Are you dreaming of massive exposure for your brand?
I’m talking about the kind of exposure that multiplies your audience.
The kind that captures the attention of your most ideal clients.
The kind that empowers you with financial freedom.
You’ve done the hard work of breathing life into your business, and now you’re ready to share it with the world.
The only question is — How?!
How do you get your name out there? How do you stand out? How do you earn the world’s trust?
The answer, my friend, is this: by tapping into the power of the media. It’s not just for celebrities — truly!
Without the media, we’d all live in small bubbles consisting only of our immediate surroundings. And learning how to use it will bring your brand into those bubbles all around the world.
We’ll get to how to use the media later, but first, we’re going to talk about what makes it so essential to the success of your business.
Why is media important?
To answer this question, I’m going to ask another question: Have you seen the internet lately? If you haven’t noticed — it’s getting pretty crowded!
With over 800 million YouTube videos at our fingertips, inboxes packed to the brim with newsletter after newsletter, and conflicting articles galore, the consumer is constantly experiencing information overload.
And because the digital space is so cluttered and noisy, it’s harder and harder to earn people’s attention these days (not to mention their trust). But the media can be a powerful tool in cutting through the noise.
In fact, being featured in respected media outlets can enhance your brand’s credibility and increase visibility to your overarching marketing plan.
You see, people already know and tend to trust media outlets like The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and The Today Show. These are known entities with established and respected brand names. When your brand is affiliated with a big name like that, you’re automatically perceived as a legitimate expert.
And with everyone touting themselves as experts and authorities online, it’s much more powerful (and believable) to have a major news outlet talk about how great you are.
But even if those big-name media outlets are a little out of reach for your right now, there are many smaller media outlets that can be impactful in building influence — like Bustle, Refinery29, HuffPost, and Vox. Even your local morning news show, city magazine or daily paper can create the kind of buzz that gets you known. So don’t pass these smaller guys up; they can be a great place to start.
Media is a crucial avenue for women’s empowerment.
When I talk about credibility and building influence, I would be remiss to gloss over the gender disparity in business, the media, and — well, the world. Unfortunately, to be taken seriously, women have to work way harder than men.
Our society’s patriarchal conditioning makes it much more difficult for an audience to buy into the expertise of a woman. And this isn’t helped by the misrepresentation of women in the media. When we hear about women in the news, they’re generally portrayed through a sexist lens.
For example, we’re more likely to hear about women in stories about accidents, natural disasters, or domestic violence than stories featuring their professional expertise. And a recent study in Canada found that only 29% of sources cited in broadcast news and print were women.
Sigh. We’ve got a long way to go. This misrepresentation of women in the media is a massive roadblock to social change. So my advice to you (and all women) is this:
Speak up, sister. Get your voice heard. As much and as often as you can. The world NEEDS your expertise and your unique perspective.
There are two different ways you can use the media to amplify your message and your brand. Let’s talk about the difference between the two…
Owned media vs. earned media — what’s the difference?
Owned media is content you create and disseminate yourself. Like this blog post you’re reading! Or your website and social media posts. Or that YouTube video you watched this morning.
In fact, did you know that YouTube users upload over 500 hours of video content every minute? People all around the globe are tapping into the power of owned media and getting their unique content out there for the world to see.
That means you have an opportunity to get your thoughts, your vision, and your brand out there on your own — no matter how big or small your business is. It means that the barriers to reaching your target audience no longer exist thanks to the World Wide Web, and you have the opportunity to be your own media company.
Pretty incredible if you ask me.
On the other hand, there’s earned media. And it’s a little tougher to get. This form of marketing is coverage of your brand using organic — i.e. not paid — means. A few examples are:
- Review sites
- Press coverage
- Shoutouts on social media
- And search engine results (hello, SEO!)
Earned media is a great way to build your brand’s reputation — because it uses the influence and platforms of sources the consumer already trusts. A smart plan for growing influence includes both owned AND earned media placements.
Which brings us to the million-dollar question…
How do you get media coverage?
First, you should assess if you’re ready for more exposure. The power of the media can be absolutely pivotal for your brand, and you’ll need to be at a place in your business where you can sustain growth.
I go into this in more detail in another blog post, How to Get Ready for the Spotlight: An 8-Step Guide, but here are a few questions to ask yourself as you prepare:
Are you *crystal clear* on your brand and who it serves?
Do you have an impressive media kit compiled with a compelling message?
Are you familiar with the media outlets you want to pitch?
Have you identified newsworthy pitching angles for these media outlets?
After you’ve done your research and really nailed down the answers to questions like these, you’re ready to start seeking press coverage and pitching the media. If that sounds intimidating to you — don’t worry, I’ve shared some of my tried-and-true advice in my blog post, Top Ten Tips On How To Pitch The Media.
But if the thought of navigating the media on your own still feels overwhelming to you, I’ve got you covered with The Publicity Package. Over the course of six weeks together, we’ll develop the exact tools you need to confidently pitch and engage with journalists, producers, and guest bookers for maximum media placement. We’ll optimize your digital presence, hone your command message, write your compelling copy and develop exact pitching angles that will help you secure media exposure. We’ll also curate a custom media database with valuable contact information specifically to meet your pitching needs.
Let’s get you ready for the spotlight! Email jennifer@shebrand.com for more information.
