Book Publicity Central

Believe in Yourself

2011-04-21T17:12:00.000-07:00

One thing I know about life is this:

You have to believe in what you are doing...and most importantly...you have to believe in yourself. If you do, others will get it. This is especially true when it comes to developing your own media content. It comes across in your presence. No one else can give you that. You have to find it within.

I've been thinking a lot about how each of us presents ourselves to the world. As I help small business people, authors, writers, and other experts create their own video, audio and print content, there is a lot we can do to polish and enhance their performance. However, there is more to it than that and that's what I'm trying to get to here.

When it comes to your dream, that idea inside you that you want to create--whether it's a new business, or an article you want to write, or any new project you want to develop and create, you have to be its biggest cheerleader.

Yes, we all have doubts at times. Sometimes in the middle of the night when we've been struggling to create something and it just isn't coming together, we may have some doubts. Sometimes we need to look to someone else close to us who believes in us for some support, but for the most part, you must have that deep, deep, strong conviction inside that this is your path and nothing is going to rock you off of that.

That is conviction. That is believing in yourself. Even if you aren't sure how it's all going to come together, whenever others hear you talk about your idea or project, they will feel your conviction. They will believe in you too. But it starts with you.

When it's time for you to do video and audio recordings, this essence needs to be present. My work is often about helping someone with the mechanics of communicating well, and sometimes it involves learning to embrace that belief in himself or herself. When you believe in yourself, all things are possible.

What is your dream? Is your belief in yourself and your ability to reach that dream strong? If not yet, what can you do to help make it so? What can you do today to believe in yourself and in your dreams?

Warmly,
Joanne

Joanne

Media Polisher Helps Media Train Entrepreneurs and Small Business owners

2011-04-16T14:49:00.000-07:00

This is a very big weekend for me, and I am so excited that after a full year of planning and development, it is finally here. One year ago it became abundantly clear to me that I needed to add additional services to my business in order to help my clients. In addition, I needed to develop and conduct numerous workshops which would allow me to understand the kinds of offerings I could make with the Media Polisher. And now, finally, after all of that work, we have hit the road. I'm in San Francisco with a team of people conducting a Media Polisher weekend. It's so much fun to have people fly in from all over the country, such as Houston, Seattle, Sacramento, Boston, and Denver to get polished. These are mostly entrepreneurs who are building out their businesses and need a little help in getting their messages out there. The weekend includes coaching, developing key messages, and training on camera to get them ready for media interviews, in addition to preparing them to do their own media. On the agenda today is getting all those home page videos shot. There are "experts" out there who boldly tell entrepreneurs and small business owners to just flip open aflip camera and spew forth, but I don't agree with that strategy. I think it's a much better idea to figure out who your market is (if you're not sure), develop key messages that speak directly to your audience, and then practice the "gozinta" (the intro) and the "goesouta" (the outro), in addtion to all the meat in the middle. Then fine tuning one's actual on-camera presence will help to create an image that shines online....something that is so needed. The results of this weekend have been spectacular. Everyone who attended was fully engaged in the process and ended up with an excellent, professional shot video for their Web site. Many did a home page video in addition to the video on the sales page. What I love about the Media Polisher is that it brings forth all the skills I have developed over the years from my life in broadcasting, to my PR firm, and now training individuals. It truly is a gift to do what I love to do. And how about you? Are you engaged in doing the work you were meant to be doing on this planet? If not, are you taking some steps to make that happen? Warmly, Joanne

Living your dream...Teaching Social Media

2011-04-06T21:23:00.000-07:00

So what have you always wanted to do with you life in terms of work and career? Are you living that dream you once had, or are you still working your way toward it?

Ever since I can remember, I have always wanted to teach. First I had my publicity and marketing classes in which I helped authors, writers, and other small business professionals learn how to promote themselves to media. Then, as things changed over the last few years, I've helped movers and shakers create a shining online presence through video, audio, and the written word. I still do this work and consider myself very lucky to be doing what I love, and making a living at it. Let's face it: We are living in challenging times.

But the greatest teaching opportunity for me is teaching at my alma mater, Marylhurst University. This week, another class filled with students who want to learn about social media has begun and the challenge of helping them to understand the power of this medium and how it may enhance their lives is underway. We also explore the challenges it presents in terms of privacy and other important issues.

They don't know this yet, but I know that by the end of this class we will have developed a very close-knit group of individuals who really care about one another. For all the discussion that social media is impersonal (and it can be), and that it's a time suck (and it can be), and that it serves no real purpose (depends on the individual), we will have gotten past many of these objections to see what truly wonderful opportunities these communication channels offer us. We will have many discussions about the effect on our culture and in each of our lives.

Will social media replace face-to-face contact? No, but it can be a great alternative when you are away from family, friends, or those you work with because they're scattered in other parts of the world.

It's also a wonderful medium for small business people, entrepreneurs, writers, authors, coaches, consultants, etc., to share with their audience what they do and how they can help them.

I believe living your dreams is a big part of why we are here. What are you doing that is a part of your dream? For me, it's teaching. Always has been. Always will be.

Joanne

P.S. I offer tips and suggestions on how you can develop and polish your own online presence at www.facebook.com/themediapolisher. Would love to see you there.

Tips for Producing Great Video for More Visibility for your Business

2011-03-16T13:33:00.000-07:00

What are some of the most important qualities you must possess if you want to have a successful business? There are many, but I think persistence, determination, and a willingness to embrace change are key.

Of course, you have to have a great idea, one that the marketplace is craving, and a way to implement it, in order to even have a business. Then, the above qualities will help carry you through those times when you can't quite see how it's all going to work out. At that point, you have to step out on faith, even when (especially when) you don't feel quite ready.

Probably should throw in a good dose of faith here. Whether you're starting a new business or working to increase the visibility of the one you have through more online channels, eventually you have to get it out there for the world to see. Waiting for perfection is a great way to procrastinate and never get it out there. The key is knowing when to let go and push.

You have to believe in yourself and in your dream. You have to surround yourself with people who are supportive, encouraging, and throw in a few truth tellers too. (They're the ones who will tell you the truth, even when you don't really want to hear it.) Maybe something isn't working very well, or there's some other problem that you just can't see because you're attached to the idea of it working. We all need truth tellers at times.

This past fall I launched some new services that the marketplace is craving. The brand is called The Media Polisher. Since then, I have had the privledge of working with small business owners, coaches, authors, entrepreneurs, sales people, consultants, etc., who are looking to increase their visibility online. My broadcasting background, my publicity firm, and the media training I have done over the years has uniquely prepared me to offer these new services. And I absolutely love it.

Last weekend I had a wonderful group of people in my Build Your Own Media Empire Workshop. What an honor it is to be in a position to help others to look their best, and bring their best selves forward on camera and through social media engagement. We covered a lot of ground and I know the participants are well on their way to producing some fantastic video footage where they look like pros. If you want to include video in your business, here are a few tips to get you going:

1. Get an external mic for your video camera. Don't use the internal one. Nothing screams "amateur" as loudly as when the person's voice sounds like it's half way across the room and the individual is actually close up to the camera.

2. Plan your "gozintas" and your "getsoutas". That means start with the hook straight away. Don't begin with your name and what you're going to talk about and blah, blah, blah...zzzzz...click. Your viewer is G-O-N-E and on to the next video. You want to hook them right away so they'll stay. Then your close has to be just as strong and elegant.

3. Know the purpose of the video. Is it for new potential customers and clients who have never seen you before? Or is it for regular clients who already know and love you? Your presentation will likely be different based on who you are talking to.

4. Remember to have fun. Learning is much faster and easier when we have good feelings and our brain juices are flowing. Stress and worry do not help us give our best performance and they rarely help us achieve our bigger goals.

There are many tips and tools for creating great video, audio and written content. Learning these strategies and tactics will help build more self confidence, and self confidence is that magic potion that helps us to create the business and the life we really want. When we're self confident (the real, genuine kind), others feel good about working with us. It comes from training and experience, persistence, determination, faith, and a willingness to embrace change.

If visibility is something you're trying to increase in order to create more business, then the Media Polisher is something can explore now. I invite you to sign up for our newsletter, in which we'll share many more tips and techniques to have you look like a pro. You can like us on facebook, (and I hope you will) follow us on Twitter (mediapolisher) and (Joanne McCall). And, by all means, you can always post a comment or question below if you'd like to. I'd love to hear from you.

Warmly,
Joanne

The Secret to Being Self Confident in Front of the Camera

2011-03-03T16:14:00.000-08:00

I have been saying for years that everyone needs to get media trained if they want to promote their book, business, cause or service through the media. In fact, not only is that still the case, but my position has expanded well beyond that now. For those who are planning to do their own media content through their platform, particularly if you're going to do video, you must get some training. No exceptions. Well, almost no exceptions. Maybe 1/10th of 1 percent of the population can do it and come across well, but most need a little bit of help.

When the subject of media training comes up, most know they need it and sign up right away. These are the folks that know they don't know everything and realize they need some pointers on how to do it and come across well. Then there a some who say, "Oh, I can do it. How hard can it be?" and either they find out that sitting in the hot seat isn't as easy as it looks, or someone tells them afterwards, "Gee, that really wasn't very good." (Hopefully it was said by a friend and with kindness.) I 've shared this before, and I will say it again. I watched someone blow their brand in 6 seconds in a bad video posted on Facebook. Please do not let that be you. If you have spent some time building your business and building your brand, or even if you're just starting to, you never get a second chance to make a great first impression. Mom was right.

Here's the thing. Why would someone want to try it themselves without any coaching or training? What am I missing here? I know there are "experts" out there who say you should just get a flip camera, flip it open and start recording, but that is really bad advice--particularly if you are a business owner. Your potential clients and customers know in less that one second if they are going to do business with you, so you want to increase your chances of a "yes", right? Media training can help you with so many different elements: key messenging, the hook, the purpose of the video, along with some tools and strategies for coming across beautifully...Strong, self confident, relaxed, and engaging. This is not something that comes natually to people because you are not talking to a person, you are talking into a cameral lens.

So how do you make sure that you are coming across in an engaging, natural way? Some of the tools and strategies I teach come from the work I have done with Dr. Richard Bandler, the co-founder of NLP. I have had the pleasure of publicizing two of his many books, Get the Life You Want and Richard Bandler's Guide to Trance-formations, along with a third book on the way, The Secret to Being Happy. Through NLP we learn about accessing resourceful states such as feeling really confident, particularly in what many would call a stressful situation, and then anchor that so that while in front of the camera, the person feels relaxed and confident or excited and motivated--the emotion depending on the brand and the purpose of the video. This is just one of many techniques that once you learn, you will have them for a lifetime. This is a great investment in yourself that you can use in all kinds of situations.

If you are ready to take your media presence to a whole new level, then consider my next workshop called Camera Shy? Not for Long. It's scheduled for the evening of Friday, March 11th from 6 to 9 p.m. Pacific Time. The following day is the Build your Own Media Empire workshop during which you will have lots of camera time and personal coaching from me to help you put your best face forward. You have the option of one or the other, although both together will bring about the best results, in addition to giving you a very nice discount. Again, the strategies you learn will serve you for the rest of your life.

Please click here to learn more about it.

I'd love to help you look great on camera.

http://mediapolisher.com/en/?sv=&category=Media%20Polisher&title=Workshops

For now,

Joanne

Having a Birthday on Facebook

2011-02-23T15:41:00.000-08:00

It is no secret to my Facebook friends that I have been dealing with a huge loss in my life -- someone very, very important to me passed on 6 weeks ago. So, I wasn't sure what to think about my birthday, which was quickly approaching. I mean, I certainly didn't feel like celebrating. After all, I wouldn't hear from my sister, her card and gift would never arrive, she wasn't going to call me so that I could hear her voice, she wasn't going to stop by so I could see her; There was just this huge void inside me. A loss that's hard to describe unless you have lost a sibling. So in terms of my birthday, I was choosing to ignore it.

So imagine my surprise when many of my facebook friends began posting their good wishes on on the eve of my birthday, right there on my wall. Some sent videos, like

Paul McCartney singing They Say it's Your Birthday, others sent greeting cards, some left beautiful thoughts and prose on my wall, while others kept it at a simple "Happy Birthday." Others sent private messages to me and still others called me on my cell and emailed. Much to my surprise, posts of good wishes just kept rolling in--hour after hour...throughout the day and into the night...the "I'm thinking of you" comments, and all the other genuine, heart-felt thoughts made their say to me. It was truly amazing. And it touched me.

Before this, I sometimes sent Happy Birthday messages to Facebook friends, but for the most part I opted not to because it just looked like it swamped their walls. I even heard someone say that she was going to remove her birth date from her profile because it was too much. I didn't want to be a part of this kind of deluge if it turned someone off, and I didn't want to contribute to swamping someone's wall, so I have been very careful as to whom I posted greetings.

But I have learned some very important lessons from this birthday. You never know how you are impacting someone else with your kind words. For me, hearing from all of you who posted to my page was like a cool drink of water in the middle of a hot dry desert. It lifted my spirits and helped me more than I can say, and if you took the time to post, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart.

My birthday was bitter sweet. The loss is still there, but having so many people simply check in with a few words was a soothing balm on this spirit. So, from now on, you can count on a Happy Birthday message from me when your birthday rolls around. I truly hope it will make you feel good and I hope it lift your spirits as well. Thank you again.

New Year, New You via the Media Polisher

2010-11-28T20:30:00.000-08:00

Ah, the holidays... It's a time of sharing and celebrating with friends and family as well as sharing with those less fortunate than ourselves. It's also an opportunity to review the current year and set resolutions for the kinds of events and experiences we want to accomplish in the coming year. Many of us laugh at the idea of making New Year Resolutions because the promises to lose weight and exercise more often don't continue past January 15th for most people. However, when it comes to accomplishing goals in one's business, well, those resolutions often do come true.

So what is it you want in 2011? If you have a business, one item you should have on that list is to become more visible. Your clients and customers are looking online for you. Are you making it easy for them to find you? If not, why not?

Wouldn't it be great if by the New Year you had everything in place in order to be more productive and more visible in 2011? You can, you know. Statistics show that more and more people search online via video, e.g. youtube. Why not take advantage of this and get your video recording done so that you are ready to go after new customers,clients, readers, etc., after January 1st?

The Media Polisher is set up exactly for this. Get ready for a highly interactive workshop with experts who can help you get to the heart of your key messages, train you to look your best on camera, and take you through the process so that in the end you walk away with a great HD video for your Web site, blog or the social media sites.

The workshop is coming up on Friday, December 10th in Portland, Oregon with an additional 2 hour, one-on-one session on Saturday the 11th. In this workshop you will develop those essential key hooks and angles that will capture your audience and have them watching and listening for more. You will learn techniques that will help you relax and sound natural on camera (even if you think you will be nervous), and you will learn how to look and sound genuine and authentic--exactly what people are looking for from those they buy from these days.

To attend this workshop with the Media Polisher, please email joanne (at) joannemccall (dot) com. We will send you details on how you can attend this creative and important event.

If these dates don't work for you, send us an email anyway and learn about our one-on-one trainings through skype and other online opportunities. Really, isn't it time you catch up with what so many already know? Being visible online means just that--being visible. People want to see you. There is a reason reality TV is so popular right now. Sharing our genuine selves with our potential customers and clients is critical and it's expected. People want to do business with those we know and like. So take the plunge and get in touch with us. We want what you want. Your success. Contact us.

For now,

Joanne

Joanne McCall

The Media Polisher Team

To Publish or to Self Publish?: That is the Question...

2010-11-24T10:02:00.000-08:00

This question is in the top 5 of the most frequently asked questions I receive. People ask me in email, they ask on Facebook, they'll DM me in Twitter, they'll stop me at conventions, or when I speak, or in workshops. Others will ask me out to breakfast, lunch, dinner, coffee, or Happy Hour. Still others will hire me as a consultant because they want to know the answer to this question, and they're smart enough to know they need some help figuring out the answer. Here is the question:

Should I find a publisher or should I self publish?

Every day. I get calls, emails, letters (really! Letters) asking me this question.

And it's a good thing they ask because it is critical to understand the pros and cons of each choice. The path is littered with obstacles and very expensive mistakes, so the more you know on the front end, the better your chances of achieving your goals without having to sell the house.

When I am asked this question, I have at least ten to ask in return in order to get an idea of what their ultimate goal is. Questions such as:

What is your overall goal or objective?
Do you want to be in bookstores and libraries?
Do you have a platform?
Are you savvy online?
What is your budget?
Do you understand all of the expenses you're going to have if you self publish?
Do you understand distribution channels? Wholesalers, distributors, etc?
Are you aware of POD? Do you know the pros and cons of this option?
Do you speak?
Do you want to sell in the back of the room?
Do you want to be on Oprah (How to get on the show is the 2nd most-asked question.)

Because I am asked this question so often, I have decided that I must streamline this and have opted to do a teleseminar on Tuesday, December 7th at 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time (6:00 p.m. Mountain; 7:00 p.m. Central; 8:00 p.m. Eastern). This one hour phone call is free to you and will provide you with the pros and cons of each possibility. This will give you a very good idea of which option is going to work best for you. For me, it's an opportunity to share a lot of knowledge I have gained simply because I work in this business every day. In a call, I can help a lot of people all at once, rather than going out to lunch and telling each individual separately.

I am only taking a specific number of people on this call, so if you're interested please let me know ASAP by sending me an email to:

joanne (at) joannemccall (dot) com

The page for online signups is still being designed, so for now simply contact my office and we will get you taken care of. I will send you the call in number and other important details.

Thanks for your interest. Publishing a book is a very big deal. If I can help you to navigate the sometimes murky waters, it is my pleasure to do so. Remember: Tuesday, December 7th. Talk to you then!

Warmly,
Joanne

Media Polisher Seminar, October 23, 2010

2010-10-12T17:24:00.000-07:00

In my last post, I gave a very detailed explanation of how things have changed in the way you generate media interest for you business, product, service, or cause.

Because I believe we have to put our money where our mouth is, I have created a one-day seminar designed to help you generate more sales, more media, and more mojo!

This will be on the ground in Portland, Oregon on Saturday, October 23rd with other dates and cities to follow. The good news about Portland is that this one will be a third of the regular cost of this program. This is because it is in my own city and it's a pilot program for now. I have taught this material many times before, but this is a new seminar and it's going to shine! You will leave with a well-produced video and tons of information on how you can use it. Would love to have you there.

Contact me at joanne (at) teleport (dot) com or 503-642-4191. When you're ready to make this happen, you'll know it. Call me.

Warmly,
Joanne

Build your Own Media Platform and Take Back the Power

2010-10-04T15:16:00.000-07:00

Wow…Times are changing. It isn’t enough to reach out to media anymore when you want publicity. Now you have to build your own media empire so that media can find you—and you can talk directly to your clients and potential customers too!

The key is, you want to deliver the right message. Here’s an example of what NOT to do: I had an epiphany earlier this summer when I viewed a video posted on Facebook by a well-known, small business expert and then watched his brand deteriorate in mere seconds. The years he had spent building and nurturing his business image blew up in about 6 seconds (maybe less). My heart ached for him because with a little training, he could have put out a compelling and informative piece of video that enhanced his brand, his business, and his book. Instead, it hurt him. And, here’s the scary part: the video doesn’t go away. It’s still online and still available for all to see. You do not want to make a similar mistake by communicating an unpolished look that distracts from your important message. It could cost you a lot of business.

I hope this story caught your attention. It certainly caught mine, and prompted me to expand my service offerings to ensure others are not only protected, but understand how significant the changes taking place regarding publicity and marketing can impact a person's business, product, service, or cause. I also have suggestions on what actions need to be taken now to ensure your business stays healthy and profitable.

As a publicist and “media insider” stemming from my career in broadcasting, I’d like to talk about the “olden days” for a moment (which is only a couple of years ago, by the way). Media worked like this: You, the expert, pitched media a story or segment idea. If they liked the idea, they then interviewed you, which is turn was presented to their audience…the readers, viewers or listeners who then bought your product or services.

Reality check: This model has morphed considerably.

The above is still true—you still pitch media for interviews—but now in addition to the traditional media model, you have what some call the “new media”—all the online opportunities through Web sites and bloggers. But that’s not all. You now have direct access to your audience through your Web site, blog and social media and they can all talk to each other! We have a completely different landscape than ever before, but wait! There’s more. We now have the ability to go viral. One video has the capability of circling the globe—sometimes many times over. Problem: If you don’t know how to take this information and make it work for you, then it really can’t help you. In fact, it can really hurt you. Again, the story of the small business expert blowing his brand in mere seconds illustrates this point well.

Reality check: You no longer have the option about whether to be online or not.

In fact, it isn’t enough anymore to simply have a Web site. To be effective in this day and age, you have to be present in all the places where your market expects to find you, AND you have to be proficient in multimedia. Gone are the excuses, “I don’t have time for social media,” or “I don’t know what I’m doing, or….” etcetera, etcetera. I’ve watched people either sit back and deny what’s happening or downplay that they don’t need it. I’ve watched others get proactive but because they don’t really know what they’re doing, they make a lot of mistakes: no plan, no strategy.

Here is the secret to success. Are you ready? The time has come to learn how to take powerful control of your business—your brand—and have fun doing it! You see, I value having a good time while working and I’ll bet you do too. However, it’s hard to do that if you’re feeling overwhelmed. It’s hard to do that if you feel scared. You may worry that it’s going to take too long, or maybe you’ll never really get it. (Why do I need social media anyway?)

Reality check: You can’t afford to wait.

You can’t afford to put it off any longer because the world just keeps moving forward—whether you’re there or not. So, If you’re ready to figure this stuff out, then let me help you. For years I have been preparing people to do interviews, to prepare their own publicity materials, and to prepare for doing media interviews.

Now—I am helping people to prepare in a new way. I will have more on this soon. It's a good time to reflect on all of the changes that are taking place.

Joanne

Sell your Message; Sell your Book; Sell Yourself

2010-08-12T15:26:00.000-07:00

I've been doing book publicity for a number of years now, and my clients can attest to the fact that I insist upon media training for each book that is released.

There are several reasons for this.

1. Each book is its own entity with its own key messages. You must take the time to be able to deliver these key messages in an informative and often entertaining way. This doesn't come naturally to most. Training will help you become more effective and engaging.

2. Confidence. The time to learn how to deliver your message is not while you are on the air. The time to learn this and figure it out is before you interview with a host, journalist, or blogger. Knowing how to handle any situation thrown at you will give you great confidence in your message and your abilities.

3. It can take a long time to build your brand, and you can blow it in seconds. Don't let that happen to you.

4. Ask yourself, "What subject am I most worried about being asked about during an interview?" That is the place to begin. Train until you are so good at answering this question that you actually hope each interviewer will ask you that. Then you are ready.

Being able to communicate your messages in a powerful, pursuasive way does not come naturally. It is a learned skill, and that's the good news. You can learn it.

So take the time to consult with your publicist, publisher, or media trainer about how you can be more effective and ultimately sell more books.

Have you been media trained? What was the best tip you got during your training?

Apolo Ohno & Joanne McCall

2010-08-05T15:12:00.000-07:00

You just never know who you are going to meet next.

That life lesson was brought home to me again recently while on a business trip from the West Coast to Orlando, Florida. I was on my way to visit my client, Dr. Richard Bandler, the co-founder of NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) when I had a three-hour layover in Salt Lake City. (I prefer non-stop flights--doesn't everybody?--but for circumstances beyond my control I found myself on my laptop at the airport getting some work done while I waited.)

I didn't pay much attention when a couple of guys sat down next to me and started talking. At some point I looked over and before my eyes was one of the few people in the Universe I would be tempted to interrupt for a photo.

Speed skating great, Apolo Ohno. For those of you who watched the Winter Olympics, you know who I'm talking about. If you didn't, well, you might wonder why I am writing this at all. Trust me, he's very, very good and he's pretty darn cute too. I remember reading that during his training season he has four two-hour workouts a day. I complain when I have to exercise for an hour, but four two-hour workouts each and every day? Amazing. He looks it, too.

So there I was, blackberry in hand, when I posed this question to my Facebook friends: "I am sitting here in the Salt Lake City airport and Apolo Ohno is sitting next to me. Do I interrupt him for a picture?" Within moments I got a response from Amy who said, "Throw caution to the wind. Go for it!" and from Lisa, a publicist friend of mine who said, "YES!" That's all I needed to hear, so I grabbed my phone and in my most pleasant manner found a moment to break in. He was very, very gracious (made me swoon even more) and his friend snapped the photo. I'm not sure who his friend was and I feel a little bit bad about that. After all, he may be the #2 best speed skater in the world, which is pretty darn good, but Apolo is #1.

I thanked him and got back to my seat, immediately uploading the photo onto my Facebook page. Then I looked at the picture. He looks great. I am closing my eyes...Dang it! But, aside from that, not a bad pic.

Which reminds me: You just never know who you might meet next. When you are in line at the grocery store and you casually strike up a conversation, you have no idea who you're talking to. You may find out the most incredible thing about him or her. Yes, I had an advantage here. I watched Apolo skate for a couple of weeks and he is a celebrity now. But people don't have to be a celebrity to make an impact on us. He or she could be an agent (and you're looking for one for your next book) or a radio or TV producer (and you have a segment that would be perfect; he or she thinks so, too), or you might be next to someone who has just suffered a tremendous loss in this life and they are grieving. A smile from you might do wonders for his or her spirit. The person next to you might some day become your best friend, your husband, your wife.

Life is full of mysteries. When it comes to promoting your book, the process can sometimes seem mysterious (haha) but there are lots of steps you can actively take, and there are other coincidences that simply seem like fate. The stars lined up and you found the right people along the way. Stay open to life. Expect the miraculous. You never know who you're going to meet next. Enjoy each and every moment. I sure enjoyed my moments with Apolo. Oh, and Apolo? If you're looking for a publicist, I'm one of your Facebook friends.

Bright Triumphs from Dark Hours

2010-04-12T17:26:00.000-07:00

As any book publicist will tell you, the success of a book depends on many things--but the number one key to success is to have a great and timely book to promote! Bright Triumphs from Dark Hours is one such book.

At a time when living in America resembles a roller-coaster ride on the way down, untold numbers are living Thoreau's "lives of quiet desperation," without the drive or know-how to shift gears. Even though there is talk that our economy is turning around, 2010 is going to be tough for many. Reading about how others have created bright triumphs from dark hours can be helpful and inspiring to those currently in the trenches.

David Heenan, a former David Heenan, a former senior executive with Citigroup and Jardine Matheson, trustee of the Estate of James Campbell, one of the nation's largest landowners, and a visiting professor at Georgetown University, is the author of Bright Triumphs From Dark Hours: Turning Adversity into Success (University of Hawai'I Press; January 2010 ).

Heenan examines the lives of ten extraordinary people who overcame great adversity in their personal or professional lives by applying winning strategies that guided them out of the darkness of near-defeat and into the light of success. He divides his profiles into three categories-crusaders, combatants and comeback kids-and draws not only from education but such genres as sports, the military, climbing and corporate downfalls.

Heenan shares these remarkable stories and explains the 6 life principles they all have in common. Then he explains how others can apply them in their own lives.

Here are the individuals included in the book:

* Joel Klein - New York City school chancellor takes on the monumental task of overhauling the city's embattled public school system

* Shirley Ann Jackson - A scientist who breaks down barriers and becomes the first African American woman to receive a doctorate from MIT and head a major research university

* Bill Snyder - A revered football coach who transforms a perennial loser into a national championship contender with average athletes

* Joanne Boyle - survives a life-threatening cerebral hemorrhage to lead the University of California's women's basketball team to national prominence

* Gary Guller - The loss of an arm could not stop this man from scaling the world's highest peaks

* The Frozen Chosin - Semper Fi. At the Chosin Reservoir on the frozen Korean peninsula, the U.S. Maries escaped the deadly fog of war to fight another day

* Sacagawea - She was the lone Indian, the lone mother, the lone female, and the lone teenager on the perilous Lewis and Clark expedition

* Scott Waddle - a split-second mistake by this navy commander caused the Ehime Maru disaster and was a sad ending to his stellar navy career

* Patti Dunn - Former Hewlett-Packard chair fighting to restore her professional reputation and her personal health while battling cancer

* Steve Case - High-Tech entrepreneur rebounding from the ill-fated AOL Time Warner merger to lead a philanthropic revolution

During these troubled times when many are losing their jobs and having difficulty making ends meet, examining the lives of those who have overcome great adversity and can give each of us hope and courage to come out of the darkness into the light of success.

Bottom line: We're neither hopeless nor helpless. There's a lot we can do to deal with adversity.

David Heenan is available for media interviews. Please contact me if you're interested.

Joanne McCall
National Media Publicist
joannemccallpr@yahoo.com or via facebook, twitter, or LinkedIn

Geneen Roth, author of Women Food and God

2010-04-05T12:07:00.000-07:00

I have the very good fortune of being able to work with the most amazing authors and publishers because of my profession as a book publicist. Geneen Roth is among the very best. She's smart, funny, and kind. She cares about people and that comes across in everything she says and writes.

Geneen is the author of numerous New York Times bestsellers including her newest effort Women Food and God: An Unexpected Path to Almost Anything, a book which is getting a lot of attention, and rightly so. Geneen has been writing on the issue of food and our reponses to it over for 30 years. Here is what Oprah talks to Geneen about in the April 2010 issue of O Magazine.

Geneen says that the most radical part of her own story is not that she stopped dieting; it's that she stopped trying to fix herself. She stopped fighting with herself, stopped balming herself, her mother, her latest boyfriend for her weight. And since diets were her most flagrant attempt at fixing herself, she stopped them as well. Women Food and God. It's an exceptional book from an exceptional writer.

Book Marketing and Publicity Tip #5

2010-04-03T09:33:00.000-07:00

Book Publicity Tip #5: Read, Watch, and listen to the online and traditional media outlets you want to feature, mention, or cover you and your book in some way.

I'm a big believer in doing what works. Always have been. The key here is to remember that as much as things change, e.g., platforms, popular media outlets, etc., some things always stay the same, e.g., treat people well, don't spam, get to know who you want to cover you, etc.

It does not work to get a huge list of media folks and then spam all 2000 of them with your latest pitch letter. You would be amazed at how many people do exactly that. I can see the temptation: you can save time, money, and effort, but it just annoys people and makes them never want to talk to you, which completely defeats the purpose. Spamming is just wrong on so many levels that I don't know where to begin talking about it. So, here is my suggestion:

Create your own "wish list". This is a list of both online and traditional media where you think you and your book should be featured or mentioned or included in a story. This list can contain everything from your wildest dreams to the obvious--from Oprah to your local daily newspaper.

Research, research, research. Find out what outlets are interested in what you have to offer by reading them, watching them, or listening to them. Who writes on your topic? Who should know about you and your book? You want to be able to pitch them intelligently and knowing what the outlet or writer writes about is critical. The point here is to show you care and to show that you're a professional. You understand their job, which isn't to educate you or anyone else on what they cover. Through research, you will know. Show them that. It will take you far.

There is much written by online journalists and bloggers on how they do and don't want to be approached. The truth is, it hasn't changed over the past several decades. Online or offline, we all want to be heard and respected. If you do your homework, approach media like a professional with an understanding of what their work is about, you will be successful. Will everyone say yes? No. But at least they will know you took the time to understand their needs and the next time it may be yes!

Top Ten Tips for Marketing Your Book

2009-12-02T17:46:00.000-08:00

I have lots of tips to share with you on how you can market and promote your book. For now, my top ten are listed below but keep in mind there will be many more coming over the next few months.

Starting with the first one (or the last one, depending on how you look at it), remember to have fun! Yes, marketing and publicizing your book can be a lot of work, and yes, it isn't as easy to secure those juicy interviews as you thought it was going to be, but remember: You want to remain curious and interested as you search for those who really do want to talk to you and hear the message contained within your book. Here are the Top Ten Tips:

# 10. Have fun! It isn't all serious. Enjoy the process of promoting and sharing with others the value of your book.

# 9. Get media trained! No matter how many books you've written, getting trained with the new content and key messages is essential.

# 8. Tell me in :15 seconds what your book is about (because that's how long some media is going to give you before making a decision.)

# 7. Do 5 things every day to promote your book.

#6. Identify the market(s) you are trying to reach.

#5. Read, watch and listen to the online and traditional media outlets you hope to land.

#4. Create a great hook! (The hook is the thing that grabs you.)

#3. Be able to answer the question, "Why you, Why now?" because every producer is going to be asking it.

#2. Hire a great editor.

#1. Write a fantastic book!

Of all the tips, #1 is tops: write a fantastic book. Really. It makes it much easier to market and publicize a great book rather than a mediocre one. One way to make sure you do that is to take tip #2 to heart: Hire a great editor. Some of the best writers out there really owe it to their editors that they've had such great books.

So, what tips come to your mind? Do you have some special tips that you think really helped you to market your book? I'd love to hear them.

Successful Book Event with Career Intuitive Sue Frederick

2009-11-25T09:22:00.000-08:00

I am watching a fascinating phenomenon occuring within this country right now. The catalyst is one of my authors, Sue Frederick. Sue is a career intuitive who has written a book called I See Your Dream Job: A Career Intuitive Shows You How to Discover What You Were Put on Earth to Do (St. Martin's Press; 2009). This book is taking off in ways I never imagined and Sue is having to hang on for a wide ride. More on that in a moment...

I liked Sue from the moment we first spoke on the phone. She is one of the most gracious and warm human beings I have ever had the pleasure to know. Deciding to work with her was an easy decision. Sometimes you just know when something is right, you know?

During this time of economic difficulty and job layoffs, Sue's message is powerful: This is your opportunity to reassess. Were you really happy doing what you were doing? When you're in a job and comfortable, it's very difficult to take a bold jump and leave. When you're forced to leave, before locking yourself into another similar position, stop and take a good, hard look: Is this what you are meant to do? Then talking with Sue gives you new, added insight. What is your true calling? (She gave me a reading and it gave me goosebumps for days.)

I See Your Dream Job is a much-needed guide to finding one's true calling and how to realize it, which uses the ancient system of numerology. It's What Color is Your Parachute for those who yearn for a meaningful career in today's world.

What is amazing to me is that every event she does -- a talk, a booksigning, a lecture -- is always filled to capacity and beyond. She was recently in New Orleans and had over 200 people at her Barnes & Noble bookstore event. Over 200!

It's one thing if you're a famous athlete or an infamous celebrity, it's something else when you're not particularly well known with the general public. Along with her publisher, we did the usual things like setting up media interviews on radio, TV and in print, in addition to arranging a talk at Loyola University. We notified everyone we knew in the area and used social media to spread the word and together it all worked. Over 200 people were at the event at Barns & Noble and they bought books.

Earlier in this post I mentioned a phenomenon going on in this country. Ever since the financial crises in the fall of 2008, Wall Street executives and others from around the country have been calling her for readings. We're talking top executives of very old, established, conservative industries--financial institutions, law firms, the insurance industry among them--calling Sue for help. She also hears from the average working man and woman, along with moms and dads, grandmothers and grandfathers in all demographic groups. And has she ever helped! (More on that coming up.) She has a story coming out in People magazine soon which I will post a link to here. Many individuals who have been helped by Sue will be covered in ths story.

So there you have it. Oh, and every single radio show I have booked her on has come back to me for a second interview. Every single one. I have never seen this before.

The beauty of this is that you just never know what you're sitting on when it comes to your book. You might have the next big topic that takes off and creates another phenomenon. Don't cut yourself short.

If you're looking for a publicist to help you with your book, I'd love to hear from you. Feel free to email me at joanne (at) joannemccall (dot) com. If you want to learn how to promote your own book, I invite you to explore an audio program I produced which covers a great deal of what you need to know and do for the success of your book. http://bit.ly/Ithj.

Happy marketing and promoting!

Warmly,

Joanne

TIPS FOR BEING A GREAT RADIO GUEST!

2009-11-11T16:49:00.000-08:00

I've been a radio lover forever. I love books too, which explains the two careers I have chosen in life. As a publicist, I work with authors at many different levels of media experience. Some don't need any coaching at all because they're they have experience and they understand the importance of knowing their key messages and how to speak in sound bites.

For those who aren't savvy--yet--I have some pointers for doing radio interviews. Some of these tips overlap into television and print interviews, but all of them apply to radio--terrestrial or digital. Here we go:

1. Always be polite to the producer and the host. This may seem obvious, but you'd be amazed what some people say--especially when they're stressed. Which leads me to point #2:

2. Live radio often covers breaking news so if you're scheduled for a live interview, know that the possibility of getting bumped exists. This applies to in-studio and over the phone interviews. Breaking news is breaking news, and unless your topic relates to the breaking story you are out of there. Accept it and be nice about it.

3. Never cancel an interview unless you're really, really sick, your flight is in a holding pattern over Denver, or you're dead.

4. If you're doing a series of interviews such a satellite radio tour, write all your key messages on index cards and as you make each point and tell each story, flip the card over. When doing back-to-back interviews, you will be amazed at how much this helps you.

5. If you're doing a phone interview, don't judge your performance by the response you get from the host. You may be doing great but suddenly all the computers in the control room crash. I guarantee you it is wild in there as people scramble to put things right, but they usually won't tell you that over the airwaves. They may be depending on you to keep talking and keep the interview going while they fix things. The fact that they're not interacting much with you has nothing to do with your performance. Remember: It isn't always about you.

6. If it's an early morning interview, get up extra early so that you can warm up your voice by drinking warm fluids and singing. Do something to make sure your voice doesn't crack.

7. Radio is very auditory. The listeners only have your voice to go by, so if you have a speech impediment consider seeing a therapist, and if you tend to speak in a monotone voice, practice varying the pitch and volume. One great way to do that is to read children's books and act out the character voices.

8. Make sure you are in a quiet place where you will not be disturbed. Your dog may be quiet now, but if the UPS guy comes during your interview, it going to be disruptive. It will throw you off not to mention the show host and listeners.

9. Disable call waiting if you have it. That clicking is annoying.

10. Keep your land line! I know it's popular to get rid of the land line and only use a cell phone, but for radio interviews, it needs to be a land line. Not a cell, not a mobile. The sound quality matters!

Be sure and listen to other people doing interviews and pay attention to what you find they do well, and what needs some work. Then make sure you do the good things, and stay away from the bad.

2009-10-20T13:31:00.000-07:00

Interaction is the new currency. I love what Web 2.0 and social media are doing to communication--requiring an exchange between people rather than being "talked at" by one to another. This is so clearly addressed in Amy Hertz' column on books in the Huffinton Post. http://bit.ly/46XQle

Amy's suggestions are for book publicists, of which I am one, and they are very helpful if not rather obvious. What I mean to say here is that my first career was in terrestrial radio broadcasting and for several years I had a talk show. I was pitched by publicists from all around the country--the good, the bad, the beautiful and the ugly. The complaints in Amy's piece are the exact same things I was (and my fellow broadcasters were) complaining about ten years ago--pitch letters that weren't personalized, publicists making follow up calls pitching their authors when they had clearly never, ever listened to my show, and long voice mail messages that were boring and abusive. (I will never forget the publicist from the Bay area who called me every day for almost three weeks leaving voicemail messages no shorter than three minutes in length. Yuck! I finally had to tell her to never, ever call me again.)

So, my point here is that things are not all that different, except that media people--whether it's a blogger, a writer, a producer, or an editor--have all kinds of options for getting their voices heard when they want to vent. I'm just afraid that those who most need to hear the coaching simply never will internalize the message. It's kind of like those horrible, tear-producing public service announcements that talk about animal neglect. Those who would neglect animals are not saddended by seeing those commercials. The rest of us are! With Amy's great piece in the Huffington Post, publicists who commit those sins won't read it--or be influenced by it. The rest of us who are trying to be effective and trying to do our jobs in the best way possible, we read it. We get it. We thank you for it! And we hope you don't group us with "them." I've been on your side of the fence, and I get it.

With all the changes in social media, Web 2.0, and communication tools in general, nothing is really all that different. People are either good communicators already, they're willing to learn, or they don't really care. The latter the the ones that make it hard for the rest of us!

I am sorry for all the "publicists" who won't take the time to read your blog. I am sorry they won't listen to your show, or pay attention to the way in which you want to be approached. I'm sorry some are lazy and just don't care. But I hope you will understand that there are others of us--who really do care! We are interested in you as people have to say, and if there is a match between what you like to cover and what we have to offer, then there is a win/win all the way around, and we are all the better for it.

Chris Brogan & Julian Smith, co-authors of Trust Agents

2009-09-28T12:32:00.001-07:00

I had the pleasure of meeting Chris Brogan and Julien Smith, authors of Trust Agents: Using the Web to Build Influence, Improve Reputation, and Earn Trust (Wiley; September 1; $24.95), at Book Expo America this year. The book was in galley form at the time, which is the pre-publication version sent out to industry trade journals, long-lead magazines, reviewers, and those of us in attendence at BEA who are into social media--or doing our best to completely absorb ourselves into it

As described on the back of the book, Trust Agents is a book by two social media veterans who show you how to tap into the power of social networks to build your brand's influence, reputation, and, of course, profits. The book is very good for anyone who wants to use online tools for building networks of influence.

What struck me during our meeting was how friendly and totally down-to-earth both of these guys are. They are instantly likable and I found myself enjoying our time together very much. I highly recommend Trust Agents.

How to have a great bookstore event.

2009-09-18T08:35:00.000-07:00

I just finished speaking at Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association's (PNBA) fall tradeshow in Portland, Oregon. I was invited to be part of a panel put together by Cynthia Frank, president of Cypress House who is also on the board of PNBA. With me was Gerry Donaghy, the New Book Purchasing Supervisor at Powell's City of Books (The largest new and used bookstore in the world.), and David Ash, publisher of Basho Press. Our topic was about working with bookstores--how to approach them about carrying your book, in addition to how to have a successful bookstore event.

A lot of great information was shared in that room. Gerry spoke of what the bookstore looks for and how you, as an author or pubisher need to present your pitch in a way that speaks to the staff and management of the store (Remember, they are thinking about their customers. Be sure you can answer, "Why you, Why now?") He shared a number of horror stories about how NOT to go about getting your book into the bookstore (For example, don't have "available at Amazon.com" on your flyer or pitch letter.), in addition to powerful examples of what worked for some authors. David Ash is an author and publisher who has done many events at bookstores all over the country and offered some excellent points on how to make sure it's a win/win situation while you're at the event.

My piece was on how to have a successful bookstore event and how to work with the bookstore to ensure that happens.

Successful Bookstore Event Tips Include:

* Pitching an event--not just a signing. A signing is......boring. What will you do at your event? Make it interesting and engaging to people.

* Show how you and your book will benefit the customers of the store. Believe me, that's what the store manager, event coordinator, and community relations person is thinking about. What will my customers get out of this?

* Explain what you will do to help drive traffic into the store: Inviting friends and family, generating media interviews in the local paper, radio, TV and local bloggers, invite business associates and neighbors to the event.

* See if the bookstore has a media list and who they might be willing to contact on your behalf. Usually they will send all the calendar editors a press release of the authors they have coming to their store. You will want to let them know you will contact the others. They know who in their market likes to interview authors and are quite free with this information because your appearances will benefit everyone.

* Make sure you provide the event coordinator with whatever items she or he may need for any in-store promotion. Also be sure to provide blurbs and anything else needed for additional marketing efforts.

* Keep the bookstore informed of any media you generate. Be sure you have the address and phone number of the bookstore when you do your interviews so that you can invite the audience to attend your event.

* Leave early for your event at the bookstore. You never know when you might run into traffic and you definitely don't want to be late.

* Events usually run about :30 minutes and then there's time for Q&A and the actual signing.

* Remember, bring an extra carton of books in the trunk of your car just in case they run out.

* Have a couple of different quips to use when signing books. You don't want to be sitting there trying to think of what to say!

* Another reason for book events is to get the staff to fall in love with you. In the future when someone comes into the store looking for a book similar to yours, you want them to recommend your book.

* Remember, some things are just out of your control. If bad weather keeps people from attending your event, stay upbeat about it. It's no one's fault and you will be remembered as being gracious.

Having a successful book event is not big secret, but knowing some helpful tips ahead of time, will keep you from learning them the hard way. Here's to a great event!

Synchronicity in Book Marketing and Publicity

2009-08-21T20:21:00.000-07:00

Hi there,

It has been a wild couple of weeks as we began the countdown to the launch of the new Web site http://www.joannemccall.com/. My designer, Fernando Martinez, has been an angel as we work together to get the site up and running. If you've created a Web site, and you probably have if you're reading this, then you know exactly what I'm talking about.

So, imagine my surprise when I got a phone call from him last week tentatively asking me, "Joanne, I have some good news and some bad news. Which do you want first?" I immediately to myself, "Oh no. Not bad news. We've been working so hard. How can there be bad news? What could it be? Do I really want to know?"

Long pause: "OK, give me the good news first."

Fernando says, "Well the good news is that I have the graphics and the links all set up on your new site for your radio show on Blog Talk Radio."

Now, keep in mind, I wasn't planning to begin a talk show right away. I do have a history of being a radio broadcaster for a number of years, so the idea of doing a show again is very attractive to me, but I've got so many other projects to work on that starting a talk show was way down on the list. That one was going to have to wait for awhile.

He continues, "The bad news is that I was experimenting with how Blog Talk Radio works and now you are actually going to be doing your first show next Friday, August 28, 2009, at 11:30 a.m. Pacific Time, 2:30 p.m. Eastern Time Oh, and by the way, you already have quite a few followers. I put in some tag words and because your show is called 'Your Brand', and because that's a popular search word, you already have an audience."

"WHAT?!" I asked incredulously.

Fernando launched into some kind of explanation as my brain tried to process what he was saying to me, and then I just erupted into laughter.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!

"Joanne?"

"Yes," I responded.

"You're OK?"

"I think that's hysterical! I guess I'm going back on the radio. I mean the Universe must want it if I didn't do a thing to make it happen and now you're telling me I'm going to be hosting a show next Friday." Who would have guessed?

Fernando went on to show me all the links and graphics and what he had written about the show.

Back on the air waves;I guess it's the digital airwaves now. What a wonderful journey home to my roots. After all, radio has been such a part of me for such a long time--way back to when I was a little girl reading the back of the shampoo bottle in the bathtub--pretending I was on the radio. Don't get me wrong. I love what I am doing now. Publicity, marketing and promotion with my own company has been a dream come true. I love having my own business with a team of people to collaborate with me. There is nothing better. Still, a part of me will always live on the air--it gets in your blood. Ask anyone in the business and they will tell you the same thing. Plus, I had the added good fortune of working with air talent and program directors who were the best in the business. Many are still friends today.

And speaking of today, my crash course in how all this technology works continues. I am happy to say that the first show went off without a hitch. I had the good fortune of interviewing a fabulous book marketer, Sharon Castlen, about book distribution and what you should be thinking about if you're considering publishing a book. You can hear it here anytime as a podcast at blog talk radio or please join me every Friday at 11:30 a.m. Pacific Time for Your Brand. It's for anyone who has a small business--entrepreneurs, coaches, consultants, speakers, writers, authors, freelancers, etc., particularly if you have a book or are considering writing one.

This show is an an opportunity for me to give to others who are building their business and marketing a book. I hope you will find it of great value.

Warmly,
Joanne

P.S. Synchronicity. How has it shown up in your life this week? Do you believe things happen for a reason?

The Dos and Don'ts of a Great Pitch Letter

2009-05-12T20:47:00.000-07:00

Writing a great pitch letter isn’t brain surgery or rocket science. I've been doing book publicity for 15 years and while the process evolves due to technology and changes in the publishing and media worlds, some things stay the same. If you want to get booked for interviews, mind these dos and don’ts and you will be well on your way.

The Do’s

Ø Remember: You are pitching an idea—not your book. The book comes later. First and foremost, do pitch a great idea.

Ø Do your homework. Be sure your topic matches the interests of the media outlet’s target audience.

Ø Do include your contact information at the top and bottom of the pitch letter. List your name, e-mail address, and telephone number.

Ø Do make sure the subject line of your letter or e-mail is an attention grabber—something that will pique the producer’s interest and entice him or her to continue reading.

Ø Do come up with one sentence—two at the most—that perfectly captures your concept or hook.

Ø Do be clear and concise. Remember, less is more. Your pitch letter should never be more than one page.

Ø Do use bullet points. They’re easy to follow.

Ø Do have another pair of eyes look at your pitch letter before you send it out. (Grammar counts!)

Ø Do be available to receive phone calls and e-mails.

Ø Do be willing to make a follow-up call and/or send a follow up email.

Ø Do be prepared to say quickly and concisely, why the topic you’re pitching is helpful and relevant to that media person’s audience.

Ø Before you speak with a producer or editor, be sure you can answer the question, “Why you, why now?”

The Don’ts

Ø Don’t make producers or writers work to understand your message.

Ø Don’t ramble on and on. Get to the point.

Ø Don’t send a dull pitch or they’ll think you’re dull.

Ø Don’t send e-mail attachments unless you have been specifically asked to do so. It’s annoying.

Ø Don’t be overly friendly if you don’t know the person. Remember, this is a business transaction. Be personable, but don’t act as though you and the producer are best friends.

Ø Don’t promise anything you aren’t sure you can deliver.

Ø Pitch letters are not advertisements for your book. Don’t turn yours into one. Remember, you’re pitching a great idea.

Ø Don’t be a pest. There is a fine line between being persistent and being a pain. Learn the difference.

Ø Don’t be seduced into sending out the same pitch letter to everyone. Do your homework and tailor your message to each outlet

If you follow these important dos and dont's, you will find yourself doing more and more interviews, which will ultimately help you to get your book out there! This topic and many more will be covered in my teleclass on book publicity which is coming up June 13 & 14. If you have a do or don't to add to this list, please tell me about it.

Book: Golf, Naked: The Bare Essentials Revealed

2009-03-03T18:40:00.000-08:00

Ah, spring.

(Will it ever get here??!!)

One day, hopefully soon, we will have that first warm and wonderful, sunshine-filled day that creates spring fever in all of us. I can't wait. With it, the mind turns to lots of fun things like bike riding, swimming, long walks at the beach, romance, and thoughts of those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer...Not to mention golf. Yes, golf.

I'm not much of a golfer myself, although from time-to-time my friend Marie and I will get a bucket of balls at the public course and pretend like we know what we're doing. However, working on Golf Naked has taught me so much about the game, and more importantly what goes on in between taking swings at the ball. That's where all the true action happens. PGA Pro Greg Rowley is the author of Golf, Naked: The Bare Essentials Revealed, and is one of my clients.

In a nutshell, Golf Naked serves as a refresher course for the experienced golfer and as a cheat sheet for the rest of us. Rowely strips away the layers of mystery to reveal golf's true core. It's about learning the language and the culture of golf, either as a foundation for learning the game or just to be more comfortable around your spouse, buddies, or colleagues when they lapse into golf-talk. It will tell you what to expect in the golf shop, the locker-room, and even the parking lot. It covers golf etiquette, how to play by the rules, in addition to how to fake it--e.g., how to look and sound like a pro even if your swing makes you look like a rookie. Golf, Naked is about loving the game more than your score. Who doesn't want to look like they know what they're doing when they're out on the course?

I took on this book because I knew from talking to Greg and reading the book that he had a winner on his hands. What really sold me on it was the fact that even though I wasn't into the game at the time, I really enjoyed reading the book! Now, a golf book for golphers is good, but a golf book for golfers and non-golfers alike, well, that is impressive!

In addition, I really love working with sports media. These people are fun, vivacious, curious, and genuinly interested in what you have to say when you call. Now, I've been a media insider for years and I know that many media folks really aren't delighted when a publicist calls. No offense to anyone. As I said, I include myself in that group and I get it (although publicists who know how to pitch, who understand the beat, and are respectful of when they get in touch, they are a dream.). So, you can see why it's so delightful to call a whole group of media folks who really enjoy talking on the phone. Sports people are a different group all together and they're great fun.

When it comes to book promotion and publicity, I look for several things when considering taking on a project. They are:

Do I love the material?
Do I think media will love the material?
Is the author "media-genic" and if not, is he or she willing to get trained
Do I have chemistry with the author?

I gave a wholehearted yes to all of these questions, and now I'm helping to spread the word about Golf, Naked. PGA Pro Greg Rowley gets a definite thumbs up for this one.

Publicist's Secret to Success and Enthusiasm

2009-02-25T08:09:00.000-08:00

A publicist's day is full of ups and downs. When we book an important interview or simply make connection with a media person we've been wanting to talk to, the high is wonderful. Oh joy!

However, the lows can be just as emotional but on the other end of the spectrum. The lows can be very low indeed. Sometimes this emotional roller coaster can rise and fall many times throughout one single day.

To keep from getting stuck in the lows, I recommend creating a success journal. Here's how:

In my daytimer, which is actually just a simple notebook, I record my daily, weekly, and monthly "to-do" lists in addition to taking notes during phone calls, jotting down thoughts and ideas, and recording other important infomation on the right side of each page. The reason for doing this is because now all of my ideas and to do lists are in one place. Then each piece of information can filter into other systems, such as important contact information gets put into Outlook, specific goals are put into each client's campaign, etc.

Then on the left side of the page, I quickly jot down each daily success as it happens throughout the day. It could be an important call was made. A certain show was booked. I moved a project forward in some way. The purpose is to give yourself a little lift--a pat on the back.

It's so easy at the end of the day to wonder exactly what was done, particularly if you only made it part way through your "to do" list. When you hit a low, or when you're reflecting on the day near quitting time, you can look at that list and smile! It's important to celebrate the little things (and, of course, the big things!) thoughout the day. Too often we can get caught up in what didn't get done. I suggest getting caught up and celebrating what DID get done and feeling good about that!

It's such a simple yet powerful tool. Your success journal can help you to leave your office at the end of the day in a better state of mind so that your family gets to spend time with a happy you, and you are refreshed and ready for the next day. So, celebrate the little things (and the BIG things) and enjoy!

Time Management or "How a little egg timer can save you!"

2008-09-19T06:56:00.000-07:00

Have you ever found yourself wondering how in the world you are going to get everything done? If you're like most people, the stress of feeling like there is too much on your plate is an all too familiar feeling.

Of course there are the obligatory "to dos" such as work deadlines, fulfulling requests from your clients, getting the kids to the doctor or the cat to the vet on time. But what about all the other projects you have floating around in your brain? For example, that e-book you've been wanting to write or the new seminar you want to create, or the mini-web sites you've considered building, or just taking the time for that new workout class that you know you really should take...When do these things get done?

If it's true that we attract what we need, then it's interesting to note that two of my friends happen to be time management and organizational wizards. I marvel at them all the time. The truth is, I'm pretty good at staying organized, but compared to these two there is much more to learn.

One friend is Ruth Klein, author of Time Management Secrets for Working Women, and the other is Dr. Jan Yager, author of Work Less, Do More. Both of these women have unique, creative and easy techniques for managing your time, your work, and your fun load much better.

As I read their books, I realized that I have a time saving technique that I use on a regular basis that has really made a difference for me. I call it the Egg Timer Technique. This is especially useful for jobs that one procrastinates doing because you either hate doing it (cleaning the house, doing the taxes, etc.) or it seems overwhelming (getting started on that thesis, writing the next great American novel, or developing a business plan for a new venture).

Let's use cleaning the house as an example of something one may not feel like doing (That's a pretty likely possibility for me.) I take the egg timer into the family room, for example, and set it for :30 minutes. For that amount of time, I am going to get as much done in this room as I possibly can and I promise myself that when the bell goes off, I will stop immediately and completely. It's important to keep this promise to yourself so that your inner child or your unconscious, or whatever it is that pays attention to what you say, will believe you.

What happens during this process is amazing. Before you know it, you will begin racing against the clock to get as much done as you possibly can within that :30 minute period. With only 6 minutes remaining, you may realize you have to vaccuum so you run to get the vaccuum cleaner and quickly run it over the carpet. I told you it's amazing. It really is. I never imagined myself running to vaccuum, but it works! It's the Egg Timer Technique.

What techniques have you found help you to get things done? How do you motivate yourself to get started on writing that book proposal, or developing that publicity plan, or cleaning out the garage?

The Perfect Pitch Letter

2008-08-18T21:06:00.000-07:00

Writing a great pitch letter isn't brain surgery or rocket science. However, if you want to get booked for an interview, mind these suggestions:

Do:

Remember -- You are pitching an idea-not your book. The book comes later. First and foremost, pitch a great idea.

Do your homework. Be sure your topic matches the interests of the media outlet's target audience.

Do include your contact information at the top and bottom of the pitch letter. List your name,
e-mail address, and telephone number.

Don't:

Don't make producers or writers work to understand your message.

Don't ramble on and on. Get to the point.

Don't send a dull pitch or they'll think you're dull.

Taking care to approach media in the right way will go a long way toward helping you secure those important media interviews, which will in turn help you generate visibility for your book.

Joanne's Take on Radio

2008-08-15T16:39:00.001-07:00

With a background in radio, here are three tips I can give you on doing radio interviews:

1. Speak up

2. Be energetic

3. Be mindful of time and breaks.

Doing radio interviews can be so much fun but there are things to keep in mind when doing so.

If you have ever been in a school or church choir, then you know about using the diaphram. Use it during radio interviews and speak up.

Remember, from the moment you open your mouth, you need to project energy. Then up that by 10%. Really!

Knowing the length of the interview and whether or not there will be commercial breaks is critical. Knowing whether an interview is 5 minutes or 35 minutes will give you a very good idea how long your answers should be and how many stories you will be able to tell to demonstrate each point you want to make.

Radio interviews are a fantastic way to promote your book. Be mindful of these three tips and you will be off to an excellent start.

Oh, and tip #4: Have fun!