or read an article about you.
-Leveraging one media source to get into a bigger media source.
-Word-of-mouth marketing.
-Possibilities for new relationships and business partnerships.
-Being an expert.

Want some concrete examples (remember, if you want some fluff, go pet a bunny):

Maxine Clark: The Founder and Chief Executive Bear of Build-A-Bear Workshops raised millions of dollars for her business from ONE (yes, one) article. You can hear it directly from her in my interview with her.

“The Millionaire Matchmaker” Patti Stanger: Yes, THAT and then Oprah. It all start with The Rise To The Top *wink*)

While the Maxine and Patti stories included a bit of a magic bullet, the principles are replicable. Media is changing. Eyeballs might be more scattered. But the bottom line is being covered and offering your expertise can generate all kinds of delicious goodness.

Even if the source has just a few readers, those few readers can propel your business.

It used to be to get media coverage you had to rely only on expensive PR firms “pitching” (aka “annoying”) media. And they used…PRESS RELEASES (pause for gasp).

Now we live in a much more connected society. With the rise of social media and accessibility, there is a tremendous opportunities for even the littlest startups and entrepreneurs to get small and big media coverage.

You can do it yourself especially with the wonderfully, amazing, insert-more-positive-descriptive-words sign up on their website and you will start getting three emails a day with reporters looking for sources (kudos on their new great website design launched this week). See one that fits you? Simply reply (and watch today’s episode for tips). See one that fits a friend? Pass it on (karma is always a good thing).

Peter Shankman, founder of HARO, and one of my favorite business heroes of all time and I sat down recently and he gave his tips for being quoted in the media right here.

So, you want to get quoted and covered? Today’s video offers some tried-and-true tips for getting your business involved in the new AND old media world.

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What do you have to do? Simple. Subscribe in the upper right hand corner via email. You can subscribe to daily updates or weekly updates. Whatever you prefer.

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Oh and yes, if you are already subscribed via email you are entered.

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Comments

raptureimage

Hey, another great episode!

Just wondering, what are your thoughts on this, are Marketing people almost the same as PR people or are they completely different? Is this because of Social Media these days? Can they almost be molded into one in some instances?

Thanks man!

David Siteman Garland

Great question.

Historically they are different. Public Relations people "pitched" reporters and were responsible for all things media. Plus other things like sometimes like filtering partnership opportunities, running and promoting events, etc.

Marketing is historically related around getting the message out to the audience. Possibly through advertising. Also through other means such as contests, video, etc.

You can obviously see the overlap here and why the social space has torn down the walls and made it one big encompassing conversation.

PR-speak (the "spin") is dying because we now in the era of authenticity.

Marketing-speak, the brand controls the message is also gone.

Bottom line is firms that understand this and adapt on the fly will win.

Chris @ Rizzo Tees

and gimme that phone!

David Siteman Garland

Hehe, you're entered!

Chris @ Rizzo Tees

HARO has been awesome to me - I have successfully made two press contacts using it. One has already hit the web and was great publicity. The other one will hopefully be hitting in late 2010, and should be GINORMOUS for me.

It is sometimes frustrating when you seem like a perfect fit for a story, you send your pitch, and it's *crickets* - nothing, you hear nothing back. But you can't get discouraged - keep reading it, keep responding to the stories that are pertinent to you, and you will get some press attention!

David Siteman Garland

Absolutely, keep sending them! It makes the ones you get all the more worth it, eh :)

Megan Strand

Hey David,

Appreciate the written summary below the video. Good. Brief. Relevant. Thanks!

David Siteman Garland

Thanks, Megan. Glad you enjoyed it.

monicasmithpgh

Hey Dave most of your videos have been stopping 1/2 way through anyone else have that problem?

David Siteman Garland

Monica - Hmmmm haven't heard that problem. Anyone else?

Roy Naim

Great stuff David!!

Seriously who needs a PR firm eh? LOL.

Ya know, what you provide is awesome and these I things, as a network marketer, that I did not know. I heard of Haro once from your show earlier in the year but never really understood its power. Thank You.

Brief is MASSIVE. Esp. if you are seeking out professionals or people that are looking for answers. They do not want a whole story but rather what can you do for them now.

And my last point, the word expert is being used so loosely nowadays it is hard to see who is the expert or not. So the way I define expert is someone who has the credentials. As Tim Ferris writes, all you need to do is read the top 3 books about whatever you are looking into and go out and speak about it. This is how you build credential and get notice.

Great day!!

David Siteman Garland

Roy and also....

PR firms are great if they are cost efficient and bring a buttload of connections and relationships to the table. But, PR firms are drastically changing in this social environment. Some are dying. Some are evolving. Some are repurposing/rebranding/crying.

All in all, the best businesses that REALLY help their clients will rise to the top ;)

Roy Naim

Yes, definitely showing what you are claiming to be is the best way to become an expert. That is also how you get the credential...sort of a catch22 here.

I do not know much about PR firms but I do know that many of them do not know how to adapt to our current social environment. They are afraid of what is going on and refuse to embrace the change.

So ya, it is those who know what is going on and will use that to their clients' advantage who will win indeed.

David Siteman Garland

Roy -

Keeping it brief, baby! HARO is my favorite resource of 2009 and will be hard to knock off the throne this year.

I would say credentials but actually doing something is far more important. Example:
If you are a leadership expert, you have better led.
If you are an entrepreneurial expert, you have better started a company
If you are a soap expert, you better be able to recite every type of soap in the world, blog on soap, etc.

:)

Noah Fleming

OK back in. Hope I win.
I do think however, you should re-draw from the original contestants :-)

Great episode. Some solid advice there. Cracks me up how bad you want to give that #!*#& phone away!

David Siteman Garland

Noah - Definitely. Problem is some of the data was fishy with accounts being changed and other "gaming". Wanted to make it 100% fair. :)