You already know that a strong foundation is the key to being ready for media attention. At a minimum, you’ll need:
- Professional head shots. Give your friends in the media easy access to your preferred images, or you might just find a 6-year old Facebook “selfie” on the cover of Time. Yikes!
- Well-worded, professionally edited bios. Again, give journalists and others access to the bios you want them to use. If you don’t, you have no one to blame but yourself when what’s printed is less than flattering.
- Accurate, up-to-date contact info. News happens fast, and when a journalist comes looking for a quote, they don’t have time to troubleshoot a typo in your email address. They’ll just move on to the next expert in their contact list.
But now that you’re ready for the attention, what does it really take to get it?
Simple—you just have to have a “hook.”
Your hook is nothing more than your unique area of expertise. What do you do and know better than anyone else? Because let’s face it, the world is full of shooting stars. You have to have something that sets you apart and allows you to make the most of the right opportunities when they come your way.
What natural hooks does your area of expertise present to you?
Make it a habit to pay attention to current events and consider how each happening ties into your business, and what potential for publicity there might be. Don’t limit yourself to current events though. Take a look at holidays and awareness days as well. There are often opportunities to be seen in conjunction with events such as “Eat Your Vegetables Day” (June 17), “World Productivity Day” (June 20), or “Buy a Book Day” (September 7).
Being an expert in your niche—and always being ready for an interview or to provide a snappy quote—can quickly propel you to the national stage. It’s simply a case of being in the right place at the right time. You just have to be prepared for your moment of fame.
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