An Expert Opinion Think you know something? Prove it to the world as a frequently quoted expert.
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
He's been quoted in hundreds, maybe thousands, ofpublications, from Time to TV Guide. You've seenhim on The Early Show, Good Morning America andToday as well as 60 Minutes and 48 Hours.He's known for being articulate about anything from O.J.Simpson to The Simpsons. Which makes sense-after all, RobertThompson is the founding director of the Center for the Study ofPopular Television at Syracuse University in Syracuse, New York, aswell as the author of several books about TV. How can you be quotedin the media as an expert (maybe not as frequently as Thompson)? Wequestioned this expert on being an expert.
A lot of entrepreneurs want to appearin the media to promote their companies. How can they make thathappen?
Robert Thompson: I am not aPR person for any kind of product or service. I see myself as aneducator trying to teach whatever constituencies or audiences I canreach, and that's how entrepreneurs should see themselves. Youhave to demonstrate you're the person who knows something aboutthis topic. Journalists are a savvy bunch, and they can tell inabout five seconds whether you're simply the creation of apress release, or whether you can help them understand whateverthey're writing about.
How can entrepreneurs become known asexperts-so the media will call them rather than the other wayaround?
Thompson: What leads you toexpertise is often a passion or vision or love for the subject. Ifyou have a successful company, you're almost by definition anexpert.
One thing you have to do is look at the landscape: If there arenumerous entrepreneurs in your field being quoted in the media, youneed to assess what isn't being talked about, what nicheshaven't been filled yet.
You're known for being veryquotable. Do you have any tips on giving a goodquote?
Thompson: It's importantto be able to say what you want to say clearly and quickly. Youhave this big sophisticated body of knowledge, but you have to beable to translate that to people who don't have an hour and ahalf to listen to your whole spiel. You shouldn't necessarilythink of sound bites as a bad thing. You can, in fact, make somegood, valid points quickly, without going into all the details. Youmay have to educate people one or two short sentences at a time,but it's better than being reduced to silence.
Contact Source
- Center for the Study ofPopular Television, New House School, Syracuse University,Syracuse, NY 13244
