Ohai.

So at Rhetoric we’re constantly meeting the most aweesssommmeee entrepreneurs and we’re out there networking and chatting as that’s what we’re good at….maybe not chatting all the time, but you know what I mean!

Anyway, I often hear entrepreneurs talk about the media opportunities they’ve missed and wonder why their competitors get mentioned and never them.

My answer is simple – it’s because the journo, producer, TV host doesn’t know you exist and guess what your competitor is doing their own PR or they’ve got someone doing it for them. If your competitor is consistently in the press and rubbing your nose in the dirt then they’re investing in PR. It is highly unlikely that they’re fluking their way into media coverage and the media are infatuated with them so much that they contact them all the time for amazing features unless they’re a super-hot celeb type.

What????

Yup, its true!  And that’s good news for you as it means they’re not so darned special and you can ramp up your game a little and get yourself a bit of a profile too.

Sometimes us entrepreneur types get caught up in our own little sphere of social media hype.  Even if that person with the amazing opportunity that you should have got did know about you they may not have seen you for a while, you hadn’t come up on their feed, they’ve just forgotten, coz, ya know, they’re a bit busy like.

Anyway, here’s my strategy to get yourself noticed, so the cool peeps do know you’re there, that you’re doing stuff that will help them and that you’d love to be approached by them:

Don’t take it personally

If that award win, media opportunity, new partnership or you’ve just been overlooked for something AGAIN, it really is most likely that they didn’t know about you, rather than them being evil/mean/crazy/deranged*

*delete as appropriate 😉

Do your research

So that awesome Instagram site just regramed one of your photos and they haven’t credited you. In a lovely and friendly way drop them a quick line and say hi and what’s happened. Can they get you credited and if not would they like a couple more photos for next time.  Disappointing – Yes. Happens all the time – I’m afraid so.

Just ask

It’s so simple but is one of my own personal mantras and is now incorporated into Rhetoric’s strategic intent (posh, innit!).  The media are always looking for amazing content. They are looking for you and your story. Find out who is writing about your sector, start a spreadsheet NOW, build a list and then when you do have something to announce, hey, you’ve contacts ready and waiting to hear all about your awesomeness.

Pick up the phone

Inboxes of media bods are a little on the full/overbrimming side. If you want some cut through I suggest giving your journo of choice a little call.  Tell them a quick top line on why you’re cool, name drop, tell them about any award wins, say how many Insta followers you have etc, tell them about your cool product/service and why it’s different. And then ask them if they think it would be interesting to their audience.And then stop talking.

No really.

Just stop.

No rambling.

And listen to their response. Ask them what they are working on, is it a good fit, if not is there someone else you should contact and what are their contact deets. Etc etc. Easy 🙂

Hire someone

Oh here we go, Jen at Rhetoric is suggesting you hire a PR Agency haha! Yup, well to be honest I find it so sad when I see peeps entering competitions or doing cool stuff…..and then winning….and then….crickets!

Get someone on board that can get your news out there and quick.

Again, news doesn’t make itself, if you have a well written media release and it’s sent out to relevant media about something that is topical/newsworthy/quirky you could get some media coverage versus nadda.  Your choice, just sayin.

Peace out.