Being featured in a print or online publication is not only a huge accomplishment for a blogger, but it can also boost credibility, visibility, and business!

This interview is packed with tips and resources on how to get published in a fitness magazine and/or website (and also includes a free download to your perfect pitch and direct links to contribution pages for three very credible health and fitness websites).

 

 

Lisa Simone Richards specializes in PR and marketing communications for small businesses and entrepreneurs.  She has been in PR for 10 years but it wasn’t until about 2 years into her career that she went to work for a boot camp start up. That’s when she really got into fitness and decided to become a personal trainer and group fitness instructor.

 

#Fitpreneur Interview w/ @ellerich - How to get Published in a Fitness Magazine/Website Click To Tweet

 

I’ve included a brief bio below because I think you need to know just how knowledgeable and influential Lisa is to realize the value of this interview!

 

Lisa is a visibility strategist for fitness, health, and wellness entrepreneurs who want to get featured on TV, online, on podcasts, on stage, in magazines, and in newspapers. As the principal of PR agency Vitality PR & Communications in Toronto, she’s here to show you how to get seen and get clients so you can stop chasing them down and naturally get them to come to you.

When she’s not shooting national TV segments or working with editors on magazine features, you can find her swinging a kettlebell, getting her zen on at hot yoga, or shopping at her local farmer’s market.

 

I first met Lisa through my Fitness Blogging Mastermind Facebook group and, most recently, got to see first hand awesome she truly is through her online summit: Audience Attraction Formula.

 

If you have been reading my blog for a bit, you may know how much I LOVE online summits! They are PACKED with value – and I learned soooo much from Lisa’s summit that I just had to ask her to do an interview on The Fit Niche.

 

Where to find Lisa:

On her PR and Communication website: www.vitalitypr.com

Twitter: @ellerich

Instagram: @lisasimonerichards

Facebook Group: Get Seen, Get Clients, Get Paid

Pinterest: Lisa Simone PR

 

Her freebie for this interview: 7 Pillars of the Perfect Pitch

 

Question:

Let’s say there is a big fitness magazine or website that a blogger loves, what would be the first steps he/she should take before reaching out to the company?

 

 

Answer:

The first step before reaching out to the editorial team, would be to ask themselves how their content would be of value to the reader. It’s the only thing the person on the receiving end of the pitch will care about – not your credentials and not your new service or product launch. Editors have a responsibility to produce quality content that their readers care about.

 

Since the blogger already loves the magazine/website, they should already be familiar with the type of content they produce and the various sections (i.e. fitness, nutrition, lifestyle), so figuring out how your story will fit within a section and how it will be of benefit to the reader’s life is key!

 

Question:

How important is it to have been featured in smaller publications before pitching to a bigger magazine/website?

 

Answer:

Know what? For TV that would be a good question, but for magazines and websites for the most part it doesn’t matter.

 

Here’s the difference: if you want to contribute an article to be published, yes, you will want to have a portfolio of published work to share with an editor. On the other hand, if you want to be interviewed or featured, it’s entirely fine to start big – just keep in mind there’s a LOT of competition to get into top glossies and websites, so the pitch or story idea would need to be very compelling (more so than smaller publications).

 

In either case, it is important to have a solid web presence and be ‘google-able’. An editor will definitely do their online research before moving forward with your idea.

 

Question:

It seems like there is an overwhelming amount of information out there already, how can someone set themselves apart?

 

Answer:

This is a great question. Thanks to Google, any questions we have we can easily find the answers to online for free.

 

But, what people are truly interested in is access to YOU. Let your personality shine through your content and share some vulnerability so people can relate to your story. Let people have a behind-the-scenes sneak peek into your life, your experiences, and how they got you to where you are today. That’s when you’ll build a real connection with an audience that’s interested in your perspective, and not just facts that can be searched online.

 

Build a real connection w/ your audience + stand out! Fitpreneur Interview w/ Lisa @ellerich Click To Tweet

 

Question:

What should be included in an article pitch and how often should you follow up?

 

Answer:

There are seven pillars of the perfect pitch. Here’s the breakdown:

 

• A quick introduction
• Creating connection
• Showcasing familiarity with the media outlet
• Pitching your idea
• Sharing your unique selling proposition
• Establishing credibility and finally
• Making the ask

 

And in that specific order! I’ve seen so many people mess up the order and lead with their credibility which is a fast path to the recycle bin.

 

To make sure that the crew from The Fit Niche doesn’t have that fate, I’ve created a guide, just for this community, that goes through each of these seven pillars in more detail so that we can be pitch perfect! Click here to download it and KNOW that your pitch WILL get read.

 

In terms of following up, I’m glad you asked that because often people will make the pitch, not hear back, and let it go. Most of my media success comes from polite persistence and follow up. Between five and seven days is a good amount of time to wait. In the first two or three days, the recipient may not have even gotten to your email yet. Definitely give them a chance to get to your email.

 

Here’s another tip: never follow up with an email that says ‘Hey, did you get my email?” Something I always do is add a new piece of information that pertains to the original topic. Maybe you wrote a blog post relating to the topic, a new stat has come out, or someone in the community had posted a question that would coincide with the story you want to share. However you do it, presenting new information that will make your pitch ideas more compelling is a great way to reiterate the relevance of the topic you have in mind.

 

Question:

Are there any recognized websites or magazines that you know of that welcome guest contributors?

 

Answer:

SO many! Newsrooms are getting smaller and many websites especially are looking for contributed content to take the load off of the editorial staff. Here are a few sites and magazines that will accept guest contributions:

 

• mindbodygreen
• Fitnessmagazine.com
• Huffington Post

 

Question:

What is the benefit to a blogger to get published in other credible sources? And when do you ask to get paid vs. appreciate the recognition?

 

Answer:

For the most part, you will not get paid for contributing content – that’s the reality. I have a number of clients who are regular contributors to popular, national magazines and they don’t get paid at all. Magazines and websites are savvy in that they know they’re giving you access to their audience that’s generally between tens of thousands of readers, even as high as millions of readers, depending on the publication.

 

What’s most important when contributing content or being featured, is to have a well-done byline that provides a clear call-to-action for the reader directing them back to your site or onto your email list with a content upgrade. (Ahem, see what I did there in question four?!)

 

The benefits of getting published in other credible sources are enormous! Some advantages include:

 

• Brand awareness & exposure
• Creating buzz/hype
• Being positioned as a go-to industry expert
• Establishing credibility
• Converting publicity to profit (my specialty!)

 

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Let’s Chat

Do you think being featured in other publications is valuable to bloggers?

Have you ever been published in a large magazine or website? Any tips to add to Lisa’s?