There's a lot of discussion about what customers really want these days. I have to say that, listening is among the most crucial skills that you are able to learn. If you are able to really stop and listen to your customers, you are able to pave the path to ongoing business success. Listening calls for paying attention and reacting to the needs and wants of customers. If you want to have your own business, you have to practice the art of active listening. It is not good enough to react to clients. You have to be able to anticipate their needs. Listening to clients is about placing your company to be the answer to buyer needs, ideally previously them even asking. Listening is about getting involved with your clients. This includes really spending time with them, exploring things that are significant to them, studying magazines and books that are written for them, and being an authority in the things that matter to them. You’re business ought to have an ideal customer. This is the perfect client for you. You need to get in the minds of your ideal client, and the more ideal the better. These are the ideal type of clients you ought to be paying attention to. A client is somebody who's purchased from you or the company you work for. You ought to treat clients, prospects, and general public with equal respect. You need to spend your time listening to these individuals who you most want as clients using tools and strategies.
Here are some key tips to keep in mind:
1. Offline, you should be conducting client surveys and talking to clients and people. Go to trade shows and conferences that are likewise attended by your ideal clients. If there are none in your area, start one.
2. As your expertise grows, you might want to think about doing a few speaking engagements. This is an awesome way to meet people and to get individuals to tell you about the problems that they face.
3. Online, the opportunities are endless. You are able to listen on Twitter with the help of Twitter Search. You are able to track key words and phrases across the net utilizing Google Alerts.
4. Forums are a great place to listen. You are able to produce your own listening posts with a blog or podcast. Sure, this is about you talking, but it will force you to explore and learn about your clients. And you are able to encourage dialog and read comments.
5. Make sure to listen where clients are talking. If you will are able to find out where ideal clients hang out, online and offline, then you have to be there too.
6. Active listening will help you to better comprehend and connect with your clients. It will make sales and marketing easier, as you'll be able to position yourself right between the client and the need.
7. Becoming a great listener will allow you to connect with the individuals you wish to reach. Everybody loves being listened to.
So put away that profit and loss sheet for a minute, and begin exploring the world of your clients.
As a publicist (and producer) with 20 years experience, I know when someone is ready for the “big time” and when they are not.
The major media “gatekeepers” are very particular. They can spot an amateur in a split second (and you only get one chance to pitch).
Surprisingly though, most people (especially authors) think they are ready for Jay Leno, Steve Harvey, CNN, USA Today, Good Morning America, Fox News, Essence, Today show, etc. But they are not. What’s so funny is that the shows or publications they want to be on or in – they don’t even watch, listen or read!
There are so many variables to getting major publicity. It does not happen because you have a good book, a new product or a friend who works for the station or publication. Major publicity doesn’t even happen if you have a good publicist with connections.
It takes a strategy, a strong brand and information that make the media’s job REALLY easy. (Because they are so busy!!!)
Here are some things you must have if you want to be considered to play in the big league with the big boys:
A track record. Most authors think that if they could just be interviewed on a major network when their book is released – they would set them up for major sales. Listen, a new book is not news. A good TV producer is not looking for the “new kid on the block” to present to their viewers, they want to score a guest that has some STAR power. A guest that has some juice; some awards; someone who has a following and people want to watch. So, this means you must start small, start local and then you can progress to regional and national. This takes TIME.
A good internet presence. If you think just having a website is enough – think again. Everyone has a website. You must prove to the media that you have an online following and dominate the search engines in regards to your expertise. If you say you are an “expert” – the media’s proof is to see whether you show up on page one of Google when they put in that query about the topic. If you don’t show up at all. NEXT. So you must know SEO, have a blog, some Facebook fans, Twitter followers and so on.
A concise, professional media kit. This is the hub of your information. But wait, don’t just throw together a press release, bio and some jpeg photos and call it a day. Think this through. Make this a tool that the make the media go “wow.” Meaning, there is no searching for answers, or searching for photos, or searching for video clips, or searching for current key facts or links. This is a living document that you keep on your website under a tab called “Media Kit” or “Press Kit.” But make it stand out and make sure your contact info is there and you are available 24/7 for the media. So, yes you must put a mobile there or your publicist’s mobile number there.
A good media kit should have –
a. A long and a short bio (in third person not first person please). How are they going to introduce you if they have to rewrite your bio because you wrote it in first person? Make it an exciting bio too. Have a one sheet too. This is info about you in a snapshot. Hire some to help you if you need it. Read bios of the experts in your field for samples.
b. Interview questions the media can ask you (because they probably won’t have time to read the whole book or do all the research on the topic you’re an expert in – so help them out!) Prepare at least 10 to 15 questions. Also good to have is a FAQ sheet and pitch letter.
c. Photos. Have an assortment of PROFESSIONAL head shots, speaking shots, full body shots and if an author, the book cover. Please have high-resolution photos available on the site for magazines too.
d. Previous media hits with links to video and audio interviews. Media begets media Also if you have endorsements – include those in the kit as well. They want to see what others are saying about you. So the more you show how you were featured in other media and seen by other people (preferably other experts), the more comfortable they will feel about booking you.
e.Radio and TV Interview Ideas. Think like a journalist or producer. Write out a show description or have a list of topics with bullet points you can speak about on the air.
f. Articles. Have some articles ready for the media to use for the prep of their story or to post on a blog for further info after the interview. They can be published or unpublished articles or even blog posts. But you want to provide them with background research from you about the topic you’re being interviewed about. A link to old newsletters are good to have included as well.
g.PDF of your book for the media to access in a hurry.
An intro video of you speaking at events. Showing you speaking in front of an audience with some audience reaction. This is extremely important if you want to get book on a major network.
A calendar of events. Media want to know that you’re busy – and have an active itinerary. Remember the media wants to book and interview those who are in high demand and have a strong brand.
Lists. Media love lists. Become a valuable resource for the media. Create Top Ten lists for your industry. These are good for sidebars for articles they are writing. Or the list could be used as a “teaser” when promoting a show.
A tight brand. Professional graphics. Professional photos. Professional website and blog. Professional newsletter. Keyword here: PROFESSIONAL. Not homemade. If you have a “DIY” look, it screams amateur. Pay a professional. If you want to roll with the big dogs – don’t be cheap with your brand. You have to pay to play.
Finally, timing is everything – but equally important is being prepared. There is nothing worst than having an opportunity to get major publicity and goof it up because you were not prepared. (The media is very quick to say “no go” – and it takes time for them to give “yes, it’s a go.”)
Learn to stay prep (become a student of the media) and continue to market and grow your brand. Strong SEO, a polished brand, networking and consistency will yield great results.
The phrase 15 minutes of fame is very common and alludes to the fact that every person can somehow achieve fame for at least a short amount of time. However, the Internet has changed the concept of transient fame to one which might be easy to get, easy to maintain and last for ever. With the Internet becoming a great part of people’s lives, being famous has got a lot easier.
• You should get a thorough knowledge of the how the computer and the Internet work. Visit the library, get a few books and practice HTML. There is going to be a time when you’ll be able to change channels from CBS to ABC to Facebook or MySpace. You should have the basics of the Internet and computing under your belt so that you will be ready when the Internet and TV does become one.
• In order to build your own fan base, you should develop a website which will reflect your personality. People visiting your website must feel what kind of person you are and not as if an impersonal webmaster is running the website. It would be great if you would update the page regularly so that your fans will visit your website everyday.
• You should give your IM screen names, Net address, and URLs as much publicity as you can, and everywhere that you can. Reply to every comment which is sent to you. In a nutshell, act like your website is your home, and you should always be there to greet your guests.
• You could upload songs and videos which you like onto your web page. People with similar interests would visit your website often then. People who visit IStockPhoto.com can get images, streaming audio and video.
• You can make your web page and by extension yourself very popular if you make clever and thoughtful posts. If you can interest people with your posts, they will respect you and hold your name or user name in esteem.
• You could search online on subjects which interest you, and discuss those topics on online forums or message boards. However, make it a point not to enter into arguments with others. You’ll become unpopular if you insist in proving how right you are compared to the other person. Always be polite and friendly.
• However, you should always be careful of the people you meet over the internet and not share too much personal information with them. At least not unless you are building a partnership on a business level that becomes personal.
Posted by Beverly Mahone on September 24, 2010 at 11:55pm
If you've ever wondered why you didn't get any coverage from your local media for an event or announcement, it may be because you didn't send your press release on the right day.
It's true--reporters are always looking for stories but some days are better than others when it comes to getting their attention.
Mondays: It's the beginning of the work week for most journalists. They tend to get swamped with releases and announcement that all seemed to have piled up from the weekend. Your announcement may seem like small potatoes in comparison to some others and go unnoticed.
Tuesdays: Good Day! Email boxes have been cleared out (for the most part) and now they can take a serious look at what is being received.
Wednesdays: Another Good Day! To me, it's better than Tuesday for some of the same reasons.
Thursdays: Another Good Day!
Fridays: Unless you are hosting an event that involves a well-known celebrity or your event is larger than life, Fridays aren't really good days because it's too close to the weekend and journalists are thinking more out their weekend and cutting out early.
Saturdays: Believe it or not, I think Saturday is a GOOD day---if you are having some kind of activity on that day. Weekend Assignment Editors struggle to generate news and if you are doing something noteworthy, they would be likely to cover it. It could be a great human interest story for them.
Sundays: It depends. It could be good if you are doing something on THAT day. Otherwise, if you are submitting a release for something going on the following week, it could get lost in the pile up.
Whenever you choose to submit your release, make sure you follow up with someone in the newsroom to make sure they received it.
During the summer months, you can always count on the media to do some type of weather-related stories. This could also be your opportunity to promote yourself and/or your business.
Developing ideas that can help you promote your business in summer doesn't have to take a great deal of time or a large financial investment in order to see positive results. The key to getting the media's attention is to come up with a creative (and fun) campaign that will help them generate a news or weather-related story.
Here are some examples:
Offer cool down treats: Arrange a day with a local ice cream store to have a free ice cream giveaway for anyone who walks in with your business card. You would certainly need a budget for that--especially if you've circulated A LOT of business cards. But you could also limit it to the first 25 or 50 customers and let the media know you're doing this as a Summer Appreciation Event.
Another similar idea is to simply pack some ice cold drinks and take to employees who have to work outside for a living. It's a nice gesture and may not only give you some media exposure but also some additional business.
Host a Pool Party for kids: Contact the local weatherman and invite him to come over and offer some tips on how to stay cool this summer. Certainly, his or her own station will cover the event.
Product giveaways: When I was promoting my book, Whatever! A Baby Boomer's Journey Into Middle Age, I offered a fan as a part of the promotion. If you purchased a copy of the book, you also got a free "hot flash" fan. Find something creative you can give away that would be directly tied into summer.
Sponsor an activity or event in your community: Check with your local Chamber of Commerce, City Hall or your local church for community events and find out how you can get your name or business connected. It would be worth sitting out in the hot sun for a couple of hours if a TV or newspaper crew stopped by to interview you, wouldn't it?
Check the websites of your local stations: Find out what they're up to and see how you can get involved--if only as a volunteer. You can network your way from there.
If all else fails, create your OWN media event and post it on YouTube, Vimeo, UStream, etc. You may find yourself getting even GREATER expsoure.
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Monmouth Junction, NJ-September 25, 2008( WomenPR.com) WHB Consultants is a multi-disciplinary firm dedicated to providing fresh and effective marketing tools to clients. Whether providing web, graphic or marketing services, we pride ourselves on our commitment to quality deliverables. We believe that one size does not fit all and we stay true to this belief by really listening to what our clients have to say and implementing strategies that are unique to their needs.Priscilla Wiggins (Co-Founder) launched a full service marketing firm, WHB Consultants, to assist small to medium sized companies increase revenue and visibility. Given the current economic climate its now more important than ever to implement smart and targeted marketing initiatives.It's no secret the right marketing strategy has the power to increase your bottom line by selling your company's image, reputation, brand, or product to potential clients. But with so many companies and so many stories, the challenge for many firms is to simply get noticed. WHB knows one of the most effective ways to gain visibility is to implement a targeted marketing program.With the capability to implement a wide range of marketing initiatives from direct mailings to website development WHB prides itself on our ability to give our clients the one on one attention they need.Contact:WHB ConsultantsPriscilla WigginsPhone: 270-348-5195Fax: 704-967-0268info@whbconsultants.comwhbconsultants.com
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Attention Authors! Sell Lots of Books with Teleseminars!If you’re an author, speaker, coach or consultant, it’s likely you know how important it is to market your products and services. The challenge for many professionals is not only what to do, but how to do it. Additionally, knowing what is a wise investment in their marketing and what is not.Take authors; Countless numbers of authors have the dream of selling lots of books, becoming well known (and even reaching celebrity status), and making their fortune through their craft. Yet, most will not succeed due to lack of how to develop and implement an effective publicity plan. It takes more, much more, than a well-written manuscript to succeed as an author, at least if you want to make money through your writing.You Have To Gain VisibilitySuccessful authors understand how essential it is to gain visibility within their market; visibility that equates to more readers, more books sales, more market reach; and ultimately more revenue.One of the most common beliefs uninformed authors have of how to gain market visibility is through paid advertising. The fact is, most book advertising does not work. Besides most authors don’t have huge budgets for paid advertising campaigns.Yet, many waste untold amounts of money on ad campaigns that don’t get them a result that justifies the expense of paid advertising. Still others do nothing at all to gain visibility and promote their books.Why Readers Buy Your BooksThe majority of readers buy books based on word of mouth advertising; the title of a book and Continue Here Read more…
eBiz Marketing is looking for contributing writers for articles and essays to be posted on eBiz Marketing and several of our network affiliate sites. These articles must be based on “Online Marketing Tactics/Techniques” and “How Your Business Can Survive the Recession”. We will provide a bio/bi-line and your contact information. Some articles may be posted in our “eBiz Marketing Newsletter" eBlast. Because our subscribers are typically African American Professionals , Companies interested in submitting articles must be 51% African American owned. eBiz Marketing has last say on what articles will be published. Once your article is approved we will contact you via email. You must have complete rights to publish your creative works. We at eBiz Marketing recognize the importance of featuring articles in blogs, blasts, and network sites. We are currently seeking your help in increasing our exposure. There are many excellent writers in this community. In exchange we hope to bring additional exposure to you and your business. We would additionally like to thank LaShonda for all the valuable information she provides on a daily basis.
Please Email the following information with your submissions to:articles@eBiznessonline.comNOTE All responses must come to email address provided. Thank you
Name Company Name Company Website Contact Number Brief Bio or Bi-Line (95 words or less). URL Links to any RSS Feeds, Blog Sites, etc.. URL link to where you may want articled to be linked to. All articles must be submitted in word or notepad only. Please do not submit any pictures, logos, or graphics.
The number one tool of PR professionals for more than fifty years has been, and continues to be, the press release.***Visit us now at www.prdepotchicago.com and learn how to get a Free Press Release (Reg. $99) created for your business/site, mention you are a member of Sistapreneurs with any distribution purchase and we'll add your site/logo to our Featured Business Links page at no additional cost. - Limited Time Offer
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No one’s going to know anything about you do unless you tell them. You have to “create a buzz.” What does that mean? It means you have to market yourself in such a way that creates attention to you and visibility.How do you do that?Promote Yourself. Don’t Be Shy. If you want to be recognized for what you do you have to promote yourself. I am a big fan of Press Releases, however, they only work if you know how to write them. As a former News Assignment Editor I can tell you first-hand that an overwhelming majority of releases get tossed by journalists because they are either poorly written, lack newsworthiness or are just plain dull. The headline of your press release should be an attention grabber.Which one of these headlines would make you want to read more?Invite Me Over to Trash Your HouseNew Author Wants to Help You Organize Your HouseIf you’re an author, find a way to tie your book into a current news event. Or better yet, create your own media news event. Romance authors, for example, should always be able to capitalize during the holidays---especially Valentine’s Day.You can also promote yourself thru blogging and connecting to groups and organizations—both on and offline.
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Identify the radio and or television shows you would like to be interviewed on. Listen to those programs so you can get an idea of the interviewing style of the host. Find out the kind of topics he or she tends to focus on to see if you would be a good fit for their show. The worst thing you can do is send an email or media release to someone who focuses on politics and you want to talk about gardening. Also, it certainly doesn’t hurt to let the host know you listened to a particular show and how much you enjoyed it as you pitch yourself as a guest.Don't limit yourself to just the stations in your immediate area. Make sure you cover as much territory as possible. Remember, radio interviews can be done over the telephone. Another thing: If you know you're going to be on vacation in a particular area on a specific date, contact the stations in that market and let them know you'll be available. You don't have to tell them you're on vacation---just that you'll be in the area. And don't be afraid to hype up the fact that the Host is getting a great opportunity to interview you.Know the News of the Day: By knowing what's happening in and around your world, you should figure out how you can tie in your book---especially if you're a non-fiction author. For example: If there's a school shooting in your community and you've written a book young people and crime, call all of the media outlets and offer yourself as an expert.
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My mother used to say “Don’t put all of your eggs in one basket.” What that means in this case is don’t spend all of your time and energy focusing on trying to get on Oprah. Sure, it’s everyone’s dream to be on her show or any one of the other major national talk shows but until that happens, you need to spread yourself around.Expose yourself to the “little fish of the sea.” By that I mean, don’t rule out your local media no matter how small it might be. Also, there are plenty of internet radio station hosts and podcasters who would love to have you as a guest on their shows. Because practically everyone has the capability of listening through their computer or an ipod, you still get the opportunity for good exposure. I, personally, believe that even if only one person has listened to my interview and then turned around and bought my book, then my interview was a success. Also, you never know who might be listening to help you get your big break.Another thing: Just because you may live in Ohio doesn’t mean you can’t do an interview in California. Remember, many interviews are now conducted over the telephone. Do your homework and find out what stations might want to bring you on as a guest.
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Who cares if you wrote a book or started a new business that you’re really excited about? Is your enthusiasm going to pay your bills and earn you the kind of status you’ve been working hard to achieve? Is that gung-ho attitude going to allow you to break “even” on the money you’ve already invested in your project?While having a positive attitude is important to pursuing your goals, you’re going to need some help along the way. Let’s be realistic. Your book (business) may do OK by word of mouth and press releases but just think of what could happen with something called “mega publicity.”No, I’m not talking about one radio or newspaper interview in your community. I’m referring to your ability to reach the masses. How do you do that? You could try calling Oprah and if she calls you back–the rest is history. Of course, for the vast majority of us, Harpo will never call but that shouldn’t stop you from putting a plan of action together that could, very well, get Oprah’s attention in the future.Build a media plan complete with a list of mainstream radio and television stations as well as newspapers. Also include internet radio stations and podcasts. Then start mapping out your strategy for making valuable connections.If you believe it’s your time to shine, let me help you turn on the spotlight!
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