Posts Tagged ‘promotion’
Thursday, September 2nd, 2010
Sometimes you can’t tell people something, they have to discover it for themselves. One of the coolest ways to make that happen: video trailers. Just saw one of these things and I see why buyers love them. The videos are very short — 30 to 60 seconds — so you have to be laser focused. Don’t think you can sell in that short time? Think about it — the big boys do it all the time for movies. They key: go beyond you just talking into the camera.
One of my favorite people, Janita Cooper at Master Video Disc and Design is all over it. She’s done book trailers for the big authors and knows the nuances to make the video compelling. We talked the other day about all the things you can promote via trailer: products, subscription services, an upcoming seminar. Just about anything.
Before you call her, be clear on one thing: your best message. And she’ll do the rest. (And no, I’m not making a commission from any of these referrals. I’ve seen Janita’s trailers and they rock. Now go see for yourself.)
Tags: branding, experts, Marketing, promotion, Vickie Sullivan
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Thursday, August 19th, 2010
Here’s another deadly mistake experts make when they pitch a speech: they assume that being an author is enough to get the gig. I can understand why: after all, you’ve spent almost a year writing and promoting the dang thing. It’s time to get out there.
The reality: a book might get you in the first round of consideration if the overall approach is relevant. But in the midst of many options, buyers will go for the topic that not only addresses a hot trend or challenge but also hints at a unique approach. It is the latter — the approach — that gives an expert the inside edge.
Yes, I rant more about this topic via video — here’s the link again. And if you want my best ideas on how to create that topic, join me for Tuesday’s Extreme Mini Makeover call. Yes, you have to purchase the entire series — but the price point is low enough that if you get the help you need from just one call, it’s worth the investment.
Tags: authors, books, branding, experts, Extreme Mini Makeovers, Marketing, positioning, promotion, speakers, Speaking, strategy, Vickie Sullivan
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Tuesday, August 10th, 2010
One of my favorite people — PR guru, Dan Janal — made a great point about using research for media campaigns. He’s right — reporters love numbers. What’s even better: the bar is set low on sample size. You don’t have thousands of responses to your survey in order to create cool stats.
My take: distributing the findings is no longer enough. We need to take what we’ve learned and do two things: first, highlight the most provocative things you’ve learned. That will get your article on the radar screen fast. Second, turn the findings into a visual. People love to see the big picture immediately.
Want to see the above in action? Software company Hubspot is giving away 50 plus slides showing their research findings. They do everything right: they focus on what is compelling, turn research findings into a visual and, then, using the visual, they give their color commentary about why the findings are what they are. Here’s the link if you want to see excellence in action.
Tags: media, positioning, promotion, strategy, Vickie Sullivan
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Thursday, July 22nd, 2010
Back in the saddle after a whirlwind trip to the NSA Convention. Had a blast catching up with friends and clients. The saddest thing though: watching how many people trade fame for fortune.
Even prominent people do this. Their new book is published and it’s time to promote the dang thing. Or they have a compelling story that just got translated into the latest leadership lessons. A publicist gets hired and — what a concept! — they do a great job. A bunch of interviews are given, the articles run and… not much happens. Sure there are some inquiries but for free stuff “for exposure” or low-fee projects from clients who will never implement.
What really happened? Cute and clever got in the way of strategic and scalable. Smart folks were distracted by the attention they got instead of remembering that buzz has to be directed before money changes hands.
Now is not a good time to give up return on investment for your media efforts. Instead, let’s focus on campaigns that not only get attention, but also inspire action. I’ve got some unique strategies that will rock your world coming up next Tuesday at the Extreme Mini Makeover call on killer media campaigns. Click here to join the fun!
Tags: Extreme Mini Makeovers, promotion, publishing, strategy, Vickie Sullivan
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Tuesday, July 20th, 2010
Greetings from the NSA Convention in Orlando, Florida. First thing I learned here: humidity matters. I have come to appreciate the “dry heat” of Arizona.
I’m hearing one question over and over again: How do I “get out there?” Folks assume that if they “just get in front of the right people,” they are golden. The good news: there are so many opportunities to distribute your brilliance. The interesting news: these opportunities have created a lot of white noise. Getting in front of people is not the challenge; getting them to pay attention to you is the real first step. The more crowded the market, the harder it is to get that attention.
Throwing spaghetti at the wall no longer works. We have to go an inch wide and a mile deep, not a mile wide and an inch deep. We have to get strategic about what we know, not just tell it. How to create that kind of publicity? Check out the next Extreme Mini Makeovers call next Tuesday, July 27th and leave with a blueprint on what to do next.
Tags: education, Extreme Mini Makeovers, Marketing, promotion, strategy, Vickie Sullivan
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Thursday, June 17th, 2010
The most frequently asked question I get from authors: now that my book is out, how do I get more revenue? Everyone knows that books don’t pay — the money comes from the better opportunities, the cooler clients that call, the invitations to speak.
My answer: it’s all about strategy. Yes, publicity from books creates prominence. But not all prominence is created equal. The dirty little secret we don’t talk about is that there are two kinds of prominence: 1) the kind that creates mostly promotional opportunities — such as those dreaded free speeches — but not revenue. That gets old really fast. And, 2) prominence that generates revenue — as in paid speeches and paying clients. Usually the reason why folks write books in the first place.
There are three ways to position your book to create the revenue authors look for. I’m drilling down on each one on Tuesday’s Extreme Mini Makeover call on positioning your book. This call alone will be worth the price of the entire series. Click here to register.
Tags: authors, books, Extreme Mini Makeovers, promotion, speakers, Speaking, strategy, Vickie Sullivan
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Thursday, January 14th, 2010
Want to give web-based classes and let someone else promote them? Check out edufire, who is giving standard education a run for its money. They do the promoting and the registering (and have signed up 50,000 users according to Fortune Small Business) and give their instructors a decent commission. They offer a wide variety of business classes and frankly, the experts look pretty standard. Definitely worth a try.
Tags: education, Marketing, promotion, strategy, Vickie Sullivan
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Thursday, December 17th, 2009
I love this time of year — one of the few periods that I come up for air and can look around. The agenda: family, friends and fun…and getting ready for next year. If you’re gearing up to hit the ground running, here’s my suggested to-do list:
- Check out your sales results: How many conversations did you have this year? How many of those were with qualified buyers? What percentage of those did you close? And most importantly, what were the top three reasons for not working with you? These answers are a great barometer. Change your prospecting, your process and your pitch accordingly.
- Assess your infrastructure: How’s your website? Is it still accurate? Does it position you well for picky buyers? If not, list your needed changes. Checklists get done faster than the mental list of to-do’s. If your websiite is fine, then great. Repeat this process for your media and other marketing tools.
- Plan out your promotion: What are you promoting when and to whom? Make a list then step back and ask yourself: Is this enough? Too much? Will my community support this effort? Do I have options for all my target markets? This is a great time for tweaking copy and timelines.
This is a great time to “sharpen the saw.” Next year is going to be a zoo…
Tags: 2010, assess, Marketing, process, promotion, prospects, sales, strategy, Vickie Sullivan
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Thursday, November 5th, 2009
My heart cracks a little every time I get one of these calls. Some well-known expert laments, “But I was on (insert prominent media show here). But the leads just didn’t come in!” And I have to break the bad news: it’s the publicist’s job to generate the media mentions. It’s your job to get leads from all the attention. I can just see all the money they paid for “getting out there” just go up in smoke.
The truth: fame doesn’t always translate into fortune. The key: you have to know how to make your media create leads. The secret: it’s the little things that matter most. Get ready for some “you can do this tomorrow” tactics on Tuesday’s Here’s the Deal call on lead generation. Click here to join the fun (and profit)!
Tags: Here's the Deal, Marketing, promotion, strategy, Vickie Sullivan
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