Own Your Lane™ Personal Branding & Marketing For Experts
Own Your Lane™ is the go-to podcast for expert-led business owners—authors, consultants, speakers and coaches—who are ready to position their brilliance, clarify their message, and grow visibility that leads to real opportunities on LinkedIn®, on stage, and in the media.
Hosted by Michelle B. Griffin, founder of Brand Leaders, each episode shares clear, actionable steps to help you communicate your value, elevate your presence, and become the go-to voice in your space.
Each episode aligns with Michelle’s proprietary Own Your L.A.N.E.® Recognition Roadmap, her 4-part thought personal brand communications system.
This podcast will help you:
- Clarify and position your message so the right people say yes
- Show up confidently and consistently on LinkedIn® and beyond
- Turn your expertise into visibility, clients, and credibility
- Step into authority with speaking, media and thought leadership
Short episodes. Real insights with solo and guest episodes to give you the clarity and momentum you need to Own Your Lane™ and become known for what you do best.
About Michelle B. Griffin
Michelle B. Griffin is a TEDx speaker, PR strategist, and LinkedIn® visibility expert helping experts and organizations build brands that lead their industries
As the founder of Brand Leaders and architect of the Own Your Lane™ Recognition Roadmap, Michelle teaches a proven personal brand communications system that helps experts and organizations position their difference, clarify their message and grow strategic visibility to build trust and authority in a crowded, AI-saturated world.
With a master’s degree in public relations and executive experience in communications, marketing, and B2B events, Michelle brings deep expertise across corporate, agency, and association leadership. She’s helped Fortune 500 companies, start-ups, small businesses and industry thought leaders elevate their brands and expand their reach through clarity, connection and human-centered visibility.
A keynote speaker, author and podcast host, Michelle has been featured in Forbes, Entrepreneur, Inc. and Authority magazines and is interviewed weekly on industry podcasts. She is the author of Position Yourself and The LinkedIn® Branding Book, and the hosts Own Your Lane™ and The LinkedIn® Branding Show podcasts.
When she’s not helping professionals become top of mind, you’ll find Michelle walking and working out to ’80s music, connecting with new people and places, and recharging outdoors under the Florida sun.
Ready to Own Your Lane?
To work with Michelle or book her to speak, learn more at
MichelleBGriffin.com.
Own Your Lane™ Personal Branding & Marketing For Experts
How to Confidently Pitch (and Get Accepted) On Podcasts: The Step-By-Step Process With Podcast Publicity Expert Alice Draper
Ready for PR to raise your visibility and authority in your field? Podcasts are one of the best ways to get in front of other audiences to share your message and expertise.
If you're new to podcast publicity, this episode will share the exact process for getting your pitches accepted. Podcast publicity expert Alice Draper, founder of Hustinling Writers, details her best tips and brilliant ideas for handling rejection and follow-ups.
Plus, get her strategies to find the perfect-fit podcasts to start pitching.
LINKS
Connect with Alice Draper on LinkedIn
HustlingWriters
Own Your Lane™ - Personal Branding & Marketing For Experts
The podcast for expert-led business owners ready to confidently position, brand, and market themselves to win clients and industy oppotunities.
Hosted by Michelle B. Griffin, speaker, strategist and LinkedIn® visibility expert. As the founder of Brand Leaders and with her Own Your Lane™ Recognition Roadmap, Michelle helps expertise-led business owners become the clear choice in their field.
Learn more at MichelleBGriffin.com/chat
WEBSITE: MichelleBGriffin.com
GET VISIBLE ON LINKEDIN: Free Audio Masterclass
READ: My Personal Branding Books
LISTEN: The LinkedIn Branding Show
CONNECT: With Me on LinkedIn
Podcast Transcript
Michelle B. Griffin: Welcome back, everybody, to this week's episode. I'm your host, Michelle B. Griffin. Today, we're diving into a topic close to my heart—visibility. I'm thrilled to introduce Alice Draper, a champion for underserved entrepreneurs and experts in the PR realm. Alice, welcome to the show!
Alice Draper: Thank you, Michelle! I'm really excited to be here. Thanks for having me, especially so late on my side of the world!
Michelle B. Griffin: We appreciate your time and expertise, Alice. For those new to you, could you share a bit about what you do and what Hustling Writers is all about?
Alice Draper: Absolutely. I pivoted from journalism to PR four years ago, after realizing I could leverage my pitching skills to help entrepreneurs gain visibility. At Hustling Writers, we're on a mission to make publicity accessible for underrecognized entrepreneurs. I've helped clients appear on over 500 top podcasts and written for major outlets like Vice and HuffPost. The connections made through podcasts, whether big or niche, often bring the right audience and potential collaborative opportunities, which I love.
Michelle B. Griffin: That's fascinating. Speaking of getting on podcasts, it often starts with a pitch. I've been fortunate to be invited to many, but with my book coming out, I’m gearing up for a pitching campaign. I know you're a pro at crafting effective pitches. Could you share some insights on starting a pitch and handling rejection?
Alice Draper: Starting with a template is fine, Michelle. The key elements include showing familiarity with the podcast, presenting a compelling story relevant to the audience, and introducing yourself credibly. Include links to past work for easy access. Rejection, though inevitable, shouldn't deter you. It's often not about you but factors like timing or topic overlap. Developing a rejection resilience muscle is crucial in business and life.
Michelle B. Griffin: That's a powerful mindset. Tell us more about handling rejections.
Alice Draper: Embracing rejections can be transformative. I learned this from a Facebook group of writers who celebrated rejections as milestones. This mindset shift helps focus on the process over perfection, improving your pitching skills and opening unexpected opportunities.
Michelle B. Griffin: Incredible perspective. Now, for those ready to start pitching, what’s the process you recommend for getting those initial 'yeses'?
Alice Draper: Start small. If you lack social proof, pitch to smaller podcasts to build a portfolio of interviews. This scaffolding technique helps build credibility. Also, consider platforms like LinkedIn Live for real-time interviews, adding to your proof of capability.
Michelle B. Griffin: Once someone has some experience, how should they find the right podcasts that fit their expertise?
Alice Draper: Research industry peers who are steps ahead but not too far out of reach. Use tools like Apple Podcasts or Spotify to discover where they've appeared and target similar podcasts. This focused approach helps find shows that match your audience and expertise.
Michelle B. Griffin: And once you've identified potential podcasts, what’s next?
Alice Draper: It’s crucial to follow up effectively. Send a gentle reminder a week after your initial pitch, then another a week later if needed. Most positive responses come from follow-ups. It’s about persistence without being pushy.
Michelle B. Griffin: Alice, this has been immensely helpful. Before we wrap up, could you share one actionable tip for our listeners to start putting themselves out there with podcast pitching?
Alice Draper: Start with a spreadsheet to track your pitches. This helps you stay organized and focused, ensuring you follow through on each opportunity. Whether it’s pitching podcasts or any other endeavor, keeping track of your actions can significantly increase your chances of success.
Michelle B. Griffin: Thank you, Alice, for sharing your expertise and for your commitment to helping underrepresented entrepreneurs. It's been enlightening!
Alice Draper: Thank you for having me, Michelle. It’s been a pleasure!
Michelle B. Griffin: Alright, everybody. Keep putting yourself out there. You have a brand to build, a message to share, and people to impact. Catch you next week. Take care!