I often get asked by media and our Media Stable experts, where do we source the talent of Media Stable?

Is there a reservoir of experts and we can just turn on a tap? Is there an algorithm that you use to locate and identify an expert? Is there a secret handshake? Well no, but a secret handshake sounds like a good idea. The truth is that there is a multitude of ways to identify the experts of today and tomorrow and it takes a little bit of looking, vetting and some knowhow of where to find them.

Media personnel across the country have always had a little black book of contacts, but the reliance on this is declining with the transient nature of today’s media. Media houses have internal databases of experts and talent they have used in the past. Each show and presenter has preferred and trusted talent. They have their go-to and back-ups but there are often times when these people are not going to be available. And then there’s the need for new talent, especially heading into the Summer schedule.

So, where does Media Stable find you the expert for the media to use?

Referrals – like any other business a multitude of our experts and commentators have been referred by other experts. Good people know good people. It is wonderful to get a referral from someone who has seen some success in media and their contacts are wanting to do the same thing. We are no different to any other small business that succeeds with its reputation.

LinkedIn – There really isn’t a better resource to see the full resume and the experience of any professional globally. It is crucial for all that are subject matter experts to have a current and live LinkedIn profile for more reasons than just looking for a job. The few shortcomings that LinkedIn has is that it doesn’t capture the character of the individual or the media ability but this is changing with more video and audio that is being uploaded.

Media – if you have the attention of one media outlet then there is no reason that the content might not be relevant to other media. We actively listen, watch and read about the future experts that we will be looking to approach to join. If there has been media engagement already then they are a lot further down that pathway to greater media success and the opportunity to fast track or amplify this is generally appealing to them.

Associations and Partnerships – At Media Stable we are involved with a lot of associations and partnerships and we are always keen to explore those particularly if they are mutually beneficial and are delivering for the people they represent. This is not always an easy task as there a lot of checks and balances that need to occur but we are always keen to work with those that are genuinely in it for the success of the personal and business brand of the expert.

Public Relations – Many forward thinking PR agencies have seen the benefit of Media Stable for their clients. We work with some amazing PR firms that are not threatened by our ability to get the media’s attention.

Events – We host six #MeetTheMedia events a year where we bring some of the best decision makers in media to engage, inform and explain media to experts looking to feature in media. This is a great opportunity for experts who are looking to not only understand how media works today but it is a great way to step up and take a profile and work with media the way they want to work with you.

Networking – While my networking days in pubs and at after hours events has been curbed majorly in recent years with a young family, I do enjoy getting out there and catching up with people and listening to their stories. It’s still a relationship game and the challenge is to find events that are not a room full of people selling with no buyers.

Ultimately, identifying the experts and media talent of tomorrow is not difficult but experts do need to meet three absolute standards. You need to be willing, you need to be who you say you are and you need to be good talent. Do this and there is every chance you will be an expert the media will be looking to engage, and it will make it easier for Media Stable to find you.

Nicholas Hayes is the Managing Director of Media Stable