Every day I encounter people who feel “stuck” when it comes to reaching their ideal audience. We know that the power of media placements can influence, build credibility, and create exposure for yourself and your brand, but even taking the first step to getting more visibility can be very scary creating an opening for imposter syndrome to set in.
Will the media even want to talk to me?
What makes me the expert?
Do I have anything important or of value to say?
I want you to quiet that inner critic immediately and tell yourself this: You ARE a highly credible expert in your field on a complicated subject, and the media wants to hear from you, and therefore, so does your audience.
You, my friend, have a responsibility to share your message with the masses. Read that again. You have a responsibility! Your message and expertise will teach others, inspire others, move others, and invite people to take action.
So if you’re feeling stuck when it comes to expanding your brand and thought leadership visibility, or perhaps you’ve started and aren’t getting the media attention you feel that you deserve, there may be a few factors to consider in order to get back into alignment, overcome imposter syndrome, and get your message out to the masses.
- You Don’t REALLY Know Who Your Audience Is. You may think you know, but do you really know who your ideal audience is? Have you taken stock in what your clients and followers are watching, reading, and listening to? Have you asked them where they get their news and what their favorite podcasts are? Have you defined your ideal avatar by age, demographic, and even location? I say all this because often people come to me telling me they want to be on the TODAY Show, which is great. But my next question is, why? Is that where your audience is hanging out (if your audience is geared towards mothers, then the TODAY Show is likely a good fit. Otherwise, it’s not!). Oftentimes, it’s not. It’s important to not only get clear your audience but know the audience of the media outlet in which you wish to be placed.
- You Haven’t Found Your “WHY” For Getting Media – You have a mission, a message, and a purpose. But have you asked yourself why you want to get your voice out to the masses? Do you want to gain more clients? Increase your brand awareness? Sell tickets to an event or course? It’s important to remember that media placements don’t equal sales. Media placements get you known, liked, and trusted. So if you are looking to sell something, you need to consider other avenues in addition to media placements, such as digital marketing. Take time to journal this and ask yourself “Why do I want to get more media for myself/my company?” You’ll get a lot more clarity in your purpose for doing so, I guarantee it.
- Your Message Isn’t Ready. With a media placement, you have one shot to share your message in an interview and make it resonate with the audience or readers. If you’re not clear on your message and haven’t practiced what you are going to say, you’re more likely to cause confusion and worse – not be remembered! Practicing your message is key, and so is self-coaching yourself, editing your message, and continuing to practice! One of the best ways to get over imposter syndrome is to practice your message out loud, record yourself, listen to the playback, and keep practicing!
- You’re Limiting Yourself By Staying Within Your Comfort Zone – Perhaps you think that you only need to do podcast interviews. Or you only want to be on TV or have no interest in doing radio interviews. Why? You may be missing out on a key audience and market to help you increase awareness, exposure, and credibility for yourself and your brand. I challenge you to get outside of your comfort zone and consider all media formats when it comes to a media relations strategy. And if media placements, in general, seem scary, that is totally normal, too! Go back to my point above about practicing your message and I promise you’ll gain more confidence to step outside of your comfort zone.
- You Don’t Have Time To Conduct Media Outreach Yourself – HINT: If you have the budget, hire a team! Media outreach isn’t easy, it takes time and expertise to both strategically build relationships and have the mindset and understanding to quickly news jump topics that put you in a position of strength. If you want PR to work for you without hiring a team, then you need to carve out time to pitch yourself and make it a priority. Spending even two hours a week on media outreach for yourself is better than none, and a great place to start!
- You Want To Do It Yourself But Don’t Know Where To Start – It can be scary to begin any type of media outreach like this, but we want to help you step outside your comfort zone! Check out Media & Video Training happening this March, and PR 101: Your Roadmap For Media Exposure.
If you haven’t been getting the placements you’ve been hoping for, don’t start second-guessing yourself, just take a step back and think about who makes up your ideal audience, and what types of media that audience consumes. Once you have that, check to ensure your pitch and your messaging are being delivered in a way your target audience would understand and appreciate.
You’ve got this!