I think it’s important to dream big. Really, I do. I can think of a decent number of clients off the top of my head that would say to me, “Hannah, you JUST told me to start small.” This is also true. Starting small is the key to the door that leads to your Big Dreams.
More often than not, one of the top goals I hear during my initial discovery calls is to be included in the New York Times Book Review. Or featured on Good Morning America. Maybe the Ellen Degenerous Show. Do I love and respect all of these outlets? Yes? Do I think it’s a good place for a creator/entrepreneur (yes, they are the same) to begin the journey of sharing their story? No.
Why?
You’ve gotta make ripples in order to make waves. A classic saying that is 100% true. Make ripples in your direct community, share your story with local organizations, book clubs, newspapers, radio shows - the people who are physically around you and are very likely to support you long after your product launch. This is how you begin. While smaller news outlets may seem less appealing, this is how you reach your community on a larger scale.
Questions to ask yourself as you’re conducting outreach:
Where are you from and what are the top 5 most trusted media outlets in that area?
Where did you attend college and do they have a university newspaper?
What story is your book/painting/photograph/song telling and are there podcasts about this specific subject?
What organizations do you belong to and will they be willing to share my work with their audience?
Where do you live now and what groups are you affiliated with?
Are there opportunities to submit contributing articles to publications near you?
Where does your story take place (or what does your painting/photograph depict)?
Start there. These are short, simple, get-right-to-the-point questions. If you start with these, you will rack up interviews and media placements to add to your portfolio. Podcast interviews and audio clips will help showcase your speaking style/expertise to bigger, more will known events and outlets, allowing them the opportunity to get a feel for your speaking style + level of expertise.
Another bottom line is that people care about what’s going on within their communities. Pushing your work in your local market speaks to a shared experience you have with your customers - where you live. Speaking for myself, I love to know what’s happening in the James Island community. We go to a farmers market up the road every Sunday to support local artisans AND pick up products we love. It’s a win win.
Speaking of, do you have a local market near you? Just another idea….
In short, it’s important to dream big. We need to dream big and we deserve to do so. But, you will not simply arrive at your ultimate dream without putting in the work, which leads with starting small. Connect with your community, dive into the market around you, and build your portfolio. The Big Dream will follow and you will have fun along the way.
XX,
H