Archives

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 […]

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.

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

Maximize Your Membership in an Association or Networking Group

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.

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 […]

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!

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 […]

Beware the Risks of (Not) Talking to a Reporter

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 practice a script that grants you 30 minutes to prepare your remakrs and gather additional information.

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 accessbile for future comment.

Use LinkedIn to Book Speaking Engagements

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.

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.

Five Tips to Maximize a Media Interview

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. 

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. […]

Make Your News Story Idea a Birthday Gift

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. 

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 […]

When Should You Issue a Press Release?

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.

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 […]

Find Golden Contacts in Your Association’s Directory

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.

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

The Reader’s Attention is Yours to Lose

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.

Use Reverse Engineering to Book More Podcast Spots

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.

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 […]

Attn: Women (and Men) Who Want to Be Quoted in the News

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.

NEW E-book: Create and Monitor Your Marketing RBI

Try ALL FIVE strategies and then focus on the ones where you feel most comfortable. Networking may be your favorite and speaking may give your stomach butterflies. Or vice versa. The e-book gives examples of how you can take some practice swings and become more comfortable with the approaches you don’t ordinarily use.

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

Start with the End

Help the reader or audience achieve the outcome. Now that you’ve educated the reader, listener or attendee, in most cases, your goal is for the person to contact you for your product or service.

When you want someone to give you a call, send you an email, visit your website or download a report, you have to provide them with the essential mechanism to take that step.

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.

Choose Your Pandemic Holiday Card

Refer to the holiday season without specifying the observance of a specific faith. In America’s culturally diverse society, you can not assume that others celebrate the same holiday as you, whether Christmas, Chanukah, Kwanzaa or Diwali. Popular images include candles, which brighten the darkest months of the year and are prominent in each holiday. Photos of winter scenes are also appropriate.

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.

Make it Easy to Say YES. Make it Hard to Say NO.

Make it easy to contact you by putting your phone number and a link to an email address on EVERY PAGE of your website, in addition to a Contact page. Simply place them in a colored border at the top of the page. Put them on your LinkedIn profile, Facebook page and other digital assets, too.

Display ALL your newsletters on your website, not only the current issue. (The person you met in July may find your March newsletter of interest.)

Create a downloadable tip sheet, with your contact information and logo. (You may choose to require an email address first.)
Save your published articles and guest blog posts as PDFs with the notation As previously published and the appropriate copyright. Assemble them in one place on your website for easy download.
Create a list of your appearances on podcasts and speaking engagements.

Are You Stuck Inside the Four Walls of Your House?

Are you doing things the way they have always been done? Take a closer look at the rationale for following the ways of the past using the five W’s:

Who said this is the way to do it? (Perhaps it was someone who’s long gone.)
What will happen if it’s done differently — or not at all?
When must a change be made? (Is there a deadline?)
Where can you gather support (buy-in or funding) to make a change?
Why will a new way be better?

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.

Improve Your Voicemail Greeting

Tips to improve your recorded voicemail greeting:
State your name (and company) so the caller can confirm she reached the party she seeks.
Invite the caller to please leave a phone number and message. State that you will return the call as soon as possible.
If this is your office landline, consider leaving your cell phone number — enunciated slowly and perhaps repeated — so the caller might text you or reach you at that number, in case it is an urgent matter.
Here’s how you can say your cell phone number at a pace that others can follow. Write the number as words; mine is three-four-seven-two-five-six-nine-one-four-one.

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 […]

Raise Your Virtual Networking Game

Prepare in advance to share your contact details. You can easily copy and paste your name, email and phone in the Zoom chat, preferably in the middle of the networking session, when everyone has arrived and settled in.

Save this contact information block as a DRAFT email to keep it handy. You’ll never worry that you typed so quickly you dropped a digit from your phone number.

Your Daily Pie of Time

Make a list of the many projects and tasks on your plate. Prioritize them by client score. That is, are they necessary for current clients? Will they attract future clients?

When you prioritize the activities from your Work Pie of Time, you will see which ones are the best use of your valuable time. Some can be handled by others and some may even be set aside, not to re-surface for a while. That’s okay. Not now does not mean never.

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!

Give and Take

Create a giving appointment in your daily calendar. Research shows that keeping a gratitude journal for 15 minutes a day, three times a week, can enhance your feeling of happiness. By giving to others in your professional circles, you will give them a boost that supports their business, plus improve your own mood.

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.

Vote. Vote for Email and NOT for Social Media

Email is the way. Whether the email newsletter is read that same day or at another time, the subscriber sees your name and mentally records the fact that you entered their In box. Now that it is more difficult to conduct business face to face and in person due to COVID, it is imperative that you remain top of mind among your connections. When relationships are reinforced by periodic email, it is more likely you will be remembered for a future contact or receive a positive response to your next phone call.

Lynne Strong-Shinozaki

The New York Times Weekend Calendar featured a large photo of the cherry blossom trees and write-up, as did other publications. Janet’s media outreach generated TRIPLE the expected attendance [at the First Annual Cherry Blossom Festival on Roosevelt Island] and contributed to the program’s continuation in subsequent years.

Team Up to Improve Your Client’s Marketing RBI

Two can play the Marketing game better than one. After you team up, thank the client and celebrate. When you speak at an event or write an article, acknowledge the shared success. Post a summary as an update on LinkedIn, with a link to the article or the event announcement. You may also mention your article and presentation in your newsletter, again, thanking the client. When you attend the networking event or the trade association’s program, take photos that feature you and the client. Both of you can post the snapshots to your social media accounts.

Make Your Less-Than-Perfect LinkedIn Profile Stand Out

Your profile may be complete according to LinkedIn’s checklist, yet underperform. Make the most of this free space.
1. LinkedIn automatically inserts the title of your current job in the Headline slot. You can change that easily. Does your headline describe the value you create for clients or the team? Does it use terms someone outside your profession would use? (Hint: No one seeks a Director.)
2. Is the length off the Headline close to the maximum of 220 characters? You can achieve this by using a mobile phone or tablet when you edit the headline.
3. Does your photo convey you are approachable?
4. Is your background default LinkedIn blue? Does it display information about your services, a cityscape or your company logo?
5. Have you received (and given) recommendations recently?
6. Do you display examples of your work, such as reports, videos and news articles, in the Feature section? 

Your Less Than Perfect Website Costs You Business

Run this checklist on your website. After you answer the questions about the home page, look at a few other pages and consider these issues:

1. Is there a sample of your expertise — a free downloadable white paper, tip sheet or quiz — upon submitting an email address?
2. Are the images relevant?
3. Do you invite visitors to contact you and display your phone number and email address on every page?
4. Is the latest issue of your newsletter available for review? Is it current? Is it easy for visitors to subscribe?
5. Does the website display well on mobile?

Take Marketing Off the Back Burner (10 in a series)

How often should you execute these marketing activities? Most businesses do not change dramatically in a short period of time. Schedule a date once every quarter to review each of the following, individually: Website, LinkedIn profile, Media Profile and an idea for an Article. Your Newsletter is probably published quarterly, as well.

Establish a system to add contacts to your Database on an ongoing basis. Plus, set dates to periodically reach out for a quick catch-up call or an invitation to attend a webinar or networking event together. 

Schedule time to participate on Social Media at least three times a week, whether you post your own thoughts, share an article by another or comment on posts by your connections.

Whenever you create new material, such as a published article or newsletter, post it on your website, promote it on social media, incorporate a reference and link to your Email Signature and add it to your LinkedIn profile. (Links to your website and LinkedIn profile remain the same.)

Take Marketing Off the Back Burner (9 in a series)

What are good questions to get the conversational ball rolling in your Networking Squared meeting? The best questions are open-ended, permitting the respondent to share an example or anecdote that illustrates the point of discussion. Some favorites are:

1. How do you help others: Save Time, Save Money, Make More Money or Get More Joy out of Life?
 2. What was the highlight of the past year (or quarter) in helping a client? 3. 
(In reply to a statement) That sounds hard. How do you do that?

Take Marketing Off the Back Burner (8 in a series)

Who might you partner with on this case study/publication/speaking project? Start by reflecting on the work you most enjoyed or found most remunerative and where you wish to secure more engagements. Now, create a list of those previous clients who deemed your services and advice a resounding success. Add to it other professionals who collaborated in a key component of the project. Perhaps vendors who contributed substantively to the outcome might be valuable collaborators in this case study as well.

Take Marketing Off the Back Burner (6 in a series)

It’s easy to turn your audio into print by following the Marketing strategy of C O P E (Create Once, Publish Everywhere). Summarize the key points of the discussion in a numbered list. Place the write-up on your letterhead and add the link to the podcast. Publish these Highlights as a post and article on LinkedIn, plus on your website. This makes it easy for someone to scan the topics and decide that she wants to listen to your remarks for 28 minutes.

Take Marketing Off the Back Burner (5 in a series)

It’s Give and Take, not Take and Give. Networking works best when you think about others and reach out to assist them. Accordingly, offer to be a resource to the people you know. Set aside time every day to make a phone call or two that will get a conversation started. Suggest an introduction to someone of potential mutual interest. Ask for some advice. Put the ball in play and see where it leads.

What’s Up with Your Elevator Pitch

Play to the audience of your elevator pitch. It’s helpful to have several versions that you can tailor when you are speaking to one person, a trio of workshop participants or a room of networking group members. Consider also whether the audience is from the same profession as yourself, are members of a target market or represent a random assortment of occupations. Adjust your remarks accordingly.

Keep, Delete or Re-Connect on LinkedIn

It’s never too late to re-start the conversation. Use these subject line prompts, or your own variation, making sure the question requires a response, not a yes/no answer:

1. Your name came up in conversation with ____ (Put the name in the body of the email, so the reader will open the note.) What are you working on now?
2. This article/podcast reminded me of our conversation about ____ (link). What do you think?
3. Remember this email? Please help me recall what happened next.
4. Your business card re-surfaced. What’s new?
5. Your name came to mind in a review of contacts. Let’s meet for coffee and catch up.
6. According to LinkedIn, you are now (at a new company) (in a new role). Congratulations! When shall we celebrate?