How to Stand Up and Stand Out: Building your Business through Media

 Here's what I've been pondering lately...

Never before in the history of the world has it been so easy to stand up. The trick is, when it comes to your business, how are you going to stand out? Anyone can build a platform and create a business these days, providing he or she has a good idea and a market to tap into. But with all of these new competitors (or niche mates, as I like to call them), the question becomes, “How are you different? What is unique about you? How do you stand out?”

Knowing the answer to these questions is key.

Once you are clear on who you are and how you’re different, you can begin to successfully market yourself and generate visibility. Now it becomes essential that you understand media and how to tap into its power. 

For a long time, the terms “old media” and “new media” were used to describe the different types of media. “Old Media” referred to traditional media offline. New Media was used to describe media online. However, we have outgrown these distinctions now. They have become passé as I think you’d be very hard pressed to find a magazine that didn’t have an online component, or a television station that didn’t have a website showing clips from their news or daily talk shows.

The important distinction to understand now, which will guide you toward greater success, is to realize we’re now dealing with “Other Media” and “You Media”. “Other Media” is anytime someone else interviews you for a story or segment. It could be a journalist, writer, blogger, television producer or radio host.  “You Media” is all the media content generation that you do. It’s your video, audio podcasts, webinars, teleseminars, articles you write, blog posts you do. And here is the key: Before you even think of going after “Other Media” you need to have your “You Media” or platform in place. Once you pitch other media, they are going to come looking for you, and if they have trouble finding you, they will think you are dead. They will then move onto someone else. 

Here are a few of the important items to have in place for your platform:

·         Website or blog, with a page specifically for media

·         Active social media accounts, but only where you market is found (There is much you can ignore.)

·         Video. Many people are overwhelmed with all there is to read, but many, particularly visual types, will click on a video to watch and listen

·         Audio podcasts which talk about your business and the problems you solve. Auditory people love this option.

·         Email lists to market to

·         Opt in page to capture visitors  on your website or blog so that you can continue to market to them.

Beyond your platform, get media training (which is something I am very happy to say I provide). You don’t want to be the person who blows his or her brand in six seconds by posting a bad video on Facebook. If you’re going to use the multiple media platforms at our fingertips, use them well.

If you have questions on visibility, publicity, marketing, and media training, come to my complimentary Q&A calls every second and fourth Tuesdays of the month. Click the link to opt in and I’ll send you all the juicy details. www.joannemccall.net. 

Looking forward to hearing about your business, project, book or event.

Warmly,

Joanne

New Year -- New You!

It's hard to believe we are coming to the end of 2012 and about to launch into 2013, isn't it? Time moves so quickly!

Often this time of year is spent reflecting on what went well during the waning year, and what we would like to manifest in our lives and our businesses in the next year. I'm doing that, and while I don't necessarily  create New Year Resolutions, I do create a list of goals and other things I would like to accomplish in the months ahead.

One thing I have heard a lot about over 2012 is how much people want to learn to create good video, audio podcasts, and all things media for their websites, youtube channels, blogs, etc. And that's why I am launching a new beta training program on media training. I'm still tweaking the perfect name, so suggestions are welcome. The Secrets to Harnessing your Own Media Polish, or something like that is the direction I'm going in.

This training is for those who want to be more visible but they aren't sure where to start. Or they're nervous about putting themselves out there on video or on television. This program will help you to embrace media and learn how to shine.It's all about getting your message out there in a way that will attract your perfect clients and customers. 

The good news is that because this is in beta mode, I am offering it at a huge discount. In exchange, I'll be asking for your feedback and a testimonial. You will get my best stuff having worked with hundreds of authors, speakers, consultants, entrepreneurs, and small business owners over the years, including Brian Tracy, Ken Blanchard, Kay Allenbaugh, Tammy Kling and many others.

If you're interested, you can contact me via email at the following: joanne(at)joannemccall(dot)net.

Looking forward to creating inspiring magic in 2013 and beyond!

Warmly,
Joanne

Believe in Yourself

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

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

Tips for Producing Great Video for More Visibility for your Business

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

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

New Year, New You via the Media Polisher

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

Build your Own Media Platform and Take Back the Power

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

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?

TIPS FOR BEING A GREAT RADIO GUEST!

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.