At a live media training workshop in Sydney that I held for social change makers, one of the things participants revealed was their fear of ‘talking to the media’.

I think this is a key reason why so many small business owners, coaches, authors, speakers, social change makers and entrepreneurs don’t include media coverage as a tactic in their marketing plan – and it’s such a wasted opportunity!

There are several benefits to getting featured in the media including:

•    It’s FREE publicity! (you’d pay hundreds to hundreds of thousands of dollars for an ad)

•    Credibility: When you place an ad, an audience knows it’s biased, but being featured as part of an editorial story gives you kudos: you get an objective stamp of approval and people think you must be good because you’ve been covered in the media.

•    Opportunities for paid speaking gigs and other business ventures: The more media coverage you get, the more you become perceived as the ‘go to’ person for your industry or area of expertise. Instead of you chasing clients or business, you are sought out by others.

•    Increased income and leads: You get to be in front of a lot of people. If they’re interested in what you’ve got to offer, you’ll get the sales instead of others in your field.

•    If you’re a charity, campaign group or not-for-profit, you raise the profile of your cause or issues, can raise funds and generally garner more support.

Here’s a tip that I hope will be of help to you if you’re feeling nervous about being in the media and ‘talking to journalists’:

Journalists NEED YOU!

It’s true: We need a constant supply of stories, especially in the fast-paced, 24-hour news cycle. We’re constantly seeking ideas and people to write about.

If you watch TV, listen to radio or read magazines or newspapers and think the news is about ‘everyone else’: STOP! That ‘expert’ who was interviewed is just like you. They just owned it, busted through their fear and let the media know about them.

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