VJs Power Blog

One of the most difficult promises to keep to yourself—whether it is in the New Year or anytime– is to fulfill your dream.

Writers who complete their work and either self-publish or attract a publisher to get their product out to the world now have the task of helping potential readers find them and learn what they’re about.

That’s where media training comes into play.

I’m starting off the New Year with the “Book Tour Basics” Online Coaching to get you up to speed quickly.  Sometimes it feels like such foreign territory to those who aren’t used to speaking and answering questions and engaging an audience through readings, but it takes very little time to learn the ropes.

Then as long as you practice, and get out there to take the next steps on your journey, not only will your readers find you, they’ll follow your dream as well.

May 2010 be a prosperous, joyful year for all of you.

Writer / Director Jason Reitman has found a playful way to deal with the onslaught of questions asked during his current press tour for his new movie Up in the Air with George Clooney.

He’s made a pie chart.

The colors of slices indicate how many of the reporters questions have been about the film, vs. Clooney vs. the U.S. economy vs. his Dad, legendary director / producer Ivan Reitman.

I remember seeing Jason at the screening of Thank You for Smoking where he talked about how he had gone off to medical school on the East Coast, thinking that’s what he ’should’ do—but he was miserable.  His Dad told him to do whatever he loved—which happened to be the film industry—and the rest is history.

Jason Reitman brought us Juno.  And Thank You For Smoking.  And now, Up in the Air.

Don’t worry Dad.  That East Coast education still paid off.  Where else would you learn to do a pie chart?

I’m back on the air anchoring the morning news at KABC 790 TalkRadio in Los Angeles this week, and as I was listening to the talk show host Peter Tilden interview a company spokesman today it struck me how easily information flows when you’re ready to play the game.

Communication is that special ability to both listen and speak; answer and ask.  And when you handle it at the pace, language level, and entertainment quality the fast-paced broadcast world demands, it can be a pleasure to listen to and participate in.

When the host glanced at the clock and told the phone-in guest he had “just a minute left” to wrap it up, and he tossed him another question, the guest answered it within the time constraint and on target.  That seldom comes naturally to people.  But when you train that media muscle, you can perform like a champ.

For self-published authors and those at small to mid-sized presses, it’s critical that you know how to get out there and sell your book.  And now that major publishing houses have also cut publicity staff, the task is just as important for their authors.

So I’m offering a 2-hour online course for you:  BOOK TOUR BASICS, on Saturday, Oct. 17th, 10am-noon west coast time.

I’m limiting the number of authors in the class to ten people so we can really get into YOUR specific book project to:

Find your story hook to attract the media

Nail the “what’s your book about?” opening question

Relieve the stress and panic of performance

Adapt to all types of interviews - Radio, TV, Phone, Internet

AND…SELL LOTS OF BOOKS!

Class size is limited to ten people, so sign up HERE.

The war of words on television shows can get overwhelming.  But if you want to judge what people are REALLY saying, TURN OFF THE SOUND.

That’s right.  Hit the mute button and just OBSERVE the person.  Watch their eyes, their hand gestures, the attitude either displayed or hidden on their faces.  People can be trained to say almost any message, but if they don’t feel it, it shows.

I teach my clients natural communication–how to remove barriers such as fear and lack of focus, so your message comes through strong and clear.  But that message has to be genuine.

As for those who are being trained by someone else to simply mouth messages—well as the adage goes…

ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS.

“Your coaching helped me both on the radio and in my first presentation—

I got a standing ovation, and sold lots of books and CDs!”

My client launched his book tour last week and is already seeing RESULTS.

To kick off the Fall Book Tour Season, I’m offering a

BOOK TOUR BASICS SPECIAL:

2-hour ONLINE Training for $97

DATE: Wed., Sept. 30^th, 10am -12noon Pacific Time

Whether you’re self-published or with a small or large publisher—this program will work for you.

In this customized media training session you will learn how to

Find your story hook to attract the media

Nail the “what’s your book about?” opening question

Relieve the stress & panic of performance

Adapt to all types of interviews – Radio, TV, Phone, Internet

AND…SELL LOTS OF BOOKS.

ONLINE SESSION IS LIMITED TO 10 PARTICIPANTS, SO

SIGN UP NOW BY CLICKING HERE.

What do you need to be a successful communicator?

Whether you want to wow the team at work with your Power Point– Win your spouse over to take that special vacation– or Get people to buy your product or service– you’ve got to know how to deliver your message with confidence.

I was interviewed this week by author Caroline Leavitt about how and why Media Training fills those needs, and she begins the blog article with her own story to prove the point.

Visit her site, enjoy the Q&A, and check out her wonderful array of books!

This week I worked via phone with a client who’s about to start his book tour, and the focus was on clarifying and strengthening his media messages.

When you’ve written a 400-600 page book, it seems daunting to boil it down to 2 sentences when the show host asks “so, what’s your book about?”  But that is the essence of good media interviews.  When you’re able to describe your material in a succinct, entertaining, and informative way, that is Part 1.  The SECOND PART of the ability, when you ace it, puts you into the “she-was-so-great-let’s-have-her-back-again” category.

What is PART TWO?

Making your message POWERFUL.  That means it is simple, yet profound.

Now, not every subject demands such lofty goals.  If you’re main character’s a chaotic, coffee-swilling, hang glider who stumbles upon a murder and has to solve it, you might think “it’s just a mystery novel.”  And you may be too close to the material to discover the simple, powerful description.

That’s why you hire a communication specialist to help you dig through the story to find the essence of that connection to the audience.

We found it in our media training session this week.  And once YOU find it, you will know the Power of Simplicity.

I recently hooked a friend up with a producer to do a radio interview in a top market.  He had assured me he’d done plenty of these and was ready for it, although he was not a client of mine and I had not done any media training with him.

So…how did it go?  I’ll let his email tell you.

I overslept, had double scheduled a second meeting and didn’t have my coffee. Also had a headache. It wasn’t my best interview.  I knew when it was going down that I was blowing it. I couldn’t get back under control. I’ll be better next time.

REALLY?  How?

And the bigger question is— why do you think there will BE a next time?  At least at this major media outlet. Broadcasters expect you to be ready– to debate, discuss, entertain, enlighten.

And if you don’t take the time to go through media training and learn the skills and institute the discipline it takes to be a good media interview…

As they say in Hollywood: If you don’t change the script, the same bad movie will keep playing.

I often peruse company websites to get a feel for their vision, focus, clientele and values, and sometimes what I find is startling.

I recently hit upon a PR agency website, specializing in technology and start-ups.  The owner described herself on the bio page as ‘direct’ with a no-nonsense approach.

Then I clicked on her blog.

She cussed like a sailor.  In every posting, there were four-lettered words, lashing out at someone or something.  This, on a professional company blog.

What she may have interpreted as ‘direct’ came off as ANGRY.  And no one I would ever want to do business with.

Whether you’re on Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn, Plaxo or especially on the blog that’s linked on your company website, your face and company are on public view–the same as if you were live on TV.  Would you talk that way on TV?  Not for more than 3 seconds.  They’d yank you.  For there’s not much of a reason to add to the negative state of the world.