Will you allow me to indulge in a celebratory moment? I’m self-employed, so I can’t whoop and holler with colleagues down the hall. I need your help.
I recently had an interview published on Forbes’ website. And I’m kind of freaking out.
After nearly 18 months of weekly blogging, my writing is getting noticed by mainstream media.
A number of my clients are also building strong platforms to showcase their thought leadership. With their brand-building basics in hand, they generate content consistently and share it broadly. When it comes to outbound brand plays, they are hitting home runs out of the park.
Some corporate directors take it a step further by creating inbound demand for their insights. Newspapers, magazines and conferences are coming to them, seeking quotes, articles and keynote addresses.
Are you ready to step out into the spotlight? Admittedly, it does take time to generate media attention, but the rewards are meaningful. Even if you don’t feel truly ready, I hope you consider the opportunity and these 3 steps to building your board career with support from mainstream media.
1. Establish and nurture your home base
If we want our writing out in the world, we need to showcase it. That might involve your own website, but it could also be something as simple as posting articles on Medium and LinkedIn.
As a next step, you can help others discover your work by sharing links on social media sites. Approaching other bloggers and podcasters with ideas for guest posts and interview appearances will also improve your reach. Every blogger struggles with content creation, and you can create opportunity for yourself by offering neatly packaged ideas that address that need.
Before you feel overwhelmed by the to-do list, however, I encourage you to just start writing. You can gradually tackle the implementation details over time. In the near term, make the creation of content and developing your voice the priority.
2. Take small steps every day
Once you are publishing content consistently, start putting it in front of the right people. You needn’t move a PR mountain every day, but consistent progress will pay off over time. Jack Canfield, creator of the Chicken Soup for the Soul series, promoted his early books by taking 5 small buzz-building steps each day.
To develop your own approach, take time to brainstorm the media avenues available to you. Prioritize these opportunities based on ease of implementation and impact. Then, set a schedule for how you will go after these leads.
It also helps to have a page on your website for media inquiries. Use this space to suggest topic ideas, share your contact information, and showcase an archive of your past appearances. If you are looking for inspiration, one of my favourite press page examples appears here.
3. Share your ideas with journalists
As you make contact with media outlets, share examples of your past work. One of my blog posts became a launching point for a longer article in The Corporate Board governance journal. Another blog post inspired a related piece on the widely-read Quiet Revolution site. These opportunities arose because I put my writing in front of decision makers. Initially, I focused on niche sites, but now I’m aiming for Huffington Post and Forbes.
If you resist the idea of blogging, you can simply feed ideas to journalists and gain a shout-out along the way. Offer to summarize insights from an industry conference or suggest a few interview topics. Register for Help A Reporter Out and ProfNet, online services that connect journalists with quotable industry experts. Follow relevant journalists on Twitter and answer the questions they pose about your field.
I often speak of the importance of being known for knowing something, an objective that press appearances can advance significantly. You’ve worked for years to develop expertise, so now it’s time to share it with consistent brand-building effort. Doing so can increase visibility, enhance your professional network, and create a thriving board career.
Question: How do you nurture press appearances? How have your efforts enhanced your board career?
Please share your response via Twitter, LinkedIn or e-mail.
Thank you for reading! If you found this post useful, please click the “like” button on LinkedIn and/or share it with others in your network. Doing so helps my work reach others and would mean so much to me.
