Media Expert, Dillon Kivo Shares His Secrets to Getting Exposure For Your Business
Dillon Kivo is an American entrepreneur, Founder of MentionWorth, and Editor-In-Chief of Kivo Daily. Dillon has been named by HuffPost as one of the top personal branding experts. Dillon’s work has been featured in Forbes, Inc, Entrepreneur, Huffington Post, and other top-tier publications as a thought leader in creating a digital footprint by using different marketing techniques. He is part of the Young Entrepreneur Council “YEC Is America’s Most Elite Entrepreneur Organization” — Forbes. He empowers thought leaders, entrepreneurs, and major brands by distributing their stories across major publications to reach the masses. He advises some of the most iconic Fortune 500 companies, celebrities, nonprofits, and executives. He has spoken about media, branding and public relations to audiences at several Universities around the U.S.
Marketing can be challenging for any entrepreneur or businessperson, especially if they’re new to it. Many of them make the mistake of focusing too much on paid advertising and classified ads and not enough on building good relationships with the media. If you have journalists and reporters interested in your company and what it sells, then they will be happy to report all the latest news surrounding your business. This will give you plenty of organic traffic you never would have gotten before.
The question is, how do you build these relationships with the media and take advantage of these promotional opportunities? Below are the top 5 tips to help a newbie promote their business through the media and build a positive public image for their company.
1) Research
The media can be the indirect voice of your company. They can reach your target audience without you having to do it. Of course, you must understand who your target market is before you can have the media reach them for you. This will require you to do some research into your niche and figure out everything you can about the audience of that niche. Find out who their favorite media sources are and which media publications or broadcasts they like to read or watch. You can also target radio and find out which media stations they like to listen to.
2) Understand the Story
Put yourself in the mind of your customer who just purchased one of your products. How does this product change your life or satisfy your professional needs? How do you see your brand as the customer? Does it provide the right message that you want? What feelings does it give you? Once you figure out the answers to these questions, you will know how to make a better impression on your target audience. Then you can alter your media approach, social media content, website content, and other marketing materials appropriately.
3) Stay Informed on the News in Your Industry
Don’t just concern yourself with sending out press releases about news related to your company. Stay informed about any news that relates to other companies in your industry. Create your own opinions about this news and share them with the media. Reporters are always looking for industry insiders to share their opinions about any late-breaking news stories. If you can develop yourself to be a reliable news source for your industry, then you will have reporters contacting you often to share your opinion. In the process, your business will be promoted each time too.
4) Become a Reliable Source
This coincides with the previous tip. You won’t become an industry leader overnight. Reporters need to learn that you’re a credible opinion giver. This will require you to start small by replying to news queries that you’re knowledgeable about. Go on Twitter and follow journalists who work for publications in your industry, especially if your target audience reads or watches them. Reply to their tweets consistently and get noticed. Sooner or later, they’ll request sources for a particular story. Respond to those requests as a source. Provide your portfolio and credentials to prove your credibility. If you’re chosen as a source, the spotlight is pointed on you. If your information turns out to be credible, they’ll just go to you automatically next time.
5) Establish a Long-Term Relationship with Journalists
Don’t immediately request media coverage from a journalist who doesn’t know you. It is better to build a relationship with them over a long period of time, both offline and online. Eventually, they will think about you as a source for one of their stories. This means they will contact you first about a story instead of the other way around. Then, you can pitch your own company at some point as it relates to the story.
Have questions? Connect with Kivo on Instagram @Dillonkivo, Facebook or email Dillon@mentionworth.com