Free Marketing: 101 Low and No-Cost Ways to Grow Your Business, Online and Off

CHAPTER 28

INFLUENCE THE INFLUENTIAL

Rather than attempt to establish a relationship with a media outlet in general, you should instead pursue relationships with the key reporters and writers that are a part of that media organization. Once you've identified the key players that you would love to be interviewed by, start stalking them in a friendly, useful way. Follow them on Twitter, Facebook, and so on and contribute to the discussions they seem to care most about. Find things that you have in common with them and strike up conversations on those topics.

TIP

Once you've found a few influencers in your niche and begun following them on Twitter, use Google's free tool at followfinder.Googlelabs.com to locate several other similar experts and begin following them as well. Following someone on Twitter is a great way to start or form a relationship with them.

Use the same strategies that I discuss in Chapter 26 to build a relationship with reporters and influencers inside of any media organization. If you can form a relationship you'll be much more likely to be on their short list of experts that they will turn to when it comes time for interviews or articles related to your niche.

They'll also be far more likely to pay attention to the press releases you send them!