Get Ink Now: Boost Fame with Articles

I’m creating my own proverb:

The road to business fame is paved with words.

Words that come in the form of articles, blog posts, videos, presentations. The formula works: lots of words, read or heard by lots of ideal clients will lead to fame for you and your business.

“Who are the consultants in the top 5% income-producers?  They are the thought leaders who regularly publish books and articles.”

-Kennedy Information Systems

One of the best ways to make a name for yourself is to publish articles in professional and trade magazines. If your business is focused on a particular industry or niche, chances are there is a magazine (or several) dedicated that audience.

While some marketing gurus will tell you to jump into the next Pinterest to promote your business, the truth is that the most effective marketing move you can make is to go where your prospects already are.

Work with spa owners? Interior designers? Pig farmers? There’s a magazine for that.

The best thing about publishing articles in trade magazines is that the readers are your target audience. And the second best thing about trade magazines is that many editors are desperately seeking well-written articles on industry topics. You can help the editor serve his or her readers with helpful information, while you position yourself as an expert. Everybody wins!

Not sure which magazines to target? Try this:

• Ask your clients what magazines they read to keep up to speed on their industry.
• Check out Tradepub.com. From CFOs to casino operators, there are hundreds of trade and professional service magazines listed on the site.
• Use Google to search for “your industry” or “your client’s title” and “magazine.”

Next, grab several issues and read the articles. You’ll get a feel for the types of articles, the reading level and the topics the magazine covers.

After you’ve surveyed the publication, flip through the first several pages to find the magazine’s masthead – the list of staffers. Locate the editor and send what’s called a query or pitch.

The pitch sells the editor on your article idea and why it’s of interest to the magazine readers. Your pitch should have three parts:

1. The hook. Grab the editor’s attention so that she or he wants to keep reading. A mini story, a compelling statistic or quote usually works.

2. The body. This tells the editor what your article will be about and why the magazine readers will benefit from your knowledge. This should be concise and should actually give away your best stuff. A few bullets and a couple of quotes from industry pros works nicely.

3. Your bio. A sentence or two about you and your credentials lets the editor know why you’re the perfect person to pen this article.

Before you press send, ask for the job. “Does this sound like something you’d like to publish?” “Do you have room in your editorial calendar for an article like this?”

Your fame boosting assignment:

Visit Tradepub.com or just search for magazines that fit your target audience. Make a list of five that you’ll target to publish an article.

Ready, set, pitch!