Talent Is Not Enough: 5 Ways to Prepare for Media Opportunities

It all sounds so simple. Bake the gooiest cookies in town, sing notes no one else can bolt, even run for office. Be good at what you do and everything will fall into place, right?

Nope.

As a media professional I am often taken aback by the number of “experts” and business women who don’t have their ish together. And my team concurs. We reach out because we see their talent and see how others could benefit from their expertise but when they respond it turns out surprisingly they’re not ready for what they asked for and, worse, they’re taking their time about rectifying the situation.

Understand that repeat media exposure doesn’t just happen. Writers look for ready people who can deliver. So, let’s talk about this readiness and what it looks like.

Here are 5 things you can do NOW to prepare yourself when you are contacted by the media. Face it. Talent alone is not enough.

1. Schedule Regular Photo Shoots (2-4/year)

So, I know what you’re thinking… “How many??!” Yeah, you read it right-two to four a year. Schedule them and make them a part of your brand strategy. Don’t overthink it and do it immediately. Otherwise, you will make the excuses average women make such as, “I’m not in shape”, “I don’t have the money”, “I haven’t had time.” Rubbish. Each of those excuses will rob you of opportunities a woman with half your talent, skill and knowledge will attract because she is READY.

Now being ready isn’t always a conversation for the woman with no photo shoots to her name. It is also for the woman who is still using the same photos from five years ago and sending them in to media outlets. This is a big no-no. You have surely grown in those five years. And, believe it or not, others can see that growth in your photos. But if you’re still branding with outdated images, we still see you as your were in that time and season. That is not a good thing. Never rest on your laurels and always stay relevant.

2. House Your Documents

So, here is what most people do. They receive images back from their photographer as “IMG_this” and “IMG_that” and they never rename them to identify them. BIG MISTAKE. Here’s why. When media outlets receive images from hundreds of sources, all of the IMGs begin to run together. Those manipulating the images then have to rename your images for you and you can bet your sweet *ss they are cussing you out in their heads. You just made more work for them. Think they’ll want you back? Hmmm.

Your goal is to be as ready as possible. Label all of your documents with your name and maybe a word that describes the image (i.e., Jane Doe_purpledress). Once all of your documents are appropriately labeled even you will blessed because it will save you time searching through thousands of files. (Hint: If you have a Dropbox business account you can store many large documents and rename them directly within the app super fast.)

When it comes to photos, load photos that are in both orientations–landscape and portrait. Trust me on this one. Nothing is worse than only having one image to work with on a feature. It screams amateur night. Give media outlets variety so they can play with what works best for layout needs. And please do not send pre-cropped images—Also screams amateur night.

Another consideration is to load both a brief and detailed biography so that no matter which is requested, they are each readily available. What’s needed for the event program may not be what’s needed for the podium.

Being ready is a game-changer. When you are approached by a media outlet you can send them your entire Dropbox folder or Google Drive link containing your nicely packaged profile with one click. Imagine how they will love you!

3. Hire Reputable Professionals

Not enough can be said about this one. Nothing is worse than a feature sending us pixelated or distorted images and following it up with “these were taken by my photographer”. Get out! Listen. Not all photographers are equal. It does matter who you hire and the images will tell on you.

This is one area where referrals are everything. Think about it. Images sell. They grab your attention. They make you want to read the story just as much, if not more than, the headline.

My suggestion here is to look at the images you like from others and inquire about their photographer. After all, the proof is in the work! Again, money should never be the reason you don’t invest in what is needed for your vision. There is no such thing as a lack of money, only a lack of ideas. Remember, money is exchanged everyday for goods and services. So, what are you good at and who are you serving?

4. Get a Media Kit

A media kit is a document containing information about you, your business, product and/or event. They are mainly used at events and for launches as a package of information for journalists to help them write their story. This press kit, often referred to as a media kit in business environments, is a pre-packaged set of promotional materials that is distributed to members of the media for promotional use.

Don’t have one? Get one stat. Just remember, you’ll need your polished images first. You’ll want it to be digital so that it can be sent as a pdf or link.

5. Invest In Yourself As A Lifestyle

The women you see winning? Baby, that winning aint free. You have to put skin in the game to see skin in this game. There is a stark contrast between spending and investing. When you spend you never see return but when you invest your investment pays you back with interest. I cannot tell you how many times an investment in a photo shoot has landed me a placement in a magazine feature or ushered in my headlining an event. Those exposures then drove fresh eyes to my website where the traffic converted to sales and made me more than the initial investment in the photo shoot.

Here is why investing must become a lifestyle. I look at it much like working out. At some point, during my own weight loss journey, I decided to not focus on the outcomes but to concern myself with the behaviors.

So, instead of jumping on the scale every day, I jump into my workout clothes every day. Now working out is never a question because I’m not holding onto emotional ties to the scale. Likewise, when investing in yourself becomes “no question” and just “what you do”, you will no longer be emotionally tied to holding on to your wallet. You begin to understand that the investment in self always pays off so you concern yourself with what you can control.

Sure, there are some free tools out there that you can leverage, but I want you to get out of the “free” mindset because it is cousins with the “get over” mindset. Inherent in this “get over” mindset is the notion that you can’t pay full price and money is scarce.

Think on that for a moment. Complete paradigm shift, right? Right.

Who told you that you couldn’t invest in your growth and development? Anything worth having is worth investing in. One of the things I love about paying full price is that I also get to expect full service. You see, when someone gives me a discount they sometimes think that means lower quality of service.

Right now, you need to make a line budget item for your branding, marketing (media kit, PR, photoshoots, website, SEO, promotionals, events, etc.), and personal development. This personal/professional development includes R&R, trainings, travel, and wardrobe.

Being ready can change your trajectory and it will surely bolster your confidence. Remember, there are levels to this. Cheers!