Platform Analysis of Some Really Good Websites

So I’m really not so mean, alright? In fact, I’m an old softie. AND I really want you to understand how to package yourself so you come across as the credible expert that you are. Here are some sites that do exactly that … and by the way, some of them are blogs.

Go to http://debbieweil.com/ Debbie packs a lot into a little space, and her blog has a fresh, lively feel with lots of useful info. Now, Debbie’s not posting a lot right now because she’s writing some books – but I LOVE the feel of this blog. One no-no: no media room in the tabs at the top.

1.Friendly, welcoming feel that’s different. She went the designer route and got help here. And it shows. (Blog design work is much cheaper than site design.)

2.Great, lively picture of author. Really shows a lot of personality.

3.Lots of categories with key phrases in them.

4.Tabs to other blogs. The whole package is right here, led off by her abundant personality.

Go to http://www.forgetperfect.com/press.htm Here is an elaborate, expensive site that really does the job – and the media room (called ‘Press Room’ here) has all the ciritcal pieces. All of this appears ‘above the fold’ – in the first screen you see on the site.

1.Tight response info up front.

2.Awesome pictures.

3.Lots of media mentions featured quickly. (This can be almost as effectively done with small venues like regional newspapers or cable TV.)

4.Story angles. A nice link for Show and Story Ideas right up front.

This page genuinely helps the media. That works!

Finally, a favorite because this is my client’s site which we worked on together: www.couragelender.com Don’t you just want to get to know this woman?

1.Awesome brand. (She got it in a meditation!) Full of benefit and unique, too.

2.Friendly, upbeat colors and feel.

3.Freebie offer prominently featured to collect names.

4.Audio that’s warm, personal and doesn’t blast you the minute you arrive.

To see more sites and blogs that work, go to my own gallery of ‘Get Known Now’ Success stories

Platform Analysis of Some Really Bad Websites

In my Get Known Now Blast Off group coaching program the other day, I did something really mean. I showed my clients some lousy websites. They were sites that simply didn’t work from a marketing point of view because they were too cluttered, too hard to read, unfocussed, or simply way too general.

I chose these sites not to be nasty, but because they provide great learning tools. The owners are clearly competent people who simply aren’t packaging themselves correctly – and it really impacts the overall impression they make, (If you happen to own one of these sites, be in touch. I have ideas for you!)

Take a look at what I mean. Go to www.proactive-coach.com . This is a fairly attractive, minimalist site BUT it’s missing a lot, too.

1.No particular focus or niche – ‘Proactive Coach’ is like saying ‘Effective Doctor’. We don’t know specialty, focus or even who the audience is

2.No bonus. No reason to get involved or sign up for the ezine. No freebies in general.

3.No photo. Who is Serge, anyway?
4.No media room or even easy way to contact Serge.

Now look at www.smalltownmarketing.com/Author.html This guy is an established speaker with a catchy brand that’s meaningful BUT … if you’re the media, trying to find out more, his ‘About’ page is a mess.

1.Too long and windy. There’s nothing fast about this page – no immediate contact info, story ideas, additional head shots … nothin’!

2.Site is un-navigable. It’s folksy, in a small town way, but there’s no easy selection of buttons to get around the site. Instead you have to go through the entire 300 page site. Yikes!
3.No media room. Again.

4.Brand isn’t specific. It’s catchy – but what’s the benefit. With John Jantsch’s ‘Duct Tape Marketing’ you get it immediately – effective, flexible, always there to patch problems up. While memorable, this brand isn’t quite as fast.

Go to http://www.authenticintention.com/ It’s one of those sites that conveys a really good message, but visually is so heavy and difficult to read you just can’t stay there.

1.Black is the basic color. A psychological no-no, folks. First of all, it’s much harder to read type against black. Secondly, it’s just heavy – in feeling, look, everything. I don’t want to stay there. It’s too somber.

2.Brand is too generic. No focus. Who’s the market? I have to click on ‘What is True Living’ to find out, and if I’m like most visitors, I won’t bother.

3.USP is too difficult. ‘Enabling authentic living through intentional guidance.’ What does this mean? Only the coach knows.

4.No photo of the author. No relationship or trust established easily here.

By the way, this is the kind of learning we do in my Get Known Now Blast Off Program. So I can help you establish your brand, package your look and feel, and set you apart from the crowd … so you, too, can attract national media. Next class starts on April 20.

How to Create a Better Bio

No matter how you slice it, we ALL need bio help. There are very few people, somehow, who can create their own, effective, appropriately boastful bio. We all get shy … or we pad with fluff … or we overlook major wins and focus on little ones … or we sound as dry as toast.

Here is an example of a bio I used that generated some good publicity in at least two major magazines (SELF and Woman’s Day.)

Suzanne Falter-Barns is a former corporate drone who reinvented her own life and became a popular motivational writer and speaker. Her e-zine, The Joy Letter, is read by more than twenty five thousand people worldwide. Through her Web site, www.howmuchjoy.com, she teaches teleclasses and leads retreats on creativity, writing, and how to live your dreams. She has also written for many national publications, including SELF and The New York Times. She is the author of How Much Joy Can You Stand? A Creative Guide to Facing Your Fears and Making Your Dreams Come True and a novel, Doin’ the Box Step.

So what works about this bio?

1. ‘Corporate drone’ is a hooky phrase – the media loved it, especially the radio jocks. They all made hay of it.
2. 25,000 readers is a big number that creates fast credibility up front.
3. Major national publications also reinforce that … but in the absence of big name drops, you can always feature hard-won life experience. (She became an addiction counselor after winning her own battle against drug addiction …)
4. Italicize names of any major publications – not only is it proper usage, but it draws eyes to fabulous places you’ve been featured. Even work this for minor publications like regional newspapers.
5. Make your name bold.

That’s all for now, folks.

How did PRLeads do?

Here's a nice surprise. Just got an email with an issue of an elaborate web-based and print newsletter, Media Relations Insider, with three quotes from me in it! That's good for brand buzz... and thank you to PRLeads.com who provided the connection.

So now that we're nearing the end of the month, how did PRLeads.com do? (You may remember I signed up for PRLeads this month with the intention of reviewing it's service here occasionally.) I recieved about 40-50 leads. Of those I found about 8 that actually corresponded to my business. Of those 8, I booked two that I know about. Two freelancers emailed me back nice replies that said they had all they needed. And I got a column on a high-traffic site, plus the mention above.

That seems like great value for PRLeads.com's low fee -- when you consider what a publicist would cost, or even sending out 8 press releases over the web. I'm really satisfied, and will stick with the service.

How about you other folks who are using PRLeads? How was your month?

How to Blog So the Media Will Find You

Just got off the phone with a Bulldog Reporter teleconference with four reporters from major pubs (WSJ, NYTimes, Wired, San Jose Merc) talking about how they use blogs and podcasts in their work. I had to pay the big corporate fee to get in, but it was worth it -- I really got new perspective about just how many of these big players rely on blogs to get ideas, track news, and check out a source's credibility.

Keep this in mind, platform builders, as you evaluate if and when to start your blog, the time is now! A few interesting observations:

• They kept talking about how 'granular' the medium is, i.e. deeply niched ... so they can find out far more than they used to about someone's expertise. (Yes, you REALLY need a niche, now)
• Spelling counts. They all agreed spelling and grammar mistakes disqualify a blog. (This sent a chill down my spine as I'm a particularly lousy speller and there's no spell check on this dang thing)
• Blogs can spout opinions unlike standard journalism, which is why they offer the media fresh ideas, perspectives and general fodder ... so tell your point of view, by all means
• They find you by going into technorati.com and punching in different categories, and seeing who's there
• Some journalists on the call check RSS feeds for 100 different blogs per day, which they download on their computer through Bloglines ... and they spend up to 2 hours per day just reading blog content
• A Columbia study says that more than half (51%) of journalists use Weblogs regularly — with 28% relying on them for day-to-day reporting
• 43% use blogs for research and referencing facts and finding sources (36%). 33% of journalists use blogs as a way of uncovering breaking news or scandals
• They're relying on your blog to uncover the dirt and tell the insider story -- and if you do, you'll be rewarded with huge hits
• Find your favorite big bloggers and approach by email with an introduction to what you do and who you are.
• Blogs are NOT replacing PR releases ... and yeah, you still need a media room on your site
• To get the perfect A list of big blogs to post stuff about you and your blog, don't go to the top dogs on technorati.com (a blog search engine). Instead, read them and see who they read and link to … then go after THOSE guys … the not so 'discovered' blogs just under the radar, emerging
• Once you find the blogs you'd like to have pick you up, gingerly offer up a free review copy of your product or service. There are no restrictions on this kind of thing, unlike traditional media ... but still proceed with caution. No fair buying media!

I asked what 'granular' meant, because they kept mentioning it. Got this lovely description:
"Thousands and thousands of viewpoints representing thin slices of the world”

A neat way to spend a few hundered dollars and a good 90 minutes!

PS. I've got one spot left in my Platform Push Coaching Program ... join 14 inspired coaches and infopreneurs as they build platform together for the next six months. They get my full feedback on branding, web design, media kits, speaking kits, all kinds of media approach tools, and more as they get their marketing act together. Learn more.

How to Build Your Business ... And Help New Orleans

OK, it's official. I've finally launched a product that I've been sitting on, for no good reason other than the time didn't feel right, since May. I'm talking about my Guided Marketing 101 CD, which I created to launch at the Coachville Conference last spring ... in New Orleans.

The conference was great -- New Orleans felt like some kind of powerful home to me. I met amazing people, found many new clients, sold products and even led 250 people in a marketing meditation (the highlight for me!) And yes, I spent my off time wandering through the Garden District's historic homes, riding the cool old wooden street cars (one really was named Desire), eating collards and soaking up the laid-back, warm Southern ambience.

So now, in the midst of devastation, death and chaos in this formerly beautiful city, I'd like to do my part to give back. I'm launching my Guided Marketing 101 CD today, and 50% of all proceeds from sales between now and October 15 will go directly to the American Red Cross. I'm hoping to send them at least a $5000 check.

The Guided Marketing CD is a spiritual tool anyone can use for guidance on how, when, where and even with whom to market your work. It contains a guided meditation I created and have used as the basis for all of my marketing decisions. And it has built my business from a smallish five-figures to a really comfortable six figure operation -- a 300% leap in less than 18 months.

And yeah, my decision to release the product now and do it as a benefit was guided, too. (If now is not the best possible time to release this thing ... when IS?) So drop by my site and check out Guided Marketing 101. Did I mention it comes with a pretty cool e-workbook that guides you along the way?

I'm now off to entice other infopreneur-pals to help me move this baby -- and possibly put up some of their own products for Katrina relief as well. See ya!

More pitch tips from PRLeads.com

Got one more piece of advice on the blurb I sent past PRLeads.com owner Dan Janal yesterday. He suggested I close with a few other article ideas ... however, he cautioned, "... list only 1-2 word descriptions. Don't pitch a new story. They'll hate you if you do."

And speaking of pitching... here's what I got today from PRLeads.com:

So here’s the latest batch of leads from my buddies at PRLeads.com . In case you’re just jumping into this now, these folks send me automated posts from editors and journalists looking for experts, whom I can pitch.

Recent leads include:

- Article on how malls get people to spend more money
- The ‘greening’ of the beauty market
- A request for experts on MacDonalds (not just if you eat there a lot, folks!)
- Management tactics for marketing depts.
- A call for ‘crisis management experts’ a la Katrina spokespeople
- Request for white papers, case studies on web marketing
- Something on a Bush quote about African-Americans
- Casino marketing
- Marketing to kids
- A request for donations to a goodie bag for a major women's marketing trade association (that looks good to me!)

Oooooh … here’s ANOTHER good one for me. A request from a well-trafficked marketing web site for articles/white papers on ways to expand your automated marketing systems. That’s something I’ve written about – and will be speaking on next spring at a pre-BEA event for the Publisher’s Marketing Association.

I'll blurb them right now!

How to Get Your Media Pitch Perfect

Dan Janal, the very hands-on director of PRLeads.com, the service I'm blogging about this month critiques your first reply to the leads you get, so you can really get the template perfect. Scroll down to the previous post, "Here's What I Sent the Reporter", to see what I sent out.

Then here are Dan's comments:

"I'd suggesting stating the name of your book in the first sentence. That way they can identify you as the author of a book. Right now, no one knows you have a book. Your description sounds like you are a teacher (where, which school? That's going to be their first question). Either be an author or a consultant to build your businesses. Right now, I don't even know the name of your company.

I haven't seen many people do bold facing. Let me know how it works. I'd suggest testing. To my thinking, you might have done it too many times here, but testing is the only way to know.

"My contact info" is self evident and a bit cold after a nice warm note. How about closing by saying "I'd be happy to help you on this topic, or topic a, b, or c." That way you plant new story ideas or topics in their minds."

Here's what I sent the reporter

So ... I just whipped up a post to these folks, following Dan Janal's prescribed formula, which arrived by email when I signed up. Here it is:

Hi Richard. My name is Suzanne Falter-Barns and I teach small businesses, entrepreneurs and other how to build platform and get known as an expert (www.getknownnow.com) I developed this business after getting known as an author and creativity expert. I’ve been written about in Women’s Day (three times), SELF, First for Women, Women’s World, Real Woman, New Woman, and on more than 100 TV and radio shows.

Here are 3 tips for effective media rooms:
Put Immediate Contact info first – and keep that cell phone on and ready to go all the time. (I was quoted in a story for First for Women through my own media room – and they found me at a yoga retreat!)

Post a story page loaded with good story angles AND additional peer contacts and resources to assist with the process. Make it really easy for these folks.

Trumpet your niche proudly. State just what sort of expert you are, and how you serve your category. One of my clients got a four page feature in Time Magazine who found her via targeted search engine entries. Her niche is self-development adventure travel for middle aged women (http://www.wrightdirection.net/programs.htm)

My own info: Suzanne Falter-Barns Office: 518 963-8927 Cell: 518 569-6649 info@getknownnow.com www.getknownnow.com BLOG: www.painlessselfpromotion.com 

I'll be surprised if I hear back from Richard, since this is so close to deadline -- but this was good practice. I also took Dan up on his offer to review my first submission, and give me feedback. I'll be posting it here. Stay tuned!

Leads I've gotten so far

In order to promote this blog and my marketing site, http://getknownnow.com, I’ve registered for the following keywords with PRLeads.com: marketing, entrepreneurs, sales, home business, publicity, and a few others like that.

Here’s what has come across my email inbox so far. (These are all requests for experts generated by various types of national media.)

• Requests for:
  - An airline advertising expert
  - Something on minority cell phone use
  - Marketing tips for life insurance agents
  - Marketing pharmaceuticals
  - Marketing for pop bands
  - Conveying info from satellite home offices to main offices
  - Books on landmines
  - Popularity of Linux format software
  - Celebrity messages of hope for Katrina victims
  - How small businesses deal with Katrina in Gulf Coast
  - Developing new products for baby boomers

… WOW! I just found a really good lead that came out late on Friday afternoon -- about what makes media rooms effective on sites. That's something I coach folks about all the time. And it’s due by 3PM today. ... YIKES! Off to blurb.

Update on PRLeads action

OK, folks ... I got leads! I haven't found a way to use any of them yet, but fear not. Leads are definitely forthcoming when you sign up for the media lead-generating service, prleads.com. (If you didn't read my earlier posts, I'm trying a one-month experiment to see if I can snag some major media using this service.) In fact, the needs show up in automated batches every two hours during the work day, depending on flow. As well as a helpful series of emails about how to use the service, and just what form your pitch replies should take. (More on that in a subsequent post.)

What I'm really impressed by is the hands-on attitude of PRLeads owner, Dan Janal. He makes a personal appointment with you via phone, and helps you hand pick the perfect categories. Then he coaches you on how to reply -- even letting you send him test replies 'til you get it right. Dan's a PR vet who really knows how these editors and other think, so his service is really useful for anyone desiring quotes as an expert in their field. Seems cheap for $100 per month.

Back when I was a freelance journalist, we used to comb the pages of ProfNet, a directory of academics, PhD's and such for our expert sources. Dan's service has kindly opened up the playing field to psychotherapists, coaches, self help authors, and the like who are equally capable of passing along good info.

So... to date, I've gotten several leads of trade journals about business and marketing matters. I'm using this blog and my companion site, www.getknownnow.com, as the sources for the leads. But since my market is primarily entrepreneurs (there is an 'entrepreneur' category), small businesses, coaches, speakers and authors, I haven't found my perfect lead yet.

And some seem to be category specific -- folks looking for really niched busines stuff.

On the other hand, maybe I'm not being creative enough. When talking to Dan, he cited Fern Reiss, a master marketer who can turn ANY lead into ink for herself. Her stories are legend... anyway, I'm eager to see if I get leads over the weekend.... and I'm going to look at them with fresh eyes geared towards maxxing my opportunity here.

How to Get National Editors/Producers to Contact You

We've had a win! One of my coaching clients, Jean Charles, just got her website, http://www.couplepreneurs.com/, picked up by Lifetime TV's website in this article. (Jean is an expert in couples who work together.)

How? A coach buddy of Jean's saw mention of the reporter's need for experts on couples who work together -- at Profnet.com. That site used to be restricted to experts who were PhD's, medical doctors or those had academic affiliations. BUT, now you can get on their radar screen if you sign up for PRLeads.com. This monthly service sends YOU requests from reporters who need experts to interview. (They've affiliated with Profnet.com ) I've just signed up for one month, and plan to blog about the results here.

The next step is that Dan Janal, owner of PRLeads.com, will call me to set up correct categories these editors can find me under. I'm specifically interested in getting calls about this blog and my related website, www.getknownnow.com .

Forward ho! Anyone out there using PRLeads?

Attracting Effortless TV and Magazine Publicity

Recently I heard from Nancy Marmolejo, a former coaching client of mine, who let me know she's been getting lots of great publicity ... all with very little effort. Here's a helpful outline of how she made it happen.

She writes:

Remember your ezine contest last year? I sent out press releases announcing that I was a top finalist and basically nobody responded… except for one arts and entertainment writer for the OC Register who honestly said he wasn’t all that interested in that as a story but let’s keep in touch. He loved the “release your inner loca” tagline and liked my website.

So I kept in touch. I sent him a cinco de mayo story idea (rejected), some other ideas (rejected) and then one day last August he called me and said he’d like to do a profile piece. I had a live workshop coming up so he came w/ a photographer, took pics and started the story. BUT it was an evergreen story which made me impatient. He didn’t want to publish the story til I had another live event coming up which I didn’t have planned. Then around early January he called me and said it was a go. It was published the Tuesday after the MLK holiday which was a day I happened to have a speaking engagement on .

After that I was contacted by Univision (Spanish language network) where I went on a women’s segment on the morning show. (5am!) Then shortly after that a local show called the Mix invited me on. Then shortly after that Orange Coast magazine featured my daughter and I in the Mother’s Day people pictorial (comes out in May). In between that I’ve been invited to speak, to attend conferences, to tour retreat facilities, and a few other cool things. People who I’ve been trying to connect with suddenly have the time to answer my emails so it’s a big shot to the credibility!

So THAT is the power of a well-defined niche, good website that establishes credibility (where the media always looks first), and persistance with one key editor. Keep in mind all of this media literally came to Nancy. If she'd gone out and worked on leveraging the initial article, who know what she could have created.

By the way, if you'd like to learn more practical tips about how to easy it is to get knownnow, sign up for our free bi-weekly ezine, Expert Status.

TV

The Mix, Cox Channel 3, Episode: Life Coaches
http://www.cox.com/oc/cox3/the_mix.asp

Primera Edición, Univisión Channel 34 Los Angeles (1/25/05)
http://www.univision.com/content/content.jhtml?cid=346295

Print

"She’ll Find Your Hidden Creativity", The Orange County Register 1/18/05
http://nancita.blogspot.com/2005_01_01_nancita_archive.html#110624293900535642

"Releasing Your Inner Loca", Latino Perspectives magazine, 1/05
http://www.latinoperspectivesmagazine.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=100

Basic PR Tricks from a Seasoned Pro

OK, I'm inspired today. Last night I hosted a teleclass with Joan Stewart, the Publicity Hound, on how to become a media expert. And man ... this does NOT sound like brain surgery. Somehow I'd always thought pitching national media required inner metal I didn't posess. But today it all seems possible.

Here's what Joan suggested:

Create a Media Hit List. OK, I suggested that in Get Known Now, my ebook on this topic, but have I really organized these efforts? Shamefully, no. My media hit list looks like a random little grab bag of assorted editors I know and that's about it. Joan says pick 10-20 local reporters (newspapers), freelance writers or Article Editors (magazines), assignment directors (TV newsrooms) and program directors and producers (radio). Or pick 40 if you're going national.

Find out who they are in Bacon's directories in the library. OK, I wrote about this too... but what I didn't know was that Bacon's will tell you how to contact each and everyone of these people. Because they all want something different.

Finally, Joan kept hitting the Oxbridge Directory of Newsletters. Now... aren't paper based newsletters kind of like dinosaurs? I remember a magazine editor rising up from his seat at a dinner party in 1986 and making that very announcement. Ah, but he was wrong and Joan is right. Turns out a single three line mention in Kipplinger's (very high profile) newsletter brought in 'thousands of dollars' in sales of a $5 tips booklet. Wow!

Who knew?

We all think PR is so technical and only for the truly media savvy... but in this model anyone can do it. Drop by Joan's excellent website at www.PublicityHound.com. She's got the good!

Who wants to be an expert?

A cool thing happened to me this fall. Woman's Day Magazine quoted me as an expert in an article on Creativity Circles in the October Issue. This was 'hangover' publicity from a campaign a publicist had done about a book I launched exactly a year ago. (Hey... who says national media is always fast?)

So I jubilated, people dropped by my site (howmuchjoy.com). Life was good.

Then it got even better, because Woman's Day called AGAIN! This time they wanted to quote me in an unrelated article in their January issue. Why? Because I am now on their radar screen as a 'making creative dreams happen' expert. Hoo-rah!

Back when I was a freelance journalist for the big ladies books, literally EVERY assignment came with this request 'Can you help us find a few experts?' Expert quotes are a key part of the 'formula' of these magazine articles -- they simply won't do one without them. And isn't that a nice opportunity to get known?

This is a great way to get free national exposure, and there are several ways to go about it. I like sending fun, engaging postcards that cut through to a select A list of editors. Naturally they need to enforce your expert status. I will be interviewing Joan Stewart, the much ballyhooed 'Publicity Hound' will be on The Self Help Salon tomorrow night in one of our special 'Expert Salon Calls'. Joan's a former editor herself, and she's really got the goods on just how to make these 'expert campaigns work.'

Check in with me and Joan tomorrow night.