GET NOTICED BY THE MEDIA: ADVICE FROM A PR PRO

Getting press coverage can be challenging but not impossible for handmade businesses. So, we consulted Teia Wallington, the founder and public relations manager at Love Publicity in Detroit. Teia has unique insight into PR for artisans because she worked with several makers through Nest, a nonprofit 501(c) (3) that supports artisans domestically and around the world

Here are Teia’s three manageable tips for getting noticed by media outlets.

1. Have great visuals! High-quality photos and videos (that can now be produced from a cell phone and great lighting) can help you on more than a social media page. Your beautiful work can grab the attention of an editor or producer. You can create product style, lifestyle photos or fun and engaging videos showcasing your work.

2. Clear messaging.

Having a clear, consistent message about who you are. What you’re selling and your story should be easy to figure out. Having a short bio, product descriptions or even a fun video to share this information will allow the journalist or producer to connect with you.

3. Be accessible. Buying your goods or contacting you should be extremely easy. If you make the journalist work to find a contact or a buy button, they will grow less and less interested in covering you. Therefore, make sure you have your contact information in your social bios, and try to make sure you have a digital footprint like your own website—even if it’s just a one-pager with your contact information.

About Teia Love Publicity is a creative public relations agency headquartered in Detroit, Michigan that helps clients across many sectors, including lifestyle, hospitality, retail and nonprofit, by engaging traditional, digital and social public relation strategies to produce innovative publicity campaigns.

Love Publicity focuses on securing nationwide clients in print, online and broadcast media as well as in blogs and social media – thereby getting clients’ stories face-to-face with its target audiences… and creating content is our thing too!

Editor’s Note: Interviews took place online/via email. The quotes in the interview were edited slightly for length, clarity and style.

Biz Book Spotlight

By Stephanie Blanchard

Around the time I started Artisan Joy, I took an online course on marrying creativity and business called “Jumpstart: Ignite Your Creativity for Profit, Innovation and Reinvention” by contemporary art curator and writer Maria Brito. While the course focused on the creativity of artists, I easily applied it to my situation. The program gave me the confidence to keep going with Artisan Joy.

Maria recently published “How Creativity Rules the World: The Art and Business of Turning Your Ideas into Gold.” The book’s theme is that creativity is essential for business success, no matter your industry.

“How Creativity Rules the World” takes an in-depth look into “history, culture, psychology, science, and entrepreneurship, analyzing the elements used by some of the most creative minds throughout the last 600 years.” I just started reading the book and already know it will be an invaluable resource for my business.