Do It! Marketing Blog: Marketing for Smart People™

Marketing Coach: Your PR, Interviews & 15 Questions

marketing coach marketing speaker interviewOnce or twice a month, I get interviewed, featured or quoted by other experts, the news media, or my mom. (Hi Mom!) 

How can you do the same?

You won't get coverage from my mom but you WILL get major media from PRLeads.com like I do. Try it - it's your best deal for public relations bar none.

But that's not the point of this post.

The point of this post is... Balls.

Nerve.

Moxie.

Stepping up and asking for what you want. 

Just like my new friend Damian Niolet did when he asked me for an interview.

Damian could easily have succumbed to negative self-talk like "Oh, this David Newman character is a big deal and he'll never agree to an interview. I'm just a guy studying marketing who has a meager 50 Twitter followers. He's not going to waste his time talking to me..." and so on. 

Good news for Damian - he did not sabotage himself with any such nonsense. 

He asked. I said yes. We did an interview that totally kicked ass and - frankly - was a hell of a lot better than anything I've given to The New York Times, Philadelphia Business Journal (Hi Craig!) or FastCompany.com.

Here's the interview.

Listen online or grab a copy to download. 

Why is this interview valuable to you?

First, because Damian prepared thoughtful questions I've never been asked before. (Like the ethical code of marketing? Or how marketing affects our society? Wow... nice!) So the content will help you market smarter and generate more leads, better prospects and bigger sales. 

Secondly, this interview shows you how YOU may want to use interviewing as a marketing strategy yourself. Either purely for research OR to build relationships with your prospects and colleagues OR as a content development strategy to enrich your blog and establish yourself as an authority in your field. 

For your reference - and to make it easier to follow along if you listen in - here is the list of 15 questions Damian prepared for our conversation...

See if YOU can develop a list of smart, detailed and occasionally surprising questions like these for YOUR next interview: 

  1. Can you provide a brief overview of your experience, to include education?  (Leading up to your marketing experience, unless you knew from the start you wanted to work in marketing, in which case you can speak to your experience working for other marketing firms)
  2. What drove you to enter the world of marketing? (Your passion for marketing; Leading up to starting Do It! Marketing)
  3. What drove you to start up Do It! Marketing? (Why and when)
  4. What was the most difficult part of the start-up process? (How)
  5. Did you have a marketing strategy from the start?  How did it evolve?
  6. What is your view/opinion of how marketing has changed in the last 15-20 years?
  7. Has social networking always been a big part of your strategy? (Dependent on when Do It! Marketing was founded)
  8. What is the very first bit of advice you’d give to a client to get them started?
  9. What is the very most important bit of advice you’d give to a client for whom you are building a marketing strategy?
  10. What would you say to those who suggest that using social networks in a passive mode (as a conversation tool only) is time wasted because it does not necessarily focus on leads?
  11. Is there a medium, other than social networks, you believe to be invaluable?
  12. What company do you believe exemplifies marketing at its best?
  13. Is there an ethical code within marketing?  Is this code debatable? 
  14. The manner in which marketing is practice undoubtedly influences society at large.  Do you believe the marketing practices in America over the last 50+ years have had a positive or negative impact on society?
  15. What will marketing look like in the future?  Are there near-term changes we can expect?  Is there another revolution on the distant horizon?

Catch up with the rest of Damian's blog and keep your eye on this guy. He's gonna do BIG things. 

business coach business coaching

p.s. We still have a few open spaces for the Simple Marketing Success 10-Week Virtual Bootcamp experience. The program is open by application only. Let me know you're interested (email or call me 610.716.5984) and I'll forward you the application materials and program guidelines right away. We start the program September 26, 2012.

Tags: marketing speaker, marketing strategy, marketing success, media relations, marketing professional services, marketing coaching, public relations, small business coach, marketing ideas, marketing coach, marketing strategist, speaker marketing, small business marketing, questions, small business marketing coach

Marketing Concept: 5 Tips to Write What They Want to Publish

Today's marketing concept is another stunningly simple one. marketing concept - 5 pr tips for speakers and consultants

When it comes to your public relations or article marketing strategy...

Write What They Want to Publish - Don't Try to Publish What You Want to Write

If you're trying to put your expertise in the spotlight, don't go to the marketplace with a fixed number or pre-written articles and say "OK, where can we get these puppies printed?" When you're brand new, that might be enough - but once you're a truly up-and-coming though-leader, you start to need to pay close attention to:

  1. Editorial guidelines (follow 'em)
  2. Functional requirements such as word length (make overworked editors lives easier)
  3. Editorial calendars with themes and topics (don't make editors stretch too far)
  4. Current trends (be relevant and up-to-date)
  5. Today's headlines and top stories (be timely so you ride the wave of attention)

It's the old marketing mantra of "Find a need and fill it" - but when it comes to niche PR, association publications, trade magazines and industry journals, we too often lose sight of the fact that editors are buyers and our content is our product.

Tailor, customize, and work hard to meet the demand and you will be published over and over and over again. Because you're writing what they want to publish.

What do you think? Leave a comment below to share your article marketing or niche PR success story, tip, or question. Eager to hear from YOU:

Tags: marketing for speakers, marketing speaker, marketing concept, media relations, marketing agency, professional services marketing, public relations, professional speaker marketing, marketing coach, motivational speaker marketing, marketing consultant, small business marketing, marketing mix, thought leadership, marketing tips, raintoday

Marketing Coach: Product Development and PR for your business

product development for thought-leaders

As a marketing speaker and marketing coach, I've seen firsthand that there are three kinds of service business owners and independent professionals - which one are YOU?

1. You may have NO thought-leadership products and wish you did (audios, ebooks, high-value binders,client-pulling premium special reports, etc)...

2. You may have a published book through which you're selling your life's work for $20 a pop and you realize that's not smart professionally or financially...

3. You may have a mix of professionally published and self-published work both electronic and hardcopy but you want a NEW high-value information product that better reflects your current niche, expertise, or opens up an entirely NEW market for your services...and you want it FAST!

Good news...The NEW Product Development Toolkit 8-week group coaching program kicks off on May 10 and you're among the first to hear the details...

http://www.ProductDevelopmentToolkit.com

Somehow, some way, you want to grow your business so you get:

  • MORE Leads
  • MORE Clients
  • MORE Consulting Work
  • MORE Professional Services Engagements
  • MORE Profits
  • MORE Passive Income
  • and 100-300% MORE Revenue...

Which will in turn, help you generate:

  • MORE Cashflow
  • MORE Control
  • MORE Products and Services
  • MORE Subscribers
  • MORE Time Off
  • MORE Leverage
  • and dramatically MORE Freedom...

Just like YOU, I know what that feels like!

And as a marketing speaker, marketing coach,and former VP of Product Development for a $5 million revenue infopublishing company, I want to show YOU how to enhance your cashflow, grow your client base, and increase your leverage by helping YOU create your NEXT information product FAST.

http://www.ProductDevelopmentToolkit.com

The Product Development Toolkit is perfect for:

1. Experts who have finally realized that givingaway all their information in $20 books iskeeping them broke;

2. Executives fed up with the rat race, who want to start a business built on their personal orprofessional experience and expertise;

3. Professional speakers who are stuck in thebroken business model of chasing after a different audience for speeches every week;

4. Consultants who are stuck in the trading-hours-for-money trap;

5. Independent professionals who want to build their practice, establish their brand, and break away from the pack of "Same-o, Lame-o" competitors.

You'll get a customized product CREATION *and* product MARKETING toolkit that FITS, WORKS and LASTS... and you're also getting the help and support you need over time to IMPLEMENT it to create RESULTS.

Details and application information is onlinefor you here...

http://www.ProductDevelopmentToolkit.com

I look forward to hearing from you if you're one ofthe FEW smart, brave, and committed entrepreneurs who want more leverage, more momentum, more clients, and more fun in your professional services business...Not someday - but right now.

SPECIAL DEAL: As a reader of this blog, you're also getting a $100 discount on Dan Janal's Guaranteed Press Release Service where he will make sure your press release appears on at least 40 media sites with links pointing back to your site -- or its free! Normal price: $795. Your special price: Only $695.  For info, go to www.PressReleaseSender.com and put "David Newman" in the "referrer" box and you'll be mailed a check for $100 for your discount.

Not sure about sending a press release? Get Dan's free report on "How to Get Guaranteed Publicity with Press Releases" at http://www.pressreleasesender.com

What better way to position yourself as a thought leader than to have 40 or more high-traffic media sites SHOWCASE your expertise?

Hope you'll take advantage of BOTH of these opportunities to significantly boost your thought leadership platform!

Tags: marketing for speakers, marketing speaker, marketing for coaches, consultant marketing, consulting firm marketing, keynote speaker, media relations, kickass pr, professional services marketing, public relations, product development, professional speaker marketing, motivational speaker marketing, pr, recognized authority

Kickass PR that WORKS

professional speaker coach prFor professional speakers, consultants, coaches, independent professionals, and business owners, kickass public relations is often closer than you think.

It does NOT require an expensive PR firm or PR consultant - heck, it doesn't even take an expensive marketing coach - it just takes a simple public relations plan that you can execute yourself on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. 

10 can’t miss PR moves:

  1. Write a book and get it published (Self-publishing is great - and get Steve Weber's Plug Your Book to maximize its PR value)
  2. Write articles for any periodical, newspaper or magazine- (Contact editors to see what they want – they’re hungry for good content)
  3. Produce and distribute your own Audio PPT presentation with voiceover track using Camtasia and share it on Slideshare
  4. Stand out - quit looking and sounding like everybody else - have a contrarian perspective, a unique voice, and a strong opinion about your topic, industry, niche, and expertise
  5. Speak to any group that will listen to you; the more you speak, the more you speak!
  6. Hold a free teleconference and invite clients, prospects, and guests from the media (print, radio, bloggers, etc)
  7. Join the organizations that your target customers belong to – and actively participate, offer to be their PR liaison, write their press releases, become the face and voice of that organization
  8. Be a smart networker and network daily!!! (Never eat alone!) 
  9. No boring business cards - no boring template websites  - no aol or comcast.net email address - LOOK like a credible expert
  10. ASK!!!! Help, connections, and introductions are just 1 question away! 
  11. (Bonus) Establish REAL relationships with journalists and reporters – they’ll ask YOU for help!
  12. (Bonus) Take a giant shortcut by using www.prleads.com - tell owner Dan Janal I sent you
  13. (Bonus) Comment on industry-leading blogs with insightful, valuable answers
  14. (Bonus) Do NOT ask a marketing speaker or marketing coach who can't count for advice on PR

p.s. If you'd like some personalized help - and your very own customized email and phone outreach tools, social media scripts, a killer email signature file, a polished referral blurb and more, check out the Small Biz Outreach Action Packs.

Tags: media relations, kickass pr, public relations, professional speaker marketing