13 Publicity Tips For Professional Speakers
|
In a funk because other speakers seem to be snagging all the media attention? It's time to start claiming your share. Here are a baker's dozen of tips that will boost your publicity efforts and help you finally get noticed.
1. Every time you speak before a group, offer to submit a shortsummary of your presentation for the group's newsletter. Don't forget to send your photo. It gets you in front of those you just spoke to as well as those who missed you the first time around. Many groups also send their newsletters to the media. Be sure the last paragraph tells people what you do and how to get in touch with you.
2. Call the advertising department of every newspaper and magazine you want to get into and ask for a copy of their editorial calendar. It's a free listing of all the special topics and special sections coming up during the calendar year. It will tip you off to sections where your story idea would be a good fit, so you can query the editor weeks and even months ahead.
3. Call a reporter from your local newspaper and invite her to lunch or coffee. Offer yourself as a resource and Ask "How can I help you?" Feed her tips and story ideas. Become such a valuable source that she keeps coming back to you for more information and eventually writes about you.
4. Consider starting your own television show on your cable TV station's community access channel. The station will provide the camera equipment for a $20 fee, and you can produce either one show or an entire series of programs. Air time is free. Call your cable company for details.
5. Build a network of other speakers who concentrate on your topic or area of expertise. Agree informally that you will refer reporters to each other whenever the media calls. Often, reporters want more than one source for a story. It's a chance for all of you to get additional publicity.
6. Whenever someone asks you to write for their ezine or online magazine, visit their web site first and see if they have a resource section where you would be a good fit. Ask to be listed for free, in exchanged for providing an article.
7. If you publish a print newsletter, be generous with free subscriptions for the national and local media. You'll be amazed how many reporters start calling you for interviews. If you can't afford to pay people who submit articles for your newsletter, be sure to tell them they will be seen by national media who get your free subscription.
8. Don't forget newspaper and magazine columnists. They're always hungry for fresh ideas. Keep in touch with them and feed them ideas regularly.
9. Call local radio talk show hosts and invite them to call on you when other guests cancel. They will be thankful you offered.
10. Write articles for print newsletters. My favorite resource is the Oxbridge Directory of Newsletters, which lists more than 18,000 newsletters by topic and includes detailed information on the type of audience and subjects covered. Most larger libraries have this resource directory.
11. Write articles for electronic magazines and include a paragraph of information at the end that leads readers to your website. My favorite resource for thousands of ezines is Ezine Universe at http://www.ezine-universe.com
12. Contact your trade association and ask them to refer reporters to you. Many reporters who don't know where to find sources start by calling trade associations.
13. If you have some level of expertise, always refer to yourself as an "expert" in your marketing materials, at your website, in information that explains your workshops, in your introductions, and in your media kit. The media always seek out experts and interview them.
Follow these publicity tips and soon be able to promote yourself, your products and your programs.
Joan Stewart publishes the free ezine "The Publicity Hound's Tips of the Week," packed with valuable tips on how to generate thousands of dollars in free publicity. Subscribe at http://www.PublicityHound.com and receive free the handy checklist "89 Reasons to Send a News Release."
|
|
|
Does Uptalk Make You Upchuck?
Uptalk is invading the work place and is reaching epidemic proportions. It's that singsong speech pattern that has a rising inflection at the end of sentence. It sounds like the speaker is asking a questio...(related: Public Speaking)
Conversationally Speaking
"Would you like to say a few words?" How many of us dread that request? The thought of speaking off the cuff can terrify even veteran sp...(related: Public Speaking)
The Top 5 Public Speaking Questions Answered
There are a number of questions that we consistently get asked in relation to public speaking and presentations. Here are a few of the most common...(related: Public Speaking)
How To Answer Questions Your Audience Will Ask
In elementary school, most of us asked questions which were for purely informational purposes. A raise of the hand usually got the attention of the teacher and the question was treated matter-of-factly. In training however, questions from the audience are rarely asked and when they are, they don't get the attention they deserve. However, these questions, along with other indicators, can give a trainer an abundance of information to analyze their audience. It is crucial that trainers take these questions and other indicators seriously to avoid having their presentations become one-sided.In training, audiences don't just ask questions because they want information. In fact, simply needing information actually represent a small percentage of the motives behind audience que...(related: Public Speaking)
Be Brief!
Centuries ago great speakers often spoke two hours and more. But today when sound bytes on television news are the norm and serious problems are solved in an hour on a television drama, audiences are most interested in speakers that...(related: Public Speaking)
Performance Feedback: Why Were Scared And How Not To Be
Effective communication is not a one-way street. It involves an interaction between the sender and the receiver. The responsibility for this interaction is assumed by both parties. The speaker can solicit feedback and adjust the message accordingly. The listener can summarize what was said for the speaker and continually practice the empathetic process.Feedback is a major source of information which tells you how you are perceived by others and how your behavior is affecting them. This ex...(related: Public Speaking)
The Porch Light* Method To Speaking Confidence
You know the feeling. Looking out at a sea of faces, you notice a few scowls, frowns, even droopy eyelids on some of your audience members. What are they thinking? Do they disagree with your points? Are they in a bad mood? Do they just not like YOU? You bend over backwards to win them over. You smile, establish eye contact. But the longer you speak the more hopeless you feel as you see your desperate attempts to please fall flat. At the end, feeling discouraged and anxious, you limp away.It ...(related: Public Speaking)
Speech Writing Tips: The 14 Speech Writing Secrets Of President Bill Clinton
Speaking in public can be a powerful way to build a business. It can help raise the profile of your business, generate new leads and create greater profits. But speaking in public can be nerve wracking and seriously stressful for first timers. Writing a speech can be a major challenge, especially for technical write...(related: Public Speaking)
Speaking Body Language
I observed an almost surreal event when I was a business student.At the front of the classroom, an entrepreneur was practicing a pitch he...(related: Public Speaking)
Top 7 Tips For Speakers
Public Speaking is the number one way to advance your business career.Do you get nervous when speaking to a group? Do you feel butterflies in your stomach? The following tips will help you get your butterflies to fly in formation.1. Everyone feels some nerves before a presentation. Try to do a quiet meditation, visualization, or exercise before you speak. Breathe deeply. Memorize those opening linesand then quickly engage your ...(related: Public Speaking)
How To Get Paid To Speak
Now that you have all the contacts you can possibly use, when can you expect to get paid for speaking or other business engagements?You have done your job and spoken to many non-profits and Chambers, your name is getting well known and you have even been paid to do a couple of speeches at places of business. Now it is time to look further down the road. You can continue to self advocate your speaking but in addition you will need to use other tools to further what you are doing. One tool would be the use of a Speakers Bureau. These bureaus will wa...(related: Public Speaking)
How To Get Started In Public Speaking
Public speaking is among the five most feared activities human beings encounter.The majority of us fear it worse than anything else. Yet, the mastery of public speaking is an important tool in our business skill set.It's never too early (or too late) to learn to speak in public. Every one needs to start somewhere. The best strategy is to look for non-threatening opportunities with familiar surroundings, friends and colleagues. Plan your speaking gigs in stages starting out with a small comfortable group then increasing the number of members in the audience and finally tackle the prominence of the engagement.Become a member of the leadership team where you need to give reports or host meetings. In these instances, you will have prepared material in front of you...(related: Public Speaking)
How To Promote Yourself As A Speaker On The Web
Why use the web for promoting your speaking engagements?Most people now agree that the web offers a great deal of information, if not too much. Every business should have a website, even if it is only informational as to what you sell and where you are located. You may not want to sell chocolates in the hot summer over the web, but you can tell people where your business is located and what specials you are running. I recently met a fellow that was getting married and he needed to order a cake and find someone to sing at his wedding. Instead of looking in the yellow pages, he opted to do a search for local businesses to provide what he needed. He found only one baker out of 20 in his city that had a site. He could even choose the decorations over the w...(related: Public Speaking)
site-map - Copyright © 2006 | Contact Webmaster | All Rights Reserved. | Public Speaking