Clients are using the information I share to improve their business visibility and client attraction efforts. The nitty-gritty how-to details can be very instructive. Let’s take a lesson from Mary Hutson of Hutson Resource Group as she explains how she attracted the interest of CNNMoney.com to interview John Hutson. She writes,
Hi Nancy,
In a nutshell, we did something that you advise in your Authentic Visibility workbook. We complimented a reporter on an article she wrote. The article was about a subject we’ve been watching closely — the oil spill in the Gulf. Businesses down there have to prepare a business interruption claim in order to receive compensation from BP. The process can be daunting…and this is exactly the kind of work John has done for 20 years, only instead of the insurance companies…it’s BP.
So here’s what we did.
- Followed news stories related to an event where we think we can do some business.
- Complimented a reporter on her article via e-mail. Offered to act as an expert in this field (which is a tricky/nerdy field of expertise). Then pointed her to our blog, where we’ve got a category of articles related to this subject.
- A few days later, she called John and asked for an interview. During the phone call, he gave her enough raw material for a follow up idea/story.
That’s it. So basically, we followed your well-trodden path and advice.
Our phone never rings off the hook. We do only about six projects per year—that’s the nature of this business. However, we’re noticing a lot more traffic on LinkedIn and to our website. And our competitors are surely taking note. They visit our site regularly.
PS. We’ve also used this same tactic to compliment professionals we want to work with. For example, a professional at a particular brokerage we’ve been targeting had an article published in an industry trade magazine. We read the article, then crafted an e-mail to send to the author complimenting her on the successful publication of her informative article, offering an additional train of thought/insight. She was so happy that we’d even noticed! During the subsequent e-mail thread, John asked to meet with her the next time he was in town and she agreed. The meeting happened!
Thanks Mary for sharing the details about how you made this happen.
Yes, it takes targeted, focused effort and time to get seen and heard. And it is very well worth it when the media outlet that comes to call is none other than CNNMoney.com. If you want what Mary and John Hutson are having, action is always the key. Why not start today?
