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How To Gain Top Of Mind Awareness in a Bottom-Line World
by Pam Lontos
As corporations in every industry are tightening their belt straps in
order to keep themselves in the black, the competition for professional
speakers to present to these organizations is tougher than ever. Corporate
meeting planners, looking for the most bang for their buck, are scrutinizing
every speaker's credentials and reputation in the hopes of booking the
most influential presenter for their company's event. As a result, many
talented and compelling speakers may find that their phones aren't ringing
as much as they used to, and the time between speaking engagements may
be increasing with every passing week.
If this scenario sounds all too familiar, there is hope. In this age of
increased corporate bottom line consciousness, getting top of mind awareness
will set you apart from the competition. What is top of mind awareness?
It's when people think of you first to fulfill their meeting's needs.
It's when magazines quote you and publish your articles, and when radio
and TV shows feature you as a guest expert. It's when meeting planners
and prospects say, "I've seen your name everywhere." But most
important, it's when people book you as a speaker because they know your
name and perceive you as a leader.
Gaining top of mind awareness should be the number one goal of your publicity
efforts. In fact, when done correctly, effective publicity will not only
lead to higher fees, increased bookings, and greater credibility, but
it will also help you develop name recognition and make you stand out
in the eyes of your prospects. Here's how the pros use publicity to enhance
their top of mind awareness.
1. Develop your "hook"
No one wants to hear the same old message over and over again. That's
why you must develop a hook-a unique angle-that sets you apart from other
speakers. For example, suppose your area of expertise is employee motivation
and team building. In order to stand out in your prospects' minds, you
can specialize your message to "motivating sales (or administrative
or technical, etc.) employees" or "team building amidst downsizing."
The more you can make your message unique or different from the "old
way," the more recognition and attention you'll attract.
2. Write articles
Getting published in a magazine or trade journal is an excellent way to
become perceived as an expert. Articles allow you reach hundreds of thousands
of people for free, and you'll receive the same amount of clout as other
more well-known authors. Additionally, you can reprint your published
articles and use them as promotional items. When meeting planners see
your impressive list of published pieces, they'll consider you an industry
leader and will want you to speak to their organization. Regardless of
your speaking topic, you undoubtedly have plenty of ideas you could write
about. Make your articles stand out by emphasizing your "hook"
and giving the readers useful information they can implement today.
3. Make phone calls to editors, reporters, and producers
Phone calls are the most effective way to build rapport with the media.
By talking with an editor, reporter, or producer, you can learn exactly
what they need and can customize your message for their audience. Whenever
you have an article or show idea, call the appropriate person and present
your topic. Ask questions such as, "What are your readers (or viewers
or listeners) looking for?" "What are you looking for?"
and "What angle do you want the story to take?" Make changes
to your initial idea based on the answers you get. If you receive a "no"
response, ask, "What don't you like," and adapt your presentation
on the spot. The more you customize your message to their particular audience,
the more likely you are to be their next guest expert or featured author.
4. Send fax-outs and mail-outs
If you need to reach a large audience in a short period of time, fax and
mail outs are ideal. They allow you to quickly and easily target key people
who will get you the most publicity. Some examples of items you can fax
and/or mail are press releases, upcoming book releases, a newly published
article, product specials, or anything else that can get you publicity.
Watch the breaking news and if something ties in with your topic, fax
a press release to newspapers offering your take as an expert to interview
for the situation. Likewise, if you mail magazines a sampling of your
articles or some topic that would interest their readers, the editors
will call you in order to get the whole story or to interview you for
a story they are currently writing. The key is to target your audience
and keep your message customized for their unique needs.
Top of mind awareness is your ticket to a successful speaking career.
The more publicity you generate and the more people are aware of you,
the higher your chances for being the speaker of choice to your prospects
and clients. Remember, in this age of economic uncertainty, your message
will make meeting planners take notice, but the frequency of your name
being heard over and over will make them take action and book you today.
_____________________________________________________
Pam Lontos is owner of PR/PR, a public relations firm that
specializes in professional speakers and authors. Having been an author,
speaker, and former VP of Disney's Shamrock Broadcasting, she knows the
ropes of getting you good publicity and how to use it to really boost
your bookings or book sales. Call for a free consultation at (407) 299-6128.
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