Why Your Business Needs Earned Media and 5 Easy Ways to Get It

In the race to market your business and produce content, it’s important to make sure your time is well spent. With the competition for people’s attention growing every day, you need to be very strategic and make sure the media you are focused on provides the best ROI. To do so, you want to make sure that you are promoting your content across owned, earned and paid media, as well as encouraging shared media.

Exactly what are owned, earned, paid and shared media. In a sense, they are exactly what they sound like:

Owned media is any channel that a brand owns. For example, a website, a mobile site, a blog, or a twitter account.

Earned media is essentially word of mouth marketing, also known as viral marketing or buzz. Examples include customers talking about your brand, media mentions and publicity.

Paid media is what was thought of as traditional advertising. This includes print and online ads, sponsorships, or paid search that a brand uses to promote their channels and content.

While all these types of media are channels for your content, they aren’t all created equal. At a minimum, you need owned media. Paid media can still be a valuable compliment to other initiatives. Earned media is far and away the most valuable.

It’s a Review Economy – Social Proof Matters

The world has moved away from relying solely on advertising [paid media]. According to the Nielson Trust in Advertising Survey, consumer trust in advertising has been on a steady decline for years. Consumers do however trust recommendations and reviews from friends and family, online reviews, and the media – in that order. In other words, they trust earned media. Why? Because earned media is social proof. It’s proof your business means something to someone, and that others are willing to stand behind you, talk about your brand in a positive way as well as recommend you. They trust you.

Let’s take a look at exactly what earned media can do for your business and some really easy ways to get more of it.

What Can Earned Media Do For Me?

Earned media is someone else singing your praises. It can be a recommendation, the media writing about you, a positive review, or a tweet about your business. It leverages marketing tactics like word-of-mouth, social media and online reviews to really boost your business. It has the highest value because it is someone else talking about you, providing third party credibility…. Because no one cares or trusts, what you say about you, it’s what ‘they say about you’ that matters.

But it’s what earned media can do for your business that’s pretty great. It can:

Help you build up your brand. I’ll be honest, if someone I trust recommends a business, I’m very likely to check it out. The more mentions, comments and reviews your business gets, the more others will start to see just how great your business is. Which leads us to …

Establish your business as an industry leader. Having your name mentioned across the web and on various media outlets pretty much solidifies you as an industry leader. And who doesn’t want their business to be looked up to and respected?

Help you build relationships with other leaders in your niche. Everyone wants to work with the best, the top people. You’ll begin to attract other top experts and leaders, who will see all the mentions you are getting and want to find out who you are. This creates conversations, relationships and alliances that all parties can benefit from. The more you reciprocate, the more you get back.

Bring you more website traffic. More mentions means more visibility; think backlinks and social media shares. Earned media takes advantage of others’ established audiences and puts you in front of them. It also directs them all back to your site for free.

 5 Easy Ways to Get Started – It’s All About Relationships

Earned media can come in many forms, but here are 5 of my favorite types. Each of these are easy to do and incredibly effective.

#1 Recommendations

We’ve touched on this a little already, but it’s so important that we have to discuss it in depth.

Consumers trust personal recommendations. People like to do business with people they ‘know, like and trust’. In fact, according to this study, 84% of consumers stated that they trust recommendations from someone they know. 74% of consumers claim that word of mouth is their key influencer for making purchasing decisions in this study.

And the beauty of this method is that you are tapping into your biggest raving fans and promoters: your current customers!

To get more recommendations from them, try:

Creating a simple, repeatable process to request recommendations. Make it easy for people to do so.

Asking. I know, sounds so simple. Because it is. Right after a customer has completed a transaction or project (and is obviously happy) is the best time to ask. A simple “If you know anyone who could use our services/products, we’d appreciate a recommendation” works. Satisfied customers are always likely to refer you if they know someone.

Incentivizing and offering stuff. If a business I love is offering a great deal, I’ll talk them up to others. Alternatively, you can offer your current customers a discount or incentive for every referral they send.

Being thankful. This should be obvious, but if you get recommended, thank the person who did it. It encourages them to continue recommending you.

#2 Online Reviews

Did you know that over 85% of consumers read up to 10 online reviews before deciding on a business or purchase? And that 72% of those consumers claim that positive reviews actually influence them to trust a business?

Online reviews are more common, and more influential than ever. Like recommendations from friends and colleagues, it doesn’t hurt to ask for these reviews. Make it easy for customers to review your business by:

Setting up your profiles. Get on multiple sites like Yelp, Google Local and Trip Advisor. Add your contact information and images to complete your profile.

Letting customers know you are on these sites. Post a sign in your office or a banner on your website that lets customers know you are on these review sites.

Setting up a review page on your site. That makes it easy to submit reviews, which once submitted can be showcased on your testimonials or about us page.

#3 The Media

Media coverage and public relations aren’t dead. In fact, according to a recent study from Ogilvy PR, “the more the (traditional) media covers a brand, the more credible the brand appears.”

You may be wondering how to get attention in the media. There are many ways, including press releases, pitching stories and through building relationships with reporters and publications, you can promote your business without being pushy.

Some tips to get started:

Have a plan. Even a simple one-page PR plan will help keep you focused and taking action.

Check online resources. Free sites like Help a Reporter Out (HARO) connect journalists with sources. Sign up to get daily listings of reporters looking for business like yours to contribute to their stories.

Read publications and identify the journalists that write about your topic. Start building a list of publications you would like to be featured in. Then start to build relationships with them.

Set up Google Alerts – see my quick tutorial on this – these can help you identify publications and journalists, as well as track media mentions for you, your company, your competitors…. Reverse engineer successful competitors to see where they are getting media coverage.

Journalists are social. It’s never been easier to connect with journalists on sites like LinkedIn, Twitter. Follow journalists, share their stories and comment on them. Value their work and get on their radar. When you are ready to pitch them your name will be familiar, and they will be more receptive.

#4 Social Media Shares

We couldn’t have a list of earned media methods without mentioning social media. This is where many people go to get their news and recommendations.

You don’t have to be on all social networks. Instead, focus your efforts on the site most popular with your target audience. Tips to make the most of social media include:

Make sure your business profiles are consistent, complete and optimized. Fill out all your contact information and use keywords to help you get found. Share useful information, blog posts and business updates.

Follow others. Follow industry leaders and influencers. By following them and sharing their updates, they’ll notice you, probably start to build a relationship, and there’s a chance they will reciprocate.

Demonstrate great customer service and appreciation. Social media, especially Face book and Twitter, is where many people go to rave about businesses. Make it easy for them by having excellent customer service. Acknowledge people by name who mention you or share your content.

Make it easy to share your content. Tools like Social Warfare and strategically placed share buttons on your website and blog can facilitate one click sharing, allowing your visitor to easily post your content out to their networks when they are inspired to.

#5 Blogger Outreach

Today’s bloggers have reached celebrity status, become recognized as media outlets, and become highly influential. By forming relationships with influential bloggers, you increase the chances of being able to share their great content, as well as your business being mentioned in their posts and social networks.

Get started by:

Researching prominent blogs in your industry. You may already follow a few. To find new ones, turn to Google, social media or use BuzzStream to help you find sites faster.

Reaching out to bloggers. Before sending that email to pitch them to, take the time to read their blog to get a better idea of who they are and what they write about. Also think of what you have to offer them. Bloggers are much more like to do you a favor if you have something to offer in return.

Showing some love first. Comment, share and retweet a blogger’s content. We all appreciate those who show their appreciation for our work and brand. Bloggers are no different, even if their blog is already very popular.

Earned media works. By building relationships with your prospects, customers, partners bloggers and the media, you are helping grow your brand in the most positive way. By inspiring others to talk about your business you are gaining exposure and 3rd party credibility. As we have seen, user-generated content – earned media, is the most trusted form of flattery and promotion we can have today. Try any of these 5 methods and watch your business increase dramatically.

Related Content:

Before you Pitch the Media – 10 Things The Media Wishes You Knew

How Not to Be One of the 45% of HARO Media Pitches That Suck

Your Business Bucket List

5 Top Items to Have on Your Business Bucket List

A successful and satisfying career, like a well-lived life, can benefit from a bucket list. Interviews with highly successful individuals consistently reveal that they set targets and goals and then plan their actions to move them closer to achieving them.

Your business bucket list is the perfect way to set major milestone goals for your career or entrepreneurial journey. As I began thinking about this topic, I heard “You Can’t Take That Away From Me” start playing in my subterranean jukebox. While the song’s lyrics aren’t directly analogous to your business bucket list, the title is what brought it to mind for me, and one of the key reasons to create your own list.

cant take that away from meAny of the items on my recommended business bucket list, once accomplished, will pay you big dividends for the rest of your life. These are the kind of achievements that set you apart, open doors and unmistakably position you as a top expert in your field or niche, and provide acceleration to your career.

They also increase your pay scale and revenue significantly.

By establishing your instant credibility, as well as providing 3rd party credibility, there is more trust in you and your expertise. It’s no longer ‘what you say about you’ that people are interested in. Think of it like trying to decide on which new restaurant, which new printer, or service provider to select; we now go and check out the online reviews and recommendations before making a decision. These bucket list items offer the equivalent of a 5 star review from a third party, providing a trust factor and predisposing others to you. They are more inclined to hiring you or buy from you, and they will be willing to pay higher fees for the privilege of working with you.

With all the noise and competition out there, it can be hard to stand out from the crowd. There are certain accomplishments that insure you are immediately noticed and respected. Whether you are seeking a job, to close a big deal, set yourself apart from the sea of competition get more visibility, get in front of your ideal audience more easily and close the deal, land your coveted job, get more speaking gigs… your bucket list achievements pre-sell others on you. They also inspire others to seek you out, rather than vice versa.

5 Bucket List Goals To Skyrocket Your Business:

Top Industry Award

Whether it’s a Pulitzer Prize for literature, a Stevie Award, MacArthur Genius Grant, Making the Inc 500 list, or a more regional industry prize, being honored with one of these types of awards is priceless. In addition to the honor, it is recognition for your excellence and hard work often determined by an esteemed panel of judges and by your peers.

While the voting and selection may be out of your control, you can still proactively position yourself for awards. It goes without saying you need to do your best work. Build a list of the top awards in your industry along with the deadlines to apply; that way when you feel you have achieved sufficient professional accomplishment, you and your team will have the information on hand to begin the application process. Some awards are based on third party nominations, not applications. In this case consider asking a trusted colleague or client if they would consider nominating you.

Being honored offers third party credibility and recognition, along with incredible visibility – the organization giving out the awards typically initiates a publicity campaign that features you!

as seen in_

Media Darling

Getting featured in the media gives you increased visibility and lends credibility and authority; these days it also adds an additional trust factor. In what has been called the Trust or Reputation economy, media coverage, whether you are mentioned, quoted or featured provides third party credibility and the perception that the media is endorsing you.

Whether it’s the NY Times, the Today Show or the Huffington Post, or a smaller regional media outlet, once featured, you are a lifetime media winner!

You can and should leverage the publicity you receive by showcasing it in both text and graphics. We are becoming more and more visually oriented and the media logos on your site or marketing materials grab immediate attention and act as a trust trigger, instantly associating you with the credibility and exalted status that is attributed to the recognized media outlet.

Bestselling Author

Many people want to write a book, yet they never manage to get around to it. Writing a book is a big accomplishment [only 8% of aspiring writers succeed] and will serve you well throughout your business life.

There is even greater respect and recognition that comes with being a bestselling author. Whether you are a business owner, a speaker, or a full-time author, being able to call yourself a bestseller dramatically increases your credibility and positions you at the very top of your field. It often leads to additional opportunities such as speaking invitations, guest professorships and consulting projects.

It is better to look ahead and prepare than to look back and regret – Jackie Joyner-Kersee

Keynote Talk

Being invited to speak at an event is always an honor. It can be an accomplishment, especially when you are selected to deliver the keynote at an event whose audience are your professional peers. The fact that you were the one selected to speak is one of the ultimate forms of professional recognition.

The pinnacle in recognition for a keynote talk is one that gets posted online and goes viral. It could be a Ted Talk, which on its own carries great cache, a university graduation speech or another top event. The beauty of your talk going viral, in addition to the obvious one of increased visibility, is that this usually indicates that your talk has resonated with people on a deep level, one that typically transcends industries or country. This extends your recognition and opens up new opportunities across disciplines, around the globe.

I hated every minute of training, but I said, ‘Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champ’ – Muhammad Ali

Personal Physical Challenge

‘All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy’, states the nursery rhyme. While we’ve been conditioned to keep a separation of church and state when it comes to business and personal matters, there are a few accomplishments that shouldcrossover and be highlighted. One of them is completing an arduous physical challenge, as it is a noteworthy achievement, and as such should be showcased.

Businesses and entrepreneurs recognize the mind body connection. There is great respect for someone who undertakes the kind of herculean training and endurance test that running a marathon, completing a triathlon, climbing Mt. Everest and hiking the entire Appalachian Trail encompasses.

A successful and major physical challenge demonstrates to your business prospect or prospective employer that you plan your training, set goals, and then meet them despite how tough the going gets. It shows that you have the mental toughness and discipline to achieve what most of us mortals will only dream of, yet never even undertake. It inspires confidence that you will bring this excellence and determination to whatever you do whether it’s personal or in business.

There are no traffic jams along the extra mile- Roger Staubach

Whether you are a solo-preneur, a coach, a business owner or an employee, a business bucket list will help you achieve your goals faster and propel your career forward at lightening speed and with more ease.

These bucket list goals are ones that will pre-sell you to strangers and create a favorable instant impression when used on your resume, as part of your professional bio, when you are introduced as a guest speaker, on your website, in your press kit, in the bio section of client proposals …

Ready to check items off your own bucket list?

I am available to help you strategize your own business bucket list. Ask me about our accelerated Media Darling and Bestselling Author programs.

 

blue-01My own business bucket list is still evolving. So far…

  • Top Industry Award [FastCompany – Top 100 People Online, NYWA – Galaxy Award]
  • Media Darling: Featured in national media [there is always room for more]
  • Bestselling Author: my recent book “Business Leadership Blueprints”
  • Physical Challenge: Completed the Dublin Marathon

This article first appeared on Linkedin Pulse

5 Ways to Promote Yourself That Don’t Feel Icky

5 Ways To Promote Yourself Without Feeling IckyMom used to tell me it’s not polite to brag.

 

And no one likes a braggart!

The funny thing is that people often assume that some who brags a lot is very confident and outgoing, the fact of the matter is that they may actually be insecure and seeking outside reinforcement.

Ok. So you don’t want to be seen as a braggart.

If you don’t share your company’s offerings, your accomplishments, successes and milestones, how will your prospects and clients know about them? How will you share your gifts and service with more of the people who need them?

If a tree falls in the forest…

You do need to get the word out and promote yourself and your services on a regular basis. The great news is that there are ways to do it that won’t make you feel icky or a braggart.

5 easy ways to toot your own horn that won’t make you feel uncomfortable:

Talk about your business in the third person – a simple mindset shift
This is a common problem for soloprenuers. A simple trick to remove feeling uncomfortable about promoting yourself is to think of yourself or your business as another entity, a third party. Think about how much easier it is to share a friend’s accomplishment with others. Treating your business like that friend, makes it easy to talk about your business without holding back or feeling discomfort.

Make the customer the hero of your story
Focus your marketing and content on your client’s success stories [with their permission]. You solved their problem successfully. They are now raving fans. Create a case study, blog post or press release. If you focus on the client, the content you create will feel less like you are being self-promotional. It will also be something that the client will naturally want to share with their audience, garnering your even more mileage and visibility!

Be a customer educator and advocate
Offer great tips and information that will help your audience – both prospects and clients succeed. This will naturally position you as a knowledgeable resource, which will attract people who need your services. Don’t be afraid to give away your best content.

Just calling yourself the expert isn’t going to do it these days. Positioning yourself as an educator and an advocate for your customers success should be your major focus. When a prospect feels you are the source of valuable information, and they know you truly care about their results, then they will be the ones calling you the expert.  – Jack Mize

Let others sing your praises – it carries more weight
It’s not what you say about you, it’s what they say about you. Prospects trust recommendations from friends and family, online reviews and the media; these sources directly influence purchasing decisions. Have an active plan for gathering testimonials, getting media mentions…and display them prominently on your website, marketing materials…

When someone asks what you do, you can quote a customer…For example, “Clients say we solve their ___ problems quickly and affordably”

Make it easy for others to talk about you
There are many great plug ins and tools that make it easy to share content from your website or blog. If the share buttons are always available next to your content, your audience is more likely to help spread the word, as it’s almost effortless. I love the Social Warfare plug in as it gives you many options to help people share your content including customized social media images, pre-populated tweets and posts.

Focus on the great work you do, and how you can solve problems and provide solutions. There are folks out there who really need your help and you are doing them a disservice by not letting them know about your services and solutions

Related Content:

How to Use HARO to Get Press

Your Customer Experience Equals PR

Customer Experience = PR

Customer experience is a part of your PR. A very important component.  

Studies have shown that there are two types of customers who talk about your brand and your business – ones that are raving fans and love you and those who are very unhappy with you or the experience they’ve had with your company.

What is the experience people have with your company?

Your customer experience equals PR for your brand

A few examples – Let’s start with the happy experience

Fat Witch Brownies, make the yummiest brownies I know. I like to send a box of their brownies as a gifts to help celebrate happy occasions and to thank business colleagues for referrals or other generous actions.

I had recently ordered a gift box of brownies to thank a business colleague for his help on a project, when they didn’t arrive at the recipient’s office, I found out that I had used the wrong address.

I called the Fat Witch and asked if there’s a way to check on where they had delivered my order to, and if there was a way to get them rerouted. I fessed up that I had made fat witch tin boxa mistake with the address. They said no,  unfortunately they couldn’t trace the package, however they would gladly send the brownies again and only charge me the shipping.  This had been my mistake, and yet they were willing to share some of the cost to resend my package.

Customers who encounter positive social customer care experiences are nearly 3 times more likely to recommend a brand. Source: HBR

The bad customer experience

I went online to use Haiku Deck, a presentation software that I had been using for awhile. After spending over an hour creating a new presentation I saved it and went to export it. A window popped up telling me that to export it into Powerpoint, I would have to upgrade to the paid version for $9.95. This was a new requirement, but I was fine with paying to use their service – that is until I completed payment and returned to my work area on Haiku Deck only to find that my hours worth of work hadn’t been saved.

Yes, technology is great when it works.

I was extremely frustrated, first about the the loss of time, but also that I had just paid and was now left with nothing. I contacted customer service whose response was that I had done something wrong. They had tested the software therefore I had done something wrong.

95% of dissatisfied customers tell others about their bad experience. Source : Dimensional Research.

Time lost in creating the presentation. Time lost talking to customer service. Not a happy camper. Now the mere mention or thought of Haiku Deck brings up the unpleasant experience, which is now imprinted on my brain.

 71% of customers say that valuing their time is the most important thing a company can do to provide good service.  Source: Forrester 

Now back to how customer experience, and particularly customer service is part of your PR.

Public relations by definition is the practice of managing the spread of information between an individual or an organization and the public.

Consumers trust recommendations from friends and family, online reviews, and the media – in that order. Consumers make buying decisions based on recommendations online reviews and companies they read about in the media.

If your if your customers are going online and writing about you, posting on social media, or making recommendations to friends and family, what are they saying?

Remember, like me your customers remember the excellent and exceptional experiences and the terrible ones, and that’s what they will talk about.

I know which experience I want my customers to have and what I want my customers to be talking about.

The Fat Witch, has a made me even more of a raving fan. I just had to go and tell a few friends on social media to show my appreciation.

Related content: Customer Experiences – A Tale of Two Entrepreneurs

Media Lead Times – Key To Pitching The Media Successfully

media lead times deadline

Why I can’t get you into Entrepreneur or Inc. magazine next month.

I’ve gotten this request many times from prospects, “Can you get me featured in Entrepreneur magazine next month?”

No, I say without hesitation.

Not because I doubt my pitching skills but because there is something called lead times.

“Why not? I’ll pay whatever you charge,” persists the prospect.

Let me stop you right there. I didn’t hesitate to say no because TV, radio, magazines, newspapers, and some blogs and websites have lead times that govern their operations. These timelines may vary for different types of media outlets. Still, if you want to get media coverage or pitch a story or article, it’s essential to understand their lead times.

A Lead time in publishing describes the amount of time that a journalist has between receiving a writing assignment and submitting the completed piece. Depending on the publication, lead times can be anything from a couple of hours to many months. [source: Wikipedia]

Print publications like Entrepreneur or Inc. plan their issues four to six months in advance. This is one of the reasons that PR firms require a minimum 6-month retainer. Publicity can take time and planning to build a smart and strategic campaign, one that gets you media coverage.

As to my prospects who want to get featured next month, you are just too late. But don’t despair. With some planning, you can pitch the media with enough lead time to be quoted or appear on air, in print, or online.

Plan Backwards

1023px-Riding_a_Horse_Backwards_1110784Part of the key to successfully pitching publications on a story, a product launch, or an event is to work backward from your event date.

This way, if you were launching a product on February 1 of next year to get mentioned or featured in a print magazine such as Entrepreneur, you would have to start pitching 4 to 6 months before – in August to be safe.

I find planning backward can be can be beneficial when planning events and other promotional initiatives that have a firm date or event that I am building toward.

Here are some media lead times:

Monthly Consumer Magazine – Lead Time is four to six months

Newspaper sections vary [so it is best to check with the publication]

Daily Newspapers – Lead Time is one to three weeks*

TV Morning Shows [National] – Lead Time is two weeks to two months*

When in doubt, you can look at a publication’s media kit to see when the advertising closes for a particular issue; this will clue you into their lead times. You can always reach out to the publication to ask them precisely what their lead time is

* The one exception to these lead times can be ‘breaking news’. A story that has just happened and is considered very important and/or timely.

Related Content:

Before You Pitch The Media- 10 Things the Media Wishes You Knew

 

Promote Your Book Online – 8 Expert Tips

8-Expert-Tips-newWriting a book is a lot like having a baby. You need to prepare for the big event; a process often described as painful, yet one that yields beautiful results.

Pre-planning for your book’s publication is something you should start months before your publication date to ensure your book gets the notice that it deserves. Let’s help readers discover your book by promoting it everywhere online.

Here are 8 ways to promote your book and bring your book some much-needed publicity. Read my guest which appeared on the WiseStamp blog

Related: For more ways to promote your book get our Media Plan Template and our 2015 Publicity Toolkit and Planner

Book Promotion Using Press Releases

You’re An Introvert – I’m An Ambivert. So What?

Introvert_Ambivert_Publicity for IntrovertsThere is a lot of talk in the news about introverts lately. It’s the topic of conversation regularly for my publicity shy prospects and clients, and me.

The stories and articles I am seeing sometimes make it sound like it’s a competition – the introverts vs. an extrovert, which always troubles me. Why not celebrate our uniqueness and each other’s?

Introversion or extroversion are not new concepts or ways of being. Carl Jung is credited with coining the term ‘introverted person’ in 1918. Susan Cain’s book “Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking”, published in 2013, became a bestseller and has helped bring the conversation into the forefront.

The only reason that it matters if you’re an introvert or extrovert is that it can help you to know yourself better and help you leverage your strengths in your business, marketing and promotion, and in life. It can also help you in your interactions with other people by understanding their natural personality tendencies so you can communicate better with them.

Businesses have long recognized the value of personality and strength profiling and have adopted the use of tools like the Myers-Briggs or DISC assessments as part of an interview process or during on boarding of new hires. Entrepreneurs have used Strength Finders to help assess their natural strengths in an effort to better understand and improve the way they work.

There is no such thing as a pure introvert or extrovert. Such a person would be in the lunatic asylum. Carl G. Jung

Meet the “Ambiverts”

I just recently came to understand that I am an ambivert – a combination of introvert and extrovert. I didn’t even know there was such a personality type or a name for it before I started exploring introversion in my publicity mentoring work. As I sought to better understand some of the resistance my clients were experiencing and how I could help them get better results for themselves by harnessing their strengths, I observed publicity shy folks who were introverts, extroverts and ambiverts. This initial foray into understanding introverts formed the research for my book Publicity for Introverts™.

I never would have thought of myself as being an introvert, even if only partially, as I am outgoing in social situations and like to talk about my thoughts and feelings [just a few of my extrovert tendencies]. That said, I really enjoy and need to spend alone time working, reflecting and recharging my energy [my introvert traits]. I actually never gave this much thought to this until it became part of my client work, but if I had to choose one team, I would have leaned toward extrovert.

Turns out that according to Jung’s analytical psychology each of us has both – traits of extroversion and introversion. One set of traits may be more dominant in individuals, and to make it even more interesting, people do not always behave according to their behavior type all the time.

I’m not a big fan of labels, but I do find them empowering as a tool, and use their associated traits to understanding myself and my clients better. It makes sense that our personalities aren’t all black and white, and it’s clear to me now that I am an ambivert.

How do you identify yourself, and what impact does it have on your marketing and promotion?

The biggest challenge I see with my clients is the way they think and speak to themselves about doing publicity.  This includes a lot of ‘shoulds’, ‘ought tos’… and generally, unnecessary and self-defeating thinking.

What makes this self-talk abuse is the comparing yourself to someone else and how they are promoting themselves and their business. The only thing you should be doing is what is right for you, and then finding a way to do it that is empowering, and transforms it from a ‘supposed to’, to a ’want to’ and has you taking action, without the internal struggle.

I am a firm believer that life begins at the edge of your comfort zone.

The key is to figure out your own PR Persona™, which harnesses your own unique strengths and traits, as well as where you have decided you are willing to step out of your comfort zone [for a new action or strategy].

Writing this article made me think of a cartoon book I read years ago entitled, “I Am in Training To Be Tall and Blond”. You don’t need to be in training to be anyone but the best version of yourself!

If you’re interested in getting visibility whether you’re an introvert or someone who is spotlight shy, but the thought of it makes you uncomfortable, then let’s talk. I can show you ways to become more being visible and getting media attention without compromising who you are.

To your publicity success!

with love,

Jane

PS. After I drafted this article, I saw a copy of “I’m in Training To Be Tall and Blonde” sitting on the top of the free bookshelf in my apartment building! Synchronicity?

Kenneth Cole Uses My PR Tip to Score Big Press- You Should Too!

It’s so much fun when you see your PR tip put to good use… and getting results- Publicity!

Just a quick note to share with you something exciting.. and to encourage you to take advantage of this free tool, if you aren’t already and get set up for more Publicity today!

I am talking about Google Alerts.

Google alerts have been part of my PR tips and toolkit for as long as I can remember. If you have done any of my trainings or been on my list for awhile, you have probably heard me recommend them! It is one of the best free tools you can use to track PR, build a media list, get pitch and content ideas….

In fact I just made a new video for you about how to use Google Alerts – and hadn’t had a to post it yet when… I saw this headline on Time Magazine’s website:

Kenneth Cole Replaces Man’s Stolen Bag After Learning of Theft From Google Alerts read the full article here

I got so excited. Kenneth Cole’s team is using Google alerts as I recommend…and they used the alert to take action, resulting in some great publicity.  Free tool. Free Publicity! How exciting!

This is the kind of PR tool that works for you, no matter what your company size.

I want to make sure you benefit from Google Alerts and maximize this PR tip and get more publicity – I show you how in this video:

It shows you the best way to set up your alerts… and how to use them for the most return on your time.

Update: I have found Talkwalker alerts discover more content than Google Alerts. They are also free- same set up recommended.

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How to Use Press Releases to Promote Your Book

Publicity Shy? Here are 6 Tips To Overcome It

Want Publicity? 6 Ways A Dress Rehearsal Will HelpI was watching the Tony Awards the other night, and thought I was about to witness something I had just been thinking about – the value of dress rehearsals. Literally.

It was around the third wardrobe change for co-host Kristen Chenoweth that I began to wonder if they had done a dress rehearsal in the latest dress. The neckline of this black coat dress was cut low and with every dance move that had Kristen bending forward, the dress revealed more and more…I thought we were going to see much more than she intended. – flashback to Beyonce and Janet Jackson Superbowl wardrobe malfunctions.

That may sound like an extreme example, however if you think about it, you don’t know how you or your clothing will look or perform in a public situation, unless you hold dress rehearsals.

A rehearsal is an event that occurs as preparation for a performance. It is undertaken as a form of practicing, to ensure that all details of the subsequent performance are adequately prepared and coordinated. Most commonly employed in the performing arts as preparation for a public presentation, rehearsals are nevertheless used in other contexts, as well, to prepare for the performance of any anticipated activity [source: Wikipedia]

I’ve been thinking about the difference between publicity shy or nervous about seeking media attention and putting yourself out there, and being confident. A dress rehearsal can be the best gift you can give yourself; and not just the shy, introverts, and newcomers, experienced individuals still need to do a trial run or be at risk for a variety of unnecessary mishaps.

A dress rehearsal, in every sense of the word, can make all the difference. Whether you are seeking publicity and on camera interviews or public speaking opportunities or even a job interview, you can benefit from a complete dress rehearsal. You may ace your interview brilliantly, and the last thing you need would be a wardrobe mishap or malfunction.

 

Here are 6 ways a dress rehearsal will help you be a media darling or ace speaker:

Build Confidence – Practice may not make perfect, however it builds your speaking or interview muscles and along with them your confidence. Each time you do an activity, even in practice, you get a little more confident.

Master Rhythm and timing – A speech or interview can take a few tries before you develop pleasant pacing and delivery.

Shape Your Ideas and talk into concise sound bites – The media love you to speak in concise, easily quotable sound bites. Speaking in this fashion for most of us requires practice.

Get comfortable with technology – whether it’s a head set or a PowerPoint clicker, you want to learn to use them without a live audience watching you fumble or struggle with them.

Wardrobe – A full tryout of your head to toe outfit and make up while give a speech and doing all the activities you will be doing in the public eye, will ensure you don’t have embarrassing surprises. Try getting in and out of a car, climbing stairs, standing and sitting in your outfit. The wrap dress that looks great while you are standing on stage, may unwrap when you sit, causing a very revealing problem for a seated interview.

Try it on for color – A few photos and videos from head to toe while standing and seated, will ensure you like the way the outfit looks on film, and catch any other potential color clashes in advance.

Background Check – A distraction in the background can detract from your success. If you are going to be on a televised show, ask what color the background is, and check clips online to see what color outfits past guests looked best wearing on air.

If you are going to shoot your own video, have someone photograph you on the spot where you will be standing to record. Make sure the clothing works with the background, and also that there are no distracting objects behind you or that appear to be growing out of your head.

You can always hire a coach or mentor to help you build media skills and confidence.

 

Most of us don’t like surprises. Especially embarrassing ones.

What event do you have coming up that could benefit from a dress rehearsal?

 

2 Steps to Becoming a Media Darling

Media DarlingToday I want to share with you how to be a Media Darling – A celebrity who is especially popular and who receives frequent and very favorable attention in the news media. It’s easier than you think! Done right, it can have the media seeking you out on a regular basis!

There are two keys to being a Media Darling. Mindset is the first aspect.

Be a go giver and help other people get what they want [journalists] so that you can then get what you want [publicity]

Give journalists what they need. A great story, all the information in a neat package they can just cut and paste from, as well as showing them support and love on their work – not just the stories that feature you.

A recent study by MuckRack revealed:

  •  76% of journalists feel more pressure now to think about their story’s potential to get shared on social platforms (which can be measured with our Who Shared My Link tool).
  •  75% of journalists use Twitter to build their own brand. (And 86% of them check Twitter several times per day.)
  •  82% of journalists said incorporating an image is the #1 important ingredient for content share ability.

So more than ever before, Journalists feel more pressure to get their stories shared. You can show them the love by Retweeting, liking, commenting on and sharing their stories.

This works because it helps the journalist get social proof and positive feedback on their work. It also helps put you on their radar. When they see your comments, likes and re tweets, they view you as a friend, an ally, and a familiar name. When you go pitch them, they recognize your name, associate it with your support and social love, and will give your pitch more attention than other pitches they get. In other words, they are predisposed to want to like your pitch!

Now the Second Part are your media assets. The tools journalists expect you to have. These are an online media room and a press kit.

87% of journalists surveyed in the Tek Newsroom survey 2014, expect companies of all sizes to have an online newsroom.

An online newsroom and media or press kit are great because they make it easier for journalists to write about you. It may be 3 am… they are on a deadline… They are looking for information they can grab to complete their article. They don’t have the time to call you, trade messages and finally get to speak to you. Your newsroom gives them everything they need to write about you – 24/7, even if you are playing golf or sleeping. Its a win-win. They get their story. You get media coverage. Sweet.

The newsroom is also a place to showcase your media coverage. Over time, you will build up an impressive list of media mentions and self-generated news. Your prospects, clients and partners will also use it to learn more about you. The newsroom gives you additional expert status and credibility – as media mentions are perceived like endorsements from the media or a 5 star review on Yelp. Additionally, while your competition may have media coverage, chances are they aren’t showcasing it. If you don’t let people know about it, its like it doesn’t even exist…… If a tree falls in the forest….

Your newsroom can simply be a page on your website that you add content to regularly.

No newsroom would be complete without a press kit. This is a downloadable folder of information about you and your company. It can simply be a PDF containing key information about your company, as well as a high-resolution headshot and high-resolution book cover or product shot [as appropriate].

As many of you know, my passion is creating DIY [do it yourself ] tools that make it easier to do your own marketing and promotion.

One of these tools is my Magnetic Media Kits for Authors.  They come with the standard Jane design – elegant, simple, and no technical skills are required.

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 10 Things The Media Wishes You Knew – Before You Pitch Them