How to get the most out of your Boutique PR Program…
Can’t you tell I love these “how-tos”? Press love them also. A few quick thoughts on how to get the most out of your PR program.
1. Trust your instincts: Trust your gut. Hire for personality and experience. If you get along with the person and they have the experience that meets your needs, the rest will fall into place. There may be some shortcomings, but if you have someone that is willing to work their way through it and/or build a team that meets your needs, it will evolve into a successful relationship.
2. Involve your agency: One of my previous long-term clients is a high-profile venture firm. I was part of their weekly and annual meetings. Some of it was PR related, and other part (lots) was not. However, I was able to really understand the dynamics involved and hone in on some interesting things that helped me do my job better.
3. Consider investing in the boutique: Think about creative ways to involve your boutique agency or contractor. Involve them in internal meetings, add stock to their cash value and invest in their education related to your business.
When all else fails…DIY PR: Yes, you can do it yourself. I can teach you how, build a program for you, or read this blog to get free advice. I ran into a CEO the other day who proudly said, “Do you know who does all of my PR?….ME!” As he walked away, I thought, “You know who would be better off running a profitable company?…YOU!”
The Art of the Perfect Pitch
So, what does it take to pitch your business to the press? How about pitching your clothing line to retail stores? Let’s face it, we all are in the business of pitching one thing or the other. Pitching is an uncomfortable, but a necessary part of business.
Here are a few general tips for pitching a business:
- Get your elevator pitch down. (Need I say more?)
- Show your passion. When I’m passionate about a business that I represent, it is obvious because I believe in it. As an independent consultant, I often tend to select clients I’m passionate about so the pitch feels more natural. Let your passion show, and others will follow.
- Write down 10 tough questions you may get during a pitch and figure out how to answer them quickly, without sounding defensive. It’s always better to be over-prepared than under-prepared.
- Talk about why your product is the best. Don’t talk about why the other product is the worst. Use “air time” to pitch your product, not bash others. I usually give this tip at least 1x during my media training sessions because people can’t resist comparing themselves to others. Resist the temptation.
- Keep it simple and targeted: no matter who the audience is, keep the message simple. If they are interested, they will follow-up with questions.
I asked a couple of friends and colleagues for some pitching tips about how they pitch their businesses in different industries; here’s what they had to say:
Lynn Werner, CEO of Lynnina – Lynn pitches her line of boardshorts and rashguards for women 35+ to various boutique stores to carry her line. Here’s what she had to say about pitching:
“I do my homework first! Check out the company and all of the key players & products, number of stores, etc. When I reach the buyer, I introduce myself and then do a quick description of my line and demographic. I talk about how I love their store and that my boardshorts are the perfect compliment to their current styles. I also let them know about the success of my shorts at Canyon Beachwear, a high-end bathing suit chain in Calif., N.Y. and Hawaii. For boutiques, it helps to hear how other stores have been successful with this line of swimwear.”
Tracy Barsotti, Founder, Speak To Me – Tracy runs Speak To Me, events focused on women in the Bay Area. Tracy needs to pitch her business to potential sponsors. Here’s how she does it!
“For Speak To Me it is really important that every aspect of our business including sponsorship is aligned with our mission, which is to present events that inspire and educate our dynamic community of women. We do a lot of homework before we pitch a prospective sponsor to make sure that we understand their core business, their priorities and goals, and aspects of their brand that are the most harmonious with ours. We have a detailed sponsorship menu, but we are also able to customize our offerings when we see the need to tailor a program to best fit the needs of a particular company. Treating each prospect as an individual opportunity and coming to the table well prepared with specific programs in mind enables us forge great partnerships.”
Staci Dolgin-Rubinstein, Independent Contractor for Public Relations – Staci has pitched products from toys to bubblegum to children’s clothing and apps; she has secured placements in high profile media, including “Today Show,” “Ellen,” “Good Morning America,” Parents, Lucky, Ladies Home Journal, Redbook, Reuters and the Associated Press. Here’s some advice from Staci:
“When pitching products to the media, know your stuff and zone in on key product features. Media members get bombarded daily with the next great thing so be ready to provide main attributes and the reason why the product is unique and should be considered for publication. Also, know the audience of the publication—if you are pitching baby products—that doesn’t necessarily fit into all women’s publications. In media pitching, less is also definitely more—if an editor can’t get to the point of your pitch in the first paragraph, then you probably need to retool your ideas into more concise and organized thoughts.”
Whether you are pitching for media coverage, sales or building your business, it’s important to get it right and master your message from the onset.
5 Free Media Tips
The best thing I have ever done was print some media tips & tricks on the back of my business cards. Despite everything going virtual, clients are still thrilled to receive this cheat sheet. If you’ve made it here to my blog, they are yours for free. The next time you appear on television, print this out and utilize some of the tools here. If you aren’t sure about the bridging tool, try it out on a friend first (without smiling). I hope these will work wonders for you! 
Fear Factor: Intimidation
What can intimidation do to our minds? I’m totally enamored by the subject lately because I have seen the most respectable executives become intimidated in certain media situations. I, too, become intimidated by working with high profile people. For example, I remember the first time I worked with Steve Jobs in 1999 when he relaunched the iMac. I was helping him get set up for an interview with CNN and everyone had forewarned me, “Be careful, he can be pretty cruel.” I stepped into the room to help him get set up and my hands were shaking, my voice was a little nervous sounding and I offered him a few words of wisdom. When I reflect upon the day, I wonder if *he* was intimidated by being on CNN. After all, this was the relaunch and a very important day for Mr. Jobs as well.
When I media trained a high level executive from Yahoo! for his first CNBC interview, he told me that he couldn’t sleep the entire weekend because it was his first time making a television appearance. Here I was thinking HE a C-Suite executive from Yahoo! and he had nothing to worry about, yet he was still concerned about the interview ahead of him.
The media can be an intimidating factor. The lights, the cameras, the reporters, the fact that what we say can and will be held against us! The question is how we can move past being intimidated by the reporter/person/situation so we can add value to the situation (the entire reason why the guest was invited in the first place).
Below are a few ideas of ways to overcome your fears when working with the press:
1. “Fake it until you make it.” – Amy Cuddy, a Harvard Business School Associate Professor says, “Fake it until you make it.” She suggests that we hold power poses 10 minutes before an important meeting to help make us feel important. This increases testosterone in men and women and decreases cortisol (the stress hormone) truly making us act and feel more powerful in the inside out.
2. You are the master of your own domain: Similar to the above, but I often counsel clients and remind them they are experts at their own business – no one knows the subject better than they do. The entire reason they have been invited to the event/interview/conference is because they are seen as the expert in their industry. This is the time to bring your self-confidence to the top, reminding yourself that you have the history, knowledge and expertise to share with the public. A simple pep talk here sometimes does the trick!
3. Name the voice: Ok, a little California, but, bear with me, it works…Name the voice in your head that is telling you that you can’t do it, shouldn’t be interviewed, you’re not good enough. Just pay attention to it for 2 seconds and then kindly tell it to step aside. No kidding! Tell that inner voice to go away and come back another day.
4. Take a breath: yes, again, simple solution to a complicated problem. If you breathe deeply and then inhale once again, your voice coming with the exhale will sound louder and more clearer. The result? No more shaky voice and a deep, authoritative voice takes its place.
5. Practice & preparation: if you say it a few times before you make your appearance or have your scary meeting, your mind, body and voice will be familiar with what you’re saying and automatically calm your nerves.
At the end of the day, a little nervousness is quite common and useful. It’s a nod of respect to what you are doing and who you are presenting to – a media interview, meeting or presentation. It’s how we manage it that really counts.
Five Tips for a Top Media Training Session
Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be interviewed by the press? More and more these days, the press are bloggers who also can be your friends, family and your neighbors! But, what happens when that blogger also turns out to be a writer for Bloomberg, who then turns out to be a reporter for Bloomberg TV? Well, it’s your time to really shine. If you’re reading this, perhaps you’re looking for Tips on Avoiding Media Mishaps. However, this post is for current and potential clients looking to get the the most out of their upcoming media training session!
Here are 5 Tips for a Top Media Training Session:
- Share your stories: Watch and read old interviews you’ve participated in. Bring the clips to the trainer of print articles you liked/did not like. What was wrong with it? What was your best/worst experience with the press? Share this with the trainer so you can assess and avoid the same situation again.
- Trust the camera: The camera doesn’t lie. Watch yourself with a keen eye during the playback session. Discuss what can be done differently, accept the feedback and go back and try it again. We are often our own worst critics, however, a trainer has the skills to help you move beyond the negative self talk and come up with solutions to be a more effective communicator.
- Turn off the noise: Try – just try – to focus on the training. Imagine you are really in a press interview. What is it like to work with a journalist? Turn off cell phones, complete your texts and get to work. This may be your first (and last?) time you ever get to work with the press.
- Appearance does matter: Wear an outfit that you believe will appear well on camera. This is practice for the real thing. This includes hair, make-up and attire. Wear solid colors, not too much jewelry, no patterns or prints and avoid t-shirts (even if you are practicing for print interviews – appearance and professionalism is important).
- Prep yourself and your team: Prior to the session, prepare yourself – or your team — with the right messages: Do you know what you want to say about your company? How about your product, tech or APP launch? So many clients walk into the training and don’t understand this time is about delivering the message. If you need time to develop the message, schedule a separate session and get those messages in place prior to a media training.
Ideally, you will also match yourself or your client with the right trainer: Is the trainer the right person for you? Are you able to take advice from a man, a woman? Do you need broadcast TV preparation? Do you want to hear the truth? Do you need to have a current news reporter giving you advice? Find a trainer that fits in with your needs. Understand that many trainers have news backgrounds, and while that helps polishing up for an on-air/print interview, often these trainers don’t have the experience of working with companies and understanding their needs from an interview. On the other hand, does the trainer have PR experience? If that’s the case, ask if they have any experience serving as a spokesperson.
Personality matches do matter. Watch on-air clips or read print articles of the trainer and ask yourself, “Is this someone that I would want to give me honest and direct feedback, and can I take it from them?” If the answer is “yes” you’ve got yourself a partner to help you navigate the press for the day, and well beyond.
Binay Curtis is a media professional with more than 20 years of experience working in front of and behind the camera. She’s not shy at telling the truth and learning from her own mistakes as well. Follow Binay @Galaxysix around the web.
Refresh: Roller Coaster Ride For Obsessed Overnight Camp Parents
Since so many of us are clicking “refresh” on summer overnight camp photos, I’ve posted my thoughts and reflections from last year’s camp experience below. This year, I vow not to click “refresh”… as much.
This summer, I sent my daughter to overnight camp for the first time. Two weeks before she was supposed to leave, I was surprised I never heard a word from the camp. What to pack? How should I prepare my child? What if she got homesick? Parenting preparation? Kid preparation? I was left to my own devices (uh oh). As a communications professional, I was surprised the camp didn’t send us “how-to tips” such as preparing your child for sleepaway camp or preparing the parents for children to go away. Sure, the packing list was on the site, but I needed a little something more to help guide our child to this new adventure and stage in her life. Left to my own devices, I sent multiple texts to friends, who thankfully, understood my desire to prepare emotionally ahead of time. Camp Communications Tip #1: Text other mothers for support.
I figured out the camp communicates with parents once their children arrive via blog entries and photos. Once the lines of communication opened up, I was surprised at my reaction (aka “obsession”). Each day I went online and searched for photos of my daughter. In the first set of photos, I saw kids from last year greeting each other with a huge hug after they got off the bus. Since this was my daughter’s first year as a camper, I was worried she would feel lost and alone while the other children were hugging their friends from last year. I thought to myself: How was she feeling? Did she know where to go? Who was going to tell her how to get to her cabin? How to unpack? I didn’t cry when the bus left our neighborhood, but I did cry while reviewing the photos of her arrival. I was worried. Camp Communications Tip #2: Review the blog – do not obsess. Do not obsess. Do not obsess.
One day later, the camp posted a photo of her with a smile on her face, standing by her cabin. My thoughts ran wild: this is a fake smile. Not a bright smile, just a simple, unsure, I’ll be OK smile. Two days later the Camp Director posted a blog describing that my daughter was on a day trip. My mind raced. Was she having fun? I thought it was amusing that school field trips (15 minutes away) require several forms to be signed before they could go, while camp required none. Camp Communications Tip: Go back to Tip #2.
Each day as I anxiously read the blog and sorted through hundreds of photos, I couldn’t wait until I caught a glimpse of my daughter. Was that her behind the other kids? Was that her in the water? What shirt was she wearing? The lack of direct communication was very difficult. When our first letter arrived it had about 3-4 sentences: “Dear Mom, Dad & Devin, I’m having a good time. Here are a bunch of addresses I need. Also, I need stamps.” Word on the street is that this was a long letter. I’ll take it. Any form of communication. Camp Communications Tip #3: Write a lot, but don’t worry about responses.
I worry about many things, but I was still shocked about the roller coaster of emotions each time I read the camp blog, saw the photos and read letters from my daughter. I was truly relieved when I saw several fantastic photos of her big smiling face. By the end of two weeks, I knew she was happy, not from the letters, but I could read her body language. I saw the sparkle in her eyes, emotion on her face, an expression of happiness and clear signs of confidence. She was psyched. She was loving life. She felt free. Camp Communications Tip #4: Body language is everything.
Sure enough, upon pick-up day, I also cried. My husband couldn’t believe it and said, “We are getting her now. There ’s no reason to cry.” I guess it was a huge relief this roller coaster ride ended, AKA, summer camp. And….she had a fantastic time. Turns out, she didn’t want to leave. Camp Communications Tip #5: Let it go.
Below is a photo of my daughter on Day 2 of overnight camp this year. I’m pretty sure she’s in her “happy place.”
How do media mishaps take place? Take a look at this video of David Letterman’s Top Media Mishaps and see for yourself the hilarious ramblings of some prominent people and some tips on how to avoid them. These are fun to watch, but do you wonder, “How the hell could someone say that?” Personally, I have said things off the cuff and can’t believe that it came out of my mouth after I’ve said it during regular conversations. If you’re in Communications, have you ever sat next to your client and can’t believe what came out of his/her mouth during a meeting with a reporter? If you’re a reporter, are you just as stunned? Most of my media training clients have a horror story from working with the press.
Mishaps take place when people don’t take the time to practice and prepare for an important interview, presentation or conversation. When executives believe they know everything there is to know about working with the press and don’t need to be trained. I call it “the know-it-all” – we’ve all met that person!
One prominent CEO with a VC backed Internet Company refused to be part of a media training session claiming, “I know everything there is to know about my company. No one has ever asked me a question about my company that I could not answer.” Later the same CEO was in a broadcast studio, lights in his eyes, staring at the camera for a satellite interview, IFB all hooked up and he said to me, “Binay, can we practice before the interview?”
How can we convince executives they need training? My simple gut response is to let them fail. That will definitely convince them they need training and certainly the fastest and most effective way. While I stand by that theory, there are a couple of other ways to bring light onto this subject matter. First, explain to your executive that training for the media is like training for sports. Would you ever play in an important baseball game or the Olympics without intense training? I think not. A media opportunity is your chance to make it great, or, quite simply, to lose the game.
Another idea to add to your arsenal is to conduct an “at-home” session utilizing the iPhone or iPad camera. Record your executive answering a few questions and have them watch it. During this time, the executive will watch the playback and may get the feeling some professional help is in order. Usually we are our own worst critics and once executives see themselves on camera they usually come to terms with their need for a professional training.
At the end of the day, the best way to avoid media mishaps is to practice and prepare. Below are a few simple tips and tricks to avoid the most common mishaps:
- Think before you speak: As you take a look at the CEO of Lululemon, he didn’t have a clear message. He said, “The pants don’t fit everyone.” A public relations professional will tell you to have 3-5 message points, but practicing them out loud is equally as vital. Use your iPhone/iPad camera and practice delivering the message to friends and colleagues. Does it sound ok? How does the message get conveyed if taken out of context? Are you sending the right message utilizing effective verbal and non-verbal skills? How will the public respond? Not well in the Lululemon example.
- Know the format: This is especially true for broadcast, however, media is merging now. A blog post can have a video next to it because the reporter may have you answer a few questions and record it. Before you dismiss the importance of broadcast training, consider how much video is becoming integrated into everything online. Master effective delivery across all mediums to truly avoid media mishaps.
- Preparation is key: Try to determine each and every possible question before working with a reporter. You don’t need to memorize the answers, but it’s certainly a good way to be caught off-guard, like Former President Bush was in the video example
Whether you go with a professional trainer or just practice on your own, it can be the key to success or failure. Practice a variety of messages and formats and watch yourself before taking it to the public! Usually, the spokesperson on camera will be his/her own worst critic.
Binay Curtis— Binay Curtis has two decades of experience as a media coach working with celebrities, CEOs, company spokespeople and the financial community. As a top trainer in the Silicon Valley, Curtis has worked with Apple, Fenwick & West, Mozilla, OpenTable, Plum District and Yahoo! At the end of the day, her clients can be heard saying, “Wow, that was really helpful,” despite the fact they didn’t want to do the training in the first place! You can find her on any of your favorite social media networks and at www.galaxysix.com.
*This blog has also appeared on The Bulldog Reporter.
Lessons From Dad: Building Business with Conscience
****REPOST ALERT- ON BEHALF OF MY DAD’S 74th BIRTHDAY***
Recently, an article written in the Chicago Reader 23 years ago resurfaced online about the growth of my father’s pharmacy business. The article highlighted how my dad built his business by trusting customers living with HIV/AIDS to pay back his local pharmacy so they can receive their medication in a prompt manner. It emphasized how he got to know each of his customers, their families, and often made home deliveries at no extra charge. I remember sitting in the back of the car whining about having to make so many stops, and today I realize the amazing business he was building during those stops.
My father sold that pharmacy a long time ago and he currently works for Walgreens. Just like he did at his own store, he greets customers by their first names, spends a lot of time answering questions (based upon his experience, not Google!) and I’m sure he’d make a home delivery if Walgreens would allow it.
My father taught me a lot about customer service. Because of his example, when I work on individual and group media training sessions, I try to honor that person’s individual story. I provide the personal service they need and create a long term relationship. My goal is for people to feel comfortable coming back to me for advice. I received a call from a CEO last week in a panic needing a quick interview coaching session. I made my first house call.
My father proved the importance of customer service, being kind and respectful while growing a business. Most of his customers paid him back. Enough paid him back so that he could support our family. The true definition of success for people like my father is the ability to provide for a family and grow a business *while* being kind to others. As I continue to grow my public relations and media training business, I will always keep this very valuable lesson in mind.
Second Grade Storytelling & Presentation Skills
The other day I watched my daughter present her ‘Trickster Tales’ (stories about animals who trick others) in front of parents and her second grade class. I sat quietly watching her entire class present their stories in front of an audience of approximately 30 people. I was so impressed with the children’s ability to get up in front of an audience and present, and thought about what an important skill this is for the future and how it relates to my profession working with executives on their presentations skills.
I noticed how some children were naturally shy or outspoken, and others were just getting the hang of reading out loud. As a public relations professional, I really wanted to help them with their public speaking skills. As a mom, I just sat there in the moment, soaking it all up.
I found myself listening and watching, evaluating but enjoying, and taking in the art of storytelling. What is it that really draws us into the story? Is it the story, or is it the delivery of the story? Is it the way it was written, or is it the way it is communicated? I must admit, the child that really captured my attention was the one that read his story with a great deal of passion and emphasis. He looked up at the audience occasionally, connected with 1-2 people, and then looked back down to read his story. His voice projected, “listen to me – I’m going to tell you a great story!” His enthusiasm was consistent throughout the presentation. His eyes got wider during certain parts and expression grim during others. I couldn’t help but look up from my many messages on my phone and pay attention to what he was saying. Take a look at how wonderful he has presented his story here:
[youtube=http://youtu.be/r0hLMi86jzw]
Kids really are the best teachers, aren’t they?
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