4 Ways to Establish Credibility

When you are pitching reporters, your credibility is everything.

Reporters want to know who you are, if your story is true and how/why you are qualified to speak about that story.

If you cannot prove to a reporter that you are a credible source, you can forget about a story.

Here are a few things that you should be doing to reassure journalists that you actually know what you are talking about:

• Have an online presence. By now, everyone should have a website, a blog or at the very least, a Facebook page. Gone are the days where a reporter will use a phone book to locate an expert...it's all about Google and Bing now. If you do not have some sort of online presence for your business or organization, you are sorely behind.
• Have independent research and statistics. I can't stress enough that reporters -- and people in general, actually -- love statistics. Research. Quantitative facts that support your story, and not necessarily research that you completed, unless you are a qualified researcher. Outside sources are always great. "Why, yes, the national expert on this or that said these numbers are true."
• Work with other credible partners who can vouch for you. No one operates in a vacuum. As you grow your business and organization, you should reach out to complementing organizations or businesses that you can network with and that you can tell reporters you have worked with if they ask. "Yes, we've been working with organization X on this initiative or Prominent Person B and they have been very supportive."
• Tell the truth. Don't exaggerate, bend or stretch the truth. You may get away with initially, but it will come back to bite you.

The moral of the story? When you're a media novice, your background is going to be scrutinized, especially in this digital age where people can more or less make up their credentials. Make sure that your credibility can withstand the review.

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