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Topic: How to become a media expert?
| Author | Message |
| Linda F | Posted – 3/17/2007 2:43:24 PM | show profile My husband Eric is the editor of BoardgameNews.com, which is very popular with people who are already heavily into boardgames (especially Eurogames). Eric would like to spread the boardgame gospel to a more general audience -- those people, for example, who play boardgames occasionally at home or at parties, and whose familiarity with boardgames is so far limited to Monopoly and Trivial Pursuit. Eric writes for Games and Knucklebones magazines, and has also managed to place boardgame reviews in print media as diverse as The Boston Globe, Coffee Talk, and Scientific American. To spread the word even more (and also to attract more people to his site), Eric would like to become a media expert specializing in boardgames -- a go-to guy who reporters would contact whenever they need a quote about boardgames. So...how does one go about becoming a media expert? He doesn't want to invest in ProfNet membership right now. Is there a more DIY way to get your name out to interested journalists/magazines/news outlets? I don't even know where to start learning about this...in fact, I'm so clueless that I'm not even sure that "media expert" is the term I want to use! Thanks for helping out a newbie to this area! Linda -- Linda Formichelli * http://www.lindaformichelli.com Co-author of The Renegade Writer's Query Letters That Rock! The Renegade Writer Blog: http://www.therenegadewriter.com |
| writesonwater | Posted – 3/17/2007 4:56:19 PM | show profile | email poster What about writing a book, even an ebook, and publicizing that? Put it on his signature, put a link to it on YOUR signature, for journalism boards and emails. Also, press releases aimed at publications or times people play more board games ... And don't forget, publicity begins at home ... articles in local and regional publications as The Chairman of the Boardgame, or a boardgame guru? |
| writesonwater | Posted – 3/17/2007 4:57:12 PM | show profile | email poster And of course .. mediabistro is a good place to start... |
| Linda F | Posted – 3/19/2007 9:27:18 AM | show profile Thanks, writesonwater! I've actually told Eric before that he should call himself "chairman of the board," and he said, "Ewwww." Guess not! I also thought that press releases would be a good idea, but is there such a thing as an "introductory press release" -- that is, a release not for news, but to tell media people, "Here's an expert willing to be interviewed about board games, family entertainment, etc."? Also, who would he send them to? There's such a broad range of magazines, newspapers, etc. that could potentially write about board games. Also, something I haven't thought of before is a media section to his website, with helpful info for reporters. Any other ideas? Thanks again! Linda |
| valentine | Posted – 3/20/2007 5:17:24 PM | show profile | email poster Hi Linda-- I'm a regular lurker on the Renegade Writer, so it's great to see you here in my (PR board) backyard! Sending out literature for introduction is actually called 'source filing.' You're letting editors/writers know that this person exists, is knowledgeable and is media savvy and wants to talk to them. You are SO not a newbie to this--it's the same thing you've done with Renegade Writer. All you'd be doing is finding the outlets that might apply (do a Lexis-Nexis or Findarticles.com search) on "board games." Those pubs and writers would be the folks you'd get Eric's info to. Also, you'd try to tie his commentary into current trends. Like everytime a progressively-more-violent video game comes out, you'd release a statement (email your database of interested editors and writers) from Eric on the value of board games and how they offer an alternative for parents seeking educational games or maybe Christians seeking non-offensive entertainment. Hope this helps (like your site has helped me!) |
| Linda F | Posted – 3/21/2007 12:55:46 PM | show profile Thank you, Valentine! That's really interesting to know. Compiling a list manually will be time-consuming for my husband but definitely simple. I looked up "source filing" on Google, but there are so many ways those two words might occur together that I didn't really come up with the PR term. I was trying to find out: How do you format the note you send to editors and journalists about your expertise? Is it like a press release, but about yourself instead of some piece of news? Or is it just a simple letter/e-mail stating your expertise? Thanks again! Glad you like the RW blog... Linda |
| valentine | Posted – 3/21/2007 5:12:34 PM | show profile I would send a conversational email referring to whatever article or coverage in the publication that led him to contact this indivisual. From there, I'd mention that I'd be available to speak on these certain topics if they had any pieces in the works that touch on his area of expertise and include his contact information. You might attach or include in the lower body of the email facts about him or the website--without getting too technical, if there's not really news, I'm not sure if I'd call it a press release. So more a fact sheet or background info on Eric. Hopefully some of the old timers here will correct me if I'm steering you wrong. |
| df | Posted – 3/21/2007 7:18:08 PM | show profile Hi Linda, some more ideas Compile a short bio, head shot and five to 10 taking points for him, contact info, put everything into a PDF and send it to the usual suspects at TV shows (talk shows, morning shows etc.) find someone who has a profnet subscription and have him put Eric up as the board game expert start a mypage site with the name boardgame expert and e-mail your myspace page link to many people, get many friends (all are recognized by google as links) and you'll show up very high on a google search. many media folks just google and call the first person showing up create fun facts and distribute those on a regular basis to your media list. try to cut a deal with some local mag or website and write a regular column invent a personal rating system for board games, if he hasn't already done it - look what it did for robert parker! - and then spread the word... |
| Linda F | Posted – 3/22/2007 11:41:57 AM | show profile Thank you both for your help! These are great ideas. I'll pass them along to Eric. Thanks to everyone who replied to this thread. It was very helpful! Linda |
| AnimeGoddess | Posted – 3/24/2007 1:45:12 PM | show profile I was pretty impressed with this PR firm's website, which is full of free info and tips: http://www.anniejenningspr.com/index.htm |
