Here's an odd little fact that not everybody knows:
Outside of hard news - you know, hard news, real news, the stuff where a tornado levels Oklahoma City or the Red Sox win the pennant - outside of that, about 70% of editorial content comes from press releases. Some estimates are even higher, as high as 80%.
What does this mean? It means most of the news you and I see, most of what shapes our impressions of the world, come from solicitations of coverage. People, companies and organizations are doing something and they want the world to know about it. So they pitch their idea to editors, producers and journalists. Many of these ideas become "news."
Often, when I tell people this, at first they don't believe me. Then, when they do start to believe, they get annoyed. At me.
How could this be? Aren't the things we see in newspapers and on TV the most important things? If what I'm saying is true, what's to stop anyone from getting media coverage?
Exactly.
When I was 26, I finished writing my first novel. But I couldn't sell it to a major publisher. There were a lot of reasons for this, one of which was the book itself wasn't very good. So I took matters into my own hands and self-published it. This was long before the self-publishing of ebooks began.
What I self-published was an actual book you could hold in your hand. I was working in public relations at the time, so I took what I knew and started to solicit coverage for myself. I booked myself as a guest author on numerous call-in radio interview shows. I also received coverage in several large newspapers, and a few smaller ones as well. I ended up selling hundreds of copies of my book like this.
Even more, there was this legendary New York sportswriter. Really one of the most famous sportswriters of the 20th Century. When I was a kid, I used to cut out certain articles he wrote and tape them to my wall. By this time, he was an old man and nearing retirement. He was writing general interest pieces for a big daily newspaper. He interviewed me.
Even more, there was this legendary New York sportswriter. Really one of the most famous sportswriters of the 20th Century. When I was a kid, I used to cut out certain articles he wrote and tape them to my wall. By this time, he was an old man and nearing retirement. He was writing general interest pieces for a big daily newspaper. He interviewed me.
It's a heartwarming story. To recap, it goes like this: a young guy with a book no publisher would touch (and which, some 15 years later, he finds somewhat embarrassing to read), unilaterally decided that his book was news. Then, with no permission from anybody, and by the application of a few simple techniques, he gained widespread media coverage for it.
That's how it happens. That's how you raise your profile.
Naturally, there's a little more to it than I describe here. For example, you need to give them the kind of story they want. What they want isn't always clear. Luckily, I was trained as a journalist, so I have a good idea what reporters want. At times, I've had such an accurate idea about it that certain reporters have taken my press releases and printed them in the newspaper, nearly verbatim, with their own names at the top.
You also need compelling written materials and a good website. I think I can help you with that. I wrote every word of this website. I also designed it and put it up on the internet.
Is this the kind of thing you're looking for? If so, you probably know what I think you should do. Reach out and touch me.