Pitching and being featured in the media can provide numerous benefits for individuals, businesses, and brands. It can help increase visibility, build credibility, reach a wider audience, establish thought leadership, and boost overall brand recognition.
Stephanie de Montigny, owner and artist behind Pure Natural Portraits is no stranger to being featured in the media.
“In my 12 years of business, I have been featured on television & in local newspapers for my special events, guest-posted on international & local websites for my fields of expertise (parenting, photography, business), and often speak at events on the behind-the-scenes of running successful businesses. My niche is raising babies and businesses at the same time; keeping my features relatable and relevant is just as important as the content, and even more important than talking about my portrait studio.”
Here are Stephanie’s top 3 reasons you need to get featured in the media:
Boost Your Reputation: Getting featured in the media boosts your business’ reputation and your credibility, making it more trustworthy and reliable in the eyes of customers. It’s like having a stamp of approval from a respected source. This is THE biggest advantage above paid advertising!
Reach More Clients: Media coverage introduces your business to a wider audience, reaching potential customers who might not have heard about you otherwise, and increases brand awareness. It’s like shining a spotlight on your business, helping it grow locally and even internationally with the right outlet.
Stand Out & Increase Sales: Guest-posts and special features give you a chance to show off what makes your business special. By showcasing your unique strengths and offerings, you’ll catch the attention of more customers, leading to a potential boost in sales. Plus, online features can improve your website traffic and give your search ranking a boost to help you get found more easily on search engines (backlinks are an important part of SEO).
The best way to get featured? Send a pitch or press release. Seriously! You will rarely, if ever, get approached, especially in the beginning. Do news-worthy things, share your unique story or perspective, educate in your areas of knowledge, and showcase what makes you or your product/service special. Your goal should always be to provide value to the audience, ideally related to what you offer but not mandatory.
Remember that getting featured in the media may take time and persistence. Don’t get discouraged by rejection and keep refining your pitch and approach. As you gain more media experience and exposure, it will become easier to pitch to larger and more prominent outlets.