Derrick Kinney is one of the most charming people on the face of the earth. He is also recognized as one of the nation’s leading authorities on helping small business owners, entrepreneurs, and the self-employed succeed with the affluent. Moreover, he is the author of the bestselling "Master the Media to Attract Your Ideal Clients."
I sat down with Derrick recently to talk about the huge success of his book and to review what he says are the 10 biggest mistakes people make in working with the media. And, here they are:
- Trying to be all things to all media outlets. “You want to become known as an ‘expert’ not a generalist.”
- Thinking it’s all about you. “It’s not. The more you work as a team-player, the more successful you’ll be.”
- Giving a lot of technical information during an interview. “You have one goal, to convey bottom-line information in an easy-to-understand way that really connects with your audience.”
- By sending one press release, you expect to be overwhelmed with interview requests. “Making a personal connection is the real key.”
- Doing an interview but you’ve never watched or listened to the program you’re about to be on. “If you’re about to do a TV interview, study how the anchor asks questions, how the anchor dresses, and interacts with guests. You want to blend right in like a pro.”
- Not looking the part. “If you’re a financial advisor, then dress like how people in your local area expect financial advisors to dress. It’s always better to overdress than to underdress.”
- Making a sales pitch on the air. “You will come across as self-serving and salesy and not professional.”
- Thinking that the media works around your schedule. “The more flexibility you have, the more calls you’ll get for future interviews.”
- Not keeping up on your trade journal reading. “Read everything you can about your industry to keep up on business trends.”
- Sitting back and waiting for the media to call you. “News stories break everyday. If you’re not regularly keeping your name and company in front of the media outlets that cover your topic, you’re missing huge opportunities.”
Kinney strongly believes that whether you’re a financial advisor, stockbroker, insurance professional, or accountant, if you’re advising clients in any way, then you should learn how to capitalize on the power of local media exposure to achieve a breakthrough for your business.Or, as he likes to conclude, “You are a marketing company who just happens to be in the financial planning business. Always be marketing yourself. Think about this equation: Always be Marketing = Always Be Making More Money.”
