As I sit typing this month’s newsletter article, I remind myself that all my subscribers are experts in what they do. You may not acknowledge this fact, but frankly it’s true. Life gives us experiences. Entrepreneurs take those experiences and turn them into businesses. It is this knowledge base, and the ability to exploit it that makes you an expert that people want to learn from. In my weekly tips, it never ceases to amaze me that some of the simplest tips get me some fantastic feedback. What I thought to be a throw-away, was actually an ah-ha moment for some. I have come to learn to not underestimate what may be important.
I have found (thankfully) in all my efforts to promote myself, that garnering publicity is one of the rewards to those efforts. When launching my strategy several years ago, publicity was NOT one of my goals – getting great leads was. To my surprise and delight, becoming a source for journalists became another way to get my information out there. When contacted for a story, I’ve found journalists to be engaging and thoughtful people. They recognize that we are helping each other. They put you at ease which of course is their job. It is up to you to not get too comfortable and say something off-brand that does you no good. But I am usually called upon for my opinion on a brand issue that is in the world view at the moment. ie: CNN calling to ask me if I felt that Rupert Murdock’s company News Corp can come back from such a brand fiasco? Or Canadian News calling to know if KFC’s changing their slogan from “Finger Licking Good” to “So Good” was a smart brand move or whether Blockbuster’s sale to a media company was a good move for the purchaser from a brand value perspective.
So far it’s always about a current event.
This is just a few of the publicity opportunities I have enjoyed. I should also share that I came within hours of a story with Nightline, but I was in the air when they needed their clip and thus was unaware until landing and checking email. But now I am on their radar. You may be asking yourself, who did Ed know to get action like this? The straight answer is “no one.”
The journalists found me through my blogging efforts or a Goggle search. All of my online activities play a combined role in making a search easier to find me. To make that point stronger – I am not involved in any real SEO activities, all my results have been from on-line marketing and social networking which involves blogging, linkedin and basic use of Facebook and Twitter. I also subscribe to a free service called HARO (Help A Reporter Out). This is a great resource that has journalists putting their need for an expert on a particular topic and having YOU the expert respond. There is no fee to pay. I have successfully garnered more publicity this way.
The overall benefit of publicity is of course awareness of Ed Roach of The Branding Experts. Every bit of exposure adds to my expert profile which in turn helps a potential lead build a comfort level in working with me. It plays into my brand of delivering valuable information very nicely. It is a great compliment to all my other efforts on and off-line to grow my influence.
As they say, “It’s not who you know, BUT who knows you.”
i appreciate working with companies that taking care of my leadership on my members. before i never thought about leadership but when i start reading this one i recognize that leadership is most important.