By: Tianna Mañón
I'm constantly reflecting on what works and what doesn't– both as a publicist and as a brand owner. In our next series of PR tips, we're going to dig into a few mistakes I have seen both as a journalist and publicist and what to do instead.
So let's start with number 1:
Pitching yourself as the "only" in your field:
Only Black person. Only woman. Only liberal. Only conservative. Only anything.
Unless you have a list of every single professional in your industry you can’t reliably ascertain that you're actually the only one. So when you pitch from that angle (with no proof) journalists are less likely to take the story because it only takes just one more person like you to debunk the whole piece.
So what should you do instead?
Focus on your experiences as “one of the only” or your solutions for the industry from the unique perspective that being one of the only has given you. This positions you as someone with solutions and helps also set the foundation for thought leadership.
Here's part of an exclusive exercise only available to subscribers, customers and clients that can help you figure out your language. If you have a couple extra moments, grab a journal and try this exercise:
What do you wish more people knew about the lack of diversity in your industry and how it shapes the profession?
You probably already know the answer so this shouldn't take you long at all. Instead the point is to focus your advice as a thought leader. Instead of getting bogged down in being the only, which admittedly doesn't feel good emotionally or spiritually, this positions your thinking for the future.
Try it out and tell me what you think! Next month we'll tackle attaching to breaking and trending news and how to avoid common mistakes!
-Tianna
PS. I am all about tweaking strategy for long-term growth that is actually sustainable. Get back to me and let me know how the above exercise helped you!
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