As a writer, it's easy for me to say, "Send an email pitch!" However, I know that there are lots of people out there whose talents lie elsewhere. If that's you, I admire you! 

If you don’t feel confident about your writing skills, writing a pitch email to a journalist might feel really intimidating. 

First, let me reassure you. Journalists might notice if you make grammatical errors or don’t express something smoothly. However, as long as your point...

One of the biggest mistakes I see creatives and small business owners make when doing media outreach is not creating ongoing relationships with journalists. A once-and-done approach to media outreach leads to one-off articles that serve you in the short term. However, creating lasting relationships with journalists can lead to repeat coverage that will make a lasting and continuing impact on your business.

So, how do you do this? Here are three ways to establish ongoing relationships with...

Whenever I interview creatives or small business owners, I ask what makes them different. Now, make no mistake: If I’m there in a reporting capacity, my editor and I already have a theory on that. We’ve talked about how an artist fits into a larger narrative or trend, how an entrepreneur’s service is something unusual, how a business owner’s product is unique, or how a creative’s story is distinguishing. But, doing my due diligence as a reporter, I can’t...

Even if you earn it, press coverage still has a cost. It costs your time and energy to earn that coverage, which certainly has a dollar value. And it has an advertising price tag equivalent. The dollar value of earned media coverage can provide some measure of how much that coverage is “worth.”

Just how much would that article or segment cost if you were to have to pay for it in advertising?

Here’s how you find out: Every media outlet has an advertising or media kit that...

As a journalist, the first question I always get when I reach out to a person or business for an article is: “How did you hear about us?” Sometimes I have an easy answer: “I received your pitch.” Other times, the answer is far more complex and involves me randomly coming across your business on social media and it lodging in my memory banks. (My husband says my memory is a steel trap, I think of her more like an old school library card catalogue.) The, I’ll come...

When you have a story to tell, you want to shout it from the rooftops—or at least the email equivalent. Before you pitch journalists about your creative business, you have some homework to do. (I love homework! But I’m a nerd like that.)

When a journalist receives your pitch, he/she is going to search the Internet for your business. So, you want your website and Internet presence to be ready to impress.

Journalists also find sources online. That means your website can lead...

I can already hear you wondering: But your whole thing is teaching people how to pitch the media! Why are you writing about how creatives and small business owners can be found without pitching? 

Because I want you to have the best resources available.

I’m passionate about breaking down the barriers between creatives and small business owners, and the press. Today, that means pointing out that, in some cases, you don’t have to pitch. Are you making journalists’ jobs a...

I’m all for DIY of any kind, especially doing your own press outreach. It has a lot of advantages. No one knows your story better than you do. You can also more closely control where, when, and how you are represented in the media. It’s also more cost effective to jump in and do the work yourself, especially if you’re just starting out with press outreach and/or you want to understand the process more thoroughly before investing in an agency.

However, doing your own media...

If you’ve decided that working with PR agency is the path for you, you’ll need to go through the hiring process. If this is your first time working with an agency, it can be difficult to know where to start.

PR agencies are large firms that have many representatives working for them. They have more resources, but they will also be more expensive. Smaller, boutique agencies, have fewer people working for you, but come with smaller price tags. There are also independent public...

No! You do not need to know anyone to earn press coverage.

Knowing a reporter can be an advantage. If you know a reporter, they’ll be familiar with  what’s going on with your business and, if intrigued, find a way to report on it or refer your story to a colleague to do the same. It can also be advantageous to know a reporter through a few degrees of separation. Often, when journalists are reporting stories, we reach out to those we know for recommendations on businesses...