Reach Thousands of Your Ideal Customers Using Media with Christina Nicholson of Media Maven
Episode 293: Show Notes
Hey everybody and welcome back to The Strategy Hour! Today we are talking PR, media, and marketing with Christina Nicholson of the Media Maven. Christina was in news broadcasting for many years before she decided to start her PR firm and now helps businesses grow their brands by gaining exposure and using it wisely. Today’s show has Abagail riding solo as Emylee is away with a sick little one, but do not fear! It promises to be just as jam-packed and dynamic as usual with such an amazing guest.
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Inside this episode, we will be talking about how to get more media coverage and how to utilize it, getting comfortable in front of a camera and much more! Christina also talks about common mistakes and simple tips for getting the most of out of your PR. As an industry expert from the other side of the fence, Christina has a lot of wisdom to share on how to get noticed and present well. We get into reaching out, who are the best people to speak to, and ways to make the process of marketing yourself more enjoyable for better results. For all of this and a whole lot more, you know what to do!
Christina’s Personal History and Work in TV and PR
Christina was a TV reporter for about ten years and still does some of this work on a freelance basis. She decided to leave a full time news job after her second child was born because she wanted more time and a flexible schedule. We feel you girl! The first point that Christina stresses is that PR is all about getting in front of the right people. If you can do this you can start turning your publicity into profit! Don’t worry if you are a little camera shy, remember it’s just a conversation, don’t read too much into it. We all know it can be intimidating at first but if you shift the way you look at it a little you will be comfortable in no time. Practice makes perfect! It is traditionally a little more difficult to get on TV than a post online and for this reason Christina says we place more value in the format. For this reason it is great to try and push through any fear you might have and get yourself out there.
The First Steps in Reaching Out
You have to ask yourself, where is the audience that you want to reach. The answer to this question will direct where you should be aiming to be featured. The platforms that suit your business and potential audience will then become your targets and you should pitch to them. Again you pitch according to the platform. Think about the reach and scale of the outlet you are connecting with. Is it a local news network? Is it national? Is it global? These questions will help you tailor your message and present yourself appropriately. Christina reminds us to not be too promotional and self-centered, rather offer value and expertise to the company you are approaching. Getting known, liked and trusted so vital in this field like so many others. There are a number of different people you can pitch to at any media house, you have reporters, anchors, producers and content bookers. In the end there is always an assignment desk and getting noticed and selected on that will be your goal. Being specific in your pitch will help it stand out from the thousands most worthwhile companies receive. Christina also believes that Twitter is actually a really good tool to use as you can get in contact with so many people in news and media directly.
Using Your Exposure to Build Your Business
It is so important to remember that getting the coverage is not the end goal. It is what the PR offers your business and so when you get a good piece of exposure, you have to utilize it in every way possible. This means sharing and posting this promotional material over a period of time. This will build up the kind of credibility and reputation that you need and want. So Christina’s message is to do PR on your PR! Make your hard work work for you and do something with it. This constant process of building will give you results, so keep adding to your press page and website. Our guest also believes that a lot of content can be evergreen or at least is reusable at appropriate times so do not be scared to keep running older material and interviews for instance.
Falling in Love with The Process of Marketing
Christina admits that PR is more something that she is good at than something that she loves but the more you can enjoy and immerse yourself in the process the more rewarding it will be. Find what you are good at and find pleasure in, whether it is talking, content creation or ideas and lean in on that. Most of us are in this business because we love what we do, so pursue your passion and make it fun for yourself! Timing is another important factor to consider, again, related to the particular format you may be dealing with. Pitch according to timeframes and seasons for best results for you and the outlet. Consider your audience as well as the audience of the news station or publication and this will help you to niche down and find the sweet spots. And lastly, if you can’t find parts of it this process that you can enjoy, it is not a bad option to think about paying someone else to do it! So there is always that!
Quote This
Obviously the long term goal down is to build your business but you can’t do that right out of the gate; you have be known, liked and trusted.
—Christina Nicholson
Highlights
Christina’s Personal History and Work in TV and PR. [0:02:40.4]
The First Steps in Reaching Out. [0:08:24.2]
Using Your Exposure to Build Your Business. [0:17:51.6]
Falling in Love with The Process of Marketing. [0:27:01.8]
#TalkStrategyToMe [0:33:44.6]
Reshare.
Start Local.
Lend Expertise.
Stop Making Excuses!
ON TODAY’S SHOW
Christina Nicholson
Media Maven
Christina Nicholson is a former TV reporter and anchor who has worked in markets from New York City to Miami. She is still telling stories, but instead of doing it for a newscast, she's doing it to help businesses grow. With her business, Media Maven, and her podcast, Become a Media Maven, she helps entrepreneurs reach thousands, even millions, of their ideal customers or clients in minutes instead of months through the power of media without spending big bucks on advertising. You can still see her in front of the camera as a host on Lifetime TV, in national commercials, and read her work online in Huff Post, Thrive Global, Inc. Magazine, and Fast Company. Christina also has a local lifestyle and family blog, Christina All Day. She lives in South Florida with her husband and two young children.
KEY TOPICS
PR, Marketing, Media, TV, television, public relations, business growth
