The Art of the Perfect Pitch

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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:

  1. Get your elevator pitch down. (Need I say more?)
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.

Five Tips for a Top Media Training Session

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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:

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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).
  5. 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.

 

Avoid Media Mishaps/0 Comments/in , , , , , , , /by

 

babbling

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:

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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

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Alan dad

****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.

NormandiePharmacy-2

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.

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Second Grade Storytelling & Presentation Skills

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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? 

Tick Tock…Let Your Passion Make You Rock!

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What makes you tick? Besides my family and Crossfit, I get excited about helping people improve during my media training sessions.  Last week, I had the honor of media training several extremely intelligent executives with one of the leading companies in the Silicon Valley. We talked a lot about how to find passion in the message you deliver. How can you get enthusiastic about something that you do all day long?

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First, figure out what makes you tick. Why are you at your job today? What is really exciting about your launch/product/app? What part of your job do you talk about most outside of work? Yep, think of 3 things that excite you about it, and if you can’t, well…don’t talk to the media then! Write down those 3 things when you are psyched about them – keep them on a notepad.

It starts with…

  • “I am most excited about…”
  • “This APP is so cool because it…”
  • “Other people are going to love this because…”

When (IF) you get there, share your knowledge and passion with the press.

Lastly, don’t forget to try it out during a practice interview session.

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Make sure you are being genuine so you feel confident delivering the message, repeatedly. Remember media trainers have their own techniques and you should find the right one for you and your company. My goal is to make sure that spokespeople are confident with the message and delivery so they can share their knowledge, passion and enthusiasm with the public and the press.

Ok…3-2-1. GO!

Thank you, Marco!

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Thank you Marco Rubio for providing me fuel for my media training sessions today! There are lots of bloopers, but this very well tops it. During my media training sessions, I often train people on the non-verbal and the verbal communication – how the two meet…I recently added to the presentation: “55-80 percent of communication is non-verbal.” I have no idea where to credit the source, but, now, I’m so much more secure about that fact. What did Marco Rubio say? Does anyone know?

Thanks, Marco!

Thanks, Marco!

When I started writing this post YouTube had the video without a commercial; 10 minutes later a Maybelline advertising came up at the beginning.  Here it is, if you are the only person in the world who hasn’t seen it! Next time you are in a media training lesson, remember, go back to the basics – that’s what can make or break your 15 minutes of fame.  The question is: did he make it or break it?

The end of an Era for PR?

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I have had many mentors throughout my career, but the people that really shaped my career were my supervisors* at Edelman Public Relations. Daniel J. Edelman, the Founder of Edelman Public Relations,  passed away Tuesday. Is this the end of an era?

Dan made so many valuable contributions to PR, including media tours with the Toni Twins, Morris the 9-Lives Cat, KFC and others. I remember calling the press for the Butterball Turkey Talk Line, touring with Eddie, the dog from “Mad About You,” and traveling with Morris, the 9-Lives  Cat. Imagine media training a cat. Not easy.

Morris

Back in the early 90’s, PR with Morris the Cat

But, what I really remember about Dan Edelman is how he always recognized his staff for doing great work. In a post I wrote a couple of days ago,  I indicated that sometimes a PR firm’s results don’t sync with a client’s expectations, thus a frustrating outcome. However, Dan seemed to always recognize hard work and wrote ‘Edel-grams’ in handwriting when an account person/team deserved the praise.  Twenty years later, I dug out those notes, as seen here:

Daniel Edelman Memo

Thank you Dan, for always appreciating the hard work that goes into Public Relations. Thank you for establishing the amazing firm that helped launch my career in public relations and media training, and for running a respected family business that continues to thrive today. Your memory will live on.

Edelman Memo 2

* Thanks to Nancy Ruscheinski (who credits my work with her addition to Dan’s hand-written note, showed me how to work hard and have fun, and always supported my work) and Alix Salyers (who probably is cringing at the typOS made in this post), but  taught me about being tenacious, yet respectful, with the press, clients and peers.

Crossfit and Public Relations Intersect

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I love Crossfit. I’m addicted. Maybe the way I was addicted to aerobics in 1986, step aerobics in 1987, and pretty much everything from 1988 – 1992. If you knew me during this time, you probably saw me teaching at the gym, or rushing to or from a workout. Following college, I became addicted to running, swimming, biking, triathlons, Bikram Yoga – you name it, I taught it, ran it, gave it a whirl.  I’ve pretty much been chasing the perfect image since I was 16.

Then I became an image expert when I was 21 years old. Creating headlines for fitness magazines, and image campaigns for Life Fitness (makers of the Lifecycle) and NordicTrack. At Edelman Public Relations, I trained executives and spokespeople to speak to the press and shaped their company image so consumers would want to buy their product. When a client wanted media attention, I helped create a story or event to get coverage in everything from Muscle & Fitness to the Today Show and The Wall Street Journal. But, at times, clients were still not happy. I remember when my client from Life Fitness saw the piece in The Wall Street Journal and simply wrote, “…Wall Street Journal is good.”

Life Fitness "kudos"

Setting goals (and meeting them) became an important part of the job. What did the client want out of the program? Was it press? Events? Speaking opportunities? How many impressions did they want? Working at one of Silicon Valley’s leading PR firms during the dotcom boom helped me identify and re-evaluate the importance of setting goals. Working with high profile companies like Yahoo! and Apple demanded that we achieve these goals.

Crossfit captures your attention by asking you to set some goals. Unlike an aerobics class, where you work to get to a weight or image you want, Crossfit demands that you set fitness goals for that day, while your coach and fellow Crossfitters hold you accountable for achieving them. These are not weight goals, such as “I want to weigh 110 lbs.,” (which would be nice), but, more like, “I’d like to push press 110 lbs.” There are goal trackers online for the amount of weight you lift, and goals are reflected in the WOD (Workout of the Day). The goals have to do with the number of reps, time completed or amount of weight you lift. It keeps you coming back for more.

Setting goals with your public relations firm, team or consultant may include the amount of placements, the amount of APP downloads or the quality of the placement. To me, the latter is the most important. If you get a placement in The Wall Street Journal that is consistent with your message, that can’t be beat. It is beyond “good.”

Let’s face it: setting goals helps us all work harder. In Crossfit, “PR” stands for Personal Record. What is your PR this year? What are your goals, for life, work and play?

As a consumer or a client, you need to decide who will help you do the heavy lifting to achieve your goals.

at TJ's Games...

at TJ’s Games…