176 | Pitch Yourself + Your Business to the Press with Rachel Rosenthal (part 2)

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Written By Melissa Klug

“Just remember, whoever it is, writer, TV producer, all these people, they get hundreds of emails a day. So the point of this is, number one, cutting through all of that and how do you do it. And number two, writing pitches that are timely, that have interesting topics. So you're creating the story.”
-Rachel Rosenthal, Rachel & Company

This is the second epsiode in our 2 part series with Rachel Rosenthal, a professional organizer in Washington DC who has used the media to propel her business to serve over 8,000 clients. In this ep we get down to business learning how to pitch potential outlets like TV, podcasts, and print media to grow your organizing business. 

You can listen here, read the full transcript below, or find us on Apple, Spotify, or anywhere you love to listen to podcasts!

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FULL TRANSCRIPT

Hey pro organizers, it’s your podcast host, Melissa. And this is part two of my conversation with Rachel Rosenthal talking about press. I wanted to divide this into two different conversations, but put them out in the same week. In this conversation we are talking about, okay, I'm sold. You have sold me on doing press. It's important, but how do I do it? What does the pitch process look like? How do I get it out there?

All of those things, this is the very important second part of the equation, but. What I really, really hope is that the first part of our conversation, and I've gotten texts from a couple of my friends who are organizers, who were like, all right, I was a little bit skeptical, but I listened to the first podcast and I'm in on this. I just hope that you have gotten some inspiration to go out and even try to pitch one thing. 

Maybe it's a local podcast. Maybe it's a big TV station in your area. I would absolutely love for you to go out and decide, Hey, I'm going to go pitch someone. The other thing I'll tell you, this is the kind of thing that once you do it, the first time it's nerve wracking, it's scary. 

Especially if speaking isn't your thing, or, you know, like Rachel discusses, how she's actually a pretty shy person. Once you get used to it though, and you get one thing under your belt, then it's easier to do the second thing. It's easier to do the third thing. And then all of a sudden you see you're doing the 50th thing and it's really great. And you're happy that you did it. So get out there, rip the bandaid off, find something fun.

I actually pitched someone on being on the podcast. I sent an email out to someone that I had been recommended to be on the podcast, and I sent her a pitch to be on the podcast. And she emailed back, oh my gosh, I'm so excited, but I've never been on a podcast before. I am nervous. I don't know what to do. Just take it easy. On yourself and I promise you, you will be able to go do it.

Okay. As I said, in the last podcast, I met Rachel at the How To Summit last year. And a lot of you that listened to the podcast were there because I talked to a lot of podcast listeners, but I think that it would be awesome if a whole bunch of us showed up in Austin, Texas in September. 

So the How To Summit is open for early registration. It's $395. That will go up on January 31st. I would love to have people come to the how to summit. I will be there. I will be speaking. I'm so excited and I would love to meet so many organizers there. 

 Hit up howtosummit.org for that early registration bonus. And then email me hello@proorganizerstudio.com. If you're going to be there so that I can put you on my list of people that I want to meet.

All right. So it's our second interview with Rachel Rosenthal. Let's get going.

Melissa Klug: Tell us a little bit about the pitching process because I think that's probably the thing that will stop most people. They're like, okay, cool. I'm sold on this. But how, how exactly do I go about it? Can you talk a little bit about that process? 

Rachel Rosenthal: And so I'm going to, and I will talk about this later, but I have a press course where I give you some templates on how to actually do it because I do feel like that stops people and I don't want it to.

And especially because people think I'm not the best writer and all that. Just remember, whoever it is, writer, TV producer, all these people, they get hundreds of emails a day. So the point of this is, number one, cutting through all of that and how do you do it. And number two, writing pitches that are timely, that have interesting topics.

And again, for the organizing world, because obviously I know that the best. We don't have a ton of topics that are like related to world news events. That's just not something that happens. Like we can't comment. I mean, I've tried, I just did a story with some celebrities and that, okay, that comes in once around a moon, you know, we're not commenting on world events with organizing. It just doesn't fit. For the most part. So you're creating the story. And so you have to be a little bit creative.

So number one, I would go back and look at what has been published. You have to be on that publication first online in a magazine in TV and say, how are these publications actually writing, reading, whatever the thing is how are we hearing about organization in that form? Because that's going to help you with your pitch. Because you don't want to be pitching, a local magazine, and they do a lot of top 10 lists, for example, three reasons why you should get your garage organized before the winter. You don't then want to be pitching something that's doesn't have a number in it, or doesn't relate to the way that they're actually writing because if you then go against the grain, there's more chance that they're probably not going to pick you up again. That doesn't mean that they always do it the same way, but that's just a way to start to say, Okay, how was that story written? And that's how I can start to do my pitch when I'm pitching some first looking at that. I'm first looking at the last time they did maybe a story about that.

Again, I'm Talking about an online magazine. When is the last time they did organizing your kitchen to get it ready for a holiday? If it's something that they've done recently then you have to think about That's probably not something that they're going to pick up again unless it's really seasonal and there's so much time in between or so much has gone on in the world that you can then talk about it because publications and places don't want to repeat stories.

So think about that. And then make it as succinct and interesting as possible. These people don't want to read three pages on how to get a garage organized. It's like a two to three sentence “How do you get your garage organized”? and what's your interesting or what's your specific spin on how you're going to do it versus the next professional organizer that's going to email them two days later about organizing their garage?

Melissa Klug: And I would just like everyone to think about, by the way, we should all be thinking about this all day, every day. It's about them. So whether that is a potential client that is coming to you, we're going to talk about how we are going to help them. It's not about us. It's about them. And especially with these publications, any publication, any sort of press, how are you going to get them viewers, get them readers, get people interested in what they have.

Rachel Rosenthal: Remember, it's a business on the other side, whether it's a podcast, whether it's a TV show, whether it's a blog, all those things are still a business. And so it isn't about you. Yes, you're going to go on and you're going to have, you know, if let's say TV organizing expert under your name, professional organizer, when they do the bio online, that's great.

And that's press and a way to give you exposure and a link to your website or a link to your Instagram, whatever it is. But in the end, they're bringing you on, just like you said. To help their business. And so you need to show in the pitch. You're going to help their business. That's not to say you can't talk about you and your expertise.

But in that pitch, it is not about you. It is about how you're going to help their client, their consumer, their reader, their listener, and then you're showing why you can give that expertise. 

Melissa Klug: I, I will just throw in here a couple personal stories as someone who gets pitched a lot. I get pitched as a podcast creator.

And what I will tell you is a co, well, the best story ever was someone who pitched me. I couldn't make this up if I actually tried, but it was a PR person that said, I have X, Y, Z. She's an expert in aquatic weeded control in ponds and lakes. God and I. I wish, I wish I could. And I, it's literally called the Pro Organizer Studio Podcast. So that one is particularly egregious, but the, the reason I want to tell the story is I get a ton of pitches from people who will say, I love the Pro Organizer Studio Podcast. I loved your recent episode on blah. It's a cut and paste thing that they have just pulled from the internet.

They have not actually done any research whatsoever on the podcast. And then they proceed to pitch me something that is. Ludicrous that has nothing to do with professional organizing, or I will have people that pitch me that say, I'm Julie. I'm a professional organizer. I want to talk about how much I love organizing and the benefits of being organized.

That is not something that my audience cares about. My audience already knows the benefits of being organized. What you're saying is really important. You have to do the research on what you're pitching and whether it actually makes sense to that audience. 

Rachel Rosenthal: A hundred percent. And I mean, people just in regular emails, like the, they're spelling your name wrong.

They're not, I mean, look at those things again. You don't have to be an English major. I went to law school. I'm like not known for writing pitches, right? I'm learning all of this on my own. But do your research and yes, it might be time consuming on the front end, but it is going to save you so much time on that back end because you're actually going to be pitching things that might.

 

Make them interested versus them looking at the email going. What were you going to talk about a zoo or whatever? The thing is, no sense. And you just wasted all your time doing that pitch. And so I wouldn't be discouraged if you number one, don't get a response from your first initial pitch, or it's a no at that point, because number one, if it's a no, I actually think that's great, because then you can go back to them and be like, Hey, remember in you know, December, I pitched you about X, Y, or Z, and then you come back and be like, okay, well, here's a new spin on number two of the four that I pitched you. This is why I think it's relative now. Recent now, whatever. But I think a no is not a no forever. I always think of a no, unless they're really saying like, no forever.

But I think a no is just a, okay, great. It doesn't going to work this time. Cause you have no idea the stories that are working on the articles they're working on. You just have no concept about that. And so I had to learn that for myself. Don't take it too personally. I feel like we're in show business, you know, when I people about this, but it's just like, it's not personal, they have their own stuff going on.

They have editors that are telling them what stories to write. It's not personal. Just like when a client might not necessarily choose you and goes with a different organizer or you've said no to a certain it's not personal. And so I just want people to. Builds like a thicker skin because , I know it sounds like a lot of work to go and do the research and write and wait for the response, but it pays dividends.

Trust me, it really helps with clients coming to you and your credibility. And then I don't know about most people who are listening to this. But my clients talk with other clients and that's how, and I've lasted for 15 years with a lot of referrals. And so you just have to continue to do good, be in these places, be where people can quote unquote, see you. And that also is helps you continue to have a long list of clients. Continue that business going. And I do think that process. I mean, I know press has been that number one thing for me. We can't read as much on Instagram. I don't do all these other things because of press. 

Melissa Klug: Well, we cannot. I mean, I work with pro organizers all over the place as, as you do too. And Referrals continue in our hyper connected, online, 24 7 world. Personal, word of mouth referrals are still a ginormous part of so many people's businesses. 

Rachel Rosenthal: I, I, I mean, I've been, I feel like a dinosaur every time I say that. But I mean, like when I started, there was no Instagram. Like I had a newsletter and I'll actually tell you the story.

Melissa Klug: You're like an OG organizer, by the way.

Rachel Rosenthal: I'm old. Okay. I know. I call myself that. And it's so funny to hear other people say that, but I've been around for a very long time. There wasn't social media. There wasn't this connection of online, which is so amazing now that we have this and we get to meet other people and connect with them online, but we didn't have that.

And so I've just always done the referral thing. And this is again, coming from someone who's shy, doesn't like networking, whatever. Yeah, but anytime I'm talking to someone with the press, I'm not becoming friends with them, but like I'm becoming friendly with them. I'm providing them. Well, I'm doing good work. So I do that. They do continue to talk about me or come back. Or let's say there's another writer in their office doing a story on organization. And that person in the team meeting is like, you know what? I once had this organizing expert three years ago. Why don't you call her? Because was great. I want that to come out of that writer's mouth.

And that continues and helps with my longevity and his referral in that way. And then the client, it's all connected. But really quick, a story that so I, again, started when there was no Instagram. And so I did a newsletter. I had a very small newsletter list and there happened to be a Washington Post reporter on my newsletter list and people at the How To Summit heard this story. I think in one of the groups, but I wrote a newsletter that I was pregnant with identical twins and, you know, going to be organizing for them, blah, blah, blah. And she wrote me back and she was like, can we come do a photo shoot at your house when they're six weeks. And I was like six weeks from how that sounds great. I mean, amazing. Like what could possibly go wrong? And so, I was like, well, could I wear black? I've just had twins and it's only been six weeks. And she's like, nope, color. We're only going to take a picture from the waist up.

I was holding the girls in front of my chest and like on my waist. And she's like, don't worry, it'll be great. It then got picked up by the Associated Press was in hundreds of met full and then she's like, Oh, I didn't have control over the pic the picture getting it was the whole full fledged picture which again is any new mom knows like that's really not what you want to be taking pictures of like your whole body.

Six weeks after and It was just a mess, but that article got picked up in hundreds of different papers. The Washington Post printed it. It was a picture that I've never seen. It was below the fold. I don't even think they do those large pictures anymore. Like it was centerfold in the picture. It was, and I got calls left and right. And the article was about organizing for twins. So it wasn't just twin moms calling me. It was all these moms calling me because they're like, Oh, the way that they presented, like, it sounded like I had my stuff together, right? I'm organizing and having a mom for twins. So people want what I have that story. From my newsletter to the Washington Post, and then I did numerous stories with her afterwards, because it was such a big hit for the paper. I mean, I was so grateful. And I just had to say to myself, like, okay, it doesn't matter how you look.

Melissa Klug: It literally doesn't matter how you look.

It doesn't. It really doesn't. That's, that's the truth. And we're all our own worst enemies on that, which is a whole other podcast for a whole other time. But yeah, no one's looking at you as much as you think you're looking at you is, is the biggest. It is the biggest thing, but I think your point too is, and what we cannot ever know is how many tentacles something is going to have.

Rachel Rosenthal: Right. No, no idea how it's connected to, I mean you, and that's why I'm always like. As much as I can. Yes. And doing the best I can with everything. It might not be the topic that I really want to be talking about, but I'm going to give it my all because you just never know. That producer might go to this show. This person might now work for this. You know, and I've had people move all over and still contact me. You just never know what's going to happen from it. So I'm like, do your best at all times. Whatever. Yeah. I love it. 

Melissa Klug: If you could try to give people some, some inspo, if they're just listening to this and like, Oh, this just like hurts me just a little bit.

Like it's, it's really scary. Like, can you just tell us like, Hey, go out and pitch two publications or what, what would you tell people?

Rachel Rosenthal: I would say number one, figure out who your ideal client is before you start anything. So after you figured out your ideal client, figure out, let's just say five places where they are.

What are they reading? I mean, it could be a variety. I personally would do a variety of things, whether it's watching, listening, reading online, in print, anything, pick those five and do great pitches to those five and do not do the same pitch to all five. Right. Because you don't want to be pitching the same thing, and then two of them hit, if that is the case.

And then just don't be discouraged if zero of those five come back to you and say, we want to do a story now, we want to have you on the podcast now. Don't take it personal. Go back, regroup, maybe rejigger things of how you've written it or who you're looking at, and go back and continue to pitch. I promise you it will pay off.

It will give your business a huge, huge help, both in credibility and your bottom line. 

Melissa Klug: Well, and I love the don't get discouraged because you are going to have some things that it maybe isn't a fit and that is okay. It's about finding the right place that is a fit and just the right timing.

Sometimes it is just an absolute luck scenario and it has nothing. So that no is not like you said, it's not a no forever. It's a no just for that moment. 

Rachel Rosenthal: And I will say, because I just was thinking about this, like press also includes businesses, right? So we have local businesses that do newsletters to their employees and all of that.

Those are great clients. Whatever these places are, they all have people who work for them and newsletters. And so, if your ideal is working at that business, go to those newsletters or go to those businesses and pitch to see, do you have a newsletter I could write for?

Is there something I could be talking about? Because that's where your client is. And yeah. It presses not just magazine, you know, podcast. There are also businesses that have newsletters, companies that have newsletters local bloggers. We didn't even talk about that local bloggers where you could write an article for it.

There's just, there's so much opportunity that I don't want you to be overwhelmed. I really want people to hone in on those places.

Melissa Klug: And that's a great point too, because, as someone who is a content creator, it is exhausting to be on the content creation wheel all the time. And so as much as possible, when you think about all of the, like, you're giving some really, really great ideas of things you can go pitch for people that would love to have something that is pre made ready to go for them.

Rachel Rosenthal:I mean, it's like easy, easy. Yes. I always want it to be an easy yes for someone. And then. That's an easier way to get your message out to get what you want to be talking about out. And so again, like you said, people are tired. You can be constantly blogging or pitching, or I just, I can't imagine. And so you are doing a service for these people and you are bringing content to their audience that their audience wants to then hear or read whatever. See, and so you're helping them do their job better.

Melissa Klug: Yeah that’s a plus. It is. And this is a great time, I think, to concentrate on building some of these things in your business that, you know, you may not have time to concentrate on other times of the year. So tell us a little bit about, so you've designed a press course where you teach all of this. So tell us a little bit about what is going on. 

Rachel Rosenthal: Yes, so it's the Power of Press. I did it after many years of people asking me how I did it. And again, as I mentioned, I don't pay for press. And so it is different modules, and it's going to teach you where to look for press, how to look for press.

It's going to give you templates. It is going to literally give you the roadmap because I want to provide this for other, I'm really passionate about doing this for whether it be for other professional organizers, other people who have clients and service businesses. It's a must. And so I'm giving your audience a hundred dollars off.

And you can, there's writing in the show notes, but just have to use POS in the code and I'll provide you guys with a link. But I am so excited about it. It gives you a hundred thousand worksheets. I feel like to actually do the work because like you, I absolutely agree when you're not. Busy with your business and or taking time out of your business to work on this will then grow your business tenfold and so if you are slower and or you're writing in your schedule to do a course like this or to take the time to learn about it and how to actually do it from someone who Has mastered it.

I feel like um, it is going to pay off in the end because without it you're just going to keep doing the same thing and seeing other people get the press and have their businesses grow and feel like, I mean, that's at least how I was when I first started until I actually did it. And again, I will say I'm shy.

I don't have a business or press and marketing, whatever background I went to law school. So this is all on my own and I really. Give you as much information as I can. That's in my brain. For this, cause I really feel passionate about people getting pressed for their business. 

Melissa Klug: It's always great to get the cheat codes from someone who has already done all of the work.

Like one of the things I say is I've made all the mistakes. So you don't have to like, that's you have done all of the work. And it's done, 

Rachel Rosenthal: and I will say the landscape is competitive now in terms of press and all of that. And so I want these people who are taking like you get it and you can get it. And again, people do it on their own.

That's great. But I'm always one of those people like you. I've gone through the mistakes. I've been doing this for 15 years. I want people to learn from my mistakes and just have the templates and go in and do it. And it gives you some ideas on, what to pitch, how to pitch, places to pitch, all that kind of stuff.

So I'm excited for everyone.

 

Melissa Klug:I feel like 15 years in media is like dog years though. Like you have way more experience than just 15. I mean, 15 years is a lot of experience, but like, it's probably even more than that. Yeah. 

Rachel Rosenthal: I mean, my children are almost 16 years old. And so that's what I also know. How long it's been.

But yeah, it's been a long time and the media landscape has also changed. But any of these techniques I feel like you could use and I talk about podcasts, newsletters, and I give you ideas on all of that. But it has changed. But yet, there are some things that are just so consistent, and now I'm working with brands who want me for my media exposure and I do.

Stuff for their media exposure because it has been so successful on the client end. And my business end that I'm now working with, I've worked with for years, a ton of brands just on media for their products and, services. So it's, it works. It really works. 

Melissa Klug: Well, that's one thing that we didn't really touch on. But the other thing too is I will frequently tell people, what are your goals for your business? And if it's in home local organizing, that is a segment that you can research and that's a segment you can work in. But also if you have aspirations in your organizing business, To be bigger or to have a national audience or to write a book or whatever it is, whatever your ambitions are, if you really want to be an organizing influencer, because that is also a thing like there are, there are other parts of your business that don't have to be in home organizing that also you can expand into and press is critical for those things.

Rachel Rosenthal: A hundred percent. And that's why we talk about it in the course. What are your goals? There's a section for that, and we talk about it a little bit more because everyone's goals are not the same, and the press and where it's going to lead you is not going to be the same thing. So different podcasts, local, national, what you're actually wanting to do, you make a great point.

It is not leading you all in the same direction, and so you have to be strategic about it. , My goals have changed over 15 years. When I first started, it was very different, but you gotta be strategic and just sit down and do it. And I know when you're running the business, there's no time and all of that, and I still do all my press myself.

I, even though I have a team, I'm always the one doing it because I'm so passionate about it and I feel like no one can do it. And no one can be in my brain as much as I can be. But it's crucial. It's really crucial. And I feel like it can open so many different types of doors. Like you were talking about influencer brands, podcast, whatever you podcast of your own, a book of your own, but you have to be smart about where you're actually, it's not throwing spaghetti against the wall and hoping something sticks.

Melissa Klug: Right. Well, where can people find you on the great big wide interweb? 

Rachel Rosenthal: So you can find me on my website, which is rachelrosenthal.co or you can find me on Instagram at rachelorganizes. And then hopefully I'll send you guys the link to the course and you'll get all the press and more. I just I really I'm really passionate about that. And if people need individual coaching, I'm available for that also that you can see on my website around the press . But I just I want people to try it. And they'll get 100 off with your code and really hope that they'll dive into it and I promise you it will be worth it. 

Melissa Klug: This is one of those things that if it, if one thing lands, right, it could totally, like you said, change the trajectory of your business and it only takes that one thing. But knowing all of the pieces that go into it and being armed with that and knowing how to do it is really important.

Rachel Rosenthal: And then using that press like we talked about. Well, wonderful. 

Melissa Klug: Rachel, thank you so much. This was like 40, 000 pounds of information, which is amazing. Thank you so much. 

Rachel Rosenthal: I am so happy to have been here. Thank you so much for having me and wishing everyone so much success and lots of press in their business. 

Melissa Klug: One of the things that I love about talking to people who have, you know, like you have organizing experience and you have all these other experiences. It's not, you are not just like, Hey, I'm going to teach you how to do press.

You have done it for your own organizing business. And so that's why, that's why, you know what you're doing.

Rachel Rosenthal: I kind of do. I like to say I do.

Melissa Klug: Well, thank you so much.

Melissa: Thank you so much again, to Rachel for your time, you have really taught us a ton of stuff. And I am thrilled for so many people to get out there and get some cool PR, just a couple of friendly reminders. If you use code P O S you will get a hundred dollars off of Rachel's course. If you are interested in learning a lot more and learning her exact pitch process. And the link for that will be in the show notes.

And if you have any questions at all, about our programs, our coaching, anything about the organizing industry, I would love to chat with you. My email is hello@proorganizerstudio.com. And sometimes people are like, oh, tell Melissa and Jen “Hi.” Um, it's my email. I answer all of them. So please just know it's really me that answers them. It's really me that reads them. And I would love to connect with you. Have a great day organizers.

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