1) Earlier this year I thought to myself, “Wow, I would really love to be featured in Business Insider, I think it would be great for my brand….Universe, show me the way.”
2) I started seeing a few big-name coaches have their stories in Business Insider (all of whom have been around way longer than me and make more money than I do…at least according to their websites). But I’ve never been one to let that sort of thing stop me. “If she can do it, I can too” has always been my mantra.
3) I started researching and realized all the stories about these coaches were written by the same Editor. I looked closer and realized that it appeared that many of the people featured were all a part of a certain publicity coach’s high level mastermind (to the tune of $25k/year)…and this woman was friends with the editor.
4) “Interesting” I thought to myself. I bet I can get into Business Insider without spending a dime. (Game On, Universe).
5) I pitched the editor my story in April…and never heard back.
6) I followed up a few weeks later with a slightly different angle…and once again, crickets.
7) I began leaving comments on the articles she wrote regularly…”maybe she’ll notice me this way?” I thought. Still nothing.
8) I got frustrated, why was I even trying this hard? Did this even matter? I let it go for the time being.
9)Then I saw that my uncle, who is a published author was quoted by this same editor. I wrote to him asking how it happened and he replied with something along the lines of, “when you are a published author, people just come to you.”
“Hmmm…I guess I’m just not a big enough deal?” I thought to myself. I felt a little sour about the whole thing.
10) Then one of my friends on Remote Year was featured in Business Insider by THIS SAME EDITOR about being a remote worker and something clicked:
- I wonder if she’d be interested in a story about what it’s like to be a remote entrepreneur rather than a coach? Looking back I see how this is one of the most interesting parts of my story, but sometimes it’s hard to see ourselves objectively and pinpoint our most media-friendly angles (something I help my clients and students with).
- I also tried to put myself in her (probably very busy) shoes…and realized I would be more likely to get coverage if I actually wrote the piece rather than pitching a piece about me (seems like a no brainer, right? But again, it’s hard to see our own blindspots).
11) I decided I would give it one last shot, I mean I didn’t want to seem like a desperate pathetic loser who couldn’t take a hint (yep, that’s where my mind goes). But something told me I was getting closer (this is how The Universe works by the way…when you get closer to the thing you are manifesting you start seeing evidence of it all around you and receive more information and ideas about HOW to make it happen).I sent the pitch…and heard crickets for another month and a half.
12) I put the whole thing on the back burner deciding, “If it’s meant to happen, it will happen”) and focused on other things. During that time I was quoted in The Guardian without having to put in ANY effort…it felt like The Universe whispering, “You’re getting warmer…”
13) Then, one morning out of the blue a few weeks ago, the Business Insider editor wrote back. “We’re less interested in the “coach” aspect of your story but very interested in the “remote entrepreneur” angle. “Send over a draft” she wrote. “No promises, but we’ll take a look.”
14) I spent days perfecting the piece, created a brand new opt-in gift related to this article (I wanted readers to opt into my email list to make the most of the exposure, and hired a designer to make a beautiful landing page (www.thepursuitoffabulous.com/traveltools). I mean, if I’m gonna do this, I might as well do it right, right?
15) I sent her the story…and a few days later IT WAS LIVE ON BUSINESS INSIDER!!!
Click here to read it!