Publicity 101: 3 Steps to Becoming Your Own Publicity Guru
August 25, 2010
Sarah Burningham, President of Little Bird Publicity, talks Publicity 101:
I had the chance to speak to a fantastically smart group of Startup Princesses (and Princes!) at last week’s Utah County Chapter Networking Lunch. And what a networking opportunity it was! Since not everyone could be there, I wanted to share some basic tips for becoming your own publicity guru. That’s right – you can be your OWN publicist. Because you have a story – don’t you? And at its heart, publicity is all about the story.
So Step #1 for becoming your own publicist is just that – FIND YOUR STORY.
To be a good publicist, you have to think like a journalist. Every time you try to get media coverage, whether it’s on a blog or in your local paper, you are basically crafting a news story. Your publicity story has to have an angle that’s worthy of being covered by the news media.
The thing that can be humbling is THAT YOUR PRODUCT OR SERVICE MIGHT NOT BE THE STORY. It’s part of the story, but maybe it’s not the whole story. You’ve got to step back and think, if I knew nothing about my particular business? Would I read an article about it? What about my product or my business would appeal to a total stranger?
It might seem easy at first, but it’s really hard to think this way. That’s why I have a job! But the more you read news and think like this, the closer you’ll be to creating real stories about your business. Once you’ve got your story, you’re ready to start researching where to send it.
That’s Step #2 – RESEARCH, RESEARCH, RESEARCH.
Think about your customers and clients. Who are they? Where do they get their news? What blogs are they reading? What sites do they spend their lunch breaks reading and what morning TV shows are they watching while getting ready for the day? You have to LISTEN, you have to WATCH, and you have to READ. The media outlets you find during this process are the ones you want to reach with your news story. Through them you will ultimately reach your customer.
And that’s why it’s critical to do thorough research. Before you pitch anyone, you MUST know what they write about, who they are, and why they would be interested in your story. This the time consuming part of publicity but if you do smart research and find media outlets and reporters who would genuinely consider covering your story, your time is well-spent.
Now that you’ve got your story and you know who you’re reaching out to, you’re ready to actually pitch! That’s step #3 – SEND THE PITCH AND FOLLOW-UP.
I almost always start with an email pitch. It’s easy and non-intrusive. Plus, you can be calculated with what you write. A few things to keep in mind with your email pitch:
- I NEVER send mass email pitches. If you were a reporter and someone sent you and everyone else within 500 miles the same pitch, you’d either be annoyed or think someone else was going to cover it or both. Keep all of your pitches personal. That’s why you did all that research!
- This is not the time to write your novel. It needs to be short and sweet – and by that I mean 2-3 short (very short paragraphs) max. Every word counts when you’re pitching so choose them carefully.
After you’ve sent your pitch, you often have to play the waiting game. If a reporter doesn’t respond after a week or ten days, it’s ok to reach out again. You can do it by phone if you have a phone number, but I recommend no more than 2 phone calls or voicemails total. If you leave a message, keep it short and sweet, just like your email.
But…waiting and sending a follow-up email does not open the door for going back again and again. NO STALKING! In the same way that mass emails make you annoying, stalking is another hint that you can’t be taken seriously. If a reporter is interested, he or she will get back to you after you’ve made 2 or 3 thoughtful attempts at contact. If you haven’t heard back, the reporter is probably just not that into your story. It’s time to go back to Step #1 and find another news hook.
A final word of advice:
Don’t be frustrated if you don’t immediately get a feature. Publicity is a long-term process, but these tips will help you get started down the road to media magic. If you aren’t quite ready to pitch someone, it’s ok to just start thinking about news hooks and paying attention to media in general. That way, when the time is right, you’ll be ready to reach out and get the right kind of coverage at the right time.
Sarah Burningham is the Founder and President of Little Bird Publicity, a full-service boutique public relations and marketing firm that blurs the lines of old and new media to develop creative platforms for business, authors, and brands. She’s also the author of the teen advice books How to Raise Your Parents and Boyology. Visit Sarah and Little Bird online at: littlebirdpublicity.com or sarahburningham.com. You can also find her on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
3 simple questions to simplify success
March 31, 2010
1. What do you do (that gives you joy, because why bother if it doesn’t bring you joy)?
2. Who cares about what you do?
3. How do you get to who cares?
That’s it – three essential, monumental questions for every entrepreneur. Whether you’re a hairstylist or a blogger, a lawyer or a widget seller, it’s the simplest questions that will illuminate the way. I’ve been using this inquiry strategy for years to build businesses and it never fails to light up what the top priorities are.
Like most simple things, you have to examine each question from every angle to fully glean its elegance and power. No matter what stage of growth your company is in, the answers to these questions should drive your daily actions.
Let’s use a hairstylist for example. {I happen to think hair stylists are seriously powerful citizens. You want to firmly plant an idea in the minds of thousands of people? Tell a hairdresser. He or she has the rapt attention of dozens of people a week. Salons are hotbeds of news and inspiration.} Back to success…
ROLE PLAY WITH A HAIR STYLIST
YOUR PRODUCTS + SERVICES. Most entrepreneurs actually “do” more than they perceive. Examine the benefits and the unintended positive consequences of what you give or make. Look for the deeper meaning of the result of your work.
1. What do you do (that gives you joy)?
Stylist says: “I cut hair.”
Me: No, really, what do you do?
Stylist: “I make people feel beautiful.”
Me: Uh huh. You’re getting it.
Stylist: “I’m a healer who happens to give highlights.”
Me: If you say so, then BINGO!
YOUR MARKET. Pay careful attention to who you actually attract … how do the people who buy your services or use your content/product see the world, what do they read, where do they shop, who do they listen to, what are their values?
2. Who cares about what you do?
Stylist: “Humans with hair.”
Me: Could you be more specific?
Stylist: “Women…People who want to look great…Women between 20 and 50 who want the best possible cut and colour for under $100 … and like to talk about personal growth and baking.”
Me: Excellent. That is YOUR market. And the only market you need to care about is your own.
MARKETING TO YOUR MARKET. Effectively accessing your audience means that you’re reaching as much of your market with the least amount of effort. Quality + Quantity + Leverage. Repeat that to yourself before you spend a dime on marketing. Look for leverage points, vocalizers, mavens, influencers to spread the word for you … from the right trade show or celebrity, to the local socialite or class president.
3. How do you access who cares?
Stylist: “With business cards and an ad in the yellow pages.”
Me: Is that how the majority of YOUR market comes to you?
Stylist: “I get my very best clients by word of mouth referrals.”
Me: Whose word brings you YOUR market?
Stylist: “Becky the Realtor tells everyone. Janice is a total maven, she’s sent me at least ten clients. And Josie with the bakery and the flaming red bob … she’s so well connected.”
Me: Great. Give them each a free hair cut and a stack of business cards.
The formula for success is usually so simple it takes some time to really see it. The answers may take a while to find. Keep peeling back the layers until you come to the most elegant truth. Because the truth is what works. Simple.
Danielle is the creator of WhiteHotTruth.com, a motivational speaker, CBC TV commentator, and lead author of Style Statement. She helps entrepreneurs rock their career with her signature Fire Starter Sessions.You can find her on Twitter @daniellelaporte.
How to Get Your Marketing Mojo Working for You
January 27, 2010
Having worked with thousands of creative women entrepreneurs over the years, I see the common trend: you fall into the “safe marketing” place. Doing what everyone else is doing, using the same descriptor words, offering the same types of products and programs…and then wondering why your marketing efforts aren’t paying off with client interest and joint venture opportunities.
Turn your marketing around with these three Marketing Mojo perspectives.
1. What is your Movement? People don’t want to be marketed “to” or “at” anymore. Their days are too busy – they want to be moved. They want stories, passions, reasons to take action. They want hope and solutions presented to them that will change their routines and better their worlds in some way – whether it’s because they’ll change their habits, they’ll heal, they’ll laugh, they’ll be entertained, or they’ll achieve their dreams.
You have to step into your confidence about your passion and create more than a marketing strategy. Create marketing that moves people. They want to work with you or make a purchase from you because they are so engaged, your message is so compelling. They will read your ad or sales page, and they won’t be able to stop thinking about it – or talking about it.
Your movement comes from your own passion – either what has brought you pain or what brings you joy. A mother on my tennis team couldn’t find bottles and sippy cups that were “plastic safe,” so she created them herself. She is passionate about it, knowing that other moms are looking for these too. She is daring to put her passion into a product and sharing it with others too.
2. Give Them A Reason To Care. The world has changed and is continuing to move fast. In our information-drenched world, you have to capture your potential customers’ attention and give them a reason to read what you’ve written, to listen to your teleclass (one of hundreds that is sitting in their inbox) or your pre-recorded audio (where they had good intentions when they signed up, but now they’ve forgotten why they want to take the time to listen – not to mention it’s gotten buried down the list of emails in their inbox), or take the time to watch yet another video on YouTube.
The world wants to hear messages that resonate with authenticity and integrity. Dare to step up and speak your truth about your passionate area of expertise and call people forward to take action on what really matters to them.
3. Find Your Authentic Marketing Style. Let’s face it, not every one is cut out to be Oprah. Having a successful business isn’t about being someone else. The real secret is to know yourself and use that for maximum impact in your marketing. If you are an amazing writer, then ezines and blogging are perfect for you. If you have a great voice, then try audios, an Internet radio show, or a podcast to get your movement out into the world. If you look appealing on camera and communicate well visually, then let your message loose in video. Don’t try to do what doesn’t come naturally to you…lean into your Authentic Marketing Style. People will love it! When they love it, they’ll pay attention. They’ll be moved to share it. And they’ll be moved to buy what you are offering.
Your Work:
Dare to let loose your passion. Create a movement. Go deep. Be truthful. Speak from your heart. Focus on the marketing vehicle that feels right to you and do it well…so well that people talk about it!
Enjoy,
Laura
Laura West is an award-winning online entrepreneur and president of The Center for Joyful Business.
Meet Vanessa Brown- Blogger, Internet Marketer, and Entrepreneur
November 19, 2009
It’s been a pleasure to watch Startup Princess Vanessa Brown of our Salt Lake City Chapter grow and develop her multiple businesses- INeverGrewUp.net (blog), MomsMakeMoneyBlogging.com (membership site to learn to make money with a blog), and AKickIntheBuzz.com (social media marketing company). Vanessa’s organized, resourceful, innovative, and inspiring– a true bootstrapping, “get it done” business owner who demonstrates that it’s possible to make money doing what you love. If you’re on Twitter be sure to follow Vanessa @inevergrewup
Enjoy getting to know Vanessa!
Hometown: Maryland, Virginia, Massachusetts, Texas, Arizona, Utah (we moved quite a bit)
Current Residence (City, State): Salt Lake City, Utah
Education: ‘The School of Hard Knocks‘
Professional Background: I have the cliched resume of dead end, no-brainer jobs, sprinkled in with a few nanny jobs that I loved. Everything changed when I started working for myself and since that has happened I’ve been a writer, blogger, marketer, and consultant helping to promote my own products and those of local businesses.
What you wanted to be when you grew up: A teacher or writer.
What you are: A mother, a writer/blogger, owner of a social media marketing company and of an online membership site to teach others to make money with their blogs.
Brief Summary of your Start Up: Two years ago after having my second daughter I was starting to feel very stuck and empty inside. For my 5th wedding anniversary my husband bought me two years of website hosting fees and told me I should write about something I love, which is what INeverGrewUp.net is. That is when I found the blogging world and soon knew that this was it! Nine months later after learning the social media world I put together for a few good friends (the owners of the restaurant Blue Lemon) a blogger event and signed them up for Twitter, the reponse was huge. My name for social media marketing spread like wildfire so I started my own company, AKickIntheBuzz.com. About six months ago emails, facebook messages, voicemails, neighbors popping by asking me how to start a blog and make money with is started pouring in everyday. Three months ago I launched my MomsMakeMoneyBlogging.com online membership site where I teach women through a seven month program how to make money with their blogs.
Company Website? INeverGrewUp.net (blog), MomsMakeMoneyBlogging.com (membership site to learn to make money with a blog), AKickIntheBuzz.com (social media marketing company)
What inspired you? My husband. When my daughter was born he decided to make his career dreams come true by starting his own business and he did it successfully. He helped me to realize my potential and how to be successful with it.
How long have you been in business? Been blogging for 18 months, owned the social media company for 8 months and online membership site for 3 months.
How did you fund it? My only cost was the design of the sites (averaging $100 each) and my $4.95 monthly hosting fee! I have never spent any money on marketing and have not needed to spend big bucks and instead have been doing things like press releases to gain free press, link building in many different ways, by word of mouth, affiliate programs, article marketing, etc.
Do you have a Fairy Godmother (or Mentor)? I am still looking for “my mentor” although I have a great group of fellow blogging friends that I learn from and bounce ideas off of.
Do you belong to any Business Organization or Networking Groups? Startup Princess and luckily I meet a lot of Utah business owners through my husband’s line of work.
Current Business Challenge? How to continue to get my name out there for my online membership site, MomsMakeMoneyBlogging.com where I teach my members how to make money through their blogs. My membership numbers are growing every month but I am looking for it to grow quite a bit more!
What are you doing about it? I started an affiliate program that has been quite profitable for the affiliates but also in gaining more leads. I have a button they put on their site with certain coding that gives them 50% of the sale per month that I get off of every lead. So it is very profitable for both of us.
Favorite motivational quote: “You’ll wish you would have tried harder when you realize who you really are.” –Henry B. Eyring
Family? Husband, two daughters (two and three) and two dogs!
If so, how do you balance family and business? Recently my husband and I decided that he would take off Mondays from work so I could spend the whole day working. Every other Tuesday my mother helps me with my girls so I can meet with clients. Then I spend 2-4 hours per day Tuesday – Friday working on whatever I did not finish. I am quite a stickler with my schedule, swear by time mapping my week and when I don’t the whole family suffers! When I am with my girls, I don’t do work, I just enjoy them and I love it.
Favorite book? Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl
What do you do to relax? Reading, wasting time on Facebook and Twitter, cooking with my family, hiking with my girls, we try to be outside most of the day.
What do you want to change most about your world? I want to become more financially stable, we are a self employed family and even though we have been so blessed I would love to feel more stable. We are working towards owning a house in Spain soon and living there three months out of every year.
What are you most proud of? That I am more and more getting over my fear of meeting new people, speaking in public and that I have created three successful companies in the past two years.
What advice would you like to offer other Startup Princesses? Believe in yourself, believe in what you can become, take a deep breath and put yourself out there. Don’t hold back, don’t live a life where you “wish” you had done this or that.
Favorite Magic Wand (tool/resource)? The book Time Management from the Inside Out: The Foolproof System for Taking Control of Your Schedule and Your Life by Julie Morgenstern. It is a must read and will be such a huge help to you.
If you could design a tiara, what precious stones would you use? It would have none, it would be even more simple than my thin fake silver wedding band but even more beautiful. It would be made out of the things my girls and I use to make “fairy houses” up in the mountains; twigs, wild flowers and pinecones.
Introducing Melinda Knight
January 7, 2009
Name: Melinda Knight
Hometown: Kingston, WA
Current Residence: Edmonds, WA
Education: Bachelor of Arts in Graphic Design with a Minor in Recreation Management from Central Washington University
Professional Background: After college I worked at a small advertising, marketing and design firm in downtown Seattle for a number of years where I developed my graphic design skills and learned how to run a business from the inside out. I was lured away by higher pay and benefits to two large construction firms as a marketing coordinator spending a couple of years at each. Experiencing high pressure and frustration and wanting to start a family fed my desire to vacate the corporate world and establish a home design company and work for myself. I still have this company, but don’t have a lot of time for it. Two years ago I started another business with my husband where we staff safety professionals on various construction sites across the nation.
What you wanted to be when you grew up: You know, I was a late bloomer, so I’m not sure if I knew or dreamed about what I was going to be when I grew up. I’ve always had a love of animals, so I know I talked about being a Zoologist.
What you are: A sleep deprived, entrepreneurial mom running three businesses and a household.
Brief Summary of your Start Up: Womentorz is an online marketplace similar to Ebay and Etsy where women inventors sell their products directly to the consumer. Each inventor has their store front where they can feature their invention in user friendly shopping environment. Womentorz will give members the marketing and exposure their products deserve.
Company Website: www.womentorz.com
What inspired you: I conceived and developed and invention to the prototype stage, which was a laptop tray that attaches to a recumbent bike that I dubbed the “AttachaTray”. I took my invention to a casting call for a show being produced by Kelly Ripa on TLC in Chicago. Even though I didn’t make it on the show, I met hundreds of amazing women with fabulous inventions who all had one common problem….no way to get their product to market. I came up with the idea of Womentorz shortly after returning from Chicago.
How long have you been in business? I started the business in July of 2009, but the actual site has been in soft launch mode since November 1st with the official launch date being December 1st.
How did you fund it? I used money from our other businesses as well as a line of credit.
Do you have a Fairy Godmother (or Mentor)? Right now I would say my father is my mentor due to his extensive business background.
Do you belong to any Business Organization or Networking Groups? I belong to the Chamber of Commerce, Twitter Moms, Inventor Forum, and Ladies Who Launch.
Current Business Challenge? I find that keeping up with the daily demands of running a business is the most challenging aspect of my life. I have a self-imposed policy in my personal and professional life that I respond to people within 24 hours no matter who it is or what issue is involved.
What are you doing about it? I stay very organized. I have lists for everything, which I continually update throughout the day.
Favorite motivational quote: “When God closes the door somehow he opens a window” Julie Andrews, Sound of Music
Family? I’ve been married for over nine years to Brent a very supportive husband with two children, Payton age five and Rylie age two.
If so, how do you balance family and business? Balancing this isn’t easy and I often feel that I’m depriving my family. When my five year old is in school I can usually be found working with my two year old at my side on the couch. I often get up in the wee hours it being my most productive time.
Favorite book? 25 Things You Can Do Right Now To Reduce Stress
What do you do to relax? I go on long walks with my iPod, a small pad of paper and a pen to write down ideas.
What do you want to change most about your world? I would love to kick the economy into gear. It has caused a great deal of stress on everyone.
What are you most proud of? The women inventors on the site that understand what Womentorz represents. They are so talented, driven and supportive of one another.
What advice would you like to offer other Start Up Princesses? Believe in yourself and your business. If you believe in your product it translates to others and visa versa.
Favorite Magic Wand (tool/resource)? My favorite tools are the internet and social media outlets. At times, however, I miss talking to a live voice, but they are definitely the tools I use the most.
If you could design a tiara, what precious stones would you use? I would add pearls because of the process the oyster must go through to form a pearl is similar to that which someone goes through to form a business.
