How to Monetize Your Media Interviews with Esther Kiss

0:01Light that, Sparkfire Nation. JLD here and welcome to Entrepreneurs on Fire. brought to you by the HubSpot Podcast Network, the audio destination for business professionals with great shows like Imperfect Action. Today, we'll be breaking down how to monetize your media interviews. To drop these value bombs, I have brought Esther Kish into EO Fire Studios. Esther is the founder of Born to Influence, a PR and marketing agency dedicated to helping thought leaders, experts, and service-based entrepreneurs get media attention and monetize their interviews. And today, Fire Nation, we'll talk about making money from being interviews, what type of media entrepreneurs should be focused on, how fast you can expect to see results, and the pitfalls we need to avoid.

0:43All this and more when we get back from thanking our sponsors. Hustle and Flowcharts, hosted by Joe Feer, is brought to you by the HubSpot Podcast Network, the audio destination for business professionals. Join Joe as he discusses systems, mindset tweaks, reframes, and strategies to help you build a business that gives you freedom and fuel for your life. A recent episode on using AI for effortless content creation is a must-listen. Listen to Hustle & Flowchart wherever you get your podcasts. NetSuite by Oracle brings accounting, finance, inventory, and HR into one proven platform, helping you reduce costs everywhere.

1:16Backed by popular demands, NetSuite has extended its one-of-a-kind flexible financing program for a few more weeks. Head to netsuite.com slash fire. Esther, say what's up to Fire Nation. and share something that you believe about becoming successful that most people disagree with. Most people say that there is no such thing as overnight success. And I disagree with that. I think that it actually can happen, but it needs to be based on merit based on the effort that you put in and the relationships that you tap into. If you have great connections, you can get the opportunities to get successful really quickly.

1:57Fire Nation, I love that thought process because it has happened before. But what happens a lot of times is this overnight success is not able to be sustained because the people, the individual that it happens to, they're not ready for it. They don't know what the foundation is that they need to keep that success going. Some do, but a lot don't at the same time. You see these viral videos on YouTube all the time and then nothing because they don't have the foundation. So we're today talking about how to monetize your media interviews. And this might become required listening for my future guests.

2:35Because listen, it's important, Fire Nation, when you have a great opportunity on a great stage that you are making the most of it. Because we only have so much time in any given day. And most people waste that time on fruitless ventures. So with the time that we have in our lives, Esther, what types of media should entrepreneurs be focusing on? It depends on what your niche is. So if somebody, for example, has a very narrow niche, like let's say they're a Facebook ads expert, they might want to go on podcasts because that's where they will find their ideal target audience. Whereas someone like a relationship coach or a real estate expert or something that has more mass appeal, they will have great results from going on traditional media as well, TV, radio, magazines, newspapers.

3:28And then, of course, depending on the type of business, that might be national or it could be local TV or local magazines, local newspapers. So you just want to think about where your audience hangs out, who they are and what kind of media do they consume and then create your publicity plan based on that. I like that you said the word publicity plan because most people don't even go into a entire opportunity with a plan of any kind, let alone a publicity plan. And again, time is money. So I really want to kind of get into the details about how you've seen people actually make money from being interviewed in the media?

4:08Yes. So there are three ways to do this. One is, of course, you will have more traffic to your website, more eyeballs to your offers when you are doing these media interviews. And so you want to make sure that you have a great offer that you can connect with people. Maybe it's an email opt-in. It's a freebie that you're promoting, for instance, in a podcast interview. and or they apply for a call or however your process is to convert those new leads. So that's step number one or way number one. Number two is actually promoting your interviews. And this is so interesting to me because a lot of people who want to do interviews think that they just do the interview and that's it, they are done.

4:51But they're missing out on a lot of leads and a lot of credibility that they could be building if they actively participated in promoting those interviews before, during, and after, right? So as an example, when you and I booked this interview for today, I already posted about it about a month ago and emailed it out to my list. Hey guys, stay tuned, you know, just to start building some interest and some anticipation. And it will also help you with building great relationships with your hosts, with your producers, with your editors, because they want to get eyeballs on their platforms too. And so when you set it up on your social media promotion strategies where you're automatically promoting, let's say it's a podcast interview, you have a 30-minute segment, you could slice that up into little snippets and then you have at least a week's worth of content that you can promote on Instagram or Facebook or wherever you're active.

5:45So that's way number two is that you want to make sure that you're really getting the most mileage possible from all of your interviews by promoting them. And the third way is you connect your interviews that have been published and edited and everything was done for you for free. You want to connect it with your existing sales and marketing activities. So for example, if you're running Facebook ads, you might want to take a TV clip or a Forbes article or a podcast interview and use that content as the content of your ad and put it strategically in front of your ideal clients. Or if you're doing sales calls where people have to apply to have a call with you, you might want to take some of your interviews and send it out to them ahead of time so that they can get familiar with your thought process, with your methodology, build that credibility, and your results will be so much better in terms of conversions, both on the ad side and on the sales call side, because you're building trust really quickly.

6:46And there are just a million other ways, depending on what you're already doing on the sales and marketing side, you want to always integrate your media interviews to lift those results. Very valuable bombs being drawn, Fire Nation. I actually want to circle back to number two from a host perspective, because I can tell you 100 % how much I appreciate it when one of my guests goes above and beyond sharing the entrepreneurs on a fire interview with their audience. So when I see somebody like Esther doing an email to her list a month before the episode even is recorded and letting her audience know on social media and she's just sharing and she's excited about it and giving me exposure at the same time, guess what?

7:27I'm much more likely to have her back on as a repeat guest. And by the way, she was actually episode 288 of Entrepreneurs on Fire. Now we're over 4 ,400. So guess what? She's a repeat guest on Entrepreneurs on Fire, and I'm much more likely to have repeat guests of people that actually go out of their way to help what we do here on our side of things, just like we're trying to help our guests on their side of things. I want to talk about speed, Esther. How fast can we potentially expect to see results? Yes, that's such a good question. So I would say it breaks down into two categories. One is on the branding side, building that credibility by having those really big name media logos.

8:15That can sometimes happen really fast. So that means within a day, within a week. And if you're looking at long-term results, building through soft leadership and really monetizing it over time and getting more and more traction, building your audience, that would be a minimum of six months. And then it builds on that. And the reason why I'm saying that there is this distinction between the two is because if you don't have any kind of media experience and you want to get those as seen on type of logos to get that credibility quickly, what you can do is apply to stories that journalists are about to publish where they're already working on an article.

8:58So maybe you see a social media post or you sign up for different newsletters where journalists are requesting sources, expert sources that they can quote and that they can weigh in on certain topics. So let's say, as an example, if we stick with real estate, let's say, right, there might be a journalist who is writing about what the Fed is doing with interest rates and how it's going to affect the housing market. And they want five people who are in the real estate space to quote for their article. Now, if you fit that description you could apply, typically they are very tight on deadlines. So you would have to apply immediately the minute you see it and then give them the quote right away.

9:34And they'll be able to publish that within a day or two. And then you can say that, hey, I've been featured in Forbes or Entrepreneur or whatever it may be, right? Now, as far as getting like that real brand and thought leadership built, that takes time. And so when you're pitching yourself, as an example, again, to Forbes, where you want to be the only person who is featured in that article, now just a little quote from you along with other experts, you would expect about three to four months from the day they say yes to the pitch until that interview gets published just because you have to work with their editorial calendars.

10:09And then the podcasting side, it runs the gamut. Some podcasts can have you on within a couple of weeks and publish, and some of the really popular ones will take six to eight months. Fire Nation, I love how Esther has real data, real concrete analytics because she's been in this game for a long time doing what she's doing with Born to Influence. And we have a lot more to talk about on this topic and more when we get back from thanking our sponsors. The amount of software required to run a growing business can be daunting. And how do you even know if you're using the right tools? There's help desk software, payment software, email marketing tools, blogging tools, SEO tools.

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12:24Backed by popular demand, NetSuite has extended its one-of-a-kind flexible financing program for a few more weeks. Head to netsuite.com slash fire, netsuite.com slash fire, netsuite.com slash fire. This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Can you believe we're already halfway through 2024? I mean, time flies, especially when you're head down trying to grow your business. But one thing I've done consistently for the past 12 years is check in on where I'm at with my goals. Now is the perfect time to do that. And therapy can be a huge help when it comes to taking stock of progress and making adjustments for the remainder of the year.

13:01That's right. Therapy isn't just for those who have experienced trauma. It can be incredibly helpful when it comes to learning how to set boundaries, leveraging your time most effectively, and getting back on track with your goals. Not sure where to start? Give BetterHelp a try. It's not only super convenient and flexible, it's also easy to dive right in. Just fill out a brief questionnaire online and get matched with a licensed therapist. Take a moment. Visit betterhelp.com slash fire today to get 10 % off your first month. That's betterhelp.com slash fire. Esther, we've talked about the good.

13:37Now I want to talk about the bad. What are some pitfalls we should and can avoid when it comes to media? One of the pitfalls that you want to make sure you avoid is going after the type of shows or the type of media outlets that will not serve you. And that doesn't necessarily mean small shows, because especially as you are getting started, you want to practice your interview skills. You want to practice how you're sharing your messages. So you don't want to do that on the national stage, right? But that said, you want to make sure that the fit is right. So you want to always investigate a little bit, do a little bit of research, listen to that show or read that magazine that you want to approach and get a sense of what kind of beat do they have?

14:26What kind of why do they have? Who is their audience? Now, with magazines, it's really easy to find out because you can just go to their website and download their media kit and they will have all the demographics, information of, you know, gender, age, household income, what kind of readership do they have? With TV, it's the general public most times. And then with podcasts and other online media outlets, usually they don't have a media kit on their website. But because of the topics, they tend to be very, very niche. You will be able to see very quickly whether or not that's the type of audience that's your ideal client.

15:05So I would not recommend going after some shows that are completely outside of your niche, unless you just want to do it for fun or as a favor to a friend or something like that. If it's meant to be to build your business, you want to be really staying on track. Fire Nation, this is really exciting, but I think a lot of people might be listening and saying, okay, Esther, this makes sense for somebody who already has some notoriety, who already has huge influence, who is already considered an authority figure, but let's break it down. Can anybody get featured in the media? Can I share a secret?

15:42Yes. When I did that interview with you 10 years ago, that was my very first. What? For real. Not the first recording, but the first booking. And back then you already had the number one show. Right. So it's absolutely possible as long as your expertise is a good fit to their audience. If you can offer value, you absolutely can get started right away. Now, I will say if you want to be in Good Morning America or the Today Show or something like that, you certainly want to have local TV experience first because a producer there is just not in a position to bring a guest on who doesn't know how to speak in soundbites and really be able to respond quickly in a live TV environment.

16:29But other than that, I would always encourage you to aim high and also don't have too big of an ego to turn down opportunities that are maybe not as big but would support you in the long run. Well, I'm really glad you shared that secret. That's some great memories. I actually was listening to a little bit of that episode today as I was preparing for this one. And we were just a couple of kids. Back then, Esther. We're just a couple kids having some fun, having a conversation. Here we are 10 years later having another great conversation. And man, I really enjoy when I get to interview somebody a decade later.

17:05But go ahead, Esther. Just speaking of long-term effects, that was 10 years ago. I literally have clients right now, students in my coaching program who I met through the community that you built. Because after the interview, you invited me to do a webinar or a presentation for your membership. people who started following me from there became JV partners and clients and students. Fire Nation, that just speaks to the power of just getting out there, taking action, taking risks, failing, succeeding, just connecting, having conversations. That's one thing that Esther was always great at actually.

17:39She was great at having conversations, great at suggesting things. I remember you suggested a couple of things on ways that we could have worked together even back then, I was like, wow, that's really bold, but I like it. I like that she's making the ask because fortune favors the bold. But now, what if we don't have a publicist? Can we still get media attention? So there are some resources that anybody can have access to. For example, Herald Help a Reporter Out, which is a free newsletter where you can get emails into your inbox every day specific to your niche, and you can see what opportunities there are.

18:13But generally speaking, what I would recommend is you start building your relationships with the type of media outlets, with the people there working there who are right for you, whether that's journalists, that's podcasters, YouTube hosts. Just make a list of 20 to 25 people in the beginning and start reaching out to them. And then you will see what they respond to, right? So you create your first initial pitch, see what the feedback is, and then you can iterate from there. That would be the first step. And then as you start getting some yeses, as you start getting those interviews booked, once you are done with the recording, you always want to have a little bit of a conversation with that producer or host or editor or whoever it is and ask them how did they like it.

18:57And then just have a little bit of a conversation about what they are looking for. How can you help them? How can you contribute to them? And they will not be able to help you, but ask you by the how can I help you? How can I support you? And then you can say that, hey, I'm actually looking to do more articles like this or more interviews like this. What shows should I be on? What would you recommend? And they will name a few. And that will, over time, immediately reduce the number of pitches proactively that you need to send out because you'll be getting these warm introductions and it just snowballs into more and more opportunities.

19:30So you absolutely can do it without a publicist. I will say there is nuance to how to pitch or how to build that media list, how to make sure that you're on point with your messaging. This is actually what I teach as well is I want to make sure that people really put their best foot forward when they get started so that they can really make a good impression and build this into something really big. I love that you brought up Haro, H-A-R-O, that's Help A Reporter Out Fire Nation. I have such fond memories from that. A quick, quick story is it was the middle of 2012. 12, I was really getting ready to launch my podcast, but my coach, my mentor, they were telling me, John, don't do a daily podcast.

20:09You'll never find enough guests to do a daily show. I went to Harrow and I just published one simple post and I said, hey, shoot me an email if you or somebody that you know would like to be a guest on a podcast or I'm going to interview about the successes and the failures of your entrepreneurial journey, I got hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of responses from that one single post. And it was from that I said, man, I am never going to run out of guests, ever run out of guests. And that was just from one post. That was so exciting. It was such like a validation. So love that. And Esther, you've given us a ton of value today.

20:50What is the one key takeaway you really want to make sure Fire Nation gets from our conversation today? The one thing that I wanted to make sure that you know is you know your own personality and how you can stand out. Because just like you shared just now, right, that you had hundreds of applications just from one post. Well, this is what happens with any popular media outlet. And so for you to be chosen to have that really high chance of actually getting those media interview opportunities, you want to approach them, first of all, with a warm relationship, ideally, but also knowing what your strengths are.

21:29Are you more of a teacher, more of a storyteller? What's going on with you and how can you contribute to that outlet in a way that's also a good fit to their style, not just content wise, but style wise. So knowing yourself is something that is really super important. I actually created a quiz on this that you guys can take. It's totally for free and it's really fun. That actually helps you nail that down so you know how you should direct your outreach. Well, let's get a call to action. Let Fire Nation know how they can learn more from you, how they can connect with you. What is your call to action for our listeners today?

22:03So the best way to connect with me is through my website, borntoinfluence.com. And if you do want to take that quiz, it's just borntoinfluence.com slash quiz. and it will help you out really, really quickly. It's really fun, free, so I highly recommend you take it. Fire Nation, you're the average of the five people you spend the most time with, and you've been hanging out with EK and JLD today, so keep up that heat. For links to everything we talked about, visit eofire.com. Just type Esther in the search bar. That's E-S-T-H-E-R, and the show notes page will pop right up. And then, by the way, go back and listen to episode 288.

22:41That was a great episode as well. over 4 ,000 episodes ago. Esther, thank you for sharing your truth, your knowledge, your value with Fire Nation. For that, we salute you and we'll catch you on the flip side. Thank you. Hey, Fire Nation, a huge thank you to our sponsors and Esther for sponsoring today's episode. And Fire Nation, what can 4 ,000 of the world's most successful entrepreneurs teach you? How about how to achieve financial freedom and fulfillment? My first traditionally published book, The Common Path to Uncommon Success is a revolutionary 17-step roadmap that will lead you to the lifestyle you've been dreaming about.

23:21This book took me 10 years of accumulating the genius of the world's top entrepreneurs, and you can get it all in one place when you visit UncommonSuccessBook.com. I'll catch you there or on the flip side. Hustle and Flowchart, hosted by Joe Feer, is brought to you by the HubSpot Podcast Network, the audio destination for business professionals. Join Joe as he discusses systems, mindset tweaks, reframes, and strategies to help you build a business that gives you freedom and fuel for your life. A recent episode on using AI for effortless content creation is a must listen. Listen to Hustle & Flowchart wherever you get your podcasts.

23:57NetSuite by Oracle brings accounting, finance, inventory, and HR into one proven platform, helping you reduce costs everywhere. Backed by popular demands, NetSuite has extended its one-of-a-kind flexible financing program for a few more weeks, head to netsuite.com slash fire.