Applying to become a guest writer for a publication like Forbes takes time, skill, a little bit of luck and yes, you guessed it – a decent catalogue of past writing.
Why?
You’re up against some seriously strong competition, all fighting for the same spot. So to stand out from the crowd you’ll need to be able to show what you can bring to the table and that you can provide consistently good content that will speak to their audience.
Remember to ask yourself this before you email anybody: Does the publication you’re pitching have an audience that will want to learn from you? Don’t get blinkered by what you think would look good on your ‘As Seen In’ page because this will just end in crushed dreams!
You need to be realistic: do they have the right audience?
If you’ve established that you’re a great fit and you know what section you want to write for (you must know this), then you should start compiling some great content to use in your own blog. Start by looking at what people are talking about in your industry and get a feel for what to write. The more niche, the better!
Start compiling
Fill your blog up with 8 to 12 really good blog posts about relevant topics that either offer a different perspective or maybe some really great advice. It’s really important that you do this because a journalist needs to see that you’re consistently good and can offer up some varied content.
Top tip: Don’t rush this part because you will only need to go back over it again and rewrite.
When you’ve done this part, give yourself a pat on the back and pour yourself something cold and fizzy. – you deserve it!
What about pitching?
Once you’ve got a blog that’s populated with great content, you’re able to start pitching! This is when the fun begins!
Each publication will usually have information on how to pitch and this will include a list of do’s and don’ts, as well as instructions on what to send.
If you can’t find this out then I would suggest the following as a general rule of thumb:
- Create 2 or 3 great articles that are exclusive to the publication you are pitching.
- Send these as exclusives and offer up a link to the blog where all your other great content is housed.
- Talk about the magazine and show them that you’ve done your homework – you should know what section you want to feature in.
- Follow up with them after a week or so – this shows commitment and might act as a reminder for a busy editor.
Ignored emails?
The hardest part of this process is rejection. And trust me, there will be rejection. Getting featured in magazines is one thing but actually landing a role as a guest writer is really hard. It depends on many factors, such as followers, past features, writing style and content, so to enter this game, you need to roll with the punches. And there will be a few.
The important thing is to just keep going!
Want to learn more?
If you are a female founder or small business owner and you want to learn how to get yourself, your brand or your products featured in the press, check out my online world where you’ll find lots of support, free guides, courses and my online community.
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