If you want to be a thought leader, you most likely want the attention of the media. But how do you get it and keep it? That’s what I discuss in this episode with award winning, 25-year media veteran, Mark Albert.
What’s your story and how did you stay in the media that long to have success at that level?
Mark told me that journalism is kind of like a cloak, it allows you to go into so many different communities, go into so many different situations and ask questions that in many countries would get people thrown in prison. Here in America, you put on that cloak of a journalist, and you can ask almost anybody anything. Mark was so fortunate to cover journalism for 25 years and then he decided that he needed a sabbatical and to recharge his creative batteries.
Mark thought, “What better way to recharge and take this knowledge from 25 years in the field and channel it into doing media training for executives and thought leaders?” The people that want to elevate their story and their brand in the media. His company does crisis consulting, storytelling, and earned media. “Earned Media” means it’s earned through your expertise. You can’t buy a quote in the New York Times. They advise people on how to get their expertise in front of journalists who are looking for that knowledge.
What makes a good question and how do you elicit the stories that you’re talking about?
Do not be afraid to say you don’t know about something. Don’t be afraid to ask something that you feel might make you look dumb or uncultured or naïve. As a journalist you can’t know a lot about a lot of things. You need to know a little bit about a lot of things so that you can convey that to your audiences. One of the superpowers that journalists get really good at is saying “I don’t understand, or I don’t know about that, or can you explain it to me like I’m a 10 year old?” Asking great questions has a lot to do with not being afraid of looking dumb.
In this episode we also discuss:
- Two more tips about how to ask great questions.
- How to give good answers to the media once you get their attention.
- The definition of great storytelling and how to adopt it.
- The four steps you need to take before approaching the media.
- How to prove to journalists that you’re an expert in a certain area.
- How to establish yourself as a thought leader.
- How to find journalists to approach to get into the media.
- What not to do when pitching the media.
- Once you get into the media how to stay there.
- When you need to invest in a PR firm instead of pitching media yourself.
- How to vet PR firms to get the most bang for your buck.
- What great media training looks like and how to get it.
…and other golden nuggets of advice!
You can get my book here: “Idea Climbing: How to Create a Support System for Your Next Big Idea”
About the Guest
Mark Albert is the founder and CEO of Media Advisory Experts, a Washington, DC-based consultancy providing media training, crisis communications, earned media, storytelling and video production services to clients in the U.S. and around the globe. He and his team guide leaders on their path to amplify their stories in the media, coaching top executives from C-suite to founders.
Mark is also a Peabody and EMMY award-winning master storyteller with a 25-year journalism career distinguished by investigative and political reporting, innovative storytelling techniques, and creative communications.
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