How to Get and Handle Media Exposure – Part 1

In this three-part series we provide some tips about attracting media attention and what to do with it when you get it.

By it’s very nature, joggling is showy. Face it, when people see a joggler out in the wild, they usually can’t help but do a double take. Sometimes that public attention will come from the media. In fact, this year my joggling has prompted interviews on tv, radio, in magazines and online. Other jogglers like Michal, Zach, Barry, and Tyler have also generated significant media exposure. Joggling is interesting.

If your joggling (or running) finds you face to face with the media, or you’re interested in getting exposure, the following tips should be helpful.

Getting media exposure for your joggling

1. Get comfortable with exposure

First, you have to decide whether you want exposure. If you don’t, simply avoid races or other public joggling. If asked, refuse interviews. The media will get the hint. But if you are interested in embrace it. Follow the rest of the tips to get it. Remember, your story is interesting.

2. Tell people about your joggling.

The more people who know your story, the more likely it’ll spread. Tell everyone you know and they’ll tell 2 friends and so on and so on. Eventually, a reporter or other media type will hear the story and try to contact you.

3. Write a press release.

Having a press release will make it more likely that the media will find you. Send or email it to key media outlets. Excellent options include your hometown newspapers, tv stations and radio stations. Most of these outlets will have websites with contact information. Also, send your press release to relevant bloggers in the field. For joggling that would be juggling and running blogs. Post a link to the press release in online forums and discussion groups. And check to see if your race has a “tell us your story” link. This link on the Chicago Marathon site got my picture in Runner’s World. For help on writing a press release, follow these tips on writing a press release.

4. Create visual media material.

Newspapers will want pictures. TV stations will ask for videos. It helps to have these things available when they ask. So, get a few high resolution, digital photos of you joggling. Have a friend take a short (1-2 min) video of your joggling action. Post them on YouTube or Flickr so you can simply send links to interested parties.

5. Joggle often and in public.

If you want media exposure, you’ll have more luck getting it the more you joggle. Do it in big and small races. There’s more likely to be press at a big race but you’ll be competing with many more people for limited media time. In a small race, there won’t always be press but if there is you’ll have a good chance of being interviewed.

6. Collect Media contacts.

If you do get covered by a reporter, be sure to swap contact information. This makes it more likely that they’ll contact you when they need a story. It also gives you someone to send your press release to when you’ve done something noteworthy like breaking a world record or joggling a local race. Reporters love when good stories come to them. Create a list of media contacts!

7. Make it easy to contact you.

People are busy and distracted, so if something is hard, they often won’t do it. Make contacting you easy. You should have a website that indicates exactly how to contact you. You should also be active on social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, etc. And if you don’t have a blog or website, you should get one of those too. Most of my press mentions were the result of Internet searches.

In part 2 of the series, we’ll provide tips on what to do with the media exposure once you get it. In part 3, we’ll talk about what you should expect from the interview.