Episode 83: Getting Your Big Break In The Media with Gwen Elliot [PODCAST]

Gwen Elliot is a media strategist and a TV producer. She’s the producer for The Naked Entrepreneur TV which airs on the Oprah Winfrey Network in Canada. Gwen helps entrepreneurs build their brand and business with help from the media.  She’s also the creator of ‘Your Big Break’ –  a podcast that shares the stories of how entrepreneurs got their big break in business with help from mainstream media. She’s helped entrepreneurs get featured on Forbes, Virgin, LearnVest, DailyWorth, Levo, national TV shows, morning shows and local cable shows. Gwen has also been featured in Forbes as a Fierce Female Entrepreneur, The Huffington Post, TEDx and Cosmopolitan to name a few media outlets! On this episode you’re going to hear an inspiring journey that will motivate you to create your big thing!

The media is looking for content. Why not offer them yours?

Stop for a second to think about the job that media producers have. They have to find interesting, engaging, truly helpful content to broadcast or publish on a regular basis, without too much repetition. They are LOOKING for great content, content like you may have to offer. That alone is plenty of reason for you to put in the work to reach out to the media outlets you want to be featured on, but you have to do it in the right way. Find out how on this episode of Crank It Up.

How do you get featured on Oprah?

You see them all the time. The people online or in magazine advertisements who have stamps across themselves that say, “Featured in Forbes” or “As Seen On Oprah.” How does that happen? How do they get a big break of that kind to move their career forward. Gwen Elliot has a world of experience in that area and says that there’s a clear strategy and approach that enables those people to get the exposure that draws the attention of a large media outlet. On this episode you’re going to get some clear, powerful steps you can take to move toward being featured on big media outlets yourself.

Why you should reach out to people on Tuesday or Thursday.

It may not seem like a very important thing, but keeping in mind the busy lives that people have is important in determining WHEN you reach out to media folks. Mondays are typically very busy, catching up from events that have happened over the weekend. Fridays are usually just as busy getting ready for the weekend. That means Tuesday through Thursday are better days to make a pitch to someone at a network or media outlet. You’ll get more practical tips like this from Gwen Elliot, media consultant, on this episode.

First, develop a “throw away” pitch.

Most people who reach out to a large media outlet don’t feel ready. That’s very normal, so don’t feel like you’re the only one. Because of that feeling of insecurity, it’s important that you get all those “bugs” worked out before you send your pitch. So Gwen Elliot, a media consultant, suggests that you write a “throw away” pitch that divulges everything you feel about approaching the person you will be writing. Write it to that person, being as honest as possible about how you feel, including your insecurities and fears. Then, leave it. Walk away. Take a walk outdoors. Come back to the pitch you’ve written and rewrite it with a more confident, authoritative approach. That process alone can help the pitch you really end, to be much more effective.

Outline of this great episode

[0:48] David’s welcome and his introduction of his guest Gwen Elliot.