How to Find SPICY Angles That The Right People Cannot Ignore

What It Covers

Lucy Werner shares how freelancers and business owners can self-promote effectively by finding spicy angles, targeting niche audiences over influencers, being reactive to journalist requests, and treating promotion as an ongoing process rather than one-time launches.

Key Questions Answered

• •Audience targeting over ego: Pitch to smaller platforms with exact audience match rather than chasing Forbes or TED Talks for status. Nine out of ten business owners cannot articulate which Forbes desk or journalist they want, proving they prioritize vanity metrics over strategic placement that drives actual business results.
• •Three angle categories: Structure all pitches using business expertise (your professional knowledge), human interest (personal background stories like being an expat), or passion points (hobbies that reveal personality). This framework helps identify multiple story angles from one person, making it easier to pitch different outlets with tailored approaches.
• •Reactive pitching wins: Join platforms like Lightbulb (under £100 yearly) or monitor Twitter hashtag #journorequest where journalists post story requests. Respond immediately with bullet points of your perspective, not just availability. Being first with substantive expertise beats polished press releases sent to 300 journalists who never asked.
• •Launch momentum takes months: PR campaigns require two to three months before results appear because the real work is crafting angles, building media lists, and developing relationships. Clients spending £10,000 monthly often quit before seeing coverage. Sustainable promotion beats burning out chasing bestseller lists that provide temporary ego boosts.
• •Alter ego removes fear: Create a professional persona separate from your private self to overcome self-promotion anxiety. Set guardrails by preparing three to five personal anecdotes you are willing to share repeatedly, like RuPaul does in every interview. This repetition builds familiarity without exposing your entire life.