Tips from My Chapter of the NSA book PAID TO SPEAK
Since 2001, I have given an average of two national media interviews a week to promote my business, interviews with everyone from Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, The Today Show, Good Morning America, CNN, Fox News and hundreds more.
Since 2001, I have given an average of two national media interviews a week to promote my business, interviews with everyone from Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, The Today Show, Good Morning America, CNN, Fox News and hundreds more.
Media
sources are looking for experts they want -
·
Someone who can relate his or her topic
to current events, hot companies and products that are in the headlines and
high in people’s Google searches. And someone who can relate their
stories to Politicians, business leaders, Fortune 500 companies, famous people,
who are currently in the media spotlight. You also need to know on any
given day what other experts in your field are saying about your subject
expertise.
·
Someone who responds immediately. Have a
smart phone and check it often. If you get a call and I have lost big
opportunities because I didn't check my emails or texts for just a few hours.
·
They need you to be ready NOW! The media
are extremely hard working people, their deadlines are tremendously tight and
they are under enormous pressure to find a good source quickly. Print and
online media typically needs an immediate answer and broadcast media typically
gives you a few hours’ notice before your interview.
Every
day people you meet will tell you what your company represents to them, potential
media pitch points you can put in press releases and how to prepare for your
media interviews. You just need to listen. If you speak to someone and
they ask you a question, write it down, and research the correct answer and
craft your response and have it ready for the media. If you are at a
networking event and someone makes a comment about your topic, product or
company that is incorrect write down their statement later and ask yourself how
you could state the information correctly or put their statement in the form of
a question as if a media person asked it. For example, my cousin is an expert
on coal mining and is the general counsel of the coal mining industry. He often
has people share with him how horrible coal mining is for the environment. He
keeps notes on all the statements as well as the questions he is asked and he
makes sure he and anyone else that speaks and does media for his company has
the latest research findings on coal mining’s effect on the environment,
what the industry does to positively affect the environment as well as how the
industry effects the costs of energy and builds jobs and is specific positive
economic impact. It is clear when he talks he is the expert. He knows
what he is talking about and he speaks passionately about it.
