I get asked all the time, “How can I get into Forbes?” As an entrepreneur, one of the essential things you need is coverage and exposure. It’s one way to get your story out there and create brand awareness. Sure, there are several platforms, ranging from social media to mainstream media. But, getting featured in Forbes Magazine still stands out far in all circles and is a dream publication for many. Brand mentions in a top-tier journal can do wonders for a growing company.
Of course, not everyone knows how to get featured in Forbes; if it were that easy, everyone would get featured. So you need to know what Forbes writers expect and how to deliver it. But before that, you need to know how to track down a Forbes writer and write the perfect pitch.
In this piece, I will provide actionable steps that will help you get featured in Forbes even if you’re not a PR expert. So if you want to go the DIY route and do the work yourself to get featured continue reading below. Or if you prefer to outsource the work to use just click on Get Interviewed Today and we can start the process to getting you featured in Forbes and many other top media outlets.
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Ok, you’ve chosen to continue reading and get our top tips to pitch Forbes yourself. After reading this piece, you will be ready to find Forbes writers and editors, pitch them highly irresitable stort angles about yourself and your business, and build your media profile for success!
Develop Expertise and Your Story Idea
Before you go out searching for a Forbes writer, the first step to take is to develop yourself. Be interesting, engaging, and fascinating altogether. You may be doing something that’s been done before, but how exactly will you put your spin on it?
Let’s face it, whatever you plan to do has probably been done before, so try your best to take a different approach. Develop your skills and story to the point that news agencies are vying to get it out there.
Find Forbes Contributors and Professional Journalists
There are numerous platforms where you can find Forbes writers; you have to be smart about it. LinkedIn is a great place to connect and interact with them, but even better is Twitter. Unlike other platforms that require you to send a friend request and wait for it to be accepted, Twitter is no man’s land.
Altogether, social media is a great route when looking for a Forbes writer to pitch to. However, getting their email address is also a key tactic.
Build a Relationship With the Writer Before You Pitch
Once you’ve found a writer, the next step is not to jump right in and pitch. Instead, be ready to tango, comment on their posts, and have conversations that don’t necessarily point to the fact that you are trying to pitch. If you aren’t sure how to do this, it’s good to start small. Develop relationships with writers in smaller publications and get your ideas out in their journals.
This will help build your case for being an expert worthy of being quoted in a Forbes article. Once you’ve made that confidence, you can go for high-quality publications and attempt to build rapport with a Forbes writer. A regular Forbes contributor often needs new content ideas. So one pro tip is to build relationships with active contributors as your pitch is more likely to be accepted than it is by a contributor who writes monthly.
Do Your Research
Before you pitch Forbes, the first step is to read recent articles on their website to get a feel for their published content. Additionally, please look at the writers’ bios to see what topics they usually cover. This will help you determine if your story is a good fit for the outlet. One common mistake I see is putting together cold email lists and mass pitches. Instead, personalize your pitch as much as possible.
Make Sure You Get Your Pitch Right
Think about why you want to put this article out there. Ultimately, is it what the audience that Forbes appeals to wants to read? Next, you must ensure that what you are putting out there is something they want to read. If not, you are going to hit a brick wall. So, before you even decide to approach a writer, vet your pitch.
Then, before pitching it to a specific writer, ensure that what you pitch to them fits their beat at Forbes. In other words, the topic you raise must be relevant to the writer’s column. If you throw a writer who doesn’t cover the topic you’re pitching, your chances are zero of making it into an article.
If your pitch includes too many links and attachments and is too wordy, it won’t get read. Forbes writers get inundated with pitches from PR firms and entrepreneurs looking for coverage. A successful pitch has a solid opening sentence and a brief message. Forbes is a powerful tool for business and a top media outlet, but your voice won’t be shared in their publication if you don’t nail the pitch.
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Hook The Forbes Writer’s Attention
The best way to have excellent media relations is to add value to the writer’s column. If you include helpful information within the pitch, it will increase your chances of getting coverage. The most effective way to get in touch with Forbes writers is through email. If you cannot connect with them via email, do not call! Calling only works if you know the person well (e.g., they’re friends).
Forbes editors permit only one source per article; no anonymous quotes are allowed. However, if multiple sources are involved in your story or product launch, all sources must be named and quoted for the piece to be accepted.
Pitching Forbes is Different Than Pitching Other Outlets
Forbes covers unique, interesting stories and has a news angle. They do not cover traditional press releases or product launches. To get coverage, you need to provide something new that the writer can share with their audience. Using a strategic approach is the key here. A spray-and-pray strategy, where you contact multiple writers on the same email with a generic pitch, is the fastest way to land in the junk mail folder.
Keep It Short and Sweet
When pitching Forbes, keep your pitch short and sweet. The editors and writers get listed all day, every day. So if your pitch is too long, it won’t be read. Use bullets and make your pitch easy to scan. Even experienced public relations professionals make the mistake of sending too long pitches. Be respectful of the writer’s time by keeping your pitch short and easy to scan for top-level information.
Provide a Compelling Angle
Your story must have a unique angle that hasn’t been discussed before. Being newsworthy is not enough; you must have a fresh take on the story. Otherwise, it won’t be interesting enough for Forbes.
Your Story Must Be Timely
Here’s a pro tip. Your story must be pitched at the right time and relevant to what’s happening in the world. Of course, this is especially important for news stories. But even feature stories need to be tied into current events somehow.
Nail Your Social Media Profiles
Make sure your social media profiles are dialed in to build credibility. One of the common mistakes we see is people leaving up old profiles that they no longer use. If a writer finds this profile looking to determine if you are a credible source for their article, it can damage your chances. On the other hand, it’s better to have no presence than an evil presence. So with that in mind, choose 2 or 3 social media channels to be active on with great content. You don’t need to be on ALL of them. Delete the profiles you don’t use anymore. Having a large audience of online followers will help your chances of getting your pitch accepted.
Include Supporting Data and Sources
Forbes loves data, and they love when you include sources in your pitch. This helps them verify your story and makes it more credible. So have as much data and references as possible in your pitch to raise the quality of your angle.
Tell A Human Interest Story
Forbes loves human interest stories with good news with high-quality storytelling. Your account should be about more than just the data or facts. It should be about the people involved and how they’re affected by what’s happening.
Build Your Media Portfolio First
I’m always surprised by the number of people with no previous media appearances who reach out to my PR agency, asking for help getting directly into Forbes. But, of course, before pitching Forbes, you must build your credibility first by getting media coverage in other outlets. I have years of experience getting clients featured in prestigious publications, but even PR experts can’t expect to get people in Forbes without prior top-tier publication placements first.
To sum this up, here are the three key takeaways:
1) Find the right person to contact – do your research
2) Have a strong, unique angle
3) Make sure you’ve built up your credibility first by getting into other media outlets
Getting into business publications like Forbes is hard work. But billowing these steps will make you much more likely to get featured in Forbes! And get the search engines working in your company’s favor.
If you’re ready to get serious about being featured in top-tier business publications like Forbes. Grab a time on my calendar to discuss using this link:
