If you’ve ever worked with a business coach or a marketing mentor you’ll know how important it is to get crystal clear clarity on the message that you’re sharing.
If you haven’t worked with either of these specialists before, then I’m here to educate you on how important it is to have crystal clear clarity on the message that you’re sharing.
Your message is what you share to invite people to learn more about you, how you work and the results that you deliver.
Your message is what entices people to get to know, like and trust you.
Your message is what you share in everything you do:
💻 Your website and blog posts
💻 Your social media posts
💻 The emails/newsletters you share with your email list
💻 Any online or offline adverts you invest in
When it comes to being featured in the press it’s your message that’s going to inform, educate or inspire people and encourage them to follow you and find out more about working with you.
Here’s why:
➡️ Your message forms the foundation of your news hooks. Everything you pitch to comes back to your message
➡️ Your message helps you explain what you do to the journalist that you’re pitching to
➡️ Your message helps journalists to get to know, like and trust you enough to feature you in their media outlet
➡️ Your message helps you convey the results that you deliver to your clients and therefore the result that you can deliver to the audience of the media outlet you’re featured in
If a journalist doesn’t understand your message then you won’t get featured. Simple as.
💣 #truthbomb time 💣….if a journalist doesn’t understand what you’re message is, they won’t email you and ask for clarification, they’ll simply move on to the next person who has been able to articulate their message and get their point across
When it comes to pitching to a journalist you only get one opportunity to get it right first time. You can’t afford to fuck this up.
Journalists are busy. They’re up against deadlines, they often have more than one feature to write at any one time and the last thing they need is to receive a pitch that doesn’t pack a punch.
(How you write your pitch is just as crucial as your message, FYI. More on that later….)
So, it’s crucial for you to master your message before you even consider pitching your business or your expertise to a journalist.
STRONG MESSAGE + POWERFUL PITCH = MEDIA OPPORTUNITIES ON REPEAT!
As a PR Consultant & Reputation Manager with over 16-years’ experience working in PR, I know what it takes to effectively pitch to the press to get the results you desire.
I’ve seen first-hand how fast a brand can be fast-tracked when you secure articles and features in the media. Not only is your expertise elevated and you’re seen as the ‘go-to expert’ in your industry, but it also elevates your credibility with the journalists too.
(This is also how you fasttrack your way into becoming their #1 Trusted Media Source)
If journalists know they can rely on you to deliver what they need, then they’ll ask you to share your expertise time and time again.
(This has happened with one of our PR Portal clients, who is regularly contacted by a journalist at Fortune Magazine and asked to contribute to her next article)
If they know that you can provide them with exactly what they need, in a timeframe that helps them out, then they’ll ask to work with them time and time again (hello consistent media coverage 👋)
This ⬆️ is what helps you to build media momentum.
BUT….. to build this level of momentum you must first lay a solid foundation to build upon.
Mastering your message is part of that foundation.
❌ If you get your message wrong then you won’t have a solid foundation to build upon.
❌ If you get your message wrong then you’ll spend more time going back over work to correct it.
It really is like building a house. If the foundations aren’t flat then the house won’t be as solid and chances are it may even fall down. If the foundations aren’t flat then the windows won’t fit perfectly and the doors won’t hang very well. The roof will be wonky and it may all fall down.
So, give yourself a head start and make sure you master your message before you start pitching your business and your expertise to journalists, otherwise your reputation will be tarnished before you’ve even begun 😖
BE PLAYFUL & EXPERIMENTAL
Social media is a great place to master your message as you get the chance to receive live feedback from your audience (which is hopefully full of ideal clients!)
The only thing to be mindful of is vanity metrics and also the inconsistent algorithm, so social media *may not* actually deliver the data that you need to make a decision on what your message is (also, don’t get disheartened if you get zero engagement on your posts, that seems to be the norm right now)
On reflection, social media might not be the best place to be playful after all, but as you have access to it, you may as well use it as much as you can to spread your message and see how your audience engages with it
(I’m trying to avoid opening a can of worms here and stop myself from writing a thesis on all the ways in which you can experiment with your message)
The best thing to do?
Start.
Start talking to people and seeing what they respond or react to. This can be in FB Groups you belong to, it could be during networking meetings you attend, OR it could be from a Marketing Manager or Mentor you choose to work with.
IN AN IDEAL WORLD
In an ideal world you would have your message figured out before you invest time and/or money into PR, purely because it will save you time (and minimise frustrations) while you’re learning this new skill.
Once you’ve mastered your message and you know what your ideal clients respond to, that’s when I can step in and help you to amplify your message, by tapping into the ready-made audiences that media outlets provide.
LET’S GO!
If you feel ready to start your PR journey NOW, then I’d like to invite you to join Get Featured! LIVE ‘Pitch Like A Pro’ Bootcamp, which I run several times a year.
During bootcamp you will learn all the tips and tricks you need to secure your own media coverage (without tearing your hair out, overthinking, or spending £££ on an Agency)
In just 7 days you will:
✅ Get to grips with PR and the role it plays in building your business and getting it in front of more of your ideal clients.
✅ Learn how to write your media bio in a way that journalists need (clue: it’s not a 2-page document highlighting how awesome you are) PLUS you’ll hear some insider secrets from journalists at The Daily Telegraph and Forbes.
✅ Learn how to write a PR pitch so that you increase your chances of securing your own media coverage.
When journalists receive over 200 emails a day but only open 3% of them, you need to know how to stand out, get noticed and get featured.
Get Featured! LIVE ‘Pitch Like A Pro’ Bootcamp will be delievered from 13th – 21st May, so why not grab a ticket and join me for only £27!
