Throughout my career, I’ve met countless people who had lofty dreams and larger-than-life aspirations. Most of them were passionate about a particular issue, and they wanted the world to know. It’s not hard to understand why; media attention offers a type of validation that signals to clients, potential clients, funders, allies and others that an individual is making a positive impact.
For much of my career, I’ve worked to help leaders and organizations receive media attention for the incredible work they were spearheading.
One thing is certain; media attention is highly addictive. Regardless of how much one gets, there’s usually a desire for a bit more. The exception, of course, is when the media is lambasting an individual. Outside of negative coverage, many people have an insatiable appetite for media coverage.
What I want us all to appreciate is the path to sustained media coverage is action. Action precedes coverage.
When I think about truly remarkable leaders, I realize that they are active; they are constantly doing something in furtherance of their calling or working to influence positive change.
Think about some of the highest profile individuals we know. Think of Tyler Perry for example. When Perry got the idea to produce stage plays, he reported investing all he had on his first show, only to attract a mere 30 people. I read somewhere that he spent $12,000 – his life savings at the time – on the show, rented out a theater and a little more than a couple dozen people showed up. He had this experience for years before ultimately finding success.
I’m uncertain if media coverage was the goal for Perry initially. He wanted to write amazing plays. The coverage he’s received is a byproduct of fulfilling his mission.
If you’re under pressure from colleagues who want to be recognized in the court of public opinion, encourage them to get busy doing the work. Help them tease out the pieces of their work that may be most appealing to the media and be a thought partner offering honest feedback. Listen for what’s unique about their work and then use the uniqueness as an entry point to pitch them to the media.
If you’re an executive desiring more publicity, the path to notoriety is sustained, long-term action. By “action,” I mean doing work that you truly care about, and work that fills a void.
For example, I recall arranging a meeting with media executives and colleagues from LIVEFREE who work on gun violence and mass incarceration. The discussion went well, and resulted in media coverage. While I set up the meeting, the discussion would have been futile if my colleagues didn’t have a body of work that demonstrated their promising approach to addressing gun violence and mass incarceration. Had they lacked experiential evidence of their work, the interview may have gone poorly.
I want us all to understand that a communicator’s role is to amplify; it’s to serve as a megaphone testifying to what is already occurring. They can’t create the action, but they can promote it once there is forward movement of your goals and work.
Moreover, understand that with increased coverage comes scrutiny. If you’re praying for a larger platform, be sure to carry an umbrella but you’ll have rain as well as sunshine.
The bottom line: If you want media attention, get busy working on your craft or your life’s purpose. I’m confident you’ll find that media coverage is a byproduct of sustained action.
Jennifer R. Farmer is the principal of Spotlight PR LLC. Check out our blog posts and subscribe for updates.