How do I get a regular column/blog on a recognised magazine/newspaper/their website?

Question

I'm working for a man who wants me to improve his recognisability in the business world, as part of my shell STEP project. I am but a 20 year old student, and the web is not being forthcoming with ideas. Do blogs/articles/speaking engagements etc just get offered, not sought? I've been on various publications and their websites don't tell you how you can get published with them!

Am I missing something???

Thanks for all your help.

Answer 1

I admire your work ethic, but sadly i don't know.  I would think that it is up to your boss to advertise STEP; and then you do the rest.  But I am sorry, I am not sure.

Answer 2

Tell him to do something remarkable then write about it - here's how todays media works...jounalists of paper based (but most established) businesses - magazine, newspapers, journals, etc. all are scrabling to keep their jobs since the speed of information on the Internet is putting the squeeze on their reseach budgets and time to publish.

It has come to a point where you have the opportuntity to make the story for them. So you (or your boss) needs to do something that make people stop and stare. Write about it on the web with pictures and video if possible, and then submit that website(or blog) to other bloggers and social media networks like Digg, StumbleUpon, Twitter, etc...

Journalists are looking for new stories all the time...they love remarkable things - they have learned to speed up their research time by reading heavy hitter blogs like Boing Boing, Gizmodo, etc...it's best if you find out what are the big blogs related to what your boss is doing and then submit your remarkable story to them.

What makes something remarkable? It could be a special heartwarming charity story, a new way to get things done, selling something crazy on Ebay, a new product that helps people, etc...the Jared Subway Diet story is a good example.

The key is do the work for the journalist - start by writing an interesting story around your remarkable event. Then start submitting that story to blogs that have Suggest a Site link. Do a press release and submit a similar version to PRWeb and PRLeap.

For more ideas, read anything by Seth Godin - but start with Purple Cow, Free Prize Inside, and All Marketers Are Liars.

Also read Made to Stick by Chip and Dan Heath