Wednesday, September 5, 2007
Copyright 2006 Annie Jennings PR
Thanks all for your wonderful interest in our publicity tips. The series is a set of tried and true publicity tips to use while working with the media. You'll learn 4 of the top pre-interview tips, on-camera or on-air tips, media etiquette tips & lots more PR pro tips to help position you as the media's dream guest!
Don't miss this series. When the media calls, you'll be ready!
TIP #1 Don't Try To Change The Segment Or Story Idea
During the pre-interview with the producer or journalist, please do not attempt to influence the producer or journalist to slant or change the original segment idea. This is because the article, story or segment idea is most likely already set in stone by Managing Editors or Executive Producers and your contact has very little flexibility. They are assigned to develop a story or segment idea according to a specific set of directives and appreciate your support in moving the story or segment forward.
Always give the media the info they are looking for first so they can complete their assignment otherwise, they might decide to move on to another expert! If you do a great job for them, that is, you are on target and on message without meandering off topic or discussing topics that fall outside the scope of the placement, they will use you again!
Of course, if they ask you about other ideas you may have, feel free to give them your best stuff!
TIP #2
Never Cancel A Segment Or Appointment With The Media!
Once you represent that are able for the media opportunity, please do not change your mind because the producer or journalist moves immediately to finalize the media placement on their end.
If you pull out you upset the booking process you leave the producer or journalist in a tough spot. This business is built on trust so never do anything to jeopardize the trust the media has in you.
When you make a commitment, stick to it, even if something comes up that you feel is more important. Your word should be worth gold in this industry!
TIP #3
Prepare Talking Points For The Pre-Interview With The Journalist Or Producer
Prepare your talking points in advance of your pre-interview or interview with the media. This way, you will appear to have command over your area of expertise and knowledgeable about the issue under discussion. You will avoid stumbling for thoughts or concepts.
If the media doubts your ability or expertise in the pre-interview, they will not use you for the placement. They simply have no choice. Their job is to book top qualified experts and if you indicate you are not that, they have to move on. As Annie Jennings PR has said for many years, think of any contact you have with the media as an audition. Everything you do is evaluated by the media with the thought in mind - is this person the perfect expert for the story or the segment?
You can make the media contact confident in choosing YOU if you are ready and prepared to discuss the topic. Create at least five discussion points on the topic before you speak to the producer or journalist.
You'll be happy you did!
TIP #4
Make Sure The Media Has Your FAST Contact Info!
Always provide the media with your contact info including your cell phone and fast contact info. As we mentioned, when the media moves, it moves fast. If you are actively seeking PR or are booked for a media opportunity already, keep yourself available and able to be reached immediately. If you give out your cell phone be sure it is working properly and also check your messages immediately so you don't miss a thing.
If you are traveling to a location for a TV or radio segment ask for the emergency contact info to the producer and of course, only use it for emergencies. This way, if you have trouble finding the location you know how to reach your media contact immediately.
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Annie Jennings PR is a national publicity firm with over 16,000 experts available to the media. Major media calls everyday with their expert requests. Annie Jennings PR offers a variety of publicity programs including the new HOT PUBLICITY Branding Program. Interested in letting us know about you, your expertise, your media objectives or your book/company? Fill out our expert form (and get a complimentary publicity CD) at http://www.anniejenningspr.com/experts.htm
Would you like four more "Be The Media's Dream Guest Tips?" If so, please click to http://www.anniejenningspr.com/dreamguest.htm
Computer Consulting: Do Your Homework
Beware of vendors who ask you to explain what you do in your business. Instead, give a basic explaination of what your computer consulting business is all about so a client can determine if he has any product or service that's in your picture. Rather than be reactive, go to the interview being proactive! Know what they are doing before you go in and be prepared to help them with their needs.
Computer Consulting: Research to Prepare for Your Meeting
Even though it might take you 30 to 45 minutes to do some homework ahead of time, you need to do your research to increase your chances at closing the sale, either on the spot or within a week or two afterwards. For them to agree to your computer consulting services, you will have to build credibility and mind share with that prospect. It shows that you care about their business.
There's really no excuse for not doing your homework anymore. Today, you can easily go to the Google search engine and type in the person's name or phone number or address and find out everything under the sun that you can about them.
Computer Consulting: What You Need to Know about Your Clients
You should really have a complete profile of:
-What their business is all about
-What industry they're in
-What types of services they provide
-How many locations they have
-How long they've been in business
Find Out Recent News about Your Client
You're probably going to be able to find articles that have been in the local newspaper about them that might either show up in Google or you can find by going to the newspaper doing a search function there. You want to look for anything you can that's going to give you extra background and an extra edge so when you go in there, you already know what they're doing.
Copyright MMI-MMVI, Computer Consultants Secrets. All Worldwide Rights Reserved. {Attention Publishers: Live hyperlink in author resource box required for copyright compliance}
About The Author:
Joshua Feinberg helps computer consultants get more steady, high-paying clients. Learn how you can too. Sign-up now for Joshua's free Computer Consultants Secrets audio training.
Computer Consulting: Weeding Out Time Wasters
When you're in the computer consulting business, you're selling your personality, you're selling your charisma, and you're certainly selling your business knowledge. Most specifically, however, at the end of the day, you are selling your time. You can't afford to waste it. You need to be able to account for every hour that you spend, regardless of whether it's billable, whether it's sales function, whether it's prospecting, or whether it's administrative. In this article you'll learn how to determine whether a service call is a good use of your time.
Computer Consulting: Is It an Emergency?
If you're looking at how to weed out the time wasters to work more efficiently, you need to know what their sense of urgency is as soon as you hear from them: over the phone, email, or in person. Maybe it's a server down issue that's crippling 27 workers and completely destroying the productivity of the company. That's a pretty strong sense of urgency.
Or maybe it is something more mundane that they don't seem that excited or concerned about, like maybe a link is not working between a salesperson's gold mine and a PDA. Something that affects one person in the company isn't be a big deal. So, figuring out their sense of urgency is a very important way to point out the time wasters.
Computer Consulting: What is Their Budget?
Another big way to weed out the time wasters is to know what their budget is going into it. If they're broke and they don't have any money, guess what? You're wasting your time. Put them on a follow-up list for three to six months to find out if they have more money to spend on IT. If they're broke and they have no money, you're wasting your time.
Computer Consulting: Are You Being Tactful?
You can't go around saying, "Gee Bob, I'd like to help you, but are you broke? Do you have money?" A much more subtle way of doing this is to ask if they get computer consulting support now? How have they gotten it in the past? If they've only used volunteers or moonlighters at bargain basement rates, you'll know they don't have a big IT budget.
However, if you find out they're working with another VAR, with another someone that you consider a legitimate competitor of yours that would charge a legitimate professional rate, then you can make the assumption that they have the funds in their IT budget to use you.
Computer Consulting: How Much Pain Are They In?
What's their pain and can you pitch an effective solution to fix it?
The Bottom Line about Computer Consulting
Remember your time is your inventory, so don't give it away. Guard it very, very carefully.
Copyright MMI-MMVI, Computer Consulting 101. All Worldwide Rights Reserved. {Attention Publishers: Live hyperlink in author resource box required for copyright compliance}
About The Author:
Joshua Feinberg, co-owner of Computer Consulting 101, gets computer consulting businesses more steady, high-paying consulting clients. Now you can too. Just sign-up now for your free access pass to these field-tested, proven computer consulting secrets at Computer Consulting 101.
