Establish Credibility

Establish Credibility

Credibility matters when trying to convince a reporter or producer to tackle a story. A lawyer pitching a story on corporate fraud and a teacher pitching a story on education reform will have more credibility than a retired citizen who works part-time at the public library. It is assumed the lawyer and teacher have insider knowledge or expertise to lend credibility to the topic. Likewise, a jeweler who designs jewelry will be a natural expert when it comes to design, but is he able to identify consumer trends? If you are pitching a story on jewelry trends, you need to establish credibility in this area before you start pitching. Perhaps, you have an understanding of trends as a buyer or you are intuitive to customers’ needs by observing design patterns.

You can apply this same scenario to your own business by asking yourself a few questions.

What makes you qualified to speak on this topic?

How many years of experience have you spent in the industry?

What part of your daily routine is spent reinforcing your expertise?

What do you know as an insider that others would want to know?

You may possess a limited amount of expertise, but that shouldn’t stop you from continually trying to establish more credibility. Websites, op-ed articles, trade magazines can all lend credence to a person in search of credibility. So can writing a book, blog or article for your community newspaper. Remember, the media needs experts for nearly every story because it lends credibility to their report. Even the salacious stories require insider knowledge.

When New York Governor Eliot Spitzer resigned from office following his involvement with prostitutes, the media was in search of a call girl who could provide insight into the sex trade. Of course, no call girl or prostitute wanted to speak. This was the perfect opportunity for the author of Confessions of a Call Girl to promote her book. If you can find a way to establish your expertise before you start pitching the story, you will have a huge advantage over others when it comes to promoting your product or service in the media.

You can read more on how to establish credibility at www.BeatthePressBook.com