January 31, 2025
Standing out as a newsroom is hard. Getting your work seen can be even harder. Ken Schneck, editor of The Buckeye Flame, is a big fan of “shameless self-promotion” of his newsroom and the work it does.
But when he asked the journalists, editors and newsroom leaders who attended the INN-hosted “From the Field” webinar how they felt about shameless self-promotion, their answers were mostly negative.
Some said they’re uncomfortable with it. Others said that it’s hard and that it leads to an inauthentic feeling. But on the other hand, one leader from Cardinal News wrote, “Honestly, I feel good with it. You have to stand out in the massive ocean that is our current social existence.”
Schneck agrees with that. “The content of your site is amazing, but there’s still work you need to do so people find it,” he said. Here are three takeaways from Schneck’s advice on shameless self-promotion:
1. Don’t be afraid to take up space. White, straight, older men don’t have a problem taking up space, Schneck said. Women and historically marginalized populations are conditioned to not take up as much space. “You can go to a networking event where you’re going to meet possible funders and be uncomfortable taking up space, but know that there are other people who are not hesitating at all.”
2. You need a measurable, specific goal. “If you don’t have a measurable, specific goal you will not know if you’re successful,” he said. Specific goals such as making that $15,000 match during NewsMatch is a great, measurable outcome, he said. Other ideas include a specific number of app downloads or email subscribers. Schneck recommends doing campaigns that are specific to business goals. For example, The Buckeye Flame’s was to hire a reporter who specifically focuses on LGBTQ+ communities of color.
3. Hone your elevator pitch. There are four steps to a successful elevator pitch, Schneck said. First, introduce yourself. The second sentence should create a sense of urgency, which is identifying a lack of something, a void or an abundance, he said. After that, present your solution and ask the audience to do something specific (aka subscribe to The Buckeye Flame). To make sure everyone in your newsroom is on the same page, Schneck suggests using an elevator pitch template with your whole team.
This is not theoretical advice, he said. “Theory means nothing to me unless we’re actually able to use it… [this] has really helped us at The Buckeye Flame.”
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