If you’re an Author or Speaker, be aware of the importance of personal branding. The reputation that you build for yourself is one of your most valuable assets, and it’s what helps you to increase your speaking fees and get bigger crowds when booked for engagements.
Blogging can be a great way to establish thought-leadership and to build your online brand. If you’re not getting the results you’d like, the chances are that you’ve got the strategy wrong.
Guest blogging on reputable sites is a great way to drive targeted traffic back to your website, and you might find that reaching out to these sites and offering to contribute is a better use of your time than writing on your own website. This is especially true if you specialize in a certain industry. For example, if you make a living in the travel industry, reaching out to Travel Industry sites makes more sense than posting on Facebook, even though it has a smaller readership
Here are some tips for success when reaching out to publications as a celebrity expert.
- Write the post beforehand
Some publishers will want to see your whole post instead of just receiving a pitch. If you’re serious about your blogger outreach campaign then it’s a good idea to write your posts beforehand to save time, and if nobody else wants to publish it then you can always use it on your own site.
- Proofread and edit
This applies to everything from your pitch email and the subsequent communications to the blog post itself. Always read back through it and make any tweaks that are needed to improve the flow or to correct the spelling and grammar. If you want people to take you seriously as an expert, it’s important to appear professional at all times – and nothing makes you look more unprofessional than a spelling mistake.
- Listen to feedback
If a publisher rejects your post and provides a reason for it, learn from the feedback that they provide and be prepared to make any changes that they suggest. This is a normal part of the publishing process and shouldn’t dishearten you. If you’re asked to make changes, be willing to make them – after all, the goal is to make your post the best it can possibly be.
- Follow up on your submissions
The biggest publishers receive dozens if not hundreds of pitches and submissions every day, which means that your messages can easily get lost or overlooked. Give them some space when you email them because they might also just be busy, but if you don’t hear back from them after a week or two then drop them a message to see what’s up.
- Specialize in a certain industry
If you choose to specialize in a specific industry then you’ll be able to build up a more established reputation. Once you’ve written for one publication, you’ll find it easier to be accepted by others. On top of that, finding a niche will help your career in general because it makes it easier to rise to the top and to command a premium.
- Read!
Don’t just blindly approach different blog sites. Take a little time to read their recent articles and to study the kind of stuff that they’re into. Take notes on how long their articles are and what topics are the most popular. That will then help you to tailor your approach when you’re pitching an article.
- Learn their style
Different publishers have different styles, and if you don’t know what I mean then compare Buzzfeed to The New York Times. You’ll see that some are clickbaity and conversational while others are in-depth or analytical. Many publishers also have their own style guidelines when it comes to the way that they write, so be sure to check before you pitch to them.
- Join the community
Many publishers, and particularly those which specialize in a certain niche, have successfully built a community around themselves, whether it’s on social networking sites or right there in the comments section of their website. The good news is that you can join this community simply by leaving comments on recent posts and taking the time to chat to other readers.
- Obey submission guidelines
Most publishers that accept guest posts aim to make it as easy as possible for you to take part by providing submission guidelines. These guidelines usually describe exactly what they’re looking for, so you can then make sure that your pitch and your post both adhere to the guidelines they gave you. If your submission doesn’t adhere to their guidelines, they’re much less likely to accept it.
- What’s Next?
Guest blogging is just one of many ways to get the word out there and to establish your personal brand. But at the same time, as a public speaker, it’s understandable if you’d prefer to use your voice instead of writing a blog post. That’s why in my next article, I’ll be talking about how to get featured on podcasts, so keep your eyes peeled for that.
Cydney O’Sullivan
Best Selling Author, International Speaker and Founder, Celebrity Experts & Motivational Speakers International
Please visit www.CelebrityExperts.com to find out more about being a highly paid author, expert or speaker.