GAINING MEDIA ATTENTION FOR YOU BUSINESS REQUIRES A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WORK, and at times, it can be overwhelming. I work on publicity for my business for at least three hours a day. And those three hours are either before or after the traditional eight-hour day. I do a minimum of three media (TV, radio, print) interviews a week, and along with my Los Angeles-based publicity team, I am always looking for the next three.
The first step in starting a personal publicity campaign is to develop a strong base. As my first manager told me, in order to be a credible and heavily quoted media source, you have to have pedigree. In my case, my pedigree was the meeting and event industry, and I am so proud of that. In order to develop that pedigree, I increased my involvement in the industry by becoming an active member of numerous industry associations and joining committees and then taking on leadership positions at the chapter, then regional, then national and ultimately international levels.
It was a huge time investment, and worth every minute of it. I would not trade the experiences and friendships I gained for anything. The amount of time I have for involvement in these organizations is now more limited, but I remain an active member of all of these organizations, I attend their national and international conferences and I am proud that I helped incubate leadership so that others have the opportunity to have the experiences I feel blessed to have had.
Involvement and leadership service also presented me with numerous opportunities to speak at various industry meetings, both on local and national levels. And I wrote articles on various topics for industry newsletters and publications. This enabled me to enter various award competitions within my organizations. These awards added to my pedigree and I added “award-winning event professional” to my marketing and PR campaigns.
Next, I developed a brand. After appearing on ABC’s The Great Domestic Showdown, I worked with my manager, agent and publicist to develop the brand “America’s Sassiest Lifestyle Guru.” This tagline after my name has garnered recognition, publicity and a brand that—when the time is right—will grow into books, more television shows, endorsements and a product line.
It takes time, thought and development to create a robust brand. We began the process before I appeared on The Great Domestic Showdown and worked for months on it prior to the show’s airing. Since then, we have developed secondary taglines for various projects. Brand development is a fascinating process that demands professional counsel. I have been working on the development of my brand for three years now, and I feel like I just started yesterday.
So establish yourself and/or company as a credible media source, an expert and an authority. The industry is the base of support. Use these suggestions to propel you to the next level: taking the pedigree and utilizing it to gain mainstream media attention in TV, radio and print outside the industry. Blend industry and mainstream press, though it will take more time. Invest in a publicist, a PR team and an excellent photographer to help you jump to the next plane, which is well worth the investment and should not be underestimated. One+
STEVE KEMBLE has been the magic behind countless international events for more than 20 years. From celebrating the accomplishments of NFL players to organizing parties for two presidents, he has orchestrated a wide array of high-profile events to create unforgettable affairs each time. Follow him at www.adoseofsass.com or on Twitter @stevekemblechat.
Hot Tips for Press Exposure
• Write an accomplishment statement (this is no time to be shy!)
• Offer to volunteer to write articles for industry publications
• Establish yourself as an authority and expert on a subject(s) with industry and the mainstream press
• Always list the most important information at the top
Best Places to Self Promote
• Your personal Web site
• Industry publications
• Online publications
• Speaking engagements
• Radio
• TV (a good place to start is community-interest programs)
• Local newspaper/magazine
• Direct mail and brochures
• Blogging
• Facebook, Myspace, LinkedIn and more
• Twitter