Sep 25, 2023
A company’s success nowadays is so reliant upon pitching–whether you are looking to land a new client or get quoted in the media. Having a credible source say positive things about you and your company can be pivotal when it comes to whether your brand is going to be seen or not. That is exactly why this episode of The Brainy Business is dedicated to giving you some concise tips on how to use behavioral economics to pitch your brand. Pitching yourself can feel awkward, but when you understand the brain science it doesn’t have to be, especially if you follow Melina’s tips!
In this episode, Melina Palmer discusses different brain biases such as social proof, authority bias, familiarity bias, and availability bias. Availability bias gets a big focus because it is one of the most critical to pitching success. You can take advantage of it by predicting and paying attention to trends and finding a way to offer people a fresh perspective on them.
The episode closes with three key points to keep in mind when pitching: (1) keep it short (2) be happy with your language and (3) follow directions. This is just scratching the surface of what you’ll get in this episode, one of the top 10 downloaded episodes of The Brainy Business of all time. Listen now to learn how to use behavioral economics to successfully pitch yourself and your business…
In this episode:
00:00:00 - Introduction,
Melina Palmer introduces the episode, which focuses on how to
successfully pitch your business. She mentions that pitching can be
uncomfortable and discusses the brain biases that often hold people
back from pitching themselves.
00:03:12 - Overcoming Biases and Procrastination,
Melina acknowledges that pitching oneself can be challenging and
discusses how various brain biases, such as imposter syndrome and
the focusing illusion, can hinder the pitching process. She
encourages listeners to focus on the positive aspects and
prioritize pitching as a goal.
00:08:27 - The Importance of Pitching,
Melina explains the three main benefits of pitching the media:
social proof, familiarity bias, and availability bias. She
emphasizes the value of social proof and how being featured in the
media can enhance credibility and trust in your brand.
00:11:50 - Availability Bias,
Melina delves into the concept of availability bias and its
relevance to pitching. She provides examples, such as flood
insurance and crime rates, to illustrate how frequent exposure to
certain topics can skew our perception of risk and importance.
00:15:18 - The Power of a Unique Perspective,
Having a unique perspective can help you stand out in the media. By
offering a fresh angle on a popular topic, you can become the go-to
expert in your field. Melina shares a real-world example of how a
handwriting expert found success by providing insights on the
signatures of Prince William and Kate Middleton before their
wedding.
00:17:01 - Reporters are People Too,
Overcoming the fear of pitching reporters is crucial. They are just
people doing a job and are constantly in need of content. By
understanding their needs and offering valuable insights, you can
become their solution and build a positive relationship with
them.
00:18:35 - Finding Your Unique Perspective,
To find your unique perspective, look at upcoming events, trends,
and topics in various fields. Even if it seems unrelated to your
work, there may be a niche you can carve out for yourself. By
thinking outside the box, you can offer valuable insights on
seemingly random topics.
00:19:44 - The Importance of Personalized Pitches,
Sending generic pitches to reporters is ineffective. It's essential
to do research and understand what each writer and/or outlet
covers. By personalizing your pitches and showing how your
expertise aligns with their audience's interests, you increase your
chances of being featured in the media.
00:26:42 - Using Help a Reporter Out (HARO),
HARO is a free service that connects reporters with expert sources.
Signing up for HARO and responding to relevant inquiries is a great
way to start getting some media coverage because it isn’t a cold
pitch.
00:30:10 - Tips for Pitching,
Melina summarizes her tips for pitching, emphasizing that these
tips can be applied to pitching anything, not just traditional news
media. She advises deciding if pitching is a main goal for your
business, making a list of top outlets and reporters, and
practicing looking at trending topics or events. She also
encourages getting out of your own way and just starting, even if
it feels scary.
00:31:42 - Pitching as an Achievable Task,
Melina reassures listeners that pitching is achievable and
encourages them to realize their story's potential. She highlights
the various opportunities for pitching, whether it's for
publications, clients, promotions, or projects. Melina emphasizes
the importance of taking initiative and making your own
opportunities.
00:32:34 - Conclusion,
Melina's top insights from the conversation. What stuck with you
while listening to the episode? What are you going to try? Come
share it with Melina on social media -- you'll find her as
@thebrainybiz everywhere and as Melina Palmer on LinkedIn.
Thanks for listening. Don’t forget to subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Android. If you like what you heard, please leave a review on iTunes and share what you liked about the show.
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