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Is Vacuum a Noun or a Verb, in Terms of AI?

It’s both. Learn why that matters.

Vacuum as a noun means a space entirely or partially devoid of matter. It also refers to a machine used for cleaning.

Vacuum as a verb refers to the act of using this machine to gather materials and particles.

Here’s how the word vacuum relates to your digital presence and Artificial Intelligence (AI).

“AI hates a vacuum. When Large Language Models encounter an information vacuum about you or your business, they often hallucinate outdated or negative narratives,” according to Steven Giovinco, Founder, Recover Reputation.

When AI is looking to vacuum up information about you, and it comes up short because of your limited digital presence, you are at a distinct disadvantage.

You may even be vulnerable to misinformation.

You must not stand in a vacuum online. Personal branding professionals and reputation management experts emphasize actively building your online presence and reinforcing it.

Your goal is to create and, to the extent possible, control the information about you that AI tools will locate and vacuum.

“AI systems scrape from a wide range of sources online. Much of their output simply rehashes existing writing,” explains Shannon Wilkinson, Founder and CEO, Reputation Communications.

This online writing consists of self-published materials, plus those distributed by third parties.

For example, your website probably displays:

    1. Biography and Credentials
    2. Case Studies
    3. Descriptions of Products and Services
    4. E-books and Reports
    5. List of Clients or industries served
    6. Newsletters and Blog posts
    7. Presentations
    8. Representative projects
    9. Self-written social media posts
    10. Videos

These are viewed as trustworthy by the AI tools.

As for content published by others, some examples are:

    1. Articles in Industry Publications
    2. News Stories Quoting Your Insight
    3. Podcast Appearances
    4. Speaking at Conferences
    5. Non-authored Social Media Posts
    6. Webinars

  • In terms of companies and individuals that are quoted in news stories, being named in The Wall Street Journal, among other top tier media, can be highly impactful in building brand awareness.However, “AI systems tend to select niche-appropriate outlets frequently when queried about specific industries,” per a report by Muck Rack, a database of reporters.

    Consider how you might be mentioned in the media, whether as a source in the local metropolitan business magazine or as the author of an article in a client’s industry newsletter or your professional membership association’s publication.

    Either would be highly valued by an AI tool and begin to fill the vacuum.

    Finally, as a reminder, your writing, speaking, online activity and quotes by reporters serve to confirm:

    • You are the professional the prospective client heard speak, read about or was referred to.
    • You have the skills, education and experience to help them solve their problem.
    • You have the trust of your clients and the respect of your peers.
  • Fill the online vacuum with materials that support The Confirmation Process.

  • This Month’s Tip

    Conduct an experiment to see what AI vacuums up, similar to a Google search for yourself. Use this prompt and be sure to request the sources: Is YOUR NAME a trusted professional for YOUR LINE OF BUSINESS?

    Review the response, the number of sources and whether they are self-published or by third parties. Next, develop an active content plan to publish on a monthly, quarterly or even weekly basis. You will then control more of the online references that AI will vacuum.

    Contact

    Based on your experiment, you may be overwhelmed with the opportunity to fill the online vacuum. Will you create videos or launch a newsletter? Will you reach out to reporters with your insights or publish articles? Contact me at Janet@JanetLFalk.com, set an appointment here or call me at 347.256.9141. Together we’ll develop materials to address the vacuum of your digital presence. We’ll give the AI tools more content to vacuum up.

    See also: With AI, Your Website No Longer is the First Point of Contact with Prospective Clients and Your Content Ecosystem and AI.

    Click here to read prior issues of this newsletter.

    Click here to subscribe to this monthly newsletter and make sure you don’t miss the next issue.

    Image credit: Vacmaster

    Good and Ready vs. Good & Plenty

    Consider the potential clients who never enter the marketing funnel.

    You may recall the licorice-flavored candy Good & Plenty. Let’s put that phrase in a marketing context and give it a spin. Now it becomes Good and Ready.

    Marketers refer to the marketing funnel, using the acronym AIDA.
    Attention
    Interest
    Desire
    Action

    Once a company has caught a potential client’s attention, it provides information to the prospect in order to develop an interest in their services or products. This sparks a desire for same and leads to an action, namely purchase or hire.

    Here is the problem with the marketing funnel.

    It often focuses primarily on those who are already acquainted with the company and then become passive recipients of a periodic flow of information.

    Let’s consider the prospective client in an active stance.

    They recognize they have a problem or a poor situation and they seek a solution.

    They ask among their contacts for assistance or a referral.

    They look online for a similar case to learn of their options.

    They do not enter the company-driven funnel.

    This is where The Confirmation Processr brings a contrary approach to traditional marketing.

    As a reminder, potential clients seek to confirm:

    1. You are the person they heard about, through a referral, article, webinar or podcast, when they already know your name (they may not know it).
    2. You have the skills, knowledge and experience to help them in their current situation.
    3. You have the trust of your clients and the respect of your peers.

    This is why it is essential to create content and distribute it online. The potential client who requires a resource will find you in their Internet search and confirm you are the professional who can assist them.

    In fact, “B2B buyers follow a consistent pattern when making purchase decisions. They spend 70% of their buying journey doing their own research before talking to vendors,” according to a report by marketing agency 6sense.

    I’ve worked with clients who contacted me after viewing a recorded webinar or reading an article that was created more than a year before.

    In other words, when they were Good and Ready.

    This Month’s Tip

    How will you be found by the potential buyers looking for someone like you? Be actively present on the Internet. Publish your insights and speak about them where your potential clients seek information. Possible outlets include:

    • Industry magazines and newsletters
    • LinkedIn posts
    • Conferences
    • Webinars
    • Podcasts

    Additionally, develop materials that reside on your website, where they will be found by online search and AI tools:

    • Newsletters
    • Checklists
    • Videos

    Contact

    It’s time for you to promote your perspective on best practices and trends in your sector. Contact me at  Janet@JanetLFalk.com, set an appointment here or call me at 347.256.9141. Let’s sweeten your online presence so you will be found when potential clients are Good and Ready.

    Click here to read prior issues of this newsletter.

    Click here to subscribe to this monthly newsletter and make sure you don’t miss the next issue.

    Audit and Reinvigorate Your Marketing and Communication Resources

    Apply the Confirmation Process to ensure greater impact. At the start of the New Year, an audit might help you address how to reinvigorate your Communications and Marketing activities in upcoming months. As you may recall, The Confirmation Process has three steps, from the user’s perspective. The person who lands on your website or LinkedIn profile seeks to confirm that you:
    1. are the same professional they heard about, read an article by or heard speak
    2. have the knowledge and skills to solve their problem
    3. have the trust of your clients and the respect of your colleagues.
    In this audit of your Communications and Marketing resources, you may analyze how well they comply with the Confirmation Process and take steps to improve them. For example:
    • Does your photo convey warmth and accessibility?
    • Does your website provide clear discussions demonstrating that you know the ins and outs of the potential client’s specialization?
    • Do your testimonials reflect successful client projects?
    • Do your published articles and speaking engagements show your stature in the industry?
    This audit, with a checklist of a baker’s dozen of resources, has links for guidance so you can confirm and refresh each item. Note, too, how often to update them: Twice Weekly LinkedIn posts Weekly Online references to your name and business Monthly Newsletter or Blog Quarterly Website LinkedIn Profile Email Signature Elevator Pitches (for those in your field and for others outside it) Media Profile (to introduce yourself to reporters) Press Release and Announcement Publish Article in an Industry Magazine Speak at a Workshop, Conference or Networking Group Annually Giveaway Directory Listings Now, after the prospect has read (or heard) any of these, can they easily contact you, by phone or email? Check to ensure those details are clearly visible (and audible) .

    This Month’s Tip

    Choose. Schedule. Multiply. Maintaining an active presence with all thirteen resources is undoubtedly time-consuming. Start with this reinvigoration and confirmation process. Then, Choose among the items and prioritize, based on your available time and budget, plus the success you recorded with each one. Having made that selection, periodically Schedule an update to ensure the materials are current. Finally, Multiply the content you develop. A panel presentation may become an article for an industry magazine. A summary of that publication is the basis of a social media post and a link to the article is displayed in your email signature. Voila! Four ways to deliver your insights.

    Contact

    Note how this audit yields resources that complement each other and extend your reach. When you need assistance to evaluate and reinvigorate your materials, contact me at  Janet@JanetLFalk.com, set an appointment here or call me at 347.256.9141. Together, we’ll review your 13 to multiply your success in ’26. Click here to read prior issues of this newsletter. Click here to subscribe to this monthly newsletter and make sure you don’t miss the next issue.
    Image credit: Pioneer Institute  

    Your Content Ecosystem and AI

    Deliver insights to the AI search engines so you will be found online more often. Reputation management professionals have long focused on monitoring positive and negative mentions of companies and individuals online. AI search engines are also scanning the Internet for references. Even Google and Bing automatically produce AI generated summaries in their searches. Company websites are self-published, so AI looks for internal consistency to evaluate their credibility. Here are the elements of your content ecosystem that contribute to consistent messages to your visitors and to AI. Each is carefully formulated to highlight your areas of expertise, addressing specific issues in multiple formats:
    1. Biography and Credentials
    2. Case Studies
    3. Descriptions of Products and Services
    4. E-books and Reports
    5. List of Clients or industries served
    6. Newsletters and Blog posts
    7. Presentations
    8. Representative matters
    9. Self-written social media posts
    10. Videos
    You exercise complete control over the topic and format for all of them. Frequent discussion of a specific subject signals your knowledge and background to AI search engines. The reward is you will be cited more often in searches conducted with AI when you regularly whet its appetite with relevant content. Note, however, the content distributed through external sources, while also addressing these topics, is treated as more trustworthy. That’s because, from an AI perspective, it is produced by third parties who verify your authority:
    1. Articles
    2. News Stories Quoting Your Insight
    3. Podcast Appearances
    4. Speaking at Conferences
    5. Non-authored Social Media Posts
    6. Webinars

    The AI search engines corroborate and evaluate these discussions. For example, they use context to distinguish between self-posted social media mentions and those published by parties who are not affiliated with the same entity.

    This Month’s Tip

    The more often your content appears, the more material AI search engines will locate and the more authoritative you become. Apply the content multiplication approach to the ten formats noted above. Consider how you can extract more juice from a newsletter, for example, by emailing it to a reporter as a suggestion for a news story. Perhaps the subject of a blog post becomes the jumping off point for a conference presentation. The AI search engine is a hungry beast, always seeking fresh material; feed it regularly.

    Contact

    What’s in your content ecosystem that merits another tasting? Contact me at  Janet@JanetLFalk.com, set an appointment here or call me at 347.256.9141. Together, we’ll brainstorm ways to serve up your ideas to AI. See also: With AI, Your Website No Longer is the First Point of Contact with Prospective Clients. Click here to read prior issues of this newsletter. Click here to subscribe to this monthly newsletter and make sure you don’t miss the next issue.
    Image credit: Magnet  

    But Who’s Counting?

    Consider which numbers matter most for your business.

    You know it’s important to periodically review your digital presence on multiple platforms.

    Here’s my view on the value of the respective numbers yielded in each instance. Consider how your routine and your analysis compare.

    Daily:
    I check the Profile viewers of my LinkedIn profile and Messages. When the visitors or correspondents are new, I assess our potential alignment. When it appears favorable, I contact them and invite them to chat as a preliminary step to a connection. I ignore sales pitches and seemingly random visitors.

    When these visitors are existing connections, I usually email them to learn what’s new and if there is some way I might help them.

    The number of visitors and messages has little meaning, because some are irrelevant. What does matter is setting up a mutually productive conversation and cultivating a relationship.

    I post every weekday on LinkedIn, reply to comments on my posts and comment on the posts of others among my contacts. Sometimes I search for posts by a contact’s name or by hashtag topic. Sometimes I simply review what LinkedIn has served up in my feed.

    I do not pay much attention to the numbers of viewers, reactions and comments on my LinkedIn posts. Some posts get 200 views, and some get 20. A post reporting the highlights of a social media conference received 18,000 views. How many people then looked at my profile or website? I’ve no idea. The LinkedIn algorithm works in mysterious ways. I leave it to others to figure out how to game the system.

    Weekly:
    I search for my name and the name of my business online. I want to learn what others might say about me and if a recently recorded podcast has become available. It’s vital to monitor my online reputation and address any misinformation or negative critique.

    The total number of online references is variable. As long as I find a few positive references, usually to my LinkedIn posts and newsletter, and no negative references, I am content.

    Every Thursday I review my Marketing RBI for the ways I promoted my insights:

    • Networking
    • Speaking
    • Writing
    • Being active in the trade association of my target market
    • Posting online about these activities, plus other thoughts

    This is the single number that I find most valuable. When I come up short in one of the five categories, I still have Friday to step up and swing for the fences.

    Monthly:
    After I distribute my monthly newsletter to about 1,000 subscribers, I check the open rate daily for a few days. When it’s at least 50%, that means I have a loyal readership, like you, which I appreciate.

    I notice which people are new subscribers and consider how I came to their attention. If we met, I’m glad to learn our conversation prompted them to keep in touch with me.

    As for the ones who unsubscribed, I read their names and then do not give them a second thought. Often, they rarely read the newsletter in the past; therefore, their departure actually improves my open rate.

    Quarterly:
    I update my LinkedIn profile and website content, to ensure they are current. My Public Relations and Marketing Communications practice has evolved over these 17 years. I want an accurate picture of my services displayed online.

    When it comes to the traffic on my website, I barely look at it. My site is a library of resources, not a destination.

    Lawline provides a quarterly statement of the viewers of my recorded webinars. It’s a thrill to see, for example, one is very popular; Why HER and Not ME? How YOU Can Be the Attorney Reporters Call was viewed 982 times between July and October 2025.

    Because I do not have the contact information of the attorneys who watched the webinars, the number of viewers is not especially meaningful.

    Ask yourself:
    Are the numbers for your LinkedIn profile visitors, readers and commenters of your posts, newsletter subscribers and website visitors truly revealing insights to you? If so, how will those numbers guide your next step?


    This Month’s Tip

    My numbers don’t add up to much, do they? The true data point for me is asking people: where did you see my name online, when did you hear me speak or who referred you to me. You should pose the same questions to those who contact you for your services. Based on those answers, focus on that activity, regardless of its number.

    Contact

    Which numbers are you tracking? Contact me at Janet@JanetLFalk.com, book an appointment here or call me at 347.256.9141. Together, we’ll review your marketing efforts to make sure your activities are the ones that count.

    This discussion was inspired by Michael Katz, who advises, “decide what to pay attention to and to what degree … and what can be safely ignored.”

    Image credit: Anders

    Rachel Clar

    Janet and I met at a networking event of my target market: women attorneys. At that group’s event, she introduced me to several amazing leaders – Janet is a fabulous connector and is an incredible member of my Board of Advisors. Janet led a webinar for my company, Interconnected Us, and she brought a ton of value to everyone in attendance. She also advised me on ways to plan and perform at my best when I appear on podcasts. Her monthly newsletters, like her LI posts, offer a ton of valuable tips on public relations, marketing and managing a business. I’ve learned so much from Janet, not to mention her generosity in connecting me with others. As I’ve posted several times, I highly recommend subscribing to Janet’s newsletter and connecting with her on LinkedIn. She’s such a dynamic professional and drops knowledge all the time.

    Jaime Wolf

    In a world that fosters and virtually demands “continuous partial attention,” it’s rare to work with someone who’s focused on the job at hand. Janet was very much focused on the job at hand, and that made working with her a pleasure. We benefited enormously from her knowledge and experience, as well as her diligence.

    Michele Gulitti

    I had the pleasure of working with Janet Falk and was consistently impressed by her  professionalism and expertise in media relations and communications. She is clear, reliable, and ensures all messaging aligns perfectly with the organization’s brand voice and guidelines. Janet has a unique talent for crafting event invitations, capturing each program’s essence with concise, engaging language that resonates with the audience. Her expertise and generous mentorship shine in every interaction, whether she’s sharing insights or creating industry-focused newsletters. I highly recommend Janet to anyone seeking a skilled communications professional with sharp attention to detail and unwavering reliability.

    MerriLyn Gibbs

    I have known Janet for many years and she has given me some of the best advice for newsletters that I still implement today for my own business, as well as other clients. No SPOILER alerts here: you can book your free call with her to find out what they are! 😄 She is authentic, thorough and truly knows her craft.

    Shira Lotzar

    I recently had the pleasure of hosting Janet for a speaking engagement with my community  service program, BoomerWorks.org. Janet delivered a highly informative and immensely practical presentation on networking best practices for virtual and in-person events. Her thoughtful, methodical approach was clear and on point. Most importantly, participants walked away with an actionable roadmap that can immediately level up their business development efforts. Sincere thanks to Janet for sharing her pearls with our 50+ small business community!

    Bari Chase

    Janet has given engaging and extremely practical programs at NYCLA’s CLE Institute. Attendees learned techniques that they could implement to build their networks, as well as hands on training on how to get noticed and quoted by the media. She is a pleasure to work with and a true professional, who I highly recommend.

    Lorraine Ball

    I really enjoyed my podcast conversation with Janet Falk. She discussed her innovative approach to understanding the buyer’s journey, diverging from the traditional perspectives. Janet challenges the common belief that the buyer’s journey is a passive process. She proposes an alternative idea she dubs “the confirmation process”. Through this lens, the buyer undertakes a more active role, seeking to validate the identity, skills, and credibility of the professional or vendor they consider: confirming the identity of the vendor, the adequacy of their skills and experience, and social proof from others.

    Janet further explores how professionals can facilitate these steps, increasing their chances of positively influencing the buyer’s journey. Moreover, this approach emphasizes the crucial role of client-focused content and the science of online presence in creating an effective buyer’s journey. Janet neatly ties these concepts together, outlining a roadmap that optimizes both the vendor’s showcase of expertise and the buyer’s needs.

    A Political Campaign Principle and Your Marketing RBI

    Reach out to the three types of constituents

    Imagine you are a candidate for elected office. According to a political campaign strategist, there are three types of people among your constituents:

    • Those that are with you
    • Those that are agin’ you
    • Those that are sitting on the fence; they are not paying attention, or they have not yet made up their minds.

    Now, let’s apply this principle to marketing activities.

    Clearly, it’s vital to remain in close communication with those who are with you and know you well:

    • Current clients
    • Lapsed clients
    • Referral sources
    • Networking contacts

    Conversely, it’s an expensive proposition, in terms of money, time and effort, to go after the group that is agin’ you and unlikely to be persuaded. Perhaps they already have a business relationship with a competitor, or they are disinclined to use your services.

    As for the people on the sidelines, let’s consider how you might raise your profile and move them into the first camp.

    Here is where the five ways of attracting business in your Marketing RBI come into play:

    Networking:
    Identify the groups where your prospective clients gather. Ask a connection to accompany you at one of their events, in person or online. Following that meeting, participate in the group’s social media conversations.

    Ask a contact to introduce you to their colleague and arrange a Networking Squared conversation, a three-way meeting over coffee or via Zoom.

    Speaking:
    Team up with a client to give a presentation at their networking group, professional membership organization or industry association.

    Introduce yourself (and an industry contact) to the podcast hosts whose programs address timely issues facing that sector.

    Writing:
    Invite a referral source or client to co-author an article for an industry publication. The subject might be a best practices checklist or a case study recounting a successful project. Show how you are addressing their concerns and resolving their problems.

    Being active in the trade association of your target market:
    You may be one of a few (or the only) professional with your background who is a member of the group. For example, as a writer, I edit a column in a membership organization’s monthly newsletter.

    Promoting your activities online:
    On your social media accounts, cite the names of others involved in your activities. These include people you met at a networking event, colleagues who collaborated on a workshop, podcast or article and speakers who presented at the trade association’s meeting.

    When you fish where the fish are, you are more likely to land the big one.


    This Month’s Tip

    Introductions and collaborative presentations will build your credibility as a reliable resource, similar to a political candidate’s endorsements by elected officials. Your relationship with someone who the potential client (voter) trusts is a step forward in creating a new business opportunity.

    Contact

    It’s time you took your marketing campaign on the road and connected with the folks sitting on the fence about using your services. Contact me at Janet@JanetLFalk.com, set an appointment here or call me at 347.256.9141. Together, let’s brainstorm about reaching out to prospective clients, so you will be the candidate they choose.

    Image credit: Oriental Trading

    Irina Krasnyanskaya

    Janet Falk spoke about Networking to 40 women professionals and members of “Risky Women.”  Her presentation was excellent. She gave practical tips and step-by-step guidance on how to prepare BEFORE attending a networking event, how to interact with people there and how to follow-up afterwards. There was a lively Q&A and everyone was fully engaged in the discussion. I highly recommend Janet as a speaker for your organization.

    Speaking of Speaking

    10 tips for a memorable presentation

    You know how some people freeze when they anticipate a public speaking gig?

    Not me.

    I love standing in front of a group and sharing my insights and action steps. Whether I’m addressing colleagues, potential clients or students, I’m excited to guide them in mastering best practices.

    Following are ten tips I’ve learned along the way, from speaking coaches and the School of Opportunity, formerly known as the School of Hard Knocks.

    Before You Speak

    1. List the ideas and activities you want the audience to take with them when they return to their desks. When you start with the end, you’ll be able to delineate the intermediate steps of your presentation and see how to get there.
    2. Capture the audience’s attention from the get-go. Tell a short anecdote, ask a question or use a little-known statistic. Now they want to hear more and figure out how what you have described relates to their situation, whether business or personal.
    3. Your slides are an outline of key points. KISS. Your actual remarks will amplify, explore, bust a myth or show the consequences of the topic you highlight.



      4. During the Presentation

    4. Pace yourself. Scan the faces of the attendees. Slow down and recapitulate when their eyes wander around the room.
    5. Don’t pace. It’s fine to walk across the stage and connect with people on both sides of the room. When you reach the opposite side, stand and remain in place for a few minutes. Pacing is distracting.
    6. After you’ve summed up your remarks, have a colleague begin the Q&A with the question you gave them. Take the opportunity to go into more depth about a point you skimmed over in the presentation. Plus, you open the door to more questions and avoid the dreaded Q&A silence.



      7. After You Speak

    7. Thank the event organizer(s). Whether or not you want to be invited back, be gracious.
    8. Arrange for a handout, perhaps an excerpt of the slides, to be emailed to attendees. Help people practice on their own and even share your ideas with members of their professional and personal circles.
    9. Spread the word. Consider strengthening your relationship with a client or referral source by inviting them to co-present with you. Arrange to speak to their professional membership organization or industry association. That audience will be receptive to hearing from one of their own colleagues. You will enhance your contact’s stature and their participation will attract potential clients and referrers to you

      10. This Month’s Tip

      You worked hard to create and deliver that presentation. Now make it work for you.

    10. Plan in advance to share it across other platforms:
      • article
      • checklist
      • client alert
      • e-book
      • newsletter or blog
      • pitch to a reporter
      • podcast appearance
      • social media post
      • summary on your website
      • video or audio clip

    Contact

    Your speaking engagement is not one and done. When you book your next event, let’s talk about how you can prepare and promote your presentation. Contact me at  Janet@JanetLFalk.com, set an appointment here or call me at 347.256.9141. Together, let’s get ready to step up to the microphone and then take your presentation to greater heights: on the road, online and into print.

    Image credit: Sergio Santos

    Laurel Carpenter

    Janet recommended some adjustments to our company’s website messaging to make it clearer and easier for people to understand what we do and how we can help. Since we revised our website, we have gotten a very enthusiastic response and I’m very grateful for Janet’s direct, honest and professional advice. I highly recommend working with Janet if you want support from a straight shooting, expert public relations professional who won’t hold back sharing what she knows that can help move you and your business forward.

    Do ALL Your Website’s Pages Tell Visitors What to Do Next?

    Check each one to confirm there is a clear Call to Action.

    Call to Action is the term marketers use for the suggestion that prompts the reader or viewer to take a specific action. Examples are Click to download this article or Call this number to book your appointment.

    EVERY page of your website should have a Call to Action.

    Here are the most frequently stated Calls to Action and the number of times they are cited on the 17 pages of my website, plus 183 newsletters:

    NumberAction
    16Contact me by phone or email, or book an appointment
    7Book a workshop by completing this form
    4Request this e-book by submitting your email address
    4Subscribe to my newsletter by submitting your email address
    2Read, watch or listen to this article, video or podcast
    1Connect with me on LinkedIn
    1Download a document
    29Newsletters: See also a related newsletter
    183Newsletters: Contact me by phone or email, or book an appointment

    Note that every page indicates a concrete step that presumably delivers value to the visitor in the form of additional information, whether it’s text or arranging a presentation.

    Additionally, each page, including the newsletters, invites the reader to reach out to me and provides a phone number, email address and a calendar link to do so (except, obviously, the Contact page).

    Website visitors are sophisticated and know the proximate result when they click a link to download an article or they submit an email to request an e-book or subscribe to a newsletter.

    They also appreciate learning that the company or professional is accessible to them in the manner they prefer to engage: by phone, email or a virtual appointment.

    You make it easy for your visitors to review your insights and connect with you when your website indicates a succinct Call to Action.

    This Month’s Tip

    Check your website and confirm whether or not EVERY page indicates a particular action that will deliver value to visitors: an e-book, workshop, checklist or newsletter.

    If it does, hooray!

    If it does not, revise the text accordingly, so the reader will perform your suggested activity.


    Contact

    Your website is the virtual road to your business. Every page is an intersection where the reader must decide where to go next. Have you given the visitor clear directions? Contact me at Janet@JanetLFalk.com, book an appointment here or call me at 347.256.9141. Together, let’s ensure every page of your website invites the reader to respond to your Call to Action.

    Image credit: Bleeping World

    Roberta Hershenson

    As a former longtime reporter, I want to congratulate you on an excellent article [about speaking to the media]. Most of your points are well-taken and will be beneficial, both to the person being interviewed and the reporter.

    “If You Build It, He (They) Will Come” (Field of Dreams)

    “Maybe, maybe not.” (Janet Falk)

    You have a new company, product or service. What’s your next step to tell the world about it?

    Recently, I spoke with two founders who viewed their launches differently.

    In the first instance, online research revealed there were no news stories about the company or its technology products. When I mentioned this observation to the founder, I was astounded by his response:

    I thought if we built a good product, people would come.

    In a previous role, this executive was familiar with contacting the media about news; yet, he took no steps to reach out to reporters for this new company.

    Later that same day, I received an email inquiry from someone who had learned marketing tips from my long-ago podcast appearance. She asked for:

    guidance in communications about her new legal services firm,

    specifically, strategies she might quickly implement to market her practice.

    Two new companies with diametrically opposed plans for communication activities to announce their services and grow their client base.

    NEWS FLASH: Your new company, product or service will not attract customers by its mere existence and word of mouth.

    Instead, you must actively publicize your business and promote the product or service.

    Consider these eight tactics:

  • Lead workshops, perhaps with a client, to showcase the product and its stellar results.

  • Create an announcement and send it to the relevant industry, business and local media outlets to generate a news story.

  • Promote the announcement on the social media platforms where potential clients and referral sources may read about it.

  • Share the announcement with others in the networking groups where you are a member.

  • Compose case studies of client successes and post them on your website.

  • Invite a client to co-author an article for their industry media and promote it when it is published.

  • Solicit customer testimonials and LinkedIn recommendations.

  • Include a link to the description of the service or product in your email signature.

    • This Month’s Tip

    YOU are in the YOUR NAME business. If you do not invest in promoting your company and your services and products, who will? Not your employees and not your clients.

    Note that these tactics are nominally FREE. They require only your time. You can perform them yourself, or with the support of a communications professional.


    Contact

    The value of your service may speak for itself, but you must amplify it and direct its voice to the right audience. Contact me at Janet@JanetLFalk.com, book an appointment here or call me at 347.256.9141. Together, let’s actively cheer for the new company, product and service you have built.

    See also Is Your Company’s Launch a Secret? and Best Communication Practices to Launch a Business

    Image credit: McKinley Owens

    Nancy Lanard

    I have known Janet through activities in Women Owned Law. Janet is always a phenomenal resource for everyone. She just gave a webinar to Women Owned Law that I attended on LinkedIn. I have attended other webinars on LinkedIn and the information she shared with us on ways to improve our exposure was priceless.

    I would highly recommend Janet Falk for any type of Public Relations or marketing needs you and/or your company may need. She is tapped into so many resources and takes pride in the relationships she builds. She would be a great asset to any company.

    How Often Do You Publish Your Newsletter?

    As often as your subscribers will read it.

    You may recall I’ve long recommended that businesses publish a newsletter on a monthly basis.

    If that is too onerous an effort, then it should be at least quarterly.

    I asked colleagues about the frequency of their newsletters and compiled their responses below. Admittedly, most of them are marketing professionals; because they are more comfortable with the content creation process, this may have skewed the answers to the more frequent side.

    Here’s how they arrived at their selected schedule and the focus of their practice:

    Deliver value and not be viewed as spam:
    Laurel Carpenter, monthly, brand voice copywriting
    Rachel Clar, twice monthly, empower BigLaw women
    Steve Fretzin, twice monthly, legal business development

    Designed to be visible to their readers:
    Ilise Benun, twice monthly, marketing for creative professionals
    Sue Horner, monthly, tips on writing, words, newsletters and more
    Sara Mears, monthly-ish, branding, marketing, presentation, and design
    Ivy Slater, weekly, leadership, personal growth, business strategy, sales, and internal engagement

    Subscriber preference:
    Guy Alvarez, weekly, AI’s transformation of legal practice, client relationships, and business development

    How often they read other newsletters:
    Jane Becker, twice monthly, stories of custom jewelry designs, high-value sales, exceptional estates, and appraisals

    Note that the most frequent answers relate to the appetite of their subscribers for communication that is perceived as relevant and not spam, plus the desire to be top of mind with their readers.

    Consider that developing newsletters for publication, alongside other professional activities, is an issue even for communications professionals, who arrived that their periodicity to:

    Manage their workload and their newsletter:
    Beth Granger , no set schedule, the power of community, conversation, and curiosity
    Ron Latz, weekly, actionable marketing insights 
    Howard Levy, twice monthly, harness the power of AI for nonprofit marketing and fundraising
    Matt Plavnick, monthly, legal marketing
    Erika Steinberg, quarterly, legal marketing
    Precious Williams, monthly, innovative sales and pitch tips

    As Ilise Benun noted, “(twice a month) is a lot of work, especially if you’re not a content machine, so I advise my clients to publish monthly at the most.”

    You are encouraged to take these two insights to heart when calibrating the frequency of your newsletter: meeting readers’ expectations and investing your own time.

    This Month’s Tip

    Newsletters are a balancing act, like much in life. Too frequent and your insights risk being ignored or deleted by busy subscribers. Too infrequent and you will fade into the background.

    Start with a monthly schedule. After a few issues, check your open rate, which should be 15%-25%, according to Mailjet, an email newsletter provider. Perhaps survey your readers. You can always ramp up or slow down and advise subscribers of this change of pace.

    Exception: when you skip an issue, due to a work deadline or personal emergency, do not apologize. Simply plow ahead, as if nothing happened. I guarantee no one noticed. If they did, thank them for their loyal readership.


    Contact

    It’s time for you to take the plunge into an email newsletter, or to evaluate the frequency of your current publication. Contact me at Janet@JanetLFalk.com>, book an appointment here or call me at 347.256.9141. Let’s find the balance between your time and your readers’ attention.

    See also Resources to Rev Up Your Newsletter (or Start One).

    Many thanks to my colleagues for their responses. Click on their names to view their newsletter or website.

    This discussion was sparked by a conversation about newsletter frequency with email newsletter publisher Charley Mann.

    Image credit: Edx Education

    Alyse Greer

    Janet is a highly experienced author and speaker with whom I’ve had the pleasure of working at my continuing legal education nonprofit. Janet has authored several articles aimed at providing readers with practical advice and guidance about marketing, networking, speaking, writing, leveraging social media, and connecting with reporters, among others. Her ability to dissect each undertaking into detailed, actionable steps is remarkable and demonstrates her extensive knowledge of the legal, marketing, and PR industries. Her ideas are original, thoughtful, and tailored for professionals who need something more than generic, one-size-fits-all advice.

    For example, we all understand the importance of networking, but Janet recognizes that networking means more than building your own book of business; it requires organization, prioritization, strategy, and a focus on others. After compiling a list of contacts from numerous sources (e.g., email addresses and business cards, newsletter and blog subscribers, client lists, event attendee rosters, LinkedIn connections, etc.) and prioritizing the list according to shared interests, you are encouraged to introduce your contacts to potential clients; suggest co-authoring an article in an industry newsletter; send targeted announcements about an event, webinar, or podcast; invite them to attend your next speaking engagement; etc. As I said—remarkable.

    I’ve learned a great deal from Janet in the course of working with her and am pleased she has chosen to share her time and expertise with our readers.

    Be a Media Source

    Reporters are always looking for sources. View requests and email your succinct answers to them to be quoted in the news.

    You may recall I’ve said Reporters call the people they know. They don’t call someone they’ve never heard of.

    When a reporter is stumped for a source, they often will seek someone who can answer their questions by posting a query on a website created for that purpose.

    The topic may be an issue for small businesses, or the history of lawn mowers.

    A few such sites offer the opportunity to register as an expert, meaning a knowledgeable authority.

    Note that some websites are FREE and others require membership or subscription fees.

    Most request your email as a subscriber or expert, so they may notify you of reporter requests. Others are repositories of requests and you must remember to check them daily or periodically.

    Be aware there is no guarantee you will be notified of topics in your specific area of business, or that the reporter will contact you.

    Finally, where the name of the publication is indicated (some queries are cloaked), check that it aligns with your target audience. For example, US News and World Report may or may not be relevant for your company.

    Here are 11 websites where reporters seek knowledgeable professionals. Click on the name to view the website and review it for more details to learn how it might relate to your business.

    Anewstip: Monthly fee to pitch reporters based on their own social media activity, as gathered in a proprietary database.

    Cision: Annual fee to research a proprietary media database, plus other services. Primarily used by Public Relations professionals.

    ExpertClick: Monthly membership fee includes press release distribution.

    HARO: FREE, several times daily list of assorted queries.

    Just Reach Out: Monthly subscription features easy response to queries.

    Muck Rack: Annual subscription to detailed database of reporters. Includes journalist queries, along with media monitoring and analytics. Primarily used by Public Relations professionals.

    PitchRate: FREE, register as an expert.

    PitchRate: Annual fee to receive queries and register as an expert.

    Qwoted: FREE, queries and registration as an expert. Premium annual subscription for priority notification of queries.

    SourceBottle: FREE, queries from global journalists, not only US.

    Source of Sources: FREE, three times daily list of assorted queries

    This Month’s Tip

    It is best to reply within one hour of receiving notification of a reporter’s request, regardless of any stated deadline. After that brief window, the reporter will likely have been deluged by emailed answers from Public Relations professionals and your competitors, leaving your thoughts buried in that flood of responses.

    Name,

    Your ____ (insert name of website where you saw the query) request for a source to comment on ____ (topic) prompted me to contact you.

    As a ___ (your profession), I have dealt with similar situations. Here are my thoughts:

    • Idea #1
      • Idea #2
        • Idea #3

          • Please feel free to contact me at ___ (phone) or reply to this email to arrange further discussion.

          Looking forward to working with you on this story.

          Regards.

          Signature block


          Contact

          You’ve got to be in it to win the lottery and the same applies to seeing your name and quote in the news. Contact me at Janet@JanetLFalk.com , book an appointment here or call me at 347.256.9141. Let’s review your draft of an expert profile and consider which reporter query websites might be appropriate for you.

    Jason Castillo

    I had the great opportunity to create a CLE course with Janet focusing on the best ethical practices when communicating with the media and public. Our attorney clients raved about the highly practical and incredibly informative points Janet provided that can easily be deployed in their practices. As one attorney stated, “It was the best CLE presentation I heard in 50 years of practice.”

    Pass It On

    Share business and press opportunities with your contacts.

    Imagine you get a message from a dormant LinkedIn contact asking for your input.

    She has launched a podcast and asks which topics in her industry you would like to hear about and whether you can recommend a guest to appear on the program.

    It’s been ages since you thought about her. Instead of being perturbed by this unexpected request, you say yes. Of course.

    In fact, you know someone who is a terrific speaker and has a non-traditional perspective on the industry that will complement the host’s view.

    That’s what happened when Marla Sofer contacted me about her podcast Knowing Me, Knowing You and asked if I knew any financial advisors she might feature.

    I immediately replied with the name, bio and LinkedIn profile of someone who fit the bill. Eve Ellis is a financial advisor who focuses on socially responsible and impact investments that align with investors’ values.

    Needless to say, they both appreciated the introduction and they have scheduled a conversation.

    Perhaps, like myself, you subscribe to several listservs and belong to multiple online groups where you and other members seek information and resources on almost every aspect of business operations daily. Sometimes, these requests are leads for new business:

    • Do you know an attorney who practices this type of law in this state?
    • What’s your feedback on using a certain software product?
    • A potential client needs assistance with this situation. Here’s how to contact them.

    There’s always a voice (or four) that chimes in with a name or an insight. The responses are freely given, with no expectation of payback.

    Not surprisingly, I have landed business from such requests. I have offered my experience with the product in question. I’ve also introduced colleagues whose skills align with the issue at hand — innumerable times.

    Everyone knows someone worth knowing, I’ve often said. When you come across an opportunity for someone to participate in a podcast, speak with a reporter, write an article or take on a new client, consider who in your circle might be the perfect fit and respond to the request.

    Pass it on is a win-win-win.

    The person who made the request gets a ready resource.

    The contact who is referred steps into the spotlight.

    You earn the gratitude of both parties.

    This Month’s Tip

    Be on the lookout for opportunities to connect contacts who are aligned. I subscribe to several services where journalists seek sources for comment. Naturally, my primary focus is an interview for one of my own clients.

    My secondary focus is an introduction for someone among my networking contacts. From issues in bookkeeping and DEI to homeschooling and tax, I’ve introduced colleagues to reporters, which has resulted in their being mentioned in news stories. I’ve also referred professionals in the art market to potential clients and helped a nonprofit recruit volunteers for an event 100 miles away from my office.

    Last month, a networking contact, with a sideline as a reporter, asked me if I knew anyone who could address succession planning for small business owners.

    Certainly. I introduced Ivy Slater, a business coach and CEO of Slater Success, to Susan Mangiero , a contributor to TheStreet.com.

    Be a connector.


    Contact

    Opportunities for connection abound. Before you discard a request as irrelevant for yourself, think of who among your many contacts might be the appropriate resource. Sharing the item opens the door to a re-connecting conversation, which is always worthwhile. Contact me at Janet@JanetLFalk.com , book an appointment here or call me at 347.256.9141. Let’s review your incoming requests and see how you may pass it on.

    See also Do the Right Thing.

    Image credit: Pass It On Community

    Andrew Berks, Ph.D., Esq.

    I have known Janet for several years and am a former client of hers. I engaged Janet to help with a meeting sponsorship and she advised me on the best one to get. She arranged swag and setting up a table, and attended to many of the details. She did a great job and it was a very productive event.

    Janet is also excellent at advising on best marketing practices for websites and using LinkedIn effectively, among other activities.

    I have stayed in touch and Janet has alerted me a few times to relevant media and marketing opportunities, like calls for papers or reporters seeking a subject matter expert.

    I would hire her again when the need for a public relations and marketing expert arises.

    The Five Six W’s of LinkedIn Posts

    Why should the reader care about your brag?

    You’ve probably seen the humble braggart’s LinkedIn post often:

    I’m excited to speak at this event.
    I am thrilled to join COMPANY.

    What’s in it for the reader of this post?

    Sure, your close colleagues will congratulate you on your new job or the speaking gig.

    What does the casual reader, scrolling through posts, learn that may be helpful to them?

    Everyone listens to the world’s greatest radio station WII-FM, also known as What’s In It For Me. That self-congratulatory post does not tell them anything meaningful.

    Let’s revisit the five W’s of journalism, adding a SIXTH W for WHAT and WII-FM. Keep in mind the WHY as well:

    1. WHO is the audience you address
    2. WHAT do they care about
    3. WHEN, is this time sensitive
    4. WHERE are they looking for information
    5. WHY should they care

      Now, the addition:
    6. WHAT do you want them to do next

    Here are two generic posts, followed by gentle edits to improve them with an eye on the interest of the reader. The author must look beyond any self-congratulatory note to consider WHY the reader should care and WHAT action they are being prompted to take.

    Original: I am excited to speak at the NAME OF EVENT on DATE in CITY. It will be an amazing and informative conference. Register here.

    Revised: I am excited to speak at the NAME OF EVENT on DATE in CITY. My subject is TOPIC A, TOPIC B and how these issues will affect TOPIC C. Register here.

    Now that the reader has learned the subject of the program, they will think one of the following:

    • NAME is speaking on TOPIC B. I will sign up.
    • I don’t know NAME, but I am interested in TOPIC A. I will look at their profile or website and see whether it might be worthwhile for me to attend the event.
    • NAME is speaking, but I cannot go that day. I should invite them to speak at my organization.

    Original: I’m really excited to announce that I’ve joined COMPANY. The executive team are an extremely talented group and I look forward to working with them.

    Revised: I’m really excited to announce that I’ve joined COMPANY. As a Marketing Communications professional, I’ll ensure our promotional materials correspond to the local culture when entering new markets in Europe.

    Reader’s thought:

    • How interesting that COMPANY is expanding its presence in Europe! That may represent an opportunity for licensing their products and collaboration. I’ll invite NAME for a drink to celebrate and get an update.
    • Wow! Perhaps our European division can sell more widgets to COMPANY. I’ll contact NAME and congratulate them, so I can learn more.

    This Month’s Tip

    LinkedIn posts are about YOU, but that does not mean YOURSELF. They are about YOU, the reader. Focus on WHY someone should care and, having read what you wrote, WHAT you want them to do. Emphasize the takeaways and action steps suggested by the post. No one wants to listen to a braggart.


    Contact

    What are the WHAT and WHY of your latest LinkedIn posts? Contact me at Janet@JanetLFalk.com, book an appointment here or call me at 347.256.9141. Let’s add that sixth W to your posts on LinkedIn and keep the reader in mind.

    See also WII-FM? Why Should a Dentist, Landlord or Supermarket Clerk Care About Your Nonprofit or Business?

    Image credit: Mohamed Hassan

    Lisa Wade

    Janet Falk is an excellent guest speaker.

    Her presentation “How to Market Yourself as a Subject Matter Expert” was well received by my group of newbie and veteran Expert Witnesses.

    Some of my members remarked that Janet’s presentation was “Informative and full of actionable tips” and “I truly enjoyed it”.

    Janet has a wealth of knowledge regarding public relations, media and marketing that any entrepreneur could benefit from, and I highly recommend her.

    With AI, Your Website No Longer is the First Point of Contact with Prospective Clients

    Together: AI, your website and the “Confirmation Process.”

    Artificial Intelligence has your entire website in its pocket, plus nearly everything you’ve ever published online or discussed on a recorded webinar or podcast.

    Think of it as a giant buffet.

    When someone is looking for a service like yours, they may ask an AI tool to search the virtual Internet banquet for information and resources.

    Your hope is that the request for information about you will deliver a rich snippet or short summary.

    Your further wish is that it is meaty enough to pique the prospect’s interest.

    Let’s call this an appe-teaser.

    Tasty as it is, that paragraph is not sufficient to make an appointment to speak with you. It will not convince the person with purchasing authority or justify a buy decision to oneself. To get the full flavor, the potential buyer visits your website to learn more.

    As discussed in The Confirmation Process vs. the Buyer’s Journey, your website is key to confirm:

    • You are the person they heard about/saw/read about.
    • You are the professional they seek/need because you have the skills to solve their problem.
    • You have the respect of colleagues in your field and your clients.

    It’s been documented that B2B buyers in a complex sale actively engage with materials online, and do not passively receive a company’s communiqués.

    In fact, companies that capture an email address and nurture the relationship along the buyer’s journey are, in my view, shoving food down the prospect’s throat.

    Accordingly, potential clients may be loathe to submit an email address, fearing a deluge of promotional emails.

    What’s to be done?

    I recommend that you actively produce content on the appropriate platforms of interest to your potential clients, marketing your business and driving viewers to the website via external activity:

    • Being quoted in the news
    • Publishing articles
    • Appearing on podcasts
    • Giving workshops and webinars
    • Producing newsletters
    • Writing posts on industry blogs
    • Creating videos

    All these information-laden works are promoted on social media; they are linked to and housed on your website.

    Your website no longer is the first point of contact with prospective clients.

    Still, that does not diminish its essential role in the confirmation process and as the repository of all your content.

    Follow an omni-channel approach for your insights to be aggregated by AI tools and also be found by more prospects and referral sources.


    This Month’s Tip

    Play the content multiplication game.

    • A podcast guest appearance becomes an article
    • A newsletter becomes an e-book
    • A blog post becomes a video
    • A LinkedIn post becomes a webinar
    • And so on and so forth.

    To test the content multiplication approach, I asked Perplexity, an AI tool, the same question several times:

    Is Janet Falk a Public Relations professional for ____?

    I used different audiences: business owners, consultants, attorneys and nonprofits.

    Each time, Perplexity delivered a rich snippet with variations that corresponded to the multiple sources it tapped to compose the summary: articles, my website, my LinkedIn profile, podcast appearances and a directory profile.


    Contact

    What does AI serve up about you? Contact me at Janet@JanetLFalk.com, book an appointment here or call me at 347.256.9141. Let’s review your website and digital presence to ensure you provide a full meal of content that confirms you are a master chef with a five-star buffet.

    This newsletter was inspired by a recent interview with marketer Jay Baer.

    Margaret Copeley

    I didn’t fully realize the benefits of a monthly newsletter and feared that writing one would be too time consuming. Reading Janet Falk’s newsletter for several months finally persuaded me to give it a try. To my delight, my first newsletter paid off immediately when several lapsed clients were reminded of their goals and got in touch with new projects. Janet’s tips have taught me how to maintain frequent communication with my clients, rather than waiting for them to come to me.

    What is Your -ism and Donation Update

    Contributions of frequent phrases from subscribers

    My December newsletter, Falk-isms, or Falk’s Frequent Phrases, prompted some subcribers to share their own -isms.

    I agreed to implement their advice in my business and invite you to do the same.

    But first, I announced to this newsletter’s subscribers, plus to contacts to whom I sent a holiday greeting card, that for every response I received, I would increase my holiday donation as an expression of gratitude.

    I am pleased to report there were more than 100 responses, and I have increased my planned donation to the SCORE Foundation, which provides advice to small business owners, like myself,

    Now, here are the subscriber-isms, in alphabetical order by author:

    Beth Granger, LinkedIn Expert and Advisor (who you should definitely follow)
    Reverse the situation. If you aren’t sure whether to say a certain thing or take a certain behavior, imagine someone said it to you or behaved that way to you. How would you react?

    Danielle Hughes, Chief Personality Officer and Copywriter
    Your message should do the vetting for you. I often tell my clients that when you put enough of your own personality into your bio or marketing, you inevitably attract the right people and repel the wrong people. This saves you countless hours of needing to verify prospects because only those who resonate with what you have to say will reach out.

    Howard Levy, Branding and Marketing Professional for Nonprofits
    What’s your big idea? Too often, nonprofit organizations get so caught up in managing the day-to-day of their marketing that they fail to lift their heads to see how they can truly get noticed. To make an impact, you need to be willing to take a chance on a big idea that will cut through the noise and wake up your audience. So, I ask, What’s your big idea?

    Sara Mears, Branding, Marketing and Design Professional
    Just Go There. It is a spin-off of Nike’s Just Do It (tongue-in-cheek ;-). I use it regarding networking and LIFE. Recent example: I hopped on a train and ventured over to Roosevelt Island to meet Janet [Falk] in person.

    Allison Muller, Toxicologist and Expert Witness
    The dose makes the poison. (That saying was created by the Swiss physician and chemist Paracelsus in a longer form). I find myself saying this a lot because people will be up in arms about a substance (i.e., drug, chemical) being harmful – and it very well may be. But, the quantity and that tipping point may be different for different people (especially regarding medications).

    Kimberly Rice, Marketing and Business Development Professional for Law Firms
    It is better to be interested than interesting. In building a robust network, you cannot learn about your networking partner if you:

    • speak too much about yourself
    • do not show interest in others and
    • do not ask open-ended questions to evoke ice breaker conversations.

    Eric Sarver, Employment and Business Law Attorney
    There are two types of clients in employment law matters: proactive or panicked. When a prospective client who is a business owner is facing employment law problems, some of them are not sure if they want to spend the money yet in hiring employment law counsel. Panicked is much more costly in terms of potential fines, penalties, damages, and legal fees, so I tell clients that I am glad when they approach me proactively.


    This Month’s Tip

    Be inspired to create an -ism. As noted by Fran Weissman, Procurement Operations and Global Supplier Relations professional, The only constant is change. My elementary schooler has recently learred this as Let go and move on.

    Wow. Even a child can create an -ism!

    Contact

    Let’s discover or write your -ism. Or tell me which of these -isms resonates with you, so that we might implement it in your business. Contact me at Janet@JanetLFalk.com, set an appointment here or call me at 347.256.9141.

    Click here to read prior issues of this newsletter.

    Click here to subscribe to this monthly newsletter and make sure you don’t miss the next issue. 

    Patricia Kakalec

    Janet spoke at the fall conference of the National Employment Lawyers Association (NELA) New York chapter on the topic of working with the press, a discussion that I organized. Janet’s participation was enthusiastically received by this group of plaintiff-side employment lawyers, and several participants commented to me that the presentation was very helpful.

    Janet’s recommendations for best practices when working with the media, her sample media profile and sample press release, and her on-point response to questions gave us all a lot to think about and work with. I know I have put several of Janet’s recommendations into use already in my practice.

    Falk-isms or Falk’s Frequent Phrases

    Ideas often shared in consultations work both ways.

    You probably recount a few pet phrases to clients and prospects. These pearls of wisdom point to best practices honed over the years.

    Here are three Falk-isms, their back stories and their current use:

    Why HER and Not ME? was the subject line of an email I sent to Chief Marketing Officers of large law firms in 2009. It tapped into the competitive personalities of attorneys and the envy that men especially (and women) would feel when a female colleague with a similar background was quoted in a news article.

    I had lost my job as a Public Relations professional at an agency serving law firm clients a few weeks prior. I reached out to the law firm CMO’s to introduce myself as someone who could connect their attorneys to reporters. One fellow replied that mine was the best sales pitch [he] ever received. However, he didn’t have any work for me.

    This phrase subsequently made its way into my elevator pitch: “When you see someone in your line of business quoted in the news, do you think, “Why are they talking to HER and Not ME? I know all about that. And I’m much better looking.” (which inevitably draws a laugh).

    This question later became a presentation for continuing legal education that I developed with Patricia Werschulz, a patent attorney. I discussed the mechanics of contacting reporters, and she addressed the ethical issues of speaking to the press, in May 2016. Over the years, I have spoken to professional associations and other groups on this topic.

    I further shared these best practices as a guest on podcasts and adapted the material for presentations to women’s organizations.

    The topic remains a favorite with bar associations; one year it was the Lawline webinar most frequently viewed by attorneys in New Jersey.

    Today, I present it with the gender-neutral title Why That Executive and Not ME?

    Everyone knows someone worth knowing first saw print in my December 2014 newsletter under the presumptuous title Networking Towards the King. My approach to networking is to gather resources among the attendees at the event.

    Everyone in business has a problem and everyone has a solution to another’s problem. I aim to meet three people at a networking program; I endeavor to learn about the problems that professional faces and the solutions they bring to the marketplace. In the moment, or after the event, I reflect on who might be a good contact for them, either because the new connection is a problem-solver or they might welcome a solution to their issue.

    Here’s how this approach played out in real life. On a recreational hike, I met Scott Smalley, the Immediate Past President of the International Academy of Physician Associate Educators. The group focuses on promoting physician associate and PA analogue educational programs and achieving accreditation with medical and governmental organizations. A few days later, I spoke with Jennifer Flowers at a networking event. She “helps behavioral health, human service, and education organizations achieve accreditation.” It’s a rather niche practice – and a possible resource for Smalley. It was my pleasure to introduce the two by email.

    When connecting two professionals in my circles, I usually ask the person I spoke with last if they are interested in meeting one of my connections; accordingly, I invite them to send me a referral bio. I then email this paragraph about their background to my long-standing contact and ask about their interest in hearing from this individual. It’s always best to check with both parties, in case the two people are already acquainted.

    Why YOU, Why NOW, Why Should Anyone Care? A reporter told me that her editors always wanted to know Why NOW? when she proposed writing a news story. I’ve subsequently expanded this single question to address the three questions that probably are swirling in a reporter’s mind when I pitch a story idea or a client as a source:

    • Why YOU? What makes you a reliable, authoritative and accessible source when there are many others like you with similar credentials and experience?
    • Why NOW? Why are you contacting the reporter today and not last week or last month? What has changed in the market or industry?
    • Why Should Anyone Care? How will your idea help another person, whether an individual, a business owner or a corporate executive?

    The repeated word Why and the use of three questions make this series memorable – and actionable.

    This Falk-ism is especially helpful when a prospective client thinks that news about their company belongs on the front page of The Wall Street Journal. The questions plot a roadmap to articulate the reasons why anyone (or a target audience) should listen to their insightful view, which helps me pitch the person to the media.


    This Month’s Tip

    You are in the YOU business, no one else is.After you find yourself sharing a repeated phrase, turn it back on yourself. Pause and see how you might implement the very idea and activity you recommended to someone else.

    I enjoy giving FREE advice; I GUARANTEE TWO IDEAS in every initial consultation. When the conversation ends, I put myself in the other party’s shoes and put that suggestion to work for me, as well.

    Contact

    Reply to this newsletter with your repeated phrase and I will:

    • Implement it in my business; and
    • Make a $5.00 donation to the SCORE Foundation, which provides advice to small business owners, like myself, as an expression of gratitude.

    If these Falk-isms and pearls of wisdom strike a chord with you, there’s plenty more of them. Contact me at Janet@JanetLFalk.com, set an appointment here or call me at 347.256.9141. Together, we’ll review my (and your) frequent phrases that are most relevant to your business..

    Click here to read prior issues of this newsletter.

    Click here to subscribe to this monthly newsletter and make sure you don’t miss the next issue. 

    Five Moments to Get in the News

    Timing is key.

    Appearing in a local, business or industry publication can attract the interest of potential cients, lapsed clients, referral sources and other contacts.

    A mention in the news underscores your authority as a provider of services and a keen observer of the scene. You describe your solutions for the perennial problems that an individual, a business owner or a corporate executive may encounter.

    Take note of these five moments, whether you create them yourself or you capitalize on an external event.

    From easiest to secure to more difficult, you can score a media mention:

    • Announcement
    • Media Profile
    • Pitch an issue and breaking news
    • Pitch an essay
    • Profile

    Announcement
    You have a new:

    • Executive hire
    • Office
    • Product or service
    • Report

    Draft a press release, keeping in mind the value that this new development brings to the target audience. (sample here) Then, distribute the announcement to media outlets of greatest interest to those in the industry or locale.

    For example, an executive hired by a global bank had a non-compete agreement with his former employer. A two-sentence paragraph in the Executive Changes column of The Wall Street Journal stated that he had joined the new company. His former clients, who read the newspaper, soon were calling him and spreading the work among their colleagues about his new position in asset management. Within days, his portfolio received more than $350 million in assets from the clients who followed him to the bank, all without him violating the terms of his non-compete agreement.

    You only get one chance to make a first impression with a new development like an executive hire, office, report, service or product; prepare to capture the spotlight.

    Media Profile
    Introduce yourself to reporters as a source for comment on industry trends and hot topics that are not being widely discussed. Follow these steps to draft the profile. Focus on the key questions: Why YOU and Why NOW. Identify the publications and reporters. Gather their email addresses, as described here.

    Trends do not change very often, making a media profile viable for three or four months; a press release announcement has a shelf life of one day.

    Pitch an Issue and Breaking News
    Focus on a single issue that is timely or jump on a hot news story. At the end of the calendar year, reporters seek forecasts of what lies ahead. I suggested a source on the outlook for biotech companies and the IPO markets; a reporter from The Wall Street Journal was thrilled to get the pitch and spoke to the executive that same day.

    Separately, the Boston Marathon Bombing trial generated extensive media coverage, with observations from local attorneys and law professors. Surprisingly, an attorney from Miami was quoted in a story when the verdict was announced. How did he get in the news? He likely contacted reporters covering the trial and indicated he was available for comment. He answered the questions of Why YOU, he was a former prosecutor who had tried terrorism cases, and Why NOW, the verdict was imminent.

    Keep an eye on the calendar and watch the news for breaking stories that may offer your next opportunity to opine as an authoritative source.

    Pitch an essay
    Write an opinion essay on a hot topic. Call attention to some aspect of a prominent issue that is not being discussed. Alternatively, offer a supporting or contrarian viewpoint. Devlin Horton, a personal injury attorney, observed that a proposed initiative by the state Department of Transportation would only partly address the issue of pedestrian safety. His opinion essay was published in the daily local newspaper of the town where his client was injured in an accident and pedestrian safety was at issue.

    Identify a subject aligned with your business and raise the flag as an advocate.

    Profile
    It’s the dream of every executive and company to be featured in an extensive profile in a key publication. Having a unique angle may help you stand out from the crowd. Wendy Samuelson, a matrimonial attorney, was profiled in a local lifestyle magazine about her law practice, as well as the fact that she and her husband vacation on tandem bicycle trips.

    Cite what truly differentiates your business or background to capture a reporter’s eye and ear.


    This Month’s Tip

    Reporters need story ideas and publications need opinion essays. Journalists won’t call you looking for a topic or an interview if they don’t know who you are and why anyone else should care about your insight. Find a subject that individuals, corporate executives or business owners need to better understand and put your name and idea under a reporter’s nose.

    Contact

    It’s time you stepped forward and told the industry or the community what’s important. Contact me at Janet@JanetLFalk.com, set an appointment here or call me at 347.256.9141. Together, we’ll explore which of these five scenarios is most appropriate for you and when it should be executed.

    See also: When Should You Issue a Press Release?

    Note: I placed or wrote the articles referenced, except the Samuelson profile.

    Click here to read prior issues of this newsletter.

    Click here to subscribe to this monthly newsletter and make sure you don’t miss the next issue. 

    Laura T. Schnaidt

    We worked with Janet on a presentation that she gave to Women in Funds. Following the event, there was immediate feedback from at least half the people who attended – all of whom had glowing reviews. It was unanimously positive and people found it very helpful. We would love to do this event again with Janet and will refer members looking for advice to her as well. We met Janet thanks to Women in Funds Board member Jane Abitanta, who suggested that Janet speak to the group. Janet worked together with our organization to specifically tailor the presentation to the members of Women in Funds. Janet is Fabulous!

    Update on the Marketing Rule of Seven Touches

    Be omnipresent on multiple platforms.

    Seven touches.

    That was the marketing rule for calculating how many interactions a company would, on average, pursue with a prospective client before snagging the sale.

    Consider that statistic was in the pre-internet era.

    Today, when people review many resources online, that number of touchpoints might be significantly higher.

    Buyers are more active before they initiate and consummate a purchase.

    According to Forrester Research, there might be as many as 27 interactions for B2B purchases.

    In fact, surveys indicate that buyers complete as much as 70% of their own research before the point of first contact with a seller .

    Which are the touchpoints where prospective customers get their information?

    • Attendance at webinars and conferences
    • Company websites
    • Corporate blogs and newsletters
    • Influencers and referrals
    • News articles
    • Podcasts
    • Reviews and testimonials by clients
    • Social media posts
    • Videos

    What does the increased number of touches mean for you as a provider of goods and services?

    Frankly, you must leverage the available platforms and media to ensure that potential clients are, indeed, learning all they can about you to finalize their buy decision and seal the deal.

    This multichannel approach meshes neatly with my description of The Confirmation Process.

    Potential clients want to confirm that:

    • YOU are the very individual they heard about, as shown by your photo and reference to the source that led them to you.
    • You have the EXPERIENCE and KNOWLEDGE to help them solve their problem, as demonstrated by descriptions of client successes.
    • You have the RESPECT of others in the sector, given your published articles, speaking engagements and mentions in news media.

    While this may appear to be a passive process, in fact, it is anything but for you as the seller. You must regularly add material, such as podcast appearances, newsletters and articles, so that you will frequently appear under the nose of the potential buyer with fresh content.

    This Month’s Tip

    You have considerable control over online references to your business, but you cannot predict precisely when and where an individual will seek out your information. Nor can you determine how long the buy-decision process will take.

    A multichannel approach works best by creating informative and evergreen content in diverse formats that directs the reader or viewer to the website, where complementary material is housed. The multichannel approach surrounds the potential client with reminders, which, effectively, point to you as the resource of choice.

    Contact

    Are potential clients engaging with you at multiple touchpoints? Contact me at Janet@JanetLFalk.com, book an appointment here or call me at 347.256.9141. Let’s review your digital presence and activity regarding your current and potential channels. It’s time to make the seven (or more) touches more visible.

    Click here to read prior issues of this newsletter.

    Many subscribers to this monthly newsletter share its ideas with their contacts. Click here to subscribe and make sure you don’t miss the next issue.

    Ayesha Hamilton

    I am thrilled to recommend Janet Falk’s PR services for law firms. I recently retained Janet to work on some firm related PR initiatives. I drafted an article for publication. Janet was fantastic about editing it, making additional recommendations, and, once finalized, she was able to get the article placed with a reputable publication on the same day. Janet served as the liaison between me and the reporter, resulting in quick turnaround of additional information in a way that the reporter wanted it. Janet is extremely responsive, works quickly and is extremely efficient.

    Think About Your About Section on LinkedIn

    Maximize the 2,600 characters to showcase your knowledge and client successes.

    Perhaps the most valuable area of your LinkedIn profile is the About section.

    When people visit your profile on LinkedIn, they spend 52% of their time there.

    Given the high visibility of this section, plus its ample room for a narrative of 2,600 characters, DO NOT leave that free space crying for more details.

    There are two segments of the About section:

    1. An introductory paragraph of 270-320 characters before a reader clicks see more.
    2. A detailed recitation of your knowledge, skills and client successes.

    Accordingly, use that space for the maximum benefit:

    • Write long.
    • Use bullet points.
    • Break the text into short paragraphs.

    The About section confirms you are ideally the person who will solve the reader’s problem.

    Promote your experience from their perspective: Audience, Problem, Benefit.

    • Explain what you do.
    • Show what motivates you as a professional to serve clients.
    • Give a brief example of a client success.
    • Indicate specific industries that you focus on.Close with a Call to Action.

    Begin with the short section that summarizes why clients work with you. Include a quick Call to Action, as in this example of a forensic accountant:

    Executives learn of fraud and financial malfeasance too late. They can only try to stop their losses. They must investigate the situation and implement new procedures to prevent a recurrence. That’s where Falk Forensic Services steps in. Call me at 347-256-9141 to review your fraud situation. see more

    Did these 292 characters pique your interest enough to want to click and see more?

    Now, having established the primary area of your services, explain what you do and for whom. Focus on the reader, who will identify with the situations and clients cited:

    Falk Forensic Services works at the juncture of accounting, business and law, providing:

    • Rapid response and deployment of resources
    • Personal attention and hands-on approach to client service
    • Actionable recommendations and assistance in implementation

    Clients in diverse industries contact me to:

    • Preserve enterprise value
    • Identify and manage risks arising from fraud, litigation and regulatory investigation
    • Assist in recovering assets

    Show what motivates you as a professional to serve clients:

    Clients recognize I care passionately about the health of their business, so I evaluate their financial strength and risks. By working closely with all the stakeholders and addressing their concerns, I can prevent and deter fraud and financial risks before they occur.

    Summarize a client success:

    For example, a veterinarian noticed an increase in overtime pay to her staff. Upon closer examination, she figured out the bookkeeper was logging unauthorized extra hours and receiving additional pay. The bookkeeper had altered time-keeping records.

    Working closely with the veterinarian, I figured out how the records were doctored. The next day, the bookkeeper overheard a conversation between the veterinarian and the office manager about personnel records. He resigned the following day when he realized his fraud was discovered.

    Indicate specific industries that you serve:

    My industry expertise includes:

    • Healthcare practices
    • Law firms
    • Retail
    • Transportation, among others

    Close with a Call to Action and contact information:

    The sooner we speak, the sooner you will be on the path to recover your lost assets, get back on track with policies that safeguard your business and forge ahead with your plans for growth, without fixating on your loss.

    Call 347-256-9141 for a free consultation.

    Use this example as a template to revise your About section.

    This Month’s Tip

    People will keep reading your About section until they lose interest. Fill the space with 2,600 characters. Why shortchange yourself with only a summary paragraph?

    Contact

    Write your About section about yourself, yet keep the reader in mind. Get the Three Steps for More Success on LinkedIn e-book (50 pages) here. Contact me at Janet@JanetLFalk.com, make an appointment here or call me at 347.256.9141. When it’s about your LinkedIn profile, let’s give ‘em something to talk about.


    Click here to read prior issues of this newsletter.

    Click here to subscribe to this monthly newsletter and make sure you don’t miss the next issue.

    • Rapid response and deployment of resources
    • Personal attention and hands-on approach to client service
    • Actionable recommendations and assistance in implementation

    Clients in diverse industries contact me to:

    • Preserve enterprise value
    • Identify and manage risks arising from fraud, litigation and regulatory investigation
    • Assist in recovering assets

    Show what motivates you as a professional to serve clients:

    Clients recognize I care passionately about the health of their business, so I evaluate their financial strength and risks. By working closely with all the stakeholders and addressing their concerns, I can prevent and deter fraud and financial risks before they occur.

    Summarize a client success:

    For example, a veterinarian noticed an increase in overtime pay to her staff. Upon closer examination, she figured out the bookkeeper was logging unauthorized extra hours and receiving additional pay. The bookkeeper had altered time-keeping records.

    Working closely with the veterinarian, I figured out how the records were doctored. The next day, the bookkeeper overheard a conversation between the veterinarian and the office manager about personnel records. He resigned the following day when he realized his fraud was discovered.

    Indicate specific industries that you serve:

    My industry expertise includes:

    • Healthcare practices
    • Law firms
    • Retail
    • Transportation, among others

    Close with a Call to Action and contact information:

    The sooner we speak, the sooner you will be on the path to recover your lost assets, get back on track with policies that safeguard your business and forge ahead with your plans for growth, without fixating on your loss.

    Call 347-256-9141 for a free consultation.

    Use this example as a template to revise your About section.

    This Month’s Tip

    People will keep reading your About section until they lose interest. Fill the space with 2,600 characters. Why shortchange yourself with only a summary paragraph?

    Contact

    Write your About section about yourself, yet keep the reader in mind. Get the Three Steps for More Success on LinkedIn e-book (50 pages) here. Contact me at Janet@JanetLFalk.com, make an appointment here or call me at 347.256.9141. When it’s about your LinkedIn profile, let’s give ‘em something to talk about.


    Click here to read prior issues of this newsletter.

    Click here to subscribe to this monthly newsletter and make sure you don’t miss the next issue.

    Andrew Schulkind

    I’ve sat through a lot of networking meetings with well-meaning business people reciting their all-about-me elevator pitches. Mine was better than most, but with so low a bar, that still didn’t make it good. It just didn’t deliver any real value to the audience.

    Janet’s ideas helped me energize my pitch, sharpen its focus, and clarify the benefits we deliver to our clients.

    And it’s different enough from the usual uninspired intros that it has literally turned heads.

    Thank you, Janet!

    Who is Your Target on LinkedIn?

    LinkedIn is about YOU.

    But it’s not about YOURSELF.

    David, a litigation attorney, discussed his approach to LinkedIn with me. “When I find out who my opposing counsel is, I look them up on LinkedIn. I like to see who else I might know at that same firm. I also check who our mutual acquaintances are. Plus, I want to know where they went to law school. That’s how I use LinkedIn.”

    “David, that’s an excellent use of LinkedIn: to conduct research on your opposing counsel,” I replied. “Tell me, do you think opposing counsel is looking at your profile the same way?”

    There was an awkward silence.

    Then David spoke, “I never thought about it like that. You’re right. Thank you.”

    LinkedIn is about YOU.

    But it’s not about yourself.

    It’s about the YOU on the other side of the computer screen who is looking at your profile.

    Your target is the YOU who has set certain criteria to search for a professional to help them solve a problem and who may not know your name.

    It is also the YOU who already does know your name.

    For David, it’s about opposing counsel.

    For yourself, the YOU of your target might be someone different.

    Consider these possibilities regarding WHO and WHY a YOU may be looking at your profile:

    • Potential client
    • Lapsed client
    • Referral source

    They probably want to verify whether you provide the service needed by themselves or someone they know.

    What about these people?

    • Conference organizer wants a panelist
    • Co-panelist asks you to repeat the session elsewhere
    • Podcast host seeks guests
    • Reporter needs a source for comment for a news story
    • Editor looks for an article for an industry publication

    These folks will proffer interesting opportunities for you to expound on an important issue and promote your company.

    Are you interested in serving on a board? Are you recruiting talent for your business?

    • Startup founder needs a board advisor
    • Nonprofit executive looks for a board member
    • Potential employee wants to join your company
    • MBA student seeks a summer associate position

    These individuals may not be a priority, but there’s no harm in talking with them.

    The following people, who already know you, are also searching for you on LinkedIn. You will have to ask them what they have in mind:

    • Classmate from your college
    • Colleague who serves with you on an association’s committee
    • Executive recruiter
    • General networking contact
    • Government administrator
    • Vendor
    •  

    Choose one (or more) from among these 18 categories and write their role(s) down.

    Now, read the headline of your LinkedIn profile aloud.

    Are its 220 characters speaking to the selected YOU on the other side of the computer screen?

    Edit accordingly.

    This Month’s Tip

    Why is your LInkedIn Headline so important? People look at your headline for 18% of the time they spend on your profile.

    That statistic is misleading. 

    Your headline (or its first 60 characters) is displayed with your photo wherever you are present on LinkedIn: invitations to connect, posts and articles, even comments! Review your headline in these places to ensure it speaks to the YOU that you have chosen as your target.

    Contact

    Let’s see how your headline aligns with the needs and pain points of the YOU(s) of greatest interest. Contact me at Janet@JanetLFalk.com, make an appointment here or call me at 347.256.9141. Together, we’ll read aloud your headline in this light to ensure it resonates with the appropriate YOU, whether they deploy certain criteria or your name to find your profile.

    Click here to read prior issues of this newsletter.

    Click here to subscribe to this monthly newsletter and make sure you don’t miss the next issue. 

    Anne Kleinman

    Janet’s monthly newsletter is a treasure trove of business growth ideas. It is the only newsletter that I receive from clients and business partners that I even take the time to look at. It is a true reflection of the benefits that one gets from working with Janet. I highly recommend that anyone looking to grow a business or law practice hire Janet to work with them so that they can focus on their business while Janet makes sure that all of their business development functions are executed to maximize the results.

    10 Tips to Find Inspiration

    There’s always something to say.

    This compliment from colleague and thought leadership writer Wayne Pollock prompted me to think: Where do I find inspiration?

    Pollock wrote me: “You never cease to amaze me with your creativity when it comes to topics for articles and podcasts.”

    When the blank page intimidates you, look for inspiration in your recent experiences.

    Follow these 10 suggestions for a fresh idea. Here are the back stories and the resulting newsletters from the more than 150 issues I have published since January 2013:

    1. Absence of information
      To prepare for my first podcast appearance in 2018, I looked online for tips. Sadly, most of the information was for hosts, not guests. I applied the skills of preparing for a media interview to this new setting. I’ve now appeared on nearly 50 podcasts, which makes this advice golden.
      It’s Showtime! Seven Tips for a Podcast Guest
    2. Apply a best practice from an authority

      Take note of what a leader in the field does and put it into play. I corresponded about the frequency of newsletter publication with Ann Handley, a digital marketing and content expert and Wall Street Journal best-selling author. The issue was how to acknowledge, if at all, a lapse in issues.

      As for tracking your online presence, I gave step-by-step instructions on setting alerts on Google and Talkwalker. Then I asked Shannon Wilkinson, an expert witness on reputation management, how often professionals should conduct an online search for their name and company. Her answer: weekly.
      Mind the Gap (of Your Newsletter’s Publication) 
      Have You Googled Yourself Lately?

    3. Avoid common mistakes
      Everyone makes mistakes. Share best practices to save readers embarrassment, time and money in marketing activities and events.

      There were THREE networking and marketing events that I might have attended on September 19, 2018. That was also Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish year. Oops. Event organizers should review the calendar for major religious holidays and high-visibility televised events (Olympics, Oscars) when selecting dates, in order to secure a robust attendance.
      FIVE Email Marketing Mistakes to Avoid
      Check the Calendar Before Scheduling an Event

    4. Conversation with a colleague

      You take notes in meetings with clients, naturally. What about the casual conversations with your contacts? Get a second opinion about your latest insight.

      If you taught, explained or explored a thought in a discussion with one person, chances are others need to hear it as well.
      Take Your Idea for a Test Drive
      When Should You Issue a Press Release?

    5. Correct a poor practice
      Perhaps you cringe when you read something in print or online. How did the writer not catch that glaring error? When I know the author, I often send an email with the correct spelling, grammar usage or layout. If we are not acquainted, I ask if they are open to feedback. Upon confirmation, I send my advice. Invariably, the person is appreciative. Help others avoid a similar misstep.
      Is Your Client List Scannable?
      Can Readers Scan Your List of Services Page?
      How to Invite People and Get a Sell-Out Crowd at Your Next Event
    6. Excerpt from a presentation, webinar or podcast
      Deploy a content multiplication approach. Use a different platform to share your ideas with other contacts who did not attend the program or listen to the episode.
      What’s Up with Your Elevator Pitch?
      Four Ways to Find a Reporter’s Email Address
    7. Giveaway
      Create and distribute a checklist, tipsheet, quiz, e-book or list of Do’s and Don’t’s. This information-rich giveaway, with your branding, may be downloaded and subsequently shared with a supervisor, employee, client, family member or other contact in the person’s circle. Decide if you require an email address or not for future follow-up.
      Five Tips to Maximize a Media Interview
      My Anniversary. Your Gift.
    8. Highlights and takeaways of a speaker’s remarks
      In-person events were rarely recorded prior to March 2020. Today, some hybrid and online events may be recorded, but may not be accessible to non-members or non-registrants. When permitted, distribute what you learned from the program to others in your circles, via a newsletter or a LinkedIn post.
      Your Annual Report is Not Dead
      Key Takeaways from the DEI Presentation at Women Owned Law
    9. Look at the calendar

      There’s a national holiday almost every month. If there’s nothing relevant in sight, check the National Day Calendar; for example, January 27 is National Chocolate Cake Day.

      During the December holiday season in 2020, I encouraged sending e-cards and making donations to nonprofit organizations impacted by the COVID pandemic in lieu of ordering and mailing printed greeting cards.
      Vote. Vote for Email and Not for Social Media
      Turn Your Holiday Card into a Gift

    10. Raise the bar on a practice taken for granted
      Keep the reader and the listener in mind in all your communications. Find a way that you can be memorable, while professionally conveying your services.
      Your Business Card is Your Paper Partner
      Improve Your Voicemail Greeting

    BONUS: Promote an upcoming event, presentation or podcast: Fill the room by alerting your contacts of your speaking engagement, whether in-person, virtual or hybrid.
    Lunch Hour Legal Marketing Podcast
    Two FREE Events: W 5/15 Arbitration and Th 5/16 Business Development, Baseball and Ethics

    This Month’s Tip

    Are you still looking for inspiration? Team up with a co-author, someone who has their finger on the pulse of what’s keeping industry executives up at night. Brainstorm a topic with a client or colleague and then take the lead in writing it up.

    Alternatively, pose a question or three to your contacts. Gather the prettiest pearls of their wisdom and string them together in a beautiful necklace of insights. That’s how I wrote 20 columns for The New York Law Journal and The New Jersey Law Journal.
    Team Up for a Win-Win
    Are You Too Busy to Write? Crowdsource Your Content

    Contact

    Has your well of ideas run dry? Contact me at Janet@JanetLFalk.com, make an appointment here or call me at 347.256.9141. Together, we’ll prime the pump for fresh inspiration and content.

    Click here to read prior issues of this newsletter.

    Click here to subscribe to this monthly newsletter and make sure you don’t miss the next issue. 

    Image credit: Freepik

    Frank Abdale

    One of my business goals was to write an article for a leading nonprofit magazine read by prospective clients. I published my article thanks to Janet’s guidance, strategy, support, editorial skills and her gentle reminders to stay on track. She even taught me how to promote the published article. Thank you Janet!

    Turn Your Google Alerts into Gold

    If you look long enough, you’ll find everything.

    You may recall I wrote about setting alerts on Google and Talkwalker to monitor your online presence.

    These alerts reach far beyond your own website to places where you may not be aware you have been cited.

    Some of these references may lead to new opportunities.

    in fact, I was thrilled to find citations of my name and podcast episodes where I was interviewed in TWO articles online. Both articles listed a number of podcasts and, for each show, named episodes that the author found noteworthy:

    8 Legal Podcasts to Help Grow Your Law Practice, listing a total of 16 episodes, referred to my conversation on Be That Lawyer with Steve Fretzin: Janet Falk: Public Relations 101 for Lawyers. 

    Another 16 individual episodes were cited in The 16 Best Legal Marketing Podcasts of 2024, including Janet Falk – How to Prepare for Your Next Meeting or Conference on The Legal Mastermind with Eric Bersano. 

    I capitalized on these mentions of my name as a two-fold opportunity. 

    First, I wrote a post on LinkedIn about each of the two articles. I congratulated the individual hosts of the various podcasts where I had spoken on this recognition.

    Next, I emailed the hosts of the podcasts on which I had not yet appeared. I congratulated them, too, plus I introduced myself as a potential guest.

    After all, I had a proven track record. I had appeared on 4 of the 8 in the first group and 8 of the 16 in the second. 

    This approach of using Google alerts to spark new opportunities is yielding results. Alay Yajnik, one  of the second set of podcast hosts, soon replied and invited me to record a program. The episode is Connecting at Conferences on the Lawyer Business Advantage.

    This Month’s Tip

    Follow these step-by-step instructions for creating online alerts on Google and Talkwalker. Include your:

    • Name
    • Company name
    • Website URL
    • Phone number

    Remember to check Yahoo, Bing and DuckDuckGo. Some yet-to-be-discovered references may appear there, as well. 

    Contact

    What will you find when you complement your alerts with a search for yourself on the Internet? No doubt there will be some mentions you overlooked, forgot about or simply were not aware existed and that may have eluded the alerts, too. Contact me at Janet@JanetLFalk.com, make an appointment here or call me at 347.256.9141. Let’s set up alerts, along with dates on your calendar for reminders to conduct additional searches, to track how you appear online.

    Click here to read prior issues of this newsletter.

    Click here to subscribe to this monthly newsletter and make sure you don’t miss the next issue. 

    Image credit: Rubaitul Azad

    Adrienne B. Koch

    Janet gave a terrific workshop at my firm, to a group of women attorneys from various walks of the profession, on how best to position oneself as a resource for the press. At my request, she tailored her presentation to that audience, so that her comments and suggestions were specific and relevant; she was also responsive to the group, and made a point of making sure she answered everybody’s questions. As a result, the audience was highly engaged and the presentation was very well-received.

    But of equal importance, Janet spent time informally with the group before and after the presentation, sharing her insightful thoughts and ideas in smaller, more individual conversations. This made the evening doubly enriching. I highly recommend both Janet’s workshops and Janet as a workshop leader.

    What’s Your Policy on Using Artificial Intelligence?

    Share it with readers to build trust.

    You’ve probably read articles and attended programs discussing the merits, limitations and ethics of using Artificial Intelligence (AI).

    How are YOU using AI?

    • Research topics for articles
    • Draft outlines for writing documents
    • Generate content for blog posts
    • Analyze mountains of data
    • Summarize lengthy reports
    • Create images

    Whatever your answer, have you disclosed that you are using AI?

    Do your employees know how they may (or may not) use AI?

    Why You Need an AI Policy

    People who read what you write or hear you speak may wonder about your use of AI.

    These days, they may assume, correctly or incorrectly, that you are using it.

    They may be surprised (or pleased) that you are not tapping AI in your operations and marketing.

    It’s time for you to draft a policy that aligns with your values.

    As a Public Relations and Marketing Communications professional, I focus on content creation. I evaluated the risks of using AI in my ideation and drafts. I addressed my values of Creativity, Authority and Authenticity. Finally, I developed my AI policy below.

    Before I share that, let’s take a step back to consider what your usage of AI may be and how it will be reflected in a policy statement.

    Maybe you will state that your ideas for content were inspired by AI.

    You might indicate that a first draft was created by AI, which you edited substantively.

    You may limit your use of AI and indicate accordingly.

    Perhaps you will provide a disclaimer that you do not use AI at all.

    In each case, the transparency of your AI usage generates trust with the reader.

    Falk Communications and Research Policy on Use of Artificial Intelligence
    All content produced by Janet Falk is original content. The exception is occasional use of Artificial Intelligence to generate titles for articles and headlines for press releases, which are substantially edited.

    Now that you are considering an AI policy, how will you disclose it?

    I’ve posted mine on my website’s home page.

    This Month’s Tip

    At a minimum, your AI policy should follow these guidelines, adapted from Skillsoft and Tronvig Group:

    • Comply with applicable laws
    • Ensure privacy and security of proprietary data
    • Eliminate bias and promote fairness
    • Set standards to confirm the accuracy of external references and citations
    • Monitor internal consistency, so content sounds like it was written by a person

    Contact

    Review your use of AI and take a public stand, so contacts will be informed and confirm their trust in you. Advise your employees accordingly, to ensure their use of AI adheres to your standards for the quality of their work product and processes.

    Contact me at Janet@JanetLFalk.com, book an appointment here or call me at 347.256.9141 to review your use of AI and your declaration of your policy. Let’s proceed intelligently about your use of Artificial Intelligence.

    Click here to read prior issues of this newsletter.

    Click here to subscribe to this monthly newsletter and make sure you don’t miss the next issue.

    Note: After I composed this newsletter in April 2024, I learned that a new Utah law mandates that when a business regulated by Utah’s Division of Consumer Protection uses generative AI to interact with consumers, and a consumer asks if the interaction is with AI, the business must “clearly and conspicuously” disclose the use of generative AI. The disclosure obligation is even more restrictive for those in regulated professions, such as health care. The law does not address the creative process.
    Image credit: CX Today

    Kenneth J. Katz

    With Janet’s help, one of our cases received local and nationwide attention from print and internet news outlets, and even from television producers. We highly recommend Janet and believe her efforts have helped raise the firm’s profile.

    Pitch Reporters with the Five W’s

    Focus on the reader of the news story.

    You know the five W’s of journalism:

    • Who
    • What
    • When
    • Where
    • Why

    There is an issue in business that you feel people need to know more about.

    Maybe you want people to speak with you and take action, because there is a looming deadline for potential clients, lapsed clients, referral sources or other contacts.

    Here’s how to introduce yourself to a reporter so that you will be a source for a news story on the subject.

    Start by using the five W’s as a framework for developing your pitch to a journalist.

    • Who do you want to read the news story? For example: Families of teenage students or toddlers. People with aging parents. Consultants in a specific industry. Residents in a certain neighborhood or town. Be as specific as possible about the characteristics or criteria of the target audience.
    • What idea will they read about? Think of their situation before they learned this information; compare it to after they hear about it and take the steps you recommend.
    • What will they do next with your idea? Will they want to speak with you to get more information? Will they be prompted to read a page on your website or download information there? Make it easy to connect with you by including your email address or phone number. Provide the link to access the material.
    • When: Is it time-sensitive? Is there a deadline to take action before a law or regulation goes into effect? Perhaps it is simply a best practice to attend to this issue sooner or eventually.
    • Where do they look for news? Perhaps it is the daily newspaper, the regional business magazine or the industry publication. Aim to put yourself and your insight there.
    • Why will they care? This is the most important question of all. Everyone listens to the world’s greatest radio station WII-FM (also known as What’s In It For Me). How will your idea help someone save time, save money or make more money?

    Once you have answers to the five W’s for your seed of an idea, you‘re ready to move forward and contact reporters.

    This Month’s Tip

    Use a pitch letter to initiate a conversation with a reporter.

    1. Indicate your familiarity with the reporter’s frequent news stories on topics aligned with your idea.
    2. Demonstrate your knowledge of the subject and cite a recent article, blog post, newsletter or speaking engagement to corroborate your status as an authoritative and reliable source.
    3. Pitch the story idea and underscore how readers will benefit from your insights.
    4. Include your contact information to facilitate follow-up with you.
    5. After a week or two, give the reporter a call or send a second email. Only use a shorter time frame when a deadline is imminent.

    Here’s the letter I often use to introduce my clients to journalists. Adapt it for your use in the first person.

    See also:
    Four Ways to Find a Reporter’s Email Address 
    Five Tips to Maximize a Media Phone Interview 

    Contact

    Let’s put the five W’s to work for you. Contact me to brainstorn some ideas for hot topics and news stories at Janet@JanetLFalk.com, book an appointment here or call me at 347.256.9141. Let’s start gathering names and emails for your media list. Wait for a reporter to call you is not one of the five W’s.

    Click here to read prior issues of this newsletter.

    Click here to subscribe to this monthly newsletter and make sure you don’t miss the next issue.

    Eric Graig

    I’ve known Janet for over a decade. She posses a depth of experience in public relations and marketing and whenever we come into contact, I learn something new. So many consultants offer only boilerplate solutions to organizational challenges. Janet doesn’t. I spend a lot of time reading a variety blogs, social media posts, reports, etc. that relate to marketing and often I feel as if I’m in an echo chamber. Janet’s thoughts on marketing and PR are always original and I come away with ideas I haven’t seen before. I’m pleased to recommend her.

    Four Ways to Find a Reporter’s Email Address

    Email addresses are hiding in plain sight.

    You conducted your SWOT analysis and compared your appearances in news stories to your competitors.

    You’ve identified the local newspaper’s business reporters, the journalists at the regional business magazine and the writers at the industry publications that cover your client’s businesses.

    Here are four places to locate a reporter’s email address, so you can introduce yourself and your insights to these journalists.

    Check the reporter’s byline. In a print publication, there may be an email address after the reporter’s name or at the end of the article. In an article online, there may be a link to the reporter’s email address, which may open a pop-up window for easy correspondence.

    Review the masthead. A print magazine will list all the reporters and editors, with the specific beats or areas they cover. It usually includes their individual email addresses and sometimes their phone numbers. Some publications include the masthead on their websites.

    Look up their X (Twitter) account. Journalists may include their email address in their bio, so that tipsters can send them information privately, without broadcasting a source or idea for a news story to the X/Twitter universe.

    Search for a personal website. Some reporters aggregate their published news stories on their own website. There generally is a Contact page, with either a form or an email address.

    You can try contacting reporters via LinkedIn and Facebook, as a last resort. Note that many view this approach as intrusive and not respectful of professional and personal boundaries.

    There are several media databases that track reporters and publications: Cision, Meltwater, Muckrack and Propel, to name a few. Public Relations professionals like myself subscribe to these databases; they are far too expensive for occasional use.

    This Month’s Tip

    Assemble the names and email in a database or spreadsheet. Keep track of these details:

    • Outlet Name
    • First Name (useful for merge mail)
    • Last Name
    • Email address
    • Phone
    • Status of latest contact

    Contact

    Reporters are always looking for new sources, so take the initiative to introduce yourself via email. Contact me at Janet@JanetLFalk.com, book an appointment here or call me at 347.256.9141. Let’s start gathering names and emails for your media list.

    Click here to read prior issues of this newsletter.

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    William B. Stock

    Janet Falk is a great practical motivator: the term requires a definition. Some people are very good at setting you off in the right direction in your career, but they don’t know the mechanics of how to get there. Janet does both. When first I met her, I had been down-sized and had vague ideas about going into business for myself. She helped me set up a complete marketing plan, including everything from a website, to provocative business cards, to getting my first article published in The New York Law Journal. I am not yet exactly where I want to be, but I am unquestionably on the road. I recommend her highly.

    Use SWOT Analysis as a Platform for Media Outreach

    Conduct competitive research for inspiration, then fill in the gaps.

    Here’s a non-traditional use of the familiar SWOT analysis of: Strength, Weakness, Opportunity and Threat.

    Apply it to your media outreach.

    Look at your competitors and find when they have successfully garnered media attention.

    Then compare that activity to where you have had similar results generating news stories and reporter interest in your business.

    Start by conducting an online search for some competitors and take note of the topics in focus.

    Were these news stories about trends in the industry or views of the big picture? Are you prepared to address these issues and look in your crystal ball?

    Are the articles about client projects? Which success stories would you like to share as case studies to attract more business?

    Did your competitors describe best practices or lessons learned? Which tips and tricks would you offer?

    Next, assemble the names of the publications and the individual reporters.

    Do you subscribe to and read these news outlets so you can keep up with industry and local news? Do you follow the news stories, and social media accounts, of the journalists who mentioned your competitors?

    Gather the results of this analysis to develop your game plan. Take steps to address the gaps you identified so you will be the one reporters call.

    This Month’s Tip

    Are you on reporters’ lists of sources? Reporters call the people they know. Perhaps you have missed out on being included in some articles because they are not aware you are a potential source on those topics.

    Plan to introduce yourself to the relevant business and industry reporters at the local newspaper, city/regional business magazine and industry newsletter serving your target market. Use the sample Media Profile in this e-book. Next, you’ll learn how to find their email addresses.

    Ask clients if they are willing to be featured in case studies and examples of lessons learned. Focus on anecdotes of how you solved problems or increased sales and profits.

    Soon, you will be the one reporters call.

    Contact

    Now that you’ve identified the areas where you may have fallen short of your competitors, let’s step up to fill the gaps. Contact me at Janet@JanetLFalk.com, book an appointment here or call me at 347.256.9141. Together, we’ll brainstorm topics, trends, case studies and best practices that will be newsworthy.

    Click here to read prior issues of this newsletter.

    Click here to subscribe to this monthly newsletter and make sure you don’t miss the next issue.

    This discussion was inspired by Kathleen Lessman’s blog post

    My Anniversary. Your Gift.

    Ten tips to maximize your anniversary celebration

    This month marks 15 years for me as a solo-preneur Public Relations and Marketing Communications professional.

    I celebrate this milestone with a gift to you, an e-book: 25 Tips to Prepare for Your Next Conference. Request a copy.

    Here’s my story. I hung up my single shingle in January 2009.

    You may recall it was a challenging time for a new business venture. It was the depths of the financial crisis. The Dow Jones Industrial Average had lost more than 50% of its value between May and December 2008. Corporate layoffs were an everyday occurrence.

    For these 15 years, it’s been my pleasure and an education to learn about your business.

    Together, we’ve connected with reporters, potential clients, networking contacts, vendors and referral sources.

    We’ve polished your website and LinkedIn profile, plus edited your articles, speeches, presentations and marketing materials.

    In appreciation of your support, your business and our warm relationship, I thank you for standing with me. I would not be here for 15 years without you.

    As for corporate anniversary celebrations:

    • I composed text for an industry trade association marking its 20th year; the booklet was distributed to the membership at a gala awards dinner.
    • I produced a 70th anniversary brochure for a family-owned business; plus, I wrote the speeches the company executives gave at the celebratory breakfast.

    Perhaps you will agree the people who care the most about an anniversary are the insiders: the founders, leaders, employees and members. Clients may notice to a lesser degree.

    When you mark your anniversary, keep your inner circle in focus at all times.

    Accordingly, here are ten suggestions for how to promote the news of your successes over the years, the knowledge you’ve gained and shared, plus the longevity of your business. Take note of the most appropriate recommendations:

    1. Pick a date. It can be the date your company incorporated, you launched your website or you signed your first client.
    2. Review your resources, both physical and digital. How will you incorporate a reference to the anniversary year and update your materials? A modified logo is often the simplest way to spruce up your existing materials with a tagline referring to the anniversary celebration. Add it to your company’s website and the email signature of employees.
    3. Compose a short history of the organization with milestone achievements: a new location, a new service, an expanded product line. Decide whether this history will be a brochure, e-book or video and contract with a professional to produce it.
    4. Incorporate visual elements. Assemble photos, perhaps a map of prior locations or areas served, and previous versions of your logo to add color to the narrative.
    5. Share the anniversary announcement in newsletters tailored to employees, clients and referral sources, expressing gratitude for their role in your success and longevity.
    6. Contact the media and offer your perspective on the state of the industry, from your launch date to today, and how the landscape has changed. Provide a forecast on what lies ahead. Add your strategy for the future and how your values will help you achieve it.
    7. Send a printed thank you card to employees, clients and referral sources to recognize their contributions to your success. Acknowledge key people with an individual card and perhaps a gift.
    8. As the budget permits, create a commemorative item, something useful and more unique than a T-shirt or pen.
    9. Make a charitable donation to a nonprofit group whose mission aligns with your industry. Endow a scholarship at a college or university, whether local or an alma mater of the founder.
    10. Host an event to acknowledge employees and clients. Consider a family day in the spring.

    This Month’s Tip

    Document the anniversary and spread the word. Take photos and create informal videos of the activities underway. For example, compare the new anniversary logo with the one in use and describe the process of designing it. All events should be captured; these photos and video can be shared on your company’s website and social media accounts.

    Contact

    Check the calendar. It’s never too soon to plan for your next anniversary or milestone.  Contact me at Janet@JanetLFalk.com, book an appointment here or call me at 347.256.9141. Let’s set a date to discuss making your celebration memorable.

    Click here to read prior issues of this newsletter.

    Click here to subscribe to this monthly newsletter and make sure you don’t miss the next issue.

    Image credit: OpenClipArt.org

    Randi (Melnick) Cohen

    Janet says “Reporters call the people they know; they don’t call someone they never heard of.” She introduced me to a reporter for an interview on employment law. After my quotes were published in an online article, another reporter from the same publication contacted me on a different employment issue. She quoted me twice in one article and once in another news story. Thanks, Janet!

    Tell Me About Your Highlight of the Year

    Ideas for cocktail conversation.

    Are you looking forward to the meetings and holiday parties scheduled in December?

    As you celebrate the close of a productive year, consider what you will talk about with your colleagues, clients, contacts and friends.

    Try this perennial question:

         What was the highlight of the year for you?

    If it is a business-related event, add this prompt to confirm your genuine interest in learning about them and a project they completed with a client:

    What is something you did for a client, that would not have happened, if you were not involved?

    In our culture, it often is unseemly to brag.

    Leaders and coaches say, “There is no ‘I‘ in team.”

    Turn that upside down.

    In order to better connect with someone, you give them this opportunity to brag and show off how they uniquely contributed to a client’s success.

    This approach yields valuable insights about this person:

      • What sort of clients do they work with
      • What kinds of problems do they solve
      • What types of solutions do they bring to the table

    Then, having heard their brief narrative, you may dig deeper.

    No matter what they’ve said, continue with:

    That sounds hard. How did you do that?

    This question opens the door for additional details and for you to get a fuller picture of their work, their industry, their clients and so on.

    What if it’s a social gathering?

    The highlight question works the same way. Here’s what your acquaintance might mention:

      • They achieved a personal or chronological milestone
      • They visited a distant place
      • They started or finished a pet project

    In this case, the follow-up question, How did you do that, may be inappropriate.

    Instead, perhaps focus on the emotion the person felt, their sense of accomplishment or the people with whom they shared the experience.

    There’s always a highlight, whether professional or personal.

    This Month’s Tip

    Be prepared when your contact likes the highlight question so much they repeat it back to you. Review your list of successful projects; select a few that are the most indicative of the clients you work with, the problems you solve and the skills you bring to these situations. Consider anecdotes and events of a more personal nature as well.

    Contact

    Plan ahead for your holiday cocktail chatter. Let’s brainstorm a few questions and your own responses. Contact me at Janet@JanetLFalk.com, set an appointment here or call me at 347.256.9141. Talking about a highlight with your contact can lead you both to celebrate the holiday season on a high note.

    Click here to read prior issues of this newsletter.

    Click here to subscribe to this monthly newsletter and make sure you don’t miss the next issue.

    Make It a Double

    If one is good, two is better.

    Congratulations on your recent speaking engagement!

    It was terrific.

      • You were on a podcast.
      • You gave a webinar, perhaps with other speakers.
      • You conducted a workshop.
      • You presented at a conference or were a panelist.

    Don’t stop there. Make it a double.

    Here’s how the time you spent on research, writing and rehearsal will truly pay off: Find a new venue where you can repeat your performance.

    After your podcast appearance, look for other programs where you can talk about the same theme. Search the directories of the major podcast distributors: Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher and YouTube. Select general categories or specific areas of interest.

    You can also review these directories of podcasts:

    Conduct an online search for the Top 10 Podcasts in your industry.

    Finally, you can perform reverse engineering. Look on the website Owltail.com for topics and speakers aligned with your subject.

    When you have compiled a list of podcasts of interest, contact the hosts and introduce yourself as someone with valuable insights for their listeners. Your recent podcast appearance is a plus. Use the sample letter of How YOU Can Be a Podcast Guest in your outreach to podcast hosts.

    Webinars are easily duplicated. When there are multiple webinar providers serving your audience, reach out to each of them with your idea for a timely presentation. For example, providers in the accounting sector include CPA Academy and My CPE.

    Connect with the other panelists and propose a reprise of the topic with a different webinar host. Perhaps a webinar producer who previously presented one speaker will find your topic relevant and will schedule a program with the group.

    Take that workshop to a group where you are a member or might be a guest speaker:

      • a professional membership organization
      • an industry association
      • a local chamber of commerce
      • an incubator for start-up businesses.

    Conferences may be local, regional or national. If you spoke at a state conference, look to a national event. And vice versa.

    Host your own event for clients and referral sources, and perhaps even vendors. You will bring everyone up to date on trends and issues, plus they will appreciate networking with your contacts.

    Consider giving your repeat performance on a different platform. The webinar I presented on 25 Tips to Prepare for Your Next Conference has been the focus of four podcasts, plus a few more are on my calendar.

    Remember, it’s not one and done.

    This Month’s Tip

    Broaden your audience; two can speak together. Consider teaming up with a client, or referral source, to tap into the market of their peers. Podcast hosts, webinar producers and conference organizers will view your co-presenter as someone who has their finger on the pulse of what’s happening in their industry or their profession, giving you additional credibility as a speaker.

    Contact

    It’s time to double up on your speaking engagements. Let’s review your recent podcast appearances and presentations to see where you might book another. Contact me at Janet@JanetLFalk.com, set an appointment here or call me at 347.256.9141. Let’s make your latest speaking engagement a two-fer or even a three-fer.

    Click here to read prior issues of this newsletter.

    Click here to subscribe to this monthly newsletter and make sure you don’t miss the next issue.

    In memory of my mother, Sue Falk, who passed away July 30, 2023. She often bought two colors of the same blouse, because, If one is good, two is better.
    Image credit: Nearme Cafe

    Nancy Goldhill

    Janet promoted Staten Island Legal Services’ first fundraising luncheon in 2013 to The New York Law Journal. She was able to secure an article in advance of the event, which is very unusual, and that news story helped us sell more tickets. The NYLJ also came to the event and provided coverage of the luncheon with a prominent photo. She repeated that success for the second luncheon in 2014 as well. […] It’s no exaggeration to say that the news stories and [the launch of our] newsletter turned out so well thanks to her persistence.

    How to Re-purpose and Multiply Your Content

     Turn your article into a newsletter, webinar and more.

    You’ve been advised to re-purpose and multiply your content, so it will be seen by more potential contacts and enhance your standing as an authority.

    If you are stymied about how to go about it, follow this example of content multiplication, where an article became:

      • a two-part newsletter
      • an expanded article
      • a webinar
      • an e-book
      • and a podcast guest appearance.

    In anticipation of the annual symposium held by Women Owned Law, a national professional membership organization, I published an article in the group’s monthly newsletter. There were 22 tips geared to maximize attendance at the conference with detailed activities to pursue before, during and after the event.

    Later, I developed these ideas as a two-part series for this monthly newsletter, which was distributed to nearly 1,000 subscribers.

    One of them is an editor of PLI Chronicle, a monthly newsletter for attorneys, where I have published 20 articles. After she invited me to contribute the discussion to her publication, I expanded the list to 25 tips. This new two-part article series incorporated some ideas from readers of the newsletter.

    Taking this theme a step further, and in view of the post-pandemic return to industry and professional conferences, I viewed the topic as a potential webinar. I contacted a director of programs at PLI, which produces online programs for attorneys, and where I had spoken in the past. She liked the proposed subject; to spice up the program, I invited a client to co-present with me.

    Having shared these best practices for conference attendees in newsletters, articles and a webinar, I am now seeking guest appearances with more than 30 podcast hosts to whom I’ve spoken on media relations and marketing for business owners and attorneys. Their audiences may well appreciate these 25 tips to prepare for conferences, maximize their attendance and engage in follow-up activities.

    This Month’s Tip

    Circulate your nuggets of wisdom as widely as possible. The ideas you share in digital formats, like articles, email newsletters and e-books, are easily multiplied to other online platforms, such as blogs, and distributed via social media accounts. The 25 tips are now an e-book.

    Don’t stop there. When you are comfortable speaking to groups, identify the organizations where your target market gathers and offer to present at their meetings. Perhaps you will include a client with whom attendees may identify and envision their own success while working with you.

    Are you ready for your close-up? Film a video (less than five minutes long), as another way to share your thoughts, and post it on your website and social media accounts.

    Contact

    Your ideas deserve a wider audience. Your contacts need to be reminded of your successful approach to solving problems they may have. Together, let’s review your articles, newsletters and presentations with an eye to updating them. We’ll consider the most appropriate formats for re-distribution: print, online, in-person, audio or video. Contact me at Janet@JanetLFalk.com, set an appointment here or call me at 347.256.9141. It’s time to multiply your insights and, perhaps, write your next e-book.

    Click here to read prior issues of this newsletter.

    Click here to subscribe to this monthly newsletter and make sure you don’t miss the next issue.

    (This discussion has been lightly edited for updated content.)
    Image credit: Cariboo Money Helper

    The Confirmation Process vs. the Buyer’s Journey

     Your digital presence must confirm your professionalism.

    You’ve probably heard of the Buyer’s Journey, which has several stages:

    • Awareness: a buyer becomes aware of a problem
    • Consideration: a buyer defines their problem and considers options to solve it
    • Decision: a buyer evaluates these options and decides on the right provider to address the solution.

    When someone lands on your website or LinkedIn profile, you don’t know where they are in their buyer’s journey. Accordingly, your website’s content must address the visitor at each stage in their buying process.

    Let’s flip this journey around to give you the leading role. I call it the Confirmation Process.

    Its objective is to confirm for the buyer that she has located the appropriate resource.

    Through a yet-to-be-determined channel, a visitor comes to your website or LinkedIn profile, starting the journey or process:

    • Awareness: a buyer learns about you
    • Consideration: a buyer conducts research about you
    • Decision: a buyer contracts with you.

    A prospective client arrives at your website in several ways:

    1. They met you at an event, heard you speak on a panel or podcast, or read what you wrote in an article or newsletter
    2. They were referred to you by a mutual contact
    3. They searched on the internet for a professional like you.

    Now that they found you, they want to confirm:

    • You are the person they heard about/saw/read about
    • You are the professional they seek/need because you have the skills to solve their problem
    • You have the respect of colleagues in your field and your clients.

    Here’s how your website operates in the Confirmation Process:

    Are you the one they heard about?
    Yes. Your photo matches the image of the professional they met or saw speak. When the person talked with you at an event or attended your panel, they had an opportunity to connect with you. Perhaps you exchanged business cards.

    Speaker bios, podcast show notes and articles usually include a photo and the URL of the professional’s website, email address and/or phone number, precisely so that listeners and readers can contact the individual for further information.

    Are you the professional they seek/need and do you have the skills to solve their problem?
    Yes. State your services, cite your education, note your certifications and licenses. Your case studies of client successes, newsletters and articles are additional proof of your skills. List your clients by name, when permitted, or by industry.

    All these describe your background and demonstrate that you operate from a solid knowledge base, with proven experience to address the potential client’s particular situation, although you do not yet know what their problem may be.

    Do you have the respect of others in your field and your clients?
    Yes. Your workshops and podcast appearances show that others in the sector value your insights. Your testimonials prove you made your clients look good to whoever mattered to them: a partner, business owner, supervisor or investor.

    Congratulations! You’ve checked all the boxes of their confirmation search.

    This Month’s Tip

    Review your website and LinkedIn profile see how they correspond to the Confirmation Process with a current photo, lists of services and clients, plus publications, newsletters, workshops and case studies.

    Contact

    Show the world you are the professional who can solve a certain problem. Confirm you are the person you say you are. Contact me at Janet@JanetLFalk.com , set an appointment here or call me at 347.256.9141. Let’s compare your digital presence to the confirmation process. Together, we’ll help potential clients check the boxes of their confirmation search so they may connect with you to resolve their issue.

    Click here to read prior issues of this newsletter.

    Click here to subscribe to this monthly newsletter and make sure you don’t miss the next issue.

    Thanks to Andrew Schulkind, digital strategist, for partial inspiration. He asked, “How aware of you [and] where in the buying process, or your sales funnel, is the person who’s just come to your website?”
    This discussion has been lightly edited for clarity.
    Image credit: kalhh (Pixabay)

    Ed Katz

    This is one of the few times in my career when the realization exceeded the anticipation. Even though Janet was highly recommended by several professionals in the Public Relations industry, this Southern gentleman was not excited about doing business with a New Yorker. I must confess she did an outstanding job for our company. Not only did she listen to me (the customer), she was patient, persistent and persevered, and so was successful in getting our article in a key publication.

    Thank you for doing such an outstanding job.

    FIVE Email Marketing Mistakes to Avoid

    Sidestep these Don’ts and step ahead with these Do’s to grab and keep the reader’s attention.

    When you control the real estate, whether an email marketing campaign or a newsletter, the format and content should be perfect.

    You should also make it easy for readers to follow and absorb the ideas you present.

    You worked hard to compose these messages. Use this series of Don’ts and Do’s as a checklist to avoid mistakes and keep your readers engaged.

    These examples were inspired from emails I’ve recently received, followed by a recommended edit.

    1. Do not use reverse type. Use a dark color on a light background, not white type on a dark background.

    2. Do not use hard-to-read colors, like pale yellow, that don’t stand out. Select sharp and clear colors for your palette.

    Visit the Website

    Visit the Website

    3. Do not center text. Use left alignment. The reader’s eyes bounce around the page with centered text. Left alignment helps the reader know where the next line starts.

    “Left aligned text is easier to read than centered text for paragraphs. This is
    because when you center your text, the starting place of each line changes.
    This forces your users to work harder to find where each line begins to
    continue reading.”

    “Without a straight left edge, there is no consistent place where users can move their eyes when they complete each line.”
    (Source: UX Movement)

    4. Do not address the reader as, Hey Name. Always address the prospect as Name or Dear Name. When you want the reader’s attention, time and money, show respect by using formal discourse. The correspondent will let you know when they are prepared to be informal with you.

    5. Limit use of I and We. Use YOU and YOUR. The email is about the reader, not about the service provider.

    Hey Sam,
    My name is Pat and I am from Company.

    We offer an online payment system that provides an easy and secure way for clients to accept credit cards and e-checks from their clients. 

    Our company is specifically designed for business owners.

    My response:
    Who cares about your name and Company?
    How did you learn my name?
    What do you know about my business?
    Where is the reader (YOU) here?

    Sam,
    Your name came to my attention as a Public Relations professional with a small agency.

    Many small business owners like yourself find it easier to accept credit card payments and online payments instead of checks.

    With Company’s online services, you can easily set up accounts to receive payments from your clients in the way they wish to make them.

    BONUS: Always send a test email to your personal email account. Review it carefully, clicking on all the links.

    After you write, wait a day before sending your email newsletter or campaign, so you can give it a fresh, final look.

    This Month’s Tip

    Do not send the email before proofreading. Read aloud every sentence backwards from the period. That is, period the from backwards sentence every aloud Read.

    You will be surprised how often this technique helps you catch missteps. Remember, spell check will accept both trial and trail.

    Contact

    Have you been tripped up by mistakes like these in your email marketing? Let’s jump on a Zoom call and check your latest newsletter or next communiqué. Contact me at  Janet@JanetLFalk.com, set an appointment here or call me at 347.256.9141. Together we’ll step over these pitfalls and ensure you keep the reader on the straight path of your email’s message.

    See also Lose Excess Fat (Verbiage) in 2022 .

    Click here to read prior issues of this newsletter.

    Click here to subscribe to this monthly newsletter and make sure you don’t miss the next issue. 

    Image credit: Prodeep Ahmeed (Pixabay)


    Sandra Holtzman

    Janet graciously guest speaks in my NYU graduate class in Marketing. Her presentations are thoughtfully put together and demonstrate numerous points with clearly articulated case histories from different sectors. She presents a wealth of expertise and is very generous with her time and patient with student questions. Janet also speaks at my FastTrac New Venture classes and her presentations there are equally excellent.

    Maximize Your Membership in an Association or Networking Group

    Develop relationships and increase your activity in the organization.

    You probably pay dues to at least one organization, whether a professional membership group (e.g., New York State Bar Association), industry association (e.g., 100 Women in Finance) or networking group (e.g., Business Networking International).

    Certainly, you hope to get clients and referrals from your participation in the group, and you may have landed a few of each.

    Consider that it’s not always the direct financial payoff that is the benefit of being a paid member.

    There are other intangibles that make your membership dues worthwhile. Keep these in mind when you renew your membership.

    Three steps to increase your participation in the group.

    1. Build your network: Make a point of connecting with other members. The membership directory may be online, so it’s easy to locate members who:

    • are in a business that overlaps or competes with yours
    • serve the same clients, but in a different capacity
    • have an office near yours or in a city where you travel
    • are alumnae/alumni of the same college or postgraduate school

    (See Find Golden Contacts in Your Association’s Directory)

    2. Hold one-on-one conversations: Getting to know individual members yields tremendous benefits. Not only do you learn more about each other’s business activities, you also establish a warmer footing for that next conversation or referral.

    More selfishly, you gain practice in explaining what you do and what makes you different from others in your sector. You sharpen your own listening skills and develop more probing questions to become better acquainted with someone outside your usual arena.

    3. Request an informal consultation: Have you ever needed a quick brainstorming session? Would you like another pair of eyes to review a short document? The larger your circle of contacts among the members, the more easily you can land the assistance you need. Reciprocate and show you are available for a similar request.

    How have my memberships worked out?

    Here’s the payoff from belonging to Women Owned Law, an association for women attorneys and women-owned businesses serving the legal sector; I joined in 2020:

    • I established relationships with attorneys who were sources when I wrote columns on Best Practices for the Solo Practice for The New Jersey Law Journal and The New York Law Journal. Their quotes, names, law firms and practice areas were prominently mentioned in my articles, with little effort on their part. This created considerable goodwill, and, in at least one case, greatly enhanced the visibility of a lawyer’s recently established practice to other attorneys. A win-win for both sides.
    • A member asked me to join a panel for a state bar association’s webinar.
    • I requested an informal consultation on a personal matter from another member. I have a Ph.D. in Spanish literature and speak, read and write with native fluency. Yet, before I submitted a brief personal narrative in Spanish for publication in a scholarly book, I asked Carmen Hiers, Managing Partner of Transforma Translation Services and a native Spanish speaker, to check what I had written.
    • I’ve presented five 60-minute webinars to the national organization over the years, plus another to a local chapter. These programs led to an invitation to speak to a state bar association.
    • I edit articles submitted to the member column in the monthly newsletter and I’ve contributed many as well. I later amplified one column as a two-part series for a legal industry newsletter.

    Plus, I landed FIVE clients from informal networking and value-added conversations with these new connections.

    Additionally, after serving as an active member on a committee of 100 Women in Finance for nine years, I was hired as a consultant to the organization, now entering my sixth year.

    This Month’s Tip

    Apply the Marketing RBI paradigm to your membership. As you may recall, two of the components are:

    • Speaking (Here’s the Pitch): Create opportunities where you can speak to the members, as a panelist or moderator, or on the association’s podcast.
    • Writing (Keeping the Box Score): Contribute to the organization’s newsletter or blog.

    When you implement these activities, remember this step:

    •  Extend Your Presence Online (Cover All the Bases): Promote your involvement and the group’s activities in your posts on LinkedIn and other social media platforms.

    You can see how these tactics have supported my business development. Try them yourself.

    Contact

    It only takes one client to cover the whole thing, namely your dues. But it’s not only about getting business. Your membership dues are an investment. It’s time they yielded a payoff in intangible returns beyond clients and referrals.  Contact me at Janet@JanetLFalk.com, set an appointment here or call me at 347.256.9141.Together, let’s brainstorm how you might take advantage of networking, speaking, writing and other activities as you engage with fellow members of your professional and industry associations. 

    Click here to read prior issues of this newsletter.

    Click here to subscribe to this monthly newsletter and make sure you don’t miss the next issue. 

    Thanks to Nancy Mertzzel, President of Women Owned Law, whose conversation inspired this discussion.
    Image credit: New York State Bar Association.

    22 Tips for Attending a Conference (Part 2 of 2)

    How to maximize your conference follow-up.

    Congratulations on a successful conference, where you implemented some of my tips in advance or at the event.

    Click to request an e-book with 25 tips.

    You gained new insights into the industry that will help you grow your business.
    You had meaningful conversations with a few potential clients and referral sources.
    You re-connected with colleagues and friends.
    You gave away branded items from your company, plus you collected a healthy stack of business cards, along with some neat items from the exhibitors.

    Now it’s back to your desk and computer to follow up with the new contacts you made and send them the items and introductions you promised.

    After the Conference

    1. Assemble the business cards of those you met and review the notes you made on the back. Send each of these new connections an email, perhaps using the template below as a model. Include the article or newsletter you mentioned that may interest them, as promised.
    2. Connect with the attendees you met at breakfast and lunch. Take a look at their website/latest newsletter/recent article and comment on that. Suggest something related to your conversation or pose a question that invites a response.
    3. Write up your notes and key takeaways from the sessions as individual posts on LinkedIn, or other social media. Tag the speaker, for example: @PatWhite. If you gathered a lot of ideas, write a longer post or article that combines highlights of all the panels.
    4. Send each panelist an email including the link to your social media post. Note the steps you were inspired to take based on their remarks. Start a conversation by asking for their opinion or advice.
    5. Review the photos you took and send them to the people you met.
    6. Congratulate the conference organizers on a great event. Share some positive or constructive feedback on your experience.
    7. Go to LinkedIn and invite the contacts you made to connect with you there (or on another social media platform where you both are active).
    8. Set calendar reminders to follow-up with the new contacts of greatest interest. Add the names of the members in the directory who you identified as from your local area or as potential collaborators and referral sources.

    This Month’s Tip

    This email template is easily customized. Be inspired by the possible topics and slots to insert specific references to follow up with each person you met.

    Subject line: Great meeting you at Name of Conference

    Name,
    It was great to meet you at the Name of Coference and learn about your business focused on __.

    I visited your website and noticed __.

    Remembering our conversation about __, this (article, newsletter, podcast, video) discusses __and may be worthwhile. Do let me know what you think.

    You mentioned you are interested in __. If you are not already acquainted with my colleague (link to website), I’m happy to introduce you.

    If you’d like to keep in touch on a regular basis, please subscribe to my newsletter/blog here (link).

    Of course, I’m happy to receive yours as well.

    Shall we connect on LinkedIn? (link)

    Looking forward to continuing our conversation. Please let me know how I might be helpful to you.

    Regards.

    Signature block

    Contact

    Networking is all about the follow up; these tips will make it easy to re-connect when you return from the meeting. Contact me at Janet@JanetLFalk.com , set an appointment here or call me at 347.256.9141.Together we’ll draft a warm reminder of the conversations you had at the conference and build on these nascent relationships for the future. 

    Click here to read prior issues of this newsletter.

    Click here to subscribe to this monthly newsletter and make sure you don’t miss the next issue. 

    (This discussion has been lightly edited for updated content.)

    Image credit: Mattia Di Tommaso

    Audrey Winkler

    Janet gave a wonderful interactive presentation on Best Practices in Board Communication and Media Relations to nonprofit professionals at the Board Leadership Workshop for the Nonprofit Sector Resource Institute. It was outstanding and participants commented afterwards that they had learned a great deal from her. The fact that Janet prepared it on an extremely tight deadline made the presentation all the more impressive.

    22 Tips for Attending a Conference (Part 1 of 2)

    How to maximize your conference attendance.

    Conference season is well underway. It’s exciting and energizing to gather with your peers. You’ll get updates on industry developments and network with colleagues, plus meet with clients and referral sources. You may also pick up some nifty swag from exhibitors.

    Prepare in advance to meet the people attending the sessions. Think also about how you will engage in conversation with them to cultivate a mutually beneficial relationship; your goal is to share information about the industry and also make referrals in a two-way process.

    Click to request an e-book with 25 tips.

    Before the Conference

    1. Consult the membership directory to identify the members who align with your business or are potential referral sources. Look also for members who are in your state. Email them casually to say you look forward to meeting them. Perhaps women will mention that they will wear a colored jacket (NOT black or navy), while men will sport a distinctive colored tie or pocket square. Mentioning your attire helps you stand out in the crowd, so your new contacts can easily find you.
    2. Have an ample supply of business cards .
    3. If you have a small branded giveaway item, bring plenty along. A pen with your company’s name is universally useful. I have a business-card-sized list of tips for a phone interview with a reporter, which includes my contact details and website URL, plus a QR code to subscribe to this newsletter.
    4. Place an auto-reply on your email stating that you are at a conference and will not be checking email until late in the day.
    5. Practice your elevator pitches: one for general audiences and another for specific target markets.
    6. Contact the panelists. Mention that you are very interested in their presentation. Offer to ask a question, perhaps on a related topic that they want to address, but may not be able to cover in their remarks.

    During the Conference

    1. Do not check email during the lull between sessions. Talk to the person next to you.
    2. Turn off your cell phone.
    3. At breakfast, sit with attendees you already know. Get the lowdown on what they’ve been up to since your last conversation.
    4. While listening to the speakers, take notes. Write two action-oriented steps you will take. Plan to contact the panelists by email in a few days with a congratulatory note, indicating your takeaways from their discussion.
    5. At lunch, sit with attendees you don’t know. It’s time to expand your network.
    6. As you chat with other attendees, write a note on their business cards about your conversation. For example, did you offer to make an introduction to a colleague or send an article? If they did not give you their business card, make a note on one of yours so you can contact them later.
    7. There probably will be a scheduled networking session. What’s your favorite question to learn about other people, the clients they work with or their personal interests? Maybe you will ask others what they have learned so far at the conference, plus which action steps they will take.
    8. Use your cellphone to take some selfie photographs with other attendees and snap shots of small groups.

      9. This Month’s Tip

      Have fun at the conference. You traveled quite a distance and paid for a hotel stay to attend this meeting. Follow some or all of these tips to make the most of this event — and the next one.

      Contact

      Get ready in advance of the next conference. Contact me at  Janet@JanetLFalk.com, set an appointment here or call me at 347.256.9141. Together we’ll assemble your business cards and giveaway item. We’ll peruse the directory, identify members of interest and contact colleagues to alert them that you are eager to speak with them at the conference.

      Click here to read prior issues of this newsletter.

      Click here to subscribe to this monthly newsletter and make sure you don’t miss the next issue. 

      (This discussion has been lightly edited for updated content.)

    Beware the Risks of (Not) Talking to a Reporter

    Consider when and how to comment.

    Talking to reporters is a risky business.

    So is NOT talking to them.

    Let’s say a reporter calls you for comment on your business. Or maybe the journalist asks about a trend or best practice in the industry.

    Perhaps the reporter knows something about your company that you’re not ready to discuss – yet.

    Or they heard a rumor about your work with a former client who is now under investigation for fraud.

    Do you answer their questions in the moment?

    What happens if you check the caller ID and don’t pick up the phone? You receive a voice message. Will you duck returning the call later?

    Here’s what might happen:

    • You or your company might not be mentioned in the news story.
    • You or your business might be mentioned, but not referred to in a positive light.
    • You allow other parties and sources to shape the news story that may name you (or your former client).

    People will read Name (Spokesperson) from Company was not available for comment. You (or your former client) appear aloof, disinterested or, worst case scenario, guilty of whatever negative aspect is associated with the situation.

    Perhaps a reporter discovers a former employee has filed a lawsuit alleging discrimination. You decide to answer any and all questions with No Comment.

    Do you think the reporter will stop looking for a source?

    Hardly. You have effectively pushed the reporter out the door to find another person to comment on the situation.

    Imagine who the journalist will call:

    • A nosy neighbor
    • Another disgruntled (ex-)employee
    • An unhappy vendor

    Do you believe any of these folks see the situation similar to you and will respond favorably to the reporter?

    Not at all.

    Take the Call
    Now, what are the risks of speaking to a reporter:

    • Speaking without preparation of key points you wish to convey.
    • Being unaware of a newly developed situation. For example, the reporter has heard allegations of a payoff to secure an RFP from the state, but you do not know anything about it.
    • Being quoted inaccurately.

    Weigh these risks — and outcomes — when a reporter unexpectedly calls you for comment and you have to decide whether or not to respond to their call and what you might say.

    This Month’s Tip

    When a reporter calls you out of the blue, take the call and reschedule for a time when you are prepared to speak on the topic. The reporter is going to write the story, with or without you, so follow this script or a version that suits your style:

    I’d really like to talk with you, but I have someone in my office now. If you would please give me your name and number, I’ll call you back in a half hour. And, in case I need to gather information from someone else, please let me know exactly what you’d like to discuss, so that I can be more helpful to you.

    In this scenario, you team up with the reporter and make yourself available. Note, you have given yourself time to gather your thoughts, prepare some examples of your ideas and make them quotable.

    Plus, you have 30 minutes to check with someone else who may have more details about the situation. You may wish to consult your attorney for advice.

    Of course, you will follow up with the reporter, even if you have to dodge some questions because you don’t have enough information to respond in that moment. You probably may safely say that you are looking carefully at the situation; (you are in touch with your attorney) and you will re-connect with the reporter as more details become available.

    While this response may not be quotable, it tells the reporter you are attentive to their interest in the story and will remain accessible for future comment.

    Contact

    Don’t take an unnecessary risk when you get an unexpected call from the media. Contact me at  Janet@JanetLFalk.com, set an appointment here or call me at 347.256.9141. Together we’ll customize the above script so that you’ll lower the risk when speaking to a reporter.

    Click here to read prior issues of this newsletter.

    Click here to subscribe to this monthly newsletter and make sure you don’t miss the next issue. 

    Image credit: PNGkit

    Paul Konigstein

    Janet gave an excellent presentation to the Financial Executives Networking Group (FENG) not for profit special interest group on networking. Her approach focused on making connections with the leaders of organizations hosting networking events and was a refreshing change from the usual networking strategies. Janet is a very engaging speaker. I would recommend her to present to any group.

    Use LinkedIn to Book Speaking Engagements

    Turn your contacts into agents who introduce you.

    These two truisms are foundational to my marketing outreach:

    1. Everybody knows someone worth knowing. You don’t know who stands in his or her circle until you ask (or check their connections on LinkedIn).
    2. Make it easy to say YES. Make it hard to say NO.

    Speaking to trade associations of your target market is a powerful way to attract new clients. I often advise attorneys and, therefore, I compiled a list of bar associations in New York state where I might speak. I looked on their respective websites to locate the appropriate contact for programs. In an email, I described my background, my interest in speaking to the group and a few topics.

    For the most part, my email outreach was met by a deafening silence.

    My next step implemented the first truism.

    As you know, LinkedIn is the world’s largest database of professionals.

    I identified individual officers of each bar association and reviewed their profiles on LinkedIn. Whenever I located a mutual contact, I wrote to the intermediary. I requested an introduction to the bar association’s officer using this model, following the second truism:

    Morgan,

    Your name came into view on LinkedIn as a colleague who knows NAME at the NAME Bar Association.

    I often speak to bar associations; when I present with an attorney, the session is usually eligible for CLE.

    I had contacted the association as a potential speaker. I did not receive a reply.
    If you feel comfortable introducing me to NAME, using a note that I will provide, I would greatly appreciate it.

    If they are not a close connection, and it would not be appropriate to contact them, I understand.

    Please let me know either way.

    Thanks.

    Looking forward to your reply.

    Imagine you receive this email from a colleague. You are asked to copy and paste a note and email it to a LinkedIn connection.

    You need only consider the strength of your bond with the contact before saying YES to the request.

    When I first wrote to the President of a certain bar association, there was no response. I sent the above template to a LinkedIn connection requesting her assistance with an introduction. She agreed. A series of emails followed.

    Success! I am presenting at the Injured Workers Bar Association’s spring conference.

    This Month’s Tip

    An introduction from a known source may make the difference in booking a speaking engagement. This outreach has four steps:

    1. Assemble a list of trade associations and professional membership groups where you are likely to meet your target audience. Or compile a wish list of companies and organizations that are potential clients.
    2. Locate the appropriate contact, President or Chair of the Program Committee, and email them regarding your interest in speaking on a few subjects to their group.
    3. When the group’s officer does not respond, identify a mutual contact of any officer of the group and ask them to introduce you, following the template.
    4. When this intermediary agrees to do so, send them a lightly revised version of your original correspondence with the organization so it may be copied and emailed to the group’s officer.

      Of course, you will follow up with a thank you to the mutual contact and arrange to chat with the organization’s leader to consider topics and dates.

    Contact

    When you want to get on the speaker’s circuit, let’s plan your outreach campaign. Organizations always need speakers to present on the hot topics and issues their members are encountering. They won’t invite you to present to the group if they don’t know who you are and no one has recommended you. Contact me at  Janet@JanetLFalk.com, set an appointment here or call me at 347.256.9141. Let’s brainstorm topics, locate appropriate groups, identify their leaders and reach out to the people who might introduce you as a speaker. Speak up so you may take the podium and attract more clients.

    If you’re shy about public speaking, find a colleague to present with you. Perhaps you will team up with me.

    Click here to read prior issues of this newsletter.

    Click here to subscribe to this monthly newsletter and make sure you don’t miss the next issue. 

    Image credit: Convene  

    Sharyn O’ Mara

    Janet Falk was a wonderful guest lecturer at our Farmingdale State College Public Relations class. Janet shared a wealth of knowledge about a variety of public relations topics. Prior to the class, we discussed what had been taught already and she tailored her presentation to expand on their PR knowledge base. Janet covered a vast landscape while keeping things interesting and organized. Janet contributed an educational presentation to our class!

    Five Tips to Maximize a Media Interview

    Keep your eye on your agenda.

    You’ve introduced yourself to a reporter and booked a date for the interview. (Or your public relations counsel has set it up.)

    Here’s an essential reminder:

    The reporter is not your friend.

    You say you once dated the reporter’s cousin. It doesn’t matter.

    You attended the same college or were members of the same fraternity or sorority. Who cares?

    Your agenda when speaking to the reporter is to forcefully and persuasively present your insights and key messages, representing yourself and your company as authentically and positively as possible.

    Your goal is for the journalist to discuss your ideas, and to do so in a favorable light.

    The reporter’s agenda is to explore the situation in a way that brings clarity and new information, or, perhaps, a fresh point of view, on a topic vital to their readers.

    They will explain why the audience should care about the subject and what they should do about it.

    Even though your agendas overlap to a degree, you cannot count on the reporter being receptive to your perspective.

    They may be neutral — or even antagonistic.

    Consequently, you should prepare for your interview, following these five tips.

    Keep these tips handy as a business size card or a tip sheet.

    1. Make a list of THREE important points. Print it in 16 point type.
      This is probably a phone or Zoom interview. The reporter cannot see that you have a cheat sheet on your desk to help you remember the main points of what you want to say. The large font makes it easy for you to read your ideas.
    2. For each point, create memorable examples. Use the FOUR A’s to keep the reporter’s (and reader’s) interest:
      Analogy: Compare your idea to something common: This is like a revolving door. It goes around and around and never arrives anywhere.
      Anecdote: Briefly give an example of this insight from experience or project a probable outcome.
      Acronym: Give a twist to a familiar acronym; ASAP becomes As Soon As PROFITABLE. Or invent one of your own; state it and follow-up with an explanation. CCW means Clients Can’t Wait.
      Alliteration: Every word in a series or phrase starts with the same letter. See what I did with the Four A’s? Analogy, Anecdote, Acronym, Alliteration.
    3. Answer the difficult question as briefly as possible and stop talking.
      Move on to the next topic.
    4. When a reporter tries to put words in your mouth, close your lips and swallow.
      Don’t repeat the words of the question, especially when they are derogatory or inflammatory. Take a breath, then proceed with your answer.
    5. At the end of the interview, when the reporter asks if there is anything you wish to add, make sure you have covered your THREE messages.
      Perhaps you were not able to mention the second one on your list; grab the initiative and talk about it before you wrap up the interview.
      If you have already shared your three messages, restate them as a summary of the discussion.

    This Month’s Tip

    Do not ask for, nor expect to receive, a preview of the article or your quote. How do you like it when a coworker hovers over your shoulder while you compose a report? Instead, team up with the reporter. Perhaps you will say: I know we’ve covered a lot of ground in this conversation, some of which is rather technical. If you have any questions about what we’ve discussed, or would like to review anything with me, I’m happy to help.

    Better to ask when the article will be published, so that you can promote it on your social media accounts and include it in your newsletter. Reporters will be happy to learn you will drive your contacts to read it.

    Contact

    Be ready when you call a reporter for your interview. Contact me at Janet@JanetLFalk.com, set an appointment here or call me at 347.256.9141. Let’s practice with two scenarios, one amicable and one hostile. You’ll know how to get your points across when a (not-so) friendly reporter is on the line.

    Click here to read prior issues of this newsletter.

    Click here to subscribe to this monthly newsletter and make sure you don’t miss the next issue. 

    (This discussion has been lightly edited for updated content.)
    Image credit: Pixabay

    Sandra Smith

    I highly recommend Janet Falk, a networking colleague who gives freely of her time to members of the group. When she noticed a reporter wanted a source to comment on first-time home buyers, she sent me the request, plus she suggested how to respond. I was contacted by the reporter and was thrilled to be quoted in The New York Times! Afterwards, Janet gave me ideas on how to promote the news story and my quote. Thank you, Janet!

    Make Your News Story Idea a Birthday Gift

    With a topic, source and testimonial, the article writes itself.

    Reporters are always looking for subjects that will play well on the world-renowned radio station, WII-FM.

    You listen to it also: What’s In It For Me?

    Take the approach of identifying an issue or problem that you see among your clients.

    Develop your idea and find a third party to corroborate your solution.

    Or highlight a trend you observe in your industry or locale, plus a referral source who will confirm your insight.

    For example:

    A client bought out their partner and sought to re-name and re-brand the company to reflect the new ownership. You would discuss the key questions that commonly arise in this circumstance, along with the solution you created to address an unexpected wrinkle in the process.

    Ask your client Amy Anderson to contribute an anecdote of how you resolved the issues for her newly named company.

    Problem. Solution. Testimonial.

    It all comes together in a package, gift-wrapped and with a shiny ribbon. The reporter hardly has to perform any work to write up the story.

    This Month’s Tip

    Here are three questions to get you started. Which problem have you recently solved for a client? Which referral source would make a good partner to package a story idea? Which reporter at an industry newsletter or a local business magazine is likely to open your gift for a news article? Start brainstorming from any of these points of departure and see where you land.

    Contact

    Let’s assemble the elements of Problem/Solution/Testimonial or Trend/Insight/Confirmation for your birthday gift of an idea. Contact me at Janet@JanetLFalk.com, set an appointment here or call me at 347.256.9141. Together we’ll wrap it all up, with a beautiful bow.

    Click here to read prior issues of this newsletter.

    Click here to subscribe to this monthly newsletter and make sure you don’t miss the next issue. 

    Image credit: Clker-Free-Vector-Images  

    Teri Scheinzeit

    Thank you, Janet Falk, for the smart, strategic information you provided on public relations and business communications. I now have excellent action steps to implement. I recommend Janet to all business owners who want to seriously improve their marketing materials and communications. Sign up for her newsletter, too. Janet is a total pro.

    What’s Your Forecast?

    Directory Pixabay notebook-g2d029f835_1280 Salome Maydron

    Step forward now to be quoted in industry year-end news stories.

    In December, reporters summarize the highlights of the past year and look ahead to the next 12 months.

    Take this opportunity to gaze into your crystal ball and see what might transpire in the year ahead.

    You know that reporters call the people they know; they don’t call someone they never heard of. Leaders in your industry will definitely be quoted in these articles.

    Here’s how you can become a reliable and authoritative source: email reporters with a few topics for potential discussion in their year-end and forecast news articles.

    Start by considering these potential topics:

    • Competition
    • Consolidation
    • Inflation and Pricing
    • New Entrants
    • New Products
    • Technology

    Let your imagination wander and add other ideas.

    Present these hot issues when you introduce yourself to reporters. You will be recognized as a source who has your finger on the pulse of the market, alert to the trends and concerns percolating in your sector.

    This Month’s Tip

    Speak up. Your predictions might be right, but don’t be concerned if they don’t work out. Twelve months from now, no one will hold you accountable, even if your ideas turn out to be off the mark. Instead, reporters will remember that you had a forecast, and they will re-connect to hear your perspective for the following year.

    Contact

    Will you be one of the people quoted in the year-end news story for your industry? Only if reporters know what your thoughts are. Contact me at Janet@JanetLFalk.com, set an appointment here or call me at 347.256.9141. Together let’s give your crystal ball a good shake and see clearly into 2023.

    Click here to read prior issues of this newsletter.

    Click here to subscribe to this monthly newsletter and make sure you don’t miss the next issue. 

    Image credit: Nat Mara  

    Judith Berdy

    I thank Janet Falk for taking on the task of communicating our efforts and fundraising to bring the historic Queensboro Bridge lamppost base to Roosevelt Island. She kept me on task for four years and was undeterred when I told her of another hurdle to surmount.

    When Should You Issue a Press Release?

    Directory Pixabay notebook-g2d029f835_1280 Salome Maydron

    Start spreading the news.

    You’ve got big plans:

    • You’re launching a business
    • You’re hiring a senior executive
    • You’re opening a new office or moving to a new location
    • You’re offering a new service or product

    When it’s time to share the news, should you issue a press release?

    Before you start composing your draft, take a moment to imagine the outcome.

    Which media outlet would definitely cover this news, because similar stories were published in the past?

    For example, the launch of a new law firm, the new location of a law firm or the hire of a partner is regularly announced in The New York Law Journal. The publication bundles a few similar items together, which are published on a rolling basis. The individual mentions are usually two or three sentences long.

    William Stock has opened his solo practice with appellate focus. Previously, he was an appellate attorney at Cheven, Keely & Hatzis. (NYLJ, June 25, 2018)

    On the other hand, a few years ago, a press release announcing a senior hire was picked up by The Wall Street Journal in its Executive Changes column. In a two-sentence paragraph, the article said that a major international bank had hired a managing director for its private equity group.

    That column no longer exists in the newspaper, sadly, so a new hire press release is unlikely to generate a similar mention. However, when the company is a household name, the press release will probably generate a stand-alone article of some depth.

    Accordingly, only send a press release if the publications you have in mind have regularly covered news like yours in the past.

    If not, you might be better served by distributing an announcement to your existing contacts.

    This Month’s Tip

    Consider these ways to share the news about your company, instead of issuing a press release:

    • Send an email announcement to your clients and referral sources, plus your many contacts
    • Add a pop-up window or prominent mention on your website
    • Insert attention-grabbing text in your email signature
    • Post the news on your individual and company social media accounts
    • Mention the update to members of your networking groups

    Of course, you should also take these steps to support the press release you’re issuing.

    Contact

    What’s the big news at your company? Whether it’s press release-worthy or something a bit less newsy, you can make a splash. Contact me at Janet@JanetLFalk.com, set an appointment here or call me at 347.256.9141. Together let’s brainstorm ways to spark a newsflash about your company.

    Click here to read prior issues of this newsletter.

    Click here to subscribe to this monthly newsletter and make sure you don’t miss the next issue. 

    Thanks to David Zweighaft, whose question prompted this discussion. 

    Mind the Gap (of Your Newsletter’s Publication)

    Directory Pixabay notebook-g2d029f835_1280 Salome Maydron

    Plan ahead to never miss an issue.

    Face it. Your newsletter is not that important to your subscribers.

    Yes, it’s important to have an email newsletter.

    Yes, email has the highest ROI of marketing activities.

    But if you think that your subscribers are waiting with bated breath for your next issue, well, I’ve got a bridge to sell you.

    Do you think your readers will notice when you do not send a newsletter because you:

    • went on business or vacation to Las Vegas?
    • were overwhelmed by multiple deadlines?
    • took care of a sick family member or pet?

    Sorry, my friend. They were so busy running their own businesses (and lives) that your gap in newsletter publishing went completely unnoticed.

    Do you wake up in the morning and think, “I haven’t heard from Janet Falk in the longest time. I better check out her newsletter.”?

    Sadly, no one thinks that, not even my mother.

    Does it matter whether a subscriber opens the newsletter first thing in the morning on Tuesday, or whenever your publication day is? No, only that it is opened. A gap will not be noticed.

    Maybe the subscriber opens it while they catch their breath and check email between meetings in the course of a busy day or later in the week. Again, when someone is scrambling to keep up with their overflowing inbox, a gap will pass by.

    Perhaps the subscriber is a friend who opens the email, just to boost your open rate, and immediately deletes it. (I admit I do this.) A newsletter gap will not register.

    What if the subscriber has set a rule to file your newsletter in their Newsletter folder? This is probably Never-Never Land, where someday the subscriber will review their backlog. (Confession: my Newsletter folder currently has more than 12,000 emails with 709 unopened.) In this case, the subscriber will never perceive the gap.

    In sum, it seems highly unlikely that a gap in newsletter publication will be noticed.

    As important as open rates are, what’s more important is the next action the subscriber takes. Of course, your newsletter indicates they should:

    • reply to the newsletter
    • share the email
    • click on the boldfaced link
    • visit the website
    • call the phone number provided
    • make an appointment
    • visit the office

    You did include a call to action, right?

    This Month’s Tip

    Prepare an evergreen newsletter article. You have to engage in conversation to flesh out the details. To start the relationship with

    An evergreen article is one that is always relevant and not tied to the calendar or a news event. It’s neither in step nor out of step. Knowing you have an article on the shelf will give you peace of mind when your plate is so full that your newsletter plops onto the floor.

    Or, adjust the frequency of the newsletter if a missed issue occurs habitually, as suggested by Ann Handley, author on best practices in newsletter writing. Handley was pleasantly surprised to receive inquiries from subscribers when she recently skipped a newsletter, due to busy plans. She recommends don’t break the chain; but, when you do, explain it briefly and move on.

    Contact

    Mind the gap of your newsletter’s publication. (But you need not dwell on a missed issue.) You can avoid skipping issues by having evergreen content at the ready. Contact me at Janet@JanetLFalk.com, set an appointment here or call me at 347.256.9141. Together let’s brainstorm topics you will have in reserve so that you will not gape at the dreaded gap.

    Click here to read prior issues of this newsletter.

    Click here to subscribe to this monthly newsletter and make sure you don’t miss the next issue. 

    Thanks to Ilise Benun, Christina Hagopian and John Hinson for their insights and comments to my LinkedIn post on this topic. Like Handley, they advocate consistency to remain top of mind with subscribers.

    Find Golden Contacts in Your Association’s Directory

    Directory Pixabay notebook-g2d029f835_1280 Salome Maydron

    Peruse the listings for colleagues, consultants and referral sources.

    One of the benefits of a membership association is your listing in the organization’s directory.

    When you join the group, you are invited to fill out their standard form for your listing. which usually includes:

    • Name
    • Company name
    • Pre-set categories to describe your business
    • Mailing address
    • Email address
    • Phone number
    • Photo

    Now that you are inscribed, take a look around and learn more about the other members.

    You can search by profession or industry to identify consultants and vendors who work with similar or even mutual clients.

    Pick out names of possible collaborators.

    See which members might be potential referral sources.

    Look for members in your city (or an area you often visit) to meet for coffee or lunch.

    You may even locate someone you know and with whom you’ve lost touch over the years.

    Take the opportunity to introduce yourself to some members of the association. When they learn you are a new member, they probably will welcome you and may well be open to a conversation regarding their involvement in the organization to encourage your active participation.

    There’s a treasure trove of connections in the directory. Be selective. Do not contact every member; instead, search for those whose business interests most closely align with your own.

    This Month’s Tip

    A directory listing, like an elevator pitch, offers a bare minimum of information. You have to engage in conversation to flesh out the details. To start the relationship with a fellow member, introduce yourself by email. Focus on YOU, the reader/member, and establish shared interests. Your goal is to have the next conversation. For example:

    Pat,
    Your name came to my attention as a member of the Regional Association, which I recently joined.

    Your listing caught my eye, as a professional/business owner in the ____ industry, because I often work with ____/clients in my ____ business.

    As a new member of the organization, I am excited to get involved and meet other members.

    It would be great if we could chat and become better acquainted, so that I might learn more about your business.

    I’m also eager to hear how you think I might participate in the association’s activities, perhaps by contributing my ____ skills.

    Looking forward to your reply.

    Signature

    This approach works equally well when you are a long-time member of the association. Check your listing to ensure all the details are current. In your note to a fellow member, suggest a conversation to discuss their view of trends in the industry or profession, ask a quick question or propose a future program for the organization.

    Contact

    Take a closer look at the directory of an organization where you are a member. After confirming your listing’s details are correct, consider which fellow members fit the categories of possible collaborator or referral source. You may even plan to meet for lunch locally.

    Contact me at Janet@JanetLFalk.com, set an appointment here or call me at 347.256.9141. Together we’ll build a direct connection from the directory to a fellow member, who may, serendipitously, become a client. It worked for me.

    Click here to read prior issues of this newsletter.

    Click here to subscribe to this monthly newsletter and make sure you don’t miss the next issue. 

    Geri Stengel

    Getting in the media is a great way for a small business to establish and grow its credibility, and generate interest in its products and services. Janet provided practical and easy to implement tips that any small business can follow. My NYC Small Business FastTrac students found these tips invaluable.

    Grab a Partner for the Next Event

    Woman introduces client at event

    Connect and double your meeting fun.

    Your networking groups, professional membership organizations and industry associations have resumed in-person meetings after a long hiatus of virtual events.

    You’re probably eager to attend events in person and see your colleagues.

    Use this tactic to raise the bar for a doubly productive meeting.

    Plan ahead and invite a guest to attend the program with you:

    • a new contact
    • a client
    • someone you’ve been meaning to connect with.

    Contact

    Let’s identify people in your circles or on your wish list who might appreciate an invitation to be your guest. Contact me at Janet@JanetLFalk.com, set an appointment here or call me at 347.256.9141. Together we’ll plan ahead to make the next meeting doubly productive for you and your guest.

    Click here to read prior issues of this newsletter.

    Click here to subscribe to this monthly newsletter and make sure you don’t miss the next issue. 

    Chris Yip

    Janet helped me achieve my dream as a pianist: to play in a concert at Carnegie Hall. First, she arranged for The New York Daily News and The New York Times to interview me about a benefit recital I gave at the Brooklyn Music School. […] I was asked to audition for [The New York Piano Society’s] annual performance and invited to play at Carnegie Hall.

    Make TWO Phone Calls EVERY Day

    Re-ignite the conversation.

    Think of the people in Your Gold Mine of 5,000 Contacts

    Categorize them in two ways:

    First by the strength of your relationship: A – Strong, B – Medium and C – Weak.

    Second, classify them by their ability to hire you as a consultant or buy your products or services: 1 is a decision-maker, 2 can influence the decision and 3 is lightly involved in the decision-making process.

    Finally, go through the list and label each person using the two categories of ABC for warmth of relationship and 123 for hiring/buying decision or influence.

    Focus on:

    A-1 Strong relationship and able to hire you or buy from you
    A-2 Solid contact who is able to influence a consulting project or purchase
    B-1 Medium relationship who can contract with you or buy from you

    Let’s set aside the B-2s, C’s and the 3’s for the moment.

    A-StrongB-MediumC-Weak
    1-Decision makerYESYESLater
    2-InfluencerYESLaterLater
    3-Lightly involvedLaterLaterLater

    Now that you have the subgroup of people with whom you have a strong or warm relationship and who may be able to work with you:

    Step up to the phone and MAKE TWO CALLS A DAY.

    This is NOT cold calling. You have a good relationship with these contacts.

    Here’s some scripts to get started:

    Hi, Pat. Your name came to mind when I heard/read about _____ . What do you think?

    Hello, Sidney, Your article in ___ caught my eye. Did you know about ___?

    Hi, Terry. I saw you posted on LinkedIn about _____. Tell me more about that.

    Chat for a bit and ask your contact for one thing:
     An introduction to someone (specific) in their circle
     A time and date to get together for a longer conversation.

    You can leave a voicemail; state you are in the office all afternoon and you would love to catch up.

    Recite your phone number, which you have written out as words. For example, Three, Four, Seven (pause) Two, Five, Six (pause) Nine, One, Four, One.

    Say your number slowly, so the person can actually write it down without listening to the message again.

    This Month’s Tip

    The best times to call may be at 9:55 am and 1:55 pm. Try calling just before the hour marker when your connection might have a few moments before going into a meeting. Your conversation may be brief enough to set up the next call.

    Contact

    Let’s categorize your contact list and identify the most viable names. Contact me at Janet@JanetLFalk.com, set an appointment here or call me at 347.256.9141. Together we’ll practice your pitch, so that it flows more naturally. You might even raise your phone game to more than two calls each day.

    Click here to read prior issues of this newsletter.

    Click here to subscribe to this monthly newsletter and make sure you don’t miss the next issue. 

    Adapted from David A. Fields, The Irresistible Consultant’s Guide to Winning Clients

    Have You Googled Yourself Lately?

    Check your digital presence periodically.

    When you search for yourself online on a regular basis, you will review what you have posted on social media and also monitor how others may refer to you (excluding reviews).

    Many professionals create Google alerts for their names and the name of their company, which is a good start to monitoring your online presence. There’s more to establishing an effective alert system.

    If you haven’t already set up FREE Google alerts, follow these instructions.

    Go to Google.com/alerts.

    Enter the word or phrase for which you will create an alert in the indicated space.

    Click the arrow Show Options to set the parameters. Daily, Weekly or As it happens. I prefer daily.

    Sources is best set as Automatic, to include social media.

    For How many, select All results

    Finally, indicate the email address where you prefer to get these notifications.

    Click the blue button Create Alert. You have now set an alert.

    Click on the alert you just created to view the alert results. Congratulations.

    Now, raise the bar.

    Add a variant of your name, perhaps Beth for Elizabeth. You can also use your middle initial.

    Do you have a suffix, like Junior?

    Do you cite your degree: MBA, JD, Ph.D. or Esq.? Add that as a new alert.

    Create an alert for your company and also your website URL, of course.

    Make alerts for your phone numbers: office and mobile.

    Narrow the scope of your results by using the minus sign (-) to exclude others with a similar name. For example, there was a professor at Columbia University whose hyphenated name was Falk-Kessler, so my searches are -Kessler.

    Add your profession or business: accountant, consultant, attorney.

    Perhaps add your city.

    Raise the bar again.

    Follow these steps on the website Talkwalker, another FREE service. Many Public Relations professionals find Talkwalker gives more comprehensive social media results than Google.

    Start by creating an account at Talkwalker.com.

    Click on Create to set an alert.

    Similar to the instructions outlined above, set the parameters for Result type (Everything); Language (All languages); How often (Once a day); How many (All results) and Your email (enter your email address).

    Remember to create additional alerts on Talkwalker, similar to the ones you set on Google, for a broad view of digital references to you and your business.

    As good as these alerts are, you still should check online periodically. According to Shannon Wilkinson of Reputation Communications. “Checking weekly is a good policy. Clearing your browser’s history first will ensure you are seeing a true picture (otherwise you might be seeing an out-of-date cache your browser has autosaved).”

    This Month’s Tip

    Google has nearly 90% of the online search market in the US, but it is not the only game in town. Look also at Yahoo, Bing and DuckDuckGo. Yes, there will be considerable overlap. You may, nevertheless, be surprised by what you turn up there.

    Contact

    Let’s find out what people are saying about you on the Internet. Contact me at Janet@JanetLFalk.com, set an appointment here or call me at 347.256.9141. Together we’ll create alerts and set calendar reminders, so you can easily track how you appear online.

    Click here to read prior issues of this newsletter.

    Click here to subscribe to this monthly newsletter and make sure you don’t miss the next issue. 

    The Reader’s Attention is Yours to Lose

    Broadcast on radio station WII-FM.

    You probably receive dozens of emails that begin like this:

    Hey Pat,
    I hope you’re doing well.

    My name is Morgan and I work for Megabucks Incorporated. We provide world-class services to companies like Name of Your Business.

    What’s wrong with this email?

    First, it presumes that you (the reader) care to have a personal relationship with someone you’ve never heard of.

    Second, it focuses entirely on the seller and not on the potential buyer.

    If you want to sell me something, you have to tell me:

    1. How you got my name
    2. How you learned something about my business
    3. How you know I have a problem
    4. How you can solve my problem because you have solved it before
    5. Bonus points when you explain how you can make me look good to whoever matters to me (my boss, CEO, CFO or even myself).

    I call this approach: The reader’s attention is yours to lose.

    I’ve used this idea in outlining my view of newsletters; now let’s apply it to promotional emails.

    Plus, let’s include the World’s Greatest Radio Station: WII-FM.

    You know that station. It’s the one all your contacts and prospects listen to every day: What’s In It For Me.

    To begin, every communication starts with one of the following four:

    Congratulations
    Thank you
    You or Your.

    You engage the reader’s attention by speaking directly to them.

    If you have not previously communicated with the email recipient, start by indicating how you learned their name.

    Your name came to my attention in a review of fellow members of the Name of Professional Membership Association.
    Or
    Your name was mentioned by our mutual contact, Parker Brown.

    This reference builds trust by establishing that you have a shared interest; here, you both belong to the same organization, or you were referred by a colleague.

    Now, demonstrate that you did more than create a merge mail. You actually visited their website or LinkedIn profile.

    As a professional focused on _____ , you usually _________.

    Introduce the problem that you observed in their industry, business or municipality:

    Small business owners in Metropolis are finding it tough to follow the new ordinance that employers not ask job candidates about their prior compensation when interviewing potential hires. Doing so may expose you to liability for asking an illegal question or discrimination.

    Explain how you can help:

    You can learn how to avoid a potential lawsuit or fine by reviewing these guidelines of questions that are and are not permissible under the new ordinance. (link to a page on your website).

    Clearly indicate the steps the reader should take next. If you want them to call you, email you, click on a link to download a resource, visit your website or book an appointment for a complimentary consultation, you must indicate the information or tools to do so.

    Accordingly, provide five key things:

    • your phone number
    • your email address in a link with a pre-formatted subject line
    • the link to the download without requiring an email address
    • your website URL
    • the link to your scheduling calendar.

    Beware. If you throw the reader a me-first pitch about how great my product is, it’s likely to bounce right back to you.

    The reader’s attention is yours to lose; accordingly, show you know something about them and give them a reason to keep reading and connect with you further.

    This Month’s Tip

    Confirm your emails speak to the reader. Read one of your recent emails to a potential client, or one you received. Highlight in red the words I, MY, WE, OUR. Then highlight in yellow the words YOU and YOUR.

    When you are done, the email should display more yellow words than red. If not, take a stab at inverting some of those sentences to address the interest of the reader. Here’s an example.

    Contact

    Are they talking about your emails on radio station WII-FM? If not, contact me at Janet@JanetLFalk.com, set an appointment here or call me at 347.256.9141. Together we’ll focus on your reader. Once their attention is lost, you cannot get it back easily.

    Click here to read prior issues of this newsletter.

    Click here to subscribe to this monthly newsletter and make sure you don’t miss the next issue. 

    Judith Berdy

    [Janet] secured announcements in The New York Times Weekend Calendar on multiple occasions; these generated increased attendance — and donations — at our walking tours and exhibitions. Sometimes, 85–90% of the attendees read about the program in the newspaper!

    Use Reverse Engineering to Book More Podcast Spots

    Speak where your colleagues and competitors were featured.

    What is reverse engineering and how can you use it to get more podcast interviews?

    It means using deductive reasoning to grasp how an existing process accomplishes a task without performing the actual activity.

    For many people, it means working backwards from the result to figure out how to get to the beginning.

    For example, because I wanted to reach attorneys who listen to podcasts, I conducted an internet search for legal marketing shows. I looked for opportunities where I had not previously appeared.

    When reviewing a few episodes of each one, some guests stood out because they were colleagues or names I recognized.

    Now comes the step where you reverse engineer the process. Go to the website Owltail, which is a directory of podcast and episodes. Search for the name of a guest to generate a list of their appearances; Owltail includes a link to each show.

    Here I made note of where those colleagues had spoken and gathered information about those shows.

    On each of these newly discovered podcasts, I noticed whether someone had spoken about one of my preferred topics: media relations for attorneys.

    In almost every case, it had not been discussed or it was addressed long-ago.

    Bingo! Here was my opportunity. I contacted 24 podcast hosts and proposed I speak to their audience on the subject of how attorneys might introduce themselves to reporters.

    The payoff came quickly. I recorded three podcasts in three days and continue to book more appearances. Plus, some of the hosts themselves have indicated an interest in my services.

    This Month’s Tip

    Podcast hosts are always looking for guests; accordingly, write an email to the host that shows why YOU would be a great resource to their audience.

    1. Refer to your shared interest in the subject that is the focus of the podcast and mention that you have listened to previous episodes.
    2. Cite one that is closely aligned with your proposed topic or name a colleague who appeared on the show.
    3. Indicate how you will provide a fresh look at a specific subject.
    4. Remember to state you will actively promote the episode to attract more listeners.

    This approach will make you a highly attractive guest.

    Contact

    It’s time for you to step up to the mike and be on a podcast. Consider which shows are most relevant to your audience and conduct preliminary research. Then, contact me at Janet@JanetLFalk.com, set an appointment here or call me at 347.256.9141. Together we’ll reverse engineer the podcast universe and introduce you to hosts with a compelling pitch that will put you in the guest seat.

    See also: How YOU Can Be a Podcast Guest and It’s Showtime! Prepare for a Podcast.

    Click here to read prior issues of this newsletter.

    Click here to subscribe to this monthly newsletter and make sure you don’t miss the next issue. 

    Image credit: www.ongineering.com

    Penny Sikalis

    Although new to the art licensing industry, Janet familiarized herself very quickly and used her business-savvy to develop unique story angles, which resulted in unprecedented coverage of the annual SURTEX trade shows in 2012 and 2013.

    Attn: Women (and Men) Who Want to Be Quoted in the News

    Proactively reach out to reporters.

    When you see someone quoted in the news, talking about aspects of your business, do you think,

    Why are they talking to HER and NOT ME?

    The answer is Reporters call the people they know; they don’t call someone they never heard of.

    How can YOU be the one reporters call?

    Simple. Introduce yourself to journalists as an authoritative, reliable AND accessible source who has insights that others in the industry or the local area need to hear.

    Recently, I’ve spoken to groups of women professionals and shared the following statistics from Bloomberg News, one of the top tier media outlets that actively seek women as sources. (Men, feel free to share this newsletter with your female colleagues.)

    Bloomberg maintains a database of women who are leaders in business and finance.

    In 2018, there were 500 women listed in the dataset.
    In 2020, there were 6,500 women in the database.

    In fact, the news organization has a New Voices initiative to identify top women and provide them with media training.

    Here’s the outcome of these efforts:

    • In 2018, their top news stories quoted women 2.3% of the time.
    • In 2020, 17% of the sources were women.

    On Bloomberg TV:

    • In 2018, women sources appeared 10% of the time.
    • In 2020, women were 27% of interviewees.

    It’s not only Bloomberg. The New York Times wants to publish more Letters to the Editor from women and The Financial Times is tracking when news stories quote too many men.

    Let’s see how you can contribute to this upward trend.

    This Month’s Tip

    Being contacted by a reporter is like the lottery; you have to be in it to win it. Use a Media Profile to introduce yourself to journalists as someone who has her finger on the pulse of the industry. Think of trends that you see looming on the horizon. Consider big picture ideas that will spark interest in your insights. Is there an upcoming deadline that companies must meet? Anticipate how this may impact businesses in a specific industry or local area. Your ideas should help an individual, business owner or an executive to Save Time, Save Money or Make More Money.

    Contact

    There’s a reporter who wants to talk to you, but she does not yet know who you are and which vital insights you will tell her readers and viewers. Start composing your Media Profile. Then contact me at Janet@JanetLFalk.com, set an appointment here or call me at 347.256.9141. Together we’ll polish your calling card for the media so YOU will be the ONE reporters call. 

    Click here to read prior issues of this newsletter.

    Click here to subscribe to this monthly newsletter and make sure you don’t miss the next issue.