Mastering the art of getting your blog all over the media - Carol Margolis
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Mastering The Art of Getting Your Blog All Over The Media Carol Margolis
Publicity for You and Your Blog
• Travel writing can be more than writing about travel and hoping for an assignment. It is about getting publicity about you and your business so that the media comes to you! Learn ways to work with the media in magazines, radio and television so you are contributing to them and they¹re promoting you!
• Exposure, credibility and sponsorships are enhanced when you reach a wider audience. Publicity is the way to make this happen, and it can be done for free!
This can be you, too!
"Carol Margolis, who has two websites, SmartWomenTravelers.com and BusinessTravelSuccess.com, may be the ultimate expert about women on the road.” USA Today Aug, 2014
If I Can Do It, So Can You!A business traveler for 25+ years
Founder of:
Business Travel Success, Inc.
Smart Women Travelers, Inc.
Author, Speaker, Consultant working with corporations, meeting planners and the travel industry and travelers to enhance the travel experience.
Media/PR coverage:
Good Morning America, Great Day Houston, Fox TV and more. Contributed to USA Today, CNN, Wall Street Journal, Reuters, New York Times, LA Times and numerous business and travel sites, magazines, radio shows and more.
How Did I Get All This Media Coverage?No investment $
•Contacting television stations
•Responding to HARO requests
•Connecting with media via Twitter
•Contacting radio show producers
•Building network of media
Investment $$$$
•Hired a PR firm to promote me
%
%
PR Results:
Identify story ideas for today and the future• What’s going on in the news
• Identify popular and obscure holidays and anniversaries
-- you can tie into the topic of your blog
-- you can generally talk about
Great reference: Chase’s Calendar of Events, a reference book found at most major libraries or at http://www.chases.com
• Tie in your travels to local stories
Know what magazines, radio and tv are interested in
Magazines
Radio
TV
• Stories not time-sensitive for print magazines• Tie into seasonal articles• Read their media calendars
• Short topics• Entertaining, newsy or controversial
• Time sensitive• Seasonal• Have topics for slow news days
Create story lines to attract media attention
• Catchy headline, clever opening line• Must grab attention in the first sentence• It’s the story that sells the story after the attention-grabbing
opening.• Include who, what, when, why and how
Ideas for Headlines
• Why do 50 states in the U.S. celebrate Cinco de Mayo when only 1 State in Mexico does?
• Survey finds ____ out of ____ people _______.
• 5 Ways to Save on ________.
• How to live like you’re in _______ right here at home!
• _____ and other myths about ________.
• Most people think ______, but the real truth is _______.
• 7 Things You Should Never Say At the Airport.
• Assessing your risks of _______.
Produce a one-page of your story ideas and
experience
See http://smartwomentravelers.com/global-media-and-press/ for One Sheet formats
Write pitch letters that will get read
Email subject: Story idea: ____________
Include the leading lines from your segment proposal
Segment proposal
Identify who to contact in the media HARO http://www.helpareporter.com (free)
Be a source for a media opportunity
Submit your own query for contributions
TV stations:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lists_of_television_stations_in_North_America
Radio:
http://www.talkers.com/heavy-hundred/
Check out http://www.radiopublicity.com ($$)
Wooden Horse Pub ($$)
http://www.woodenhorsepub.com
Over 2,000 US and Canadian consumer and trade print magazines, contact info and media calendars. Try it out for $1.99 (24 hours) or $9.95 (7 days)
Where to Find Journalists
SeekorShout.com (was JournalistTweets.com)
Twellow.com (News/Media category)
Wefollow.com
JustTweetIt.com (Media > Reporters/Press)
MuckRack.com – Lowest rate is $179/month; 30-day risk-free trial
Build relationships with the media
• Follow them on Twitter
Retweet their travel news
Dialogue over something that interests them
Send story ideas
• Have interview questions already prepared (ideally with time noted for each answer)
• Maintain a pitch tracking log
Build a Media Page
Add a media page to your site. Include:
Contributions to other blog sites
Contributions to tv, radio, magazines
Videos and recordings of your voice
Awards, recognitions
Quotes from readers and media
Write press releases announcing your upcoming appearances.
See example: http://smartwomentravelers.com/global-media-and-press/
Wrap-Up
• Build rapport with the media• Make sure your stories are appropriate. Think “How will
this play with the public?”• Never, ever burn the media with bad information• A thank-you card goes a long way• Consistently deliver strong stories and the media will be
contacting you!• Media doesn’t have to be expensive
Contact Carol Margoliswww.twitter.com/smartwomentrav
https://www.facebook.com/SmartWomenTravelers