Need Media Coverage for Your Small Business? It’s All About Mindshare

Oct. 16

Mindshare has everything to do with how you make someone feel. It’s the impression that lingers long after you’ve left a room or hopped off a Zoom chat. You need to leave people feeling inspired, impressed by what you’ve done, and intrigued about what you’re going to do –if you want them to consider giving your pitch the time of day.

So you’ve just launched your company, or maybe you’ve been in business for a few years –either way, you’ve realized that you’re going to need some publicity if you’re going to stand out from the crowd.

The bad news, though, is that it’s a competitive world out there. Every year, over 627,000 businesses are launched –and most of these are striving for media attention, whether it be for launch announcements, new product announcements, or some other press-worthy news.

But the press is inundated with pitches. And journalists are busy people. On average, freelance journalists receive about 24 pitches per day, while staff editors receive a whopping 100-200 emails daily.

For this reason, you’re going to need a solid plan if you’re hoping to stand out. Fortunately, there’s a lot that you can do to help ensure that your amazing business gets the publicity that it deserves.

The secret? Focusing on mindshare –how much awareness someone has of your brand. In a traditional sense, gaining mindshare usually refers to building top-of-mind brand awareness with your target audience. But when it comes to promoting your company, networking, and connecting with journalists and editors –the concept easily applies here as well. Mindshare, and how much rapport you’ve been able to establish with someone, is an absolutely critical part of whether or not they’ll be interested in covering your brand or story.

Let’s explore this concept a bit further, and see how having a winning story is the springboard that’ll help you gain a journalist’s time –and interest.

He Who Has the Best Story, Wins

“Marketing is no longer about the stuff that you make, but about the stories you tell.” –Seth Godin

Few things are more memorable than a good story.

We remember things better when they’re in story format. Stories are an ideal mode for communicating information or ideas, and in fact, research shows that well-designed narratives are one of the most effective vehicles for exerting influence as well.

Your key to gaining mindshare with anyone, whether it’s with a journalist that you’re planning on pitching to, or someone you’re networking with, or even customers that you’re trying to connect with through your blog content, all starts with a compelling story.

Now, lest you feel that your brand’s story isn’t exciting, let me assure you that it almost certainly is. A story about your small business might seem dull to you, but that doesn’t mean it will be to everyone else. So start crafting your compelling story. Get into that entrepreneur mindset, and dig deep to ask some hard-hitting questions about why you started your company, and what you’re hoping to accomplish. Once you’ve done the preliminary work, you’ll have a much, much more successful time pitching your company, networking, or developing a content marketing strategy.

Now, your story doesn’t need to be over the top or a tear-jerking rags-to-riches narrative (although, of course, it could be!) No one is expecting your story to have all the dramatics of Mark Zuckerberg. You just need a thoughtful story, one that hasn’t been told before –one that will resonate with your audience.

Stumped at where to start? Do some digging. What problem were you looking to address? Explain how it frustrated you, and you set out to find a solution. Or tell about the market need that you discovered through a journey of trial and error.

Once you have your story, you’ll be able to bring it out everywhere, and draw on it when networking, creating blog content, or sharing with others –and believe me, it will prove to be a crucial part of your journey to gaining mindshare.

Now, drawing on my years of experience heading up a PR agency, here are my top three tips for gaining mindshare, and helping your business to stand out.

1- Make It About Them

“The currency of real networking is not greed, but generosity.” –Keith Ferrazzi

Ever been on a date where the other person just talks about themselves the whole time? What about a networking event where the same thing happened? As humans, we seem naturally inclined to talk about ourselves quite a bit –but one of the best ways to differentiate yourself, isn’t by boasting about how great you are, but by taking a genuine interest in others.

In many ways, this can be a freeing concept. You don’t have to set out to impress the world; instead, you simply need to focus on delving into others, and learning about them. People will appreciate this breath of fresh air, and will be more likely to open up.

So be generous with the interest that you give to others. When meeting with someone, lead by asking questions about them. What do they do? What are they working on? More importantly, how can you help? Offer to introduce them to someone who can give advice or feedback on their product. Be helpful. Look for ways that you can provide value to them. By making it all about them, they’ll realize that you care, which can go a long way in today’s often impersonal world. It’ll make a lasting impression, and help to add a personable touch to your brand.

2 - Be Remarkable

Don’t worry, it’s not as scary as it sounds. This simply means delving deep into your brand, your persona, your backstory –and discovering your “why” –your reason behind what you’re doing.

You don’t want to be noticed simply for publicity’s sake. You do want to be noticed for being remarkable.

Now, many entrepreneurs confuse being noticed with being remarkable. But watch out. You don’t want to be noticed simply for publicity’s sake. However, you do want to be noticed for being remarkable. (One is the secret to gaining mindshare, and the other is the equivalent to giving your pitch in your underwear!)

In order to gain mindshare, your “why” needs to be remarkable. So start asking questions to help you get into the mindset: “Why am I an entrepreneur?” Why am I solving this problem? Who am I doing this for? Why am I solving it in this way?”

If your answer to those questions isn’t somehow unique from the other several million small businesses in the world, you won’t be gaining mindshare; you’re just getting a few minutes of someone’s time. You’ll be forgotten the moment you pay for that cup of coffee or step off the elevator.

Here’s a tip: if you’re the first to do something –then you’re already remarkable. The ones who come after you can only do what you’ve already done in a different way.

If you can’t be the first, though, then be the best. Or, as I like to call it, the “est.” This means excelling in some way. Be the fastest, the big-est, the small-est, the smartest, the toughest –you get the picture. Don’t look to simply be different from the competition. Instead, find a way to do it better.

When you’re remarkable, your “why” will impress people. Own it. It’s key to getting press coverage –or building mindshare with a journalist.

3 - Follow Up

You’ve heard this a million times: always follow up with your contacts. What no one tells you is what you should be following up on: their success.

So after your meeting, networking event, or email conversation –follow up. How is your new connection’s launch-prep going? Did she end up getting in touch with the engineer you introduced her to? Is her product out of the beta stages yet? Follow up by asking about her successes. In turn, she’ll be more likely to ask about yours, and a meaningful conversation is born.

Mindshare is about forging meaningful connections and building relationships. This is best accomplished when you have the opportunity to continue the conversation in person, over the phone, or via email. If your “why” was remarkable, then your contact will have already told her network about you and your small business. But the follow-up is where mindshare turns to an opportunity to stay in touch –via LinkedIn, Instagram, or other social platforms. It lays the foundation for opportunities down the road and is where long-term relationships are made. If you’ve kept in touch with your connection –a journalist, editor, or writer –then they’ll be far more responsive when you reach out with an exciting story to share, and far more willing to feature your business or company.

Of course, staying top-of-mind is easier said than done. It’s more than a coffee meeting, more than a feature in Forbes, and more than being noticed once –it’s about mindshare; about captivating the heart and mind of your connections, your network, the press, and finally and most importantly –your audience.

Crucially, it’s about leaving people so inspired or impressed that they’ll be talking about you long after you’ve left the room.

Make yourself remarkable by discovering what makes you and your brand unique, and then by showing others how remarkable they are. In return, they’ll be far more likely to remember you next time you reach out, or in the case of your customers –the next time they need the product or service you’re offering.

Ready to get media coverage for your small business? Then you’ll want to check out Into The Wild podcast for more tips.

Comment below and share your PR success stories!