PROMO LESSON: Blogs are good.
What I know:
1) Blogs are a lot easier and cheaper to create than what we usually call websites. You can change them and add to them without calling a techie to do it for you.
2) Not all blogs are as primitive as this one. I just got a very fancy email, all html (which means it had photos and pretty graphics) from an artist who's being featured at the Museum of Modern Art. The email provides a link to a very fancy blog indeed. Not only a photo of an artwork but lots of photos of the fancy do they're throwing (or threw) for him, including a video of a glamorous opening, lots of models, and I think I saw Martin Scorcese grinning at the camera.
Therefore, when it comes to self promotion, it might be possible to have *only a weblog. This one is pretty fancy. Take a look:
http://matthewdavidon.wordpress.com/
*Well, when it comes to self-promo, especially for writers, you might not need a formal website, but many writing advisors and publishers advise that you have other presences on the internet, like for instance (gasp) MySpace.com/ More about that later.
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Tuesday, October 30 - Be a guest on a radio show
PROMO LESSON: DO RADIO SHOWS FROM THE PRIVACY OF YOUR OWN HOME.
Being on radio show is a good thing to do. And it's easier than you might think.
Did nice radio show 'Foner' with Diane Brandon who was on camera with me in Memphis a few months ago pitching pledges for a couple of my shows. She's smart and a lot of fun. I'll ask her how she came to have a radio show for my good WriteSpeakers. (Being the host of a real live radio show seems to be almost a full-time career. Doing podcasts or using other delights of modern technology is, on the other hand, a delight and just right for the geniuses in my program.
Point is, it's a 'Platform.' That's what all the publishing advice tells you to have, and they're right. My good agent told me a few years ago that they had almost stopped looking at self-help and personal growth books for people who didn't have a readio or TV show, or at least, an active speaking career. Don't know if that's still true, but I suspect it is.
Remember, talk show hosts want guests. Their biggest worry is that they won't have anyone to talk to on their show. Their second-biggest worry is that their guest will be boring and will only say 'yes' or 'no.' So, let them know about you (see earlier posts on this blog) and be a friendly, chatty guest. How to do that if you're inhibited or self-conscious? Remember that you have a mission: to get your message out to people who will be helped by it. You aren't important. They are.
PROMO LESSON: Have a nice graphic you can send out via email.
Here's Diane's promo page (It's nice -- good photo, etc.)
http://www.modavox.com/Voiceamericacms/Host/381/brandon_modaview.jpg
I haven't figured out how to post the address for the audio here yet.
QUESTION: HOW CAN YOU GET ON RADIO SHOWS?
Ask that at the next Telesession on November 14 and I'll name names (and give you addresses) for how that can be done.
QUESTION: WHERE WILL YOU GET THE TIME TO DO THIS TOO?!!
Maybe you'll have to cut something else out. Apply the H-Level assessment to all your activies. 1. Note anything you present do that ranks at a 6 or lower on your H-Scale? 2. Find a way to get rid of it. If you do this self-promotion properly, you'll soon be in a position to hire someone to do your '6-minus' tasks and free you up to get even more successful.
Expect this search to be a bit difficult. Many of our less-than-delightful tasks double as resistance mechanisms and they're clever at disguising themselves. If you find yourself getting defensive, that could be a hot spot. Investigate the area closely. As a search tool, try writing a one-act play around your inner dialogue: Why I Have To Do This and What Awful Events Would Ensue if I Didn't? Then write a quick list, no thinking allowed, of 10 ways you could get rid of that task, pass the buck, drop the ball, or even find some responsible way to get out from under it.
Hint: One way to get out from under WS writing requirement is by using the WriteSpeak method. (You know what that is.)
Being on radio show is a good thing to do. And it's easier than you might think.
Did nice radio show 'Foner' with Diane Brandon who was on camera with me in Memphis a few months ago pitching pledges for a couple of my shows. She's smart and a lot of fun. I'll ask her how she came to have a radio show for my good WriteSpeakers. (Being the host of a real live radio show seems to be almost a full-time career. Doing podcasts or using other delights of modern technology is, on the other hand, a delight and just right for the geniuses in my program.
Point is, it's a 'Platform.' That's what all the publishing advice tells you to have, and they're right. My good agent told me a few years ago that they had almost stopped looking at self-help and personal growth books for people who didn't have a readio or TV show, or at least, an active speaking career. Don't know if that's still true, but I suspect it is.
Remember, talk show hosts want guests. Their biggest worry is that they won't have anyone to talk to on their show. Their second-biggest worry is that their guest will be boring and will only say 'yes' or 'no.' So, let them know about you (see earlier posts on this blog) and be a friendly, chatty guest. How to do that if you're inhibited or self-conscious? Remember that you have a mission: to get your message out to people who will be helped by it. You aren't important. They are.
PROMO LESSON: Have a nice graphic you can send out via email.
Here's Diane's promo page (It's nice -- good photo, etc.)
http://www.modavox.com/Voiceamericacms/Host/381/brandon_modaview.jpg
I haven't figured out how to post the address for the audio here yet.
QUESTION: HOW CAN YOU GET ON RADIO SHOWS?
Ask that at the next Telesession on November 14 and I'll name names (and give you addresses) for how that can be done.
QUESTION: WHERE WILL YOU GET THE TIME TO DO THIS TOO?!!
Maybe you'll have to cut something else out. Apply the H-Level assessment to all your activies. 1. Note anything you present do that ranks at a 6 or lower on your H-Scale? 2. Find a way to get rid of it. If you do this self-promotion properly, you'll soon be in a position to hire someone to do your '6-minus' tasks and free you up to get even more successful.
Expect this search to be a bit difficult. Many of our less-than-delightful tasks double as resistance mechanisms and they're clever at disguising themselves. If you find yourself getting defensive, that could be a hot spot. Investigate the area closely. As a search tool, try writing a one-act play around your inner dialogue: Why I Have To Do This and What Awful Events Would Ensue if I Didn't? Then write a quick list, no thinking allowed, of 10 ways you could get rid of that task, pass the buck, drop the ball, or even find some responsible way to get out from under it.
Hint: One way to get out from under WS writing requirement is by using the WriteSpeak method. (You know what that is.)
Pre PR Push & (and pushback, too)
PROMO LESSON: NEVER PASS UP AN OPPORTUNITY TO LET PEOPLE KNOW WHAT YOU DO.
Whether or not you are accepted as a guest on a radio or TV show, be sure to send a list of all the subjects you can talk about -- accompanied by anything impressive you've done --to the host.
Here's a recent exchange to a youth-oriented TV show at Oxygen that invited me to be a participant.
........................................................
Thanks, J. Hope I didn't create a problem. I look forward to working with you on future projects.
FYI, my demographic is women from 35 to 60.
I'm great for these subjects:
***************
1. People who think their dreams are impossible (I teach them nuts-and-bolts, common sense ways to make the heart of any dream become real.
~my first book, WISHCRAFT: How To Get What You Really Want, has sold over a million copies and been translated into a dozen languages and is still popular all over the world. (It's also free online at www.wishcraft.com if you want to take a look.)
~See also my New Yorker cartoonist booklet "How To Get What You Really Want When You Have No Goals, No Character, and You're Often in a Lousy Mood." (The secret? Your own Success Teams. I can send you a copy if you like.)
~On Oprah's last show of the year in 1994, she showed my segment and said it was the piece she was most proud of for that entire year.
~My NY Times best seller featured on that show, was I COULD DO ANYTHING IF I ONLY KNEW WHAT IT WAS. (Dell, 1994). It remains a top selling book.
~See also my book LIVE THE LIFE YOU LOVE (Dell, 1996), first award winner for Motivational Book of 1996 from the Books for a Better Life Commission, New York. It also remains a top selling book.
**********
2. People who think they're too old (at any age) to do anything they really want (I show them how to tap into their true identity and find energy, adventure and creativity they never touched before.)
~See my book, IT'S ONLY TOO LATE IF YOU DON'T START NOW (Dell, 1999) (I can send you a list of kudos that will explain how that book set people free to start their lives again)
~Nominated for an Emmy: my public television special "How To Create Your Second Life After Forty" called "Standup comedy with a message." It's got a great story about how an ordinary waitress became a 'gorilla mother' and developed a great career.
**********
3. People who love so many things they can't stick with one (I rescue them from lives of feeling damaged and inadequate because they think there's something wrong with them, when actually they're multi-talented, often gifted and can find fantastic careers!)
~My latest book REFUSE TO CHOOSE (Rodale, 2006), is coming out in paperback in 2 months. The hundreds of letters (from men as well as women) say readers started crying when they read the first pages of the book and will never see themselves the same way again.
~ My public television special, "Refuse to Choose" is presently airing all over the U.S.
.................
On Dec 19, 2006, J wrote:
....................................................................
Hello, Barbara.
We’re sorry we won’t get to work with you, but completely understand if you don’t think this show is right for you. We’ll be sure to keep you in mind for future projects at Oxygen that might be a better fit.
All the best,
J
-----Original Message-----
From: Barbara Sher [mailto:bsherny@earthlink.net]
Sent: Fri 12/15/2006 8:37 PM
To: J
Hi J
Saw the site tonight. It's terrific, but I think you've made a mistake
inviting me. My fans would not know what to think if they found me
there.
Hope I'm not creating a problem for you. I'm sure you'll find lots of
very qualified people who'll love to join the party.
Sincerely,
Barbara Sher
Whether or not you are accepted as a guest on a radio or TV show, be sure to send a list of all the subjects you can talk about -- accompanied by anything impressive you've done --to the host.
Here's a recent exchange to a youth-oriented TV show at Oxygen that invited me to be a participant.
........................................................
Thanks, J. Hope I didn't create a problem. I look forward to working with you on future projects.
FYI, my demographic is women from 35 to 60.
I'm great for these subjects:
***************
1. People who think their dreams are impossible (I teach them nuts-and-bolts, common sense ways to make the heart of any dream become real.
~my first book, WISHCRAFT: How To Get What You Really Want, has sold over a million copies and been translated into a dozen languages and is still popular all over the world. (It's also free online at www.wishcraft.com if you want to take a look.)
~See also my New Yorker cartoonist booklet "How To Get What You Really Want When You Have No Goals, No Character, and You're Often in a Lousy Mood." (The secret? Your own Success Teams. I can send you a copy if you like.)
~On Oprah's last show of the year in 1994, she showed my segment and said it was the piece she was most proud of for that entire year.
~My NY Times best seller featured on that show, was I COULD DO ANYTHING IF I ONLY KNEW WHAT IT WAS. (Dell, 1994). It remains a top selling book.
~See also my book LIVE THE LIFE YOU LOVE (Dell, 1996), first award winner for Motivational Book of 1996 from the Books for a Better Life Commission, New York. It also remains a top selling book.
**********
2. People who think they're too old (at any age) to do anything they really want (I show them how to tap into their true identity and find energy, adventure and creativity they never touched before.)
~See my book, IT'S ONLY TOO LATE IF YOU DON'T START NOW (Dell, 1999) (I can send you a list of kudos that will explain how that book set people free to start their lives again)
~Nominated for an Emmy: my public television special "How To Create Your Second Life After Forty" called "Standup comedy with a message." It's got a great story about how an ordinary waitress became a 'gorilla mother' and developed a great career.
**********
3. People who love so many things they can't stick with one (I rescue them from lives of feeling damaged and inadequate because they think there's something wrong with them, when actually they're multi-talented, often gifted and can find fantastic careers!)
~My latest book REFUSE TO CHOOSE (Rodale, 2006), is coming out in paperback in 2 months. The hundreds of letters (from men as well as women) say readers started crying when they read the first pages of the book and will never see themselves the same way again.
~ My public television special, "Refuse to Choose" is presently airing all over the U.S.
.................
On Dec 19, 2006, J wrote:
....................................................................
Hello, Barbara.
We’re sorry we won’t get to work with you, but completely understand if you don’t think this show is right for you. We’ll be sure to keep you in mind for future projects at Oxygen that might be a better fit.
All the best,
J
-----Original Message-----
From: Barbara Sher [mailto:bsherny@earthlink.net]
Sent: Fri 12/15/2006 8:37 PM
To: J
Hi J
Saw the site tonight. It's terrific, but I think you've made a mistake
inviting me. My fans would not know what to think if they found me
there.
Hope I'm not creating a problem for you. I'm sure you'll find lots of
very qualified people who'll love to join the party.
Sincerely,
Barbara Sher
Oct 22 - New Yorker of the Week?
PROMO LESSON: GETTING MENTIONED IN THE MEDIA IN ANY POSITIVE CONTEXT IS GOOD. Even if it doesn't directly relate to any event you're involved in.
(Getting written up in any small free paper is useful. You can copy the article and the masthead and date, and include in any press kit you send out. It's always good to have a sheet like that in your press kit, no matter how tiny the paper that carried it.)
Check to see if your town's media has a similar program to this 'New Yorker of the Week' in New York.
Here's correspondence with my Hero Assistant, A. who is running a sample promo campaign for the event at the Learning Annex on November 8:
A to B:
I'm going to send NY1 a letter to nominate you as "NYer of the Week". The people they choose get a whole story aired about them over and over on NY1 TV/radio. Here's a link, so you can see what I want to enter you in:
http://www.ny1.com/ny1/OnTheAir/nyer_of_the_week.jsp
Here's what I'm thinking of sending:
I am writing to nominate Barbara Sher, NY Times Best-selling Author and
Speaker, as New Yorker of the Week. For **over three decades, Barbara Sher
has had a profound impact on literally thousands of New Yorkers by helping
them figure out what they really want to do with their lives and showing
them how to take real steps forward **by supporting each other in teams.
**She's not like other 'gurus.' She's no-nonsense and down to earth and
has been praised for her respect for resistance. (She wrote a cartoon booklet
called "How To Get What You Really Want Even If You Have No Goals,
No Character and You're Often in a Lousy Mood.")
Her books have been translated into many languages and she runs
retreats around the world.
In the 1960s, Barbara Sher was a single mother on welfare, struggling to
raise two sons in New York. Many others in such difficult circumstances
might have moved away from such a challenging city, but Barbara is a
die-hard New York fan who fought hard to stay in the city she
loves so dearly, and now she has helped so many others to improve their
lives.
In 1979 Barbara published her first best-seller, Wishcraft, **which has sold
over a million copies and is still in print, and since then she has published
six more books and created five popular PBS specials which air around the country.
She has appeared on **Channel Thirteen and WLIW, Oprah, The Donahue Show,
The Today Show, 60 Minutes, CNN and Good Morning America.
Most importantly, Barbara Sher is a true New Yorker with a huge heart who
gives all of her energy and time to helping others. She's down to earth,
practical, irreverent, and warm, and I know you would love to meet her.
(Getting written up in any small free paper is useful. You can copy the article and the masthead and date, and include in any press kit you send out. It's always good to have a sheet like that in your press kit, no matter how tiny the paper that carried it.)
Check to see if your town's media has a similar program to this 'New Yorker of the Week' in New York.
Here's correspondence with my Hero Assistant, A. who is running a sample promo campaign for the event at the Learning Annex on November 8:
A to B:
I'm going to send NY1 a letter to nominate you as "NYer of the Week". The people they choose get a whole story aired about them over and over on NY1 TV/radio. Here's a link, so you can see what I want to enter you in:
http://www.ny1.com/ny1/OnTheAir/nyer_of_the_week.jsp
Here's what I'm thinking of sending:
I am writing to nominate Barbara Sher, NY Times Best-selling Author and
Speaker, as New Yorker of the Week. For **over three decades, Barbara Sher
has had a profound impact on literally thousands of New Yorkers by helping
them figure out what they really want to do with their lives and showing
them how to take real steps forward **by supporting each other in teams.
**She's not like other 'gurus.' She's no-nonsense and down to earth and
has been praised for her respect for resistance. (She wrote a cartoon booklet
called "How To Get What You Really Want Even If You Have No Goals,
No Character and You're Often in a Lousy Mood.")
Her books have been translated into many languages and she runs
retreats around the world.
In the 1960s, Barbara Sher was a single mother on welfare, struggling to
raise two sons in New York. Many others in such difficult circumstances
might have moved away from such a challenging city, but Barbara is a
die-hard New York fan who fought hard to stay in the city she
loves so dearly, and now she has helped so many others to improve their
lives.
In 1979 Barbara published her first best-seller, Wishcraft, **which has sold
over a million copies and is still in print, and since then she has published
six more books and created five popular PBS specials which air around the country.
She has appeared on **Channel Thirteen and WLIW, Oprah, The Donahue Show,
The Today Show, 60 Minutes, CNN and Good Morning America.
Most importantly, Barbara Sher is a true New Yorker with a huge heart who
gives all of her energy and time to helping others. She's down to earth,
practical, irreverent, and warm, and I know you would love to meet her.
Oct 22 - The Press Release!
PROMO LESSON: PREPARE SOME PRESS RELEASES AND SEND THEM TO ALL MEDIA -- ON AND OFFLINE -- IN YOUR LOCAL AREA.
On Oct 22, 2007, at 4:55 PM, A wrote:
Hey, B,
I'm going to list the Learning Annex workshop in lots of online places. I edited down the Learning Annex
description, since the one in the catalogue is too long for most of the online listings.
Do you
like this?
NY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR BARBARA SHER
Wednesday, November 8th, 6:45-9:30pm
At THE LEARNING ANNEX.
To register, visit: http://www.learningannex.com
Topic: WHAT WILL IT TAKE TO MAKE YOU REALLY HAPPY?
This new workshop by Barbara will show you things you never
understood about the nature of happiness. No, it's not about positive thinking or
forcing yourself to be happy. In fact, Barbara's methods aren't like
anything you've experienced before.
You'll learn a simple technique for zeroing in on what will
really make you happy and **get surprising new insights about what you're
**really feeling and how to deal with **it.
You'll learn why excitement so often leads to a
crash and **what to do about it, how feelings come in disguises,
how most chronic problems are actually solutions to worse problems, why
you can never get enough of what you don't really want, how to find out once
and for all what you REALLY want.
Isn't it time you took a clear, common-sense look at your
happiness and learned some nuts and bolts ways to attain it?
On Oct 22, 2007, at 4:55 PM, A wrote:
Hey, B,
I'm going to list the Learning Annex workshop in lots of online places. I edited down the Learning Annex
description, since the one in the catalogue is too long for most of the online listings.
Do you
like this?
NY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR BARBARA SHER
Wednesday, November 8th, 6:45-9:30pm
At THE LEARNING ANNEX.
To register, visit: http://www.learningannex.com
Topic: WHAT WILL IT TAKE TO MAKE YOU REALLY HAPPY?
This new workshop by Barbara will show you things you never
understood about the nature of happiness. No, it's not about positive thinking or
forcing yourself to be happy. In fact, Barbara's methods aren't like
anything you've experienced before.
You'll learn a simple technique for zeroing in on what will
really make you happy and **get surprising new insights about what you're
**really feeling and how to deal with **it.
You'll learn why excitement so often leads to a
crash and **what to do about it, how feelings come in disguises,
how most chronic problems are actually solutions to worse problems, why
you can never get enough of what you don't really want, how to find out once
and for all what you REALLY want.
Isn't it time you took a clear, common-sense look at your
happiness and learned some nuts and bolts ways to attain it?
October 22 Listed on media calendars
PROMO LESSON: SET UP AN EVENT AND GET ON EVERY EVENTS CALENDAR YOU CAN, IN NEWSPAPERS, ON TV AND RADIO, ON ACTUAL PUT-UP-WITH-A-PUSHPIN BULLETIN BOARDS AND ONLINE.
Here's how A did it for me. (Please note that some of these places are local. You'll have to find equivalents in your area.)
A to B: I'm going to list you in all of these places below. I just
did the first one.
-
1)
http://press.xtvworld.com/modules.php?name=Your_Account
AND THEN click “submit news” – DON’T FORGET TO USE “PLAIN TEXT”, NOT
HTML!!!
***DONE 10/22.07 in headline section
2)
http://www.dailycandy.com (Make sure it’s NY & then click Contact Us)
3)
https://post.craigslist.org/nyc/E/eve
4)
http://www.mediabistro.com/events/add_event.asp (must add start & end
time!
– can’t use various)
5)
http://upcoming.org/event/add/
6)
http://www.wabcradio.com/community/AddEvent.asp
7)
http://forms.metromanager.com/asp/EventG.U.I.-de.asp?s=eg|jfk&p=ftr
8)
http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=community&id=3309863#
*Don’t forget to use Arts & Exhib & “click” dates & use super short
description or pay the price at the end!!!
.........
B to A: Craigslist? Why? Do they have a publication?
A to B: Craigslist is online only, but I read that it's one of the most popular
sites in the country right now, so listing there is really effective.
They're in SO many cities now, so write/speak people would have to double
check if they have a Craigslist in their cities.
B to A: Does 'Time Out' care about what I do in NY?
A to B: You bet they do!
Here's how A did it for me. (Please note that some of these places are local. You'll have to find equivalents in your area.)
A to B: I'm going to list you in all of these places below. I just
did the first one.
-
1)
http://press.xtvworld.com/modules.php?name=Your_Account
AND THEN click “submit news” – DON’T FORGET TO USE “PLAIN TEXT”, NOT
HTML!!!
***DONE 10/22.07 in headline section
2)
http://www.dailycandy.com (Make sure it’s NY & then click Contact Us)
3)
https://post.craigslist.org/nyc/E/eve
4)
http://www.mediabistro.com/events/add_event.asp (must add start & end
time!
– can’t use various)
5)
http://upcoming.org/event/add/
6)
http://www.wabcradio.com/community/AddEvent.asp
7)
http://forms.metromanager.com/asp/EventG.U.I.-de.asp?s=eg|jfk&p=ftr
8)
http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=community&id=3309863#
*Don’t forget to use Arts & Exhib & “click” dates & use super short
description or pay the price at the end!!!
.........
B to A: Craigslist? Why? Do they have a publication?
A to B: Craigslist is online only, but I read that it's one of the most popular
sites in the country right now, so listing there is really effective.
They're in SO many cities now, so write/speak people would have to double
check if they have a Craigslist in their cities.
B to A: Does 'Time Out' care about what I do in NY?
A to B: You bet they do!
Wednesday, Oct 24 - Events Calendars
PROMO LESSON: GET ON EVENTS CALENDARS EVERY TIME YOU HAVE AN EVENT.
PROMO LESSON: HAVE LOTS OF EVENTS
(Remember, a teleconference discussion is an event and can be done for free from your home. It can also be recorded for lots of purposes, including *Podcasts -- a great way to promote yourself as an expert and a person who has useful things to say. You can send an announcement of any podcasts to your mailing list as well as to anyone who might be interested in having you speak in front of their organization.
But we'll discuss podcasts another time.
A, my assistant and PR wizard, sends announcement of my upcoming workshop for the Learning Annex in NY in Yahoo! Events:
http://upcoming.yahoo.com/event/303787/?ps=5
PROMO LESSON: HAVE LOTS OF EVENTS
(Remember, a teleconference discussion is an event and can be done for free from your home. It can also be recorded for lots of purposes, including *Podcasts -- a great way to promote yourself as an expert and a person who has useful things to say. You can send an announcement of any podcasts to your mailing list as well as to anyone who might be interested in having you speak in front of their organization.
But we'll discuss podcasts another time.
A, my assistant and PR wizard, sends announcement of my upcoming workshop for the Learning Annex in NY in Yahoo! Events:
http://upcoming.yahoo.com/event/303787/?ps=5
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