Winning Major Media After Carefully Building Momentum
Suzette Mullen’s memoir, The Only Way Through is Out, captures a unique and deeply personal journey of coming out later in life. Our campaign strategically aimed to connect her with diverse communities, including LGBTQ+ readers, memoir enthusiasts and audiences in her local Pennsylvania area. The focus was on building media coverage step by step, with a clear understanding that meaningful gains often take time and commitment to fully materialize.
Breakthroughs Thanks To Persistent Outreach
One of the biggest highlights of the campaign was securing SELF Magazine’s Well-Read Book Club Pick, as well as a SELF Magazine feature. This result was months in the making, involving consistent follow-ups even after an initial lack of response. Nearly six months after our first pitch, the magazine confirmed its plans to feature Suzette’s book, proving that persistence and patience can pay off.
We didn’t waste time while we waited to hear back: We secured a series of high-quality placements in influential outlets, reaching LGBTQ+ readers through LGBTQ Nation, Diva, Queer Guru, Tagg Magazine and Out Front Magazine. Her story also found gained traction in popular women’s media like One Bad Mother, Gloria, Authority Magazine and Mombian. We also heavily targeted local media outlets where Suzette had events and personal ties, such as Good Day Seattle, Houston Matters, Good Day Northwest, Philadelphia Gay News and WITF “The Spark”.
A Book – and a Campaign – That Proves It’s Never Too Late
With each gain, The Only Way Through is Out reached new readers and created a ripple effect of interest that extended well beyond its initial release. This campaign was characterized not by a single, immediate media blitz, but by cumulative impact, with each placement building on the last to create an extensive media presence over time. Suzette’s story, combined with our persistent outreach, created a lasting media footprint that continues to resonate, underscoring that sometimes the best results come from a steady, ongoing approach rather than a rapid flash of publicity.
