5 Bad Behaviors That’ll Leave You on a Journalist’s Blacklist

5 Bad behaviors that will land you on a journalist's blacklist
5 Bad Behaviors That Will Land You on a Journalist's Blacklist
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The inbox and the telephone are tools of the trade for a journalist. They can be useful platforms that deliver the next exceptional story or be the bane of their existence. Due to the latter, the journalist’s blacklist was created.

While it’s their job to be open to unsolicited pitches, journalists draw the line at certain behaviors that they will not tolerate. Do one of them even once, and you could get banned forever.

While this isn’t brain surgery, it’s worth revisiting these basic rules for successful pitching. Bad behavior, just like bad pitches, can come from individuals, PR professionals, corporate staff, influencers, or bloggers alike. Don’t be that person.

Here are the top five things that will get you banned by journalists.

1. Lying

Never lie to a journalist. They are smart, trained professionals who will find out the truth eventually.  While this may seem obvious, any of these behaviors will brand you as less than truthful by journalists:

• Outright lies

• The omission of key details

• Withholding information

• Not presenting a ‘downside’ to the story, the product, or the main subject [that you are aware of]

Journalists never appreciate being blindsided or embarrassed when information ‘they should have known about’ comes to light after they have pitched a story to their editor, or even worse when it becomes known about a story that has already been published.

While your initial pitch should be brief, once a journalist has expressed interest it’s time to reveal everything you know about the story or risk being banned later.

2. Offering bribes

Do not offer any kind of compensation for coverage; this includes money, gifts or barter offers. Offering to share their article with your army of followers on social media as an incentive to write about you, your product, or client, is also taboo if intended as a bribe. Gifts of any kind, including an offer of any form of compensation, are against journalism’s code of ethics and will get you shown the exit faster than you can blink.

Instead, pitch a better story, one that they will want to write about. Make sure it’s on a topic that they cover.

3. Pitching the same story

Most journalists prefer or insist on an exclusive on a story.  If you are pitching more than one outlet on a story with the same angle, you need to let the journalist know about this up front.

Don’t pitch the same story that has been covered before in a similar outlet or market, and most definitely don’t keep that fact hidden.

Journalists don’t want to appear as though they have an inside track and like to be the first to break an original story. No one likes to be a copycat.

Instead, find a new angle or an update to your story that hasn’t been covered before. Offer the journalist an exclusive for a limited period, and you will have much greater chance of success.

4. Making demands

There is no situation where it is appropriate to make firm demands or requests of journalists. This includes asking for specific placement, insisting a photo or hyperlink gets included or any other requests.

Whether or not a journalist or publication decides to run a story is at their discretion.

The specifics of what they choose to include in their coverage is totally up to them. Asking nicely, pleading, or hounding the can all get you banned from ever working with them again.

5. Late or missed deadlines

Journalists work on deadlines, and as a reliable source, you want to meet requested delivery dates for information, a quote, or a photo that has been promised.

The worst thing you can do is leave a journalist hanging on a story or miss a deadline by which you agreed to get back to them.  

Not returning calls in a prompt fashion, can also cause them to miss a deadline altogether, which can be catastrophic on their end, giving them a good reason to decide to sever your relationship.

Things happen in life. Perhaps you can’t gather the information they are seeking from you or can’t get approval to use a photo they requested. Let the journalist know as soon as possible so that they can find an alternate source or kill the story with enough time not to leave a blank hole in their publication.

I like to think about how I can make it easier for a journalist to do their job. If you can do that, as well as bring them excellent stories, and follow these simple rules, you don’t need to worry about being banned. In fact, you can develop great working relationships with journalists. You will often see them start to treat you like a trusted resource, seeking you out when they need a source for a story.

This post first appeared on Muckrack.com

How a Nonfiction Author Can Get New Clients From Media

nonfiction author get new clientsFor authors, getting visibility helps put them in front of more potential readers. It also helps put them in front of more potential prospects. Nonfiction authors can get new clients from media coverage; especially if they know how to maximize the coverage that they get. The temptation to spend an interview talking about your book is great. With a bit of thought and planning, you can use your interviews to really connect with your audience, and make the case for why they need to work with you.

Here are my top 5 steps a nonfiction author get new clients using media coverage:

Speak in sound bites
“A sound bite is characterized by a short phrase or sentence that captures the essence of what the speaker was trying to say, and is used to summarize information and entice the reader or viewer,” according to Wikipedia. By speaking in sound bites you grab the reader or viewer’s attention and are able to connection quickly as people have short attention spans. A great sound bite is one that resonates with them and is memorable. It is the kind of content that may inspire them to share it on social media, and could easily fit on Twitter, whose limit is 140 characters.

Tell stories about the big problems you solve
Talk about the big problem that keeps your clients up at night. I don’t mean talk about your process. Tell a story about the big problem a client had, and how you were able to solve it. This lets your reader see themselves in your story, especially if this a problem they have. Your audience is going to think. I need that, I want that solution.

Use third party testimonials or descriptions
It can be hard to speak about yourself, especially in glowing terms without sounding boastful. If you have had a client describe you or your work in a very positive and concise way, then use it in your interviews as this can boost your trust and credibility with the audience. For example, “my clients call me the ‘Publicity Queen and Mentor’ and tell me that I make publicity very easy for them to understand and implement on their own.”  This serves as both an elegant way to state your expertise, while also building additional third party credibility with the testimonial.

Cite statistics
Statistics sound authoritative and are called ‘sticky content’; they are easily shared and journalists love them. It’s even more powerful if you can cite your own survey or statistics. It doesn’t have to be a huge survey of 1000 clients. If 10 out of 20 clients have the problem that you solve, you can state that ‘50% of the companies we speak to are struggling with this problem.’

Use language that talks about the benefits of your solution
Well chosen words can really reach the audience and help make them desire your solution and want to work with you. Again, this is not intended to be a sales pitch but part of your story. The client was happy because our solution was ____________ [fill in the blank]. Great benefits to cover are how you save time, money or stress. Words, like cheaper, easier, faster, better will grab the audience’s attention. Who doesn’t want more results like that in their business.

Don’t be afraid to be a bit mysterious and suggest that the audience will have to get the book to find out exactly how you achieved an outcome, but do tell great stories and give them enough information to intrigue them. Make a specific reference in your interview to your book. For example, ‘I cover this in chapter 3’. That draws your reader or listener back to the book and suggests they get it to read chapter 3 for themselves.

Finally, include an invitation, also known as a call to action. In print media, it’s up to the journalist or publication what they will include it in the article or profile, so it may not be possible;  you’ll want to ask if they can include your invitation. A good call to action can be ‘sign up for my newsletter’, ‘download a free report’ or ‘download a sample chapter of the book’ on my website. When you are being interviewed on radio, podcast or TV you can usually make a call to action. I recommend discussing it with the media outlet beforehand. They will often be happy to segue into your call to action by asking, “If the listener would like more information about your work, what is the best way for them to find out?” Here is where you invite the reader or listener to connect with you, download your content or engage with you on social media.

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Tips for Successful HARO Pitches

Don’t Call Yourself An Expert

Don’t call yourself an expert, even though I know you want to be seen as one.  Saying I’m an Expert doesn’t always feel right – whether you have impostor syndrome and don’t think you are worthy of that title [even though you most probably do deserve to be called an Expert], or you fear being seen as being boastful.

The real reason calling yourself an expert doesn’t work, is because we live in a review or reputation economy. People don’t trust what you say about you. Sorry, that is the truth.

Here is what they do trust, according to Neilsen’s Trust in Advertising survey:

  1. Recommendations from friends and family
  2. Online reviews, recommendations and social proof [high number of likes, huge twitter following…]
  3. The media

Not mentioned in the survey, but they also trust:  Authors

Don’t Try this Trick at Home

i am the greatest

Muhammad Ali called  himself The Greatest, before he even believed he was.

It worked for him, but for 99.999999% of us, we would raise some eyebrows and be thought of as many things BUT the greatest.

To communicate that you are an expert to your network –  prospects, partners, social media, clients, and even your mom….

Don’t Call Yourself An Expert – Do this:

Display reviews, recommendations, media mentions and testimonials prominently on your website, in your social profiles, in your bio… [More about how to do this effectively in an upcoming post]

Let others do the talking for you. It’s much more effective and believable. And it doesn’t feel braggy or insincere as it does when you call yourself an expert.

Here is what this could look like in person. When asked, “What do you do?”  You could respond with something a client has said about you. I might respond as follows:

“My clients call me the ‘Make it Happen Maven’ – I help them get more visibility and authority positioning, and help them become bestselling published authors.”

Not only is it a lot more authentic and in tune with our review economy, it’s a lot more intriguing than saying, “I am an authority marketing and book publishing expert.”

Now, what do you do? Please comment below and let me know!

 

blue-02 Related Post: 5 Ways to Promote Yourself That Don’t Feel Icky

Inspiration From Successful Entrepreneurs

William on stage
I’m still inspired a week later……..and can’t wait to share with you some truly great things…  A week ago I was attending the Entrepreneur Magazine 360 Conference here in New York City, getting inspiration from successful entrepreneurs.

 

It was a very energizing day hearing from a variety of entrepreneurs ranging from:
Will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas to Daniel Lubetsky founder of Kind Bars, Olympic Skier/NFL player/Philanthropist/Entrepreneur Jeremy Bloom, to Reddit founder Alexis Ohanion.

I was inspired, impressed, validated and educated-  I still am, here are some of the highlights and takeaways from the event:

 Are you a Visionary or an Operator?

 success_what it really looks like

Les McKeon gave a great presentation on the journey a business goes through. He demonstrated why:

“You are either a Visionary or an Operator – you can’t be both.”

Will.i.am was intelligent, innovative, inspired, visionary, awesome…. He hardly spoke about music, and spoke more about his company  i.am+  which is going to compete directly with Apple with its wearable tech.

[clickToTweet tweet=”Entrepreneurial ideas come frm fusion = Mixing + inspiration + needs + community.@iamwill ” quote=”Entrepreneurial ideas come from fusion = Mixing + melding inspiration + needs + community.”]

In 2015, everything is going to be wearable and functional. Maybe a jacket instead of a phone.

<<< >>>>

Sometimes you miss major success by 1 Inch

Jeremy Bloom- Olympic skier, NFL football player, philanthropist and entrepreneurs founder of a 100 million dollar company, had a 22 second shot at making Olympic Gold… yet missed by 1 inch. It’s what he did after missing that was so inspiring!

You may have heard the expression Fail Fast. Jeremy gave himself 48 hours to have a pity party. To replay in his mind all the things he could have/should have done differently and then he moved on with his life.

<<< >>>>

Daniel Lubetsky, founder of Kind bars, proves you can be successful and be kind [pun intended]

When you move from a skeptic to an evangelist, nobody can stop you. 

There were so many wonderful ideas, inspirations and insights! I hope these examples have inspired you as well.

One more thing… all these entrepreneurs have one major accomplishment in common. Can you guess what it is?  Please place your guess in the comments below. The first person to post the answer wins a special prize!

Whenever you have the opportunity to be around and get inspiration from successful entrepreneurs, grab it. As Daniel Lubetsky said, “Entrepreneurs are probably the most fun at a party.”

What all the entrepreneurs who spoke at the Entrepreneur 360 Conference  have in common is that they are all authors.

 To your publicity success!

2 Steps to Becoming a Media Darling

Media DarlingToday I want to share with you how to be a Media Darling – A celebrity who is especially popular and who receives frequent and very favorable attention in the news media. It’s easier than you think! Done right, it can have the media seeking you out on a regular basis!

There are two keys to being a Media Darling. Mindset is the first aspect.

Be a go giver and help other people get what they want [journalists] so that you can then get what you want [publicity]

Give journalists what they need. A great story, all the information in a neat package they can just cut and paste from, as well as showing them support and love on their work – not just the stories that feature you.

A recent study by MuckRack revealed:

  •  76% of journalists feel more pressure now to think about their story’s potential to get shared on social platforms (which can be measured with our Who Shared My Link tool).
  •  75% of journalists use Twitter to build their own brand. (And 86% of them check Twitter several times per day.)
  •  82% of journalists said incorporating an image is the #1 important ingredient for content share ability.

So more than ever before, Journalists feel more pressure to get their stories shared. You can show them the love by Retweeting, liking, commenting on and sharing their stories.

This works because it helps the journalist get social proof and positive feedback on their work. It also helps put you on their radar. When they see your comments, likes and re tweets, they view you as a friend, an ally, and a familiar name. When you go pitch them, they recognize your name, associate it with your support and social love, and will give your pitch more attention than other pitches they get. In other words, they are predisposed to want to like your pitch!

Now the Second Part are your media assets. The tools journalists expect you to have. These are an online media room and a press kit.

87% of journalists surveyed in the Tek Newsroom survey 2014, expect companies of all sizes to have an online newsroom.

An online newsroom and media or press kit are great because they make it easier for journalists to write about you. It may be 3 am… they are on a deadline… They are looking for information they can grab to complete their article. They don’t have the time to call you, trade messages and finally get to speak to you. Your newsroom gives them everything they need to write about you – 24/7, even if you are playing golf or sleeping. Its a win-win. They get their story. You get media coverage. Sweet.

The newsroom is also a place to showcase your media coverage. Over time, you will build up an impressive list of media mentions and self-generated news. Your prospects, clients and partners will also use it to learn more about you. The newsroom gives you additional expert status and credibility – as media mentions are perceived like endorsements from the media or a 5 star review on Yelp. Additionally, while your competition may have media coverage, chances are they aren’t showcasing it. If you don’t let people know about it, its like it doesn’t even exist…… If a tree falls in the forest….

Your newsroom can simply be a page on your website that you add content to regularly.

No newsroom would be complete without a press kit. This is a downloadable folder of information about you and your company. It can simply be a PDF containing key information about your company, as well as a high-resolution headshot and high-resolution book cover or product shot [as appropriate].

As many of you know, my passion is creating DIY [do it yourself ] tools that make it easier to do your own marketing and promotion.

One of these tools is my Magnetic Media Kits for Authors.  They come with the standard Jane design – elegant, simple, and no technical skills are required.

Related Content:

 10 Things The Media Wishes You Knew – Before You Pitch Them