I had a great conversation with a potential client on Friday morning that validated much of what I share with Publici-Tea™ workshop guests and readers of this blog. The prospect called to say he was referred to my company two years ago by one of my financial services clients. He signed up to receive my Authentic Visibility ezine. This free ezine offers a convenient way to get to know the quality of my ideas and learn more about my company’s products and services without spending a dime. He started reading it and benefiting from the DIY publicity tips and guidance within.
When this DIY publicity blog went live on September 1, 2007, he started reading it AND paying attention when I posted new audio files or radio interviews offering useful DIY publicity tips. He specifically mentioned the audio file about making the most of your press releases and my KB Women Blog Talk Radio interview on DIY publicity. (You can listen for free in to those useful files by clicking on the active links.) He also followed specific tips about how and who to pitch in the Puget Sound about his story by reading some of the success stories I post here.
When the timing was right for him to apply the ideas I shared to his advantage, he followed my suggestions to the letter. He made a pitch to a well known business columnist and earned a front page business story with a fabulous accompanying photo in the business section of a major metropolitan daily newspaper. That led to radio interviews, which subsequently compelled as many as six potential franchisees to initiate meaningful conversations about his business concept. He anticipates that, by the end of May, all six deals will be done deals.
When he called on Friday, it was as if we’d known each other for years. He already liked, trusted, and respected my advice. We established winning rapport almost instantly. A face-to-face meeting is scheduled for the first week of May to see how we can work together.
DIY Publicity Tip: Not everyone you meet is ready to engage your products or buy your services at the first moment your company comes to their awareness. People have to get to know you, sample the quality of your expertise and advice, and get to the point of readiness at which what you offer is a perfect fit for what they need. Be patient and keep doing the right kinds of things consistently, with passion, and with commitment to be of service. Then, when the timing is right, you will be first on their consideration list to call when they have the motivation, dollars, and readiness to get into action.
By the way, the NEXT Publici-Tea™ Workshop takes place on Friday, May 15 from 12:30 – 5 p.m. at The Village Bellevue. I have just three spots left, and I would be honored if you claimed one of them as your own. You will benefit from a fun, engaging, and delicious day of training, tips, tools to guide you to earn high impact free publicity results for your business. Premium chocolate truffles from Seattle Chocolate Company are always on the agenda!
And, the Publici-Tea™ Workshop is coming to Portland, Oregon on Friday, June 12 at Kells Irish Restaurant and Bar. We’ll be meeting in the Irish Writers Room. This beautiful room can comfortably accommodate 20-34 guests, and I can’t wait to welcome each and every one of them. I hope YOU are among them. Portland Business Journal Editor Rob Smith will be a VIP guest speaker at the Portland event. He’ll share useful tips from his own experience to guide event guests to make more successful story pitches that capture his attention. I’ll be previewing a new bio-in-a-box tool I’ve developed and asking these lucky event guests to take it out for a spin and rate it so I can bring it to market with powerful endorsements soon after.
Special thanks to Kathie Nelson of ConnectWorks and Rebecca Shapiro of The Savvy Collaborative for serving as powerful advocates for the Portland event. If you live and work in the Portland area or need a good reason to leave your hometown to learn powerful, buzz-building lessons and acquire time-tested and proven DIY publicity tools that guide you to earning free publicity, sign up today.
Learn more and register for the Bellevue or Portland events at this link, and tell your publicity-seeking friends to take a look, too. After all, there has never been a better time in the economy to get empowered with DIY publicity insights to build the buzz about your business so more of the right people can show up to benefit from what you have to offer. Your satisfaction is guaranteed or your money back.
