Be a national media star! Check out this free service.

Get the media to call YOU by taking advantage of media services such as Pitchrate.

Get the media to call YOU by taking advantage of media services such as Pitchrate.

What if you could get the media to call YOU?

Subscribe to www.pitchrate.comand it could happen. Pitchrate is a free service that connects reporters who are looking for sources who are experts in various topics to interview for stories that they are writing for national and regional newspapers and magazines. To be an “expert,” you simply need to know something about the topic. The topics are frequently quite general, such as this recent one:

“Please share your story on the ‘best advice you ever got’. Needs to be business, investment, career, management or small business related. This publication is for business professionals.”

The publication was identified as a bi-weekly business magazine. Often the publications are not revealed until the writer/reporter contacts those who respond. For an example, I recently responded to a query about making changes in your life after the age of 50, and the writer who contacted me was writing an article for AARP Magazine.

If you respond to a query, just be sure to provide some detail about the topic so that the writer can effectively screen your response to determine if you’re a good match. With thousands of subscribers to the list, the writers often get dozens of responses, so you need to “sell” your answer as the best to get selected for an interview. Only those who provide the best response will be contacted by a writer for inclusion in the story.

You should read the queries as soon as the daily list hits your computer, too. This is one time when the early bird really does get the worm. While the writer will provide a deadline for responses, if you wait until the last minute to respond, your chances for an interview go down.

If you live in my area of the world, which is Hampton Roads, Virginia (otherwise known as Greater Norfolk-Virginia Beach-Newport News), you can also subscribe for free to my free media service atwww.HRMediaConnectionz.com. It works exactly the same way, only it is limited to media and sources/businesses in my area.

Go get famous!

The Buzz Factoree is a Hampton Roads, Virginia, boutique PR and marketing firm that helps businesses buzz their brand by discovering, writing and telling their stories. We use traditional and online PR and marketing strategies and tactics to help make our clients’ businesses more profitable. For more information, call (757)930-0032 or email gail.kent@thebuzzfactoree.com.