The world of public relations (PR) has evolved in many ways from the time it was initially introduced. Nowadays, almost all celebrities, business owners, entrepreneurs, and big corporations employ a PR firm to protect and further bring them and/or their work into the spotlight.
Nabeel Ahmad is a serial entrepreneur who is the founder and CEO of Mogul Press, a PR firm that is owned by his main company Skyray Ventures. Over the years, Nabeel has worked with hundreds of media outlets, journalists and editors, and this has allowed him to become one of the most connected people in the media industry.
As a result of the success of Mogul Press, which has become one of the fastest growing PR firms in the world, Nabeel has positioned himself as one of the key influencers in the marketing and PR industry.
Nabeel’s methodologies have been highly praised and appreciated due to their uniqueness and effectiveness. He wasn’t a follower of the traditional guesswork model used by most PR firms. Instead, he invented his own unique systems for result-based PR, and his systems have now been implemented by many other PR firms in the industry.
Nabeel's very own PR model has today made Mogul Press one of the fastest-growing PR firms globally. It has become a 7-figure company, generating more than $100,000 per month in 2020.
Nabeel was always aware of the power of strategic media placements, and he believes that PR allows you to get the “red carpet experience” in life. Being featured in the press allows you to position yourself as an expert authority, build powerful brand credibility, and improve your Google search presence. These are all things that are essential to get to the next level in your business and attain that “red carpet experience” in life.
We asked Nabeel to share his top 3 hacks to get featured in the press that can be implemented by anyone:
The press in general thrives on current hyped-up events. Nabeel’s experience in the PR industry has proved that journalists are always trying to stay ahead of the competition by getting their hands on the latest news or ongoing trends. They want their stories to revolve around what’s going on at this particular moment, and they want to cover viral and trending stories.
Nabeel shared that one of the simplest hacks to get yourself featured in the media is aligning your story with breaking news. This will more than likely increase your chances of a press mention.
However, Nabeel understands that where it’s not always possible to personally give the press breaking news, you can use the means of newsjacking. Newsjacking is a process where you add your opinion and thoughts to a viral event or breaking news story.
In simple words, it’s piggybacking on viral news topics to have the press notice your presence. “Your goal is to try hard to find a connection between your story and the viral event,” Nabeel said, “by doing so, you’ve got a good chance of catching the attention of media outlets.”
2. Perfect Pitch
Nabeel shared how so many people ask him, “How do I even approach the press if I barely have any credentials?” He believes this is when you need to understand the importance of having the perfect pitch.
Your pitch needs to be airtight, without any kind of loopholes. Nabeel feels that you shouldn’t simply rely on your first few attempts at pitching, instead, you should have hundreds of them before you know which is the best amongst them. Experiment with different pitching styles, and then decide what works best for you.
“Lead with a story that revolves around yourself or your brand,” Nabeel says, “know what your angle is, and make sure you shed some unique perspective on it, as you’ll come across as a complete pro.”
Nabeel believes it’s vital to remain confident and prove that you’re not here to play, but here to stay.
3. Building Rapport With Journalists
Nabeel asked, “Would you simply just walk up to a total stranger and ask them for a favor?” We cringed having to picture such a moment! But, Nabeel further said we wouldn’t feel this way if we were asking a friend for a favor because it’s less complicated and has no pressure on us.
Nabeel said his point was that when you’re pitching your story to the press, it’s the same thing as asking for a favor - to cover your brand, business, or yourself. But if you’re doing so without making an effort to build rapport with the journalists, it’s the same as asking a stranger for a favor.
“Journalists are human too, and it’s important to build a relationship with them before you need their help,” Nabeel said. “Engage with them through their social media channels, or even better, help them with a story they’re struggling with!”
Successful press coverage isn’t just about having a one-time feature, it’s about being able to find a way to keep being approached by the press. Nabeel isn’t known as a “PR Mogul” for nothing. He used these hacks to not only help his clients, but also build one of the fastest growing PR firms in the world today.