Author Archive
Don’t drop the ball
Everyone is juggling a lot these days. If you still have a job, you’re probably doing the work of two or three people. Home and family add to the balls in the air and it can all be overwhelming.
There is a way you can have fun while trying to juggle - get invited on stage at a comedy show! Recently, on a PR/PR office outing, I was called on stage by comedic juggler Jeff Civillico. Besides being a very talented juggler and very funny, Jeff is a featured entertainer and Master of Ceremonies at corporate events. His program, “Comedy in Action,” blends comedy, juggling and audience participation and he explores themes of communication, goal setting and teamwork during his workshops.
Our agency manager, Patricia, took this video of Jeff trying to get me to juggle. In case you can’t quite make it out, I was distracted by a toddler that started to climb the stairs to get on stage.
Trust me, I do a much better job juggling work and life when I’m not on stage.
Don’t Get Sold on Economic Bad News
When people think about the current economic situation, they imagine the half a million monthly layoffs, a lack of available credit and fear from what might come next. While this is a common reaction, instead, we should work to overcome these anxieties and develop confidence. In doing this, we can thrive in the economic downturn, rather than merely survive.
Many sales people don’t realize all buyers relate their experiences to certain feelings and emotions. If you want them to buy your product or service, you need to fulfill their emotional needs by understanding their desires, and providing them value.
According to Linda Bishop, an author, speaker and President of Thought Transformation, selling in the current economic environment is possible if you know how to treat your buyers. She suggests the following tips:
- Be respectful and trust the customers.
- Appreciate the value and the intelligence of your buyers.
- Give the customers the information they request and wait to see if they buy.
- Offer them your product and don’t be too pushy.
- Don’t try to manipulate your buyers, instead show them you are there to help.
“In tough times, there are still plenty of opportunities in the market. To take advantage of them, it’s important to engage and enlighten buyers,” says Bishop, author of “Selling In Tough Times.” “When you accomplish that, you provide value and sell more.”
Ask (the right way) and ye shall receive
“It’s A Wonderful Life” is one of my favorite movies. It’s a great one to watch, and not just at the holidays, when you want to feel warm and fuzzy. And these days, we need something to make us feel warm and fuzzy. A great scene in the movie is when there is a run on the Bailey Bros. Building and Loan. With minimal funds, George asks his customers, “What do you really need? What will it take to tide you over?”
The Federal stimulus package is a real-world modern example of minimal funds with the government asking businesses, “What do you really need? What will it take to tide you over?” Responding the right way will make or break a request for funding. According to speech coach Chris Witt, the best ideas and the greatest needs only win out when they are presented clearly, credibly and compellingly.
Witt advises, “When making a pitch for funding, you have to make your audience feel a sense of urgency and believe in the ability of your organization, project or proposal to solve the problems they face.”
Leaders of business, government or non-profits can make the best case for their proposal by following Witt’s recommendations:
1. Be credible
2. Sound the alarm without sounding like an alarmist
3. Substantiate every claim
4. Put a human face on the problem
5. Advocate a solution that mitigates risk
By making presentations more convincing than ever before, every time a bell rings … it can be your cash register.
We’re On Our Way to NSA!
PR/PR is very excited to be attending the National Speakers Association first ever fall conference in Scottsdale, AZ this week. This year’s theme, Keep It Real, will bring about new networking opportunities and a whole new program. Attendees can chose between the Intensive Track, which is designed to delve deep into a subject with all-day seminars; the Mega Tract, which are half-day sessions; or a traditional Concurrent Track of shorter sessions that allow you to cover lots of subject matter from experts in their fields.
If you’re going to be at the DoubleTree Paradise Valley Resort, please be sure to visit PR/PR’s booth anytime and enter for your chance to win a FREE press release, written and distributed to hundreds of newspaper editors. The drawing will be held Saturday, Nov. 22 at 5 p.m. so stop by and see if you’re a winner (need not be present to win)! While you’re there, pick up a copy of Pam Lontos’ new book, “I See Your Name Everywhere – Leverage the Power of the Media to Grow Your Fame, Wealth and Success,” for the discounted Conference rate of only $12.95. You will also get a FREE copy of her first book, “Don’t Tell Me It’s Impossible Until After I’ve Already Done It.”
Saturday night’s dinner is western themed, so look forward to photos of PR/PR in their best rodeo wear. See you there, Buckaroo!
If you don’t vote, you can’t whine …
Since Presidential candidates often seem to express the same views but in different words, it may not look like it matters who wins. But this doesn’t mean it’s not important to vote.
According to Stephanie Vance, the Advocacy Guru at Advocacy Associates, here are the reasons why it’s absolutely critical all eligible voters make their views known November 4:
· Congress Matters: All 435 members of the U.S. House must stand for re-election, as well as 35 members of the U.S. Senate. Decisions about the balance of power rest in citizens’ hands.
· Your Neighborhood Matters: Every city, town and borough in the country will have an opportunity to vote on issues that will impact them on a day-to-day basis.
· Your Pocketbook Matters: Whether it’s your pension, your insurance or how long unemployment benefits will last, don’t you want people you trust making those decisions?
· The Health of Our Democracy Matters: Good decisions are made only when all views are considered. Further, when we don’t participate, we give up our right to whine about the outcome.
Convention Count Down
The National Speaker’s Association convention is only a month away! AAACK! There are brochures to print, banners to order and jeans to buy (the NSA Rocks! theme continues with ‘groupie’ attire for Saturday night).
If you’re going to be there, be sure to stop by PR/PR’s booth anytime and enter for your chance to win a FREE press release, written and distributed to hundreds of newspaper editors. We will hold two drawings – Sunday and Monday at 3:45 p.m. – so stop by and see if you’re a winner! While you’re there, grab a copy of Pam’s new book, “I See Your Name Everywhere – Leverage the Power of the Media to Grow Your Fame, Wealth and Success,” for a discounted convention rate! We’ll also give you a FREE copy of her Pam’s first book, “Don’t Tell Me It’s Impossible Until After I’ve Already Done It.”
You can also rub elbows with Pam, Rick and me on Monday, August 4, as our company is this year’s sponsor of the Awards Gala and Dinner. So come rock at the reception and mingle with us.
Things We’re Tired Of
I’m tired as a write this. You’re probably tired as you read this. We are a country of tired people. A new study has come out saying that we don’t need as much sleep as we thought we did, but yet we still don’t even get the recommended reduced amount.
Does it seem like standards and norms are being reduced to meet society, rather than society striving to meet the standards? This started years ago with the SAT scores. Too many kids were scoring poorly on the test, so, rather than teach the kids more with better methods the questions on the SATs were dumbed down.
In a recent discussion on the negative impact of video games, Dr. Maurice Ramirez said, “It’s not that there is anything wrong with our children’s 21st century brains, it’s that we’re trying to teach them with 17th century technology.”
Dr. Ramirez went on to question what would happen if the much ballyhooed ‘No Child Left Behind’ curriculum were handed over to video game programmers and utilized as the rules, processes and systems of a series of role playing adventure video games? In his opinion:
- The entire K-8 curriculum would be mastered in two and a half years
- Four years of high school would be completed within 18 months
- The first two years of college would be completed by the end of eighth grade
- Recall and application in excess of 90% accuracy and proficiency
When computers first came out, the joke used to be that kids were being taught by teachers whose VCRs still blinked 12:00. Now that role playing adventure games have become so realistic, the real joke is that kids who master the games are being taught by teachers who still have VCRs.
Don’t shy from controversy
When a disaster strikes, whether it is a hurricane, flood, terrorist attack, or some other terrible event, many people feel uncomfortable promoting their insight, product or services even though they could be helpful. Your opinion of critical events in the media can help a worldwide audience and serve as an important publicity tool to market your expertise. We can all learn from these events and who better to learn from than the experts?
Dr. Maurice A. Ramirez believes that it is “possible to profit ethically from a disaster situation.” Do not be afraid to promote your expertise, product or service; it may actually help in the prevention of future catastrophe. You should not feel that you are spinning a tragedy for your own benefit, but are instead sharing the expertise that will aid those who have been affected.
Feeling confident to comment on all generally considered unapproachable issues will make you stand out. Discussing the failures of a major organization should not be considered negative, taboo, wrong, or morally reprehensible when you can offer real insight that will help other companies learn and grow. If a major lender is going bankrupt and your advice could have saved the company, don’t feel as though speaking out in the media is pouring salt in the wound; you might be helping another company that is teetering on the brink.
When celebrities are caught doing something they shouldn’t, don’t feel as though you’re beating a dead horse by commenting on their addiction or destructive behavior your insight shared with the world could reform readers and keep them from their own downward spiral.
“People need to understand the different ways they can help, and they need to get over the stigma of profiting from disaster,” says Dr. Ramirez. “By helping people in need, you can ethically help your own business grow.”
If an issue is controversial and uncomfortable, don’t shy away. Let the media know that your opinion will benefit their readers and maybe save a life in the future.
Bundle up – it’s the first day of spring
While some areas of the country are still experiencing winter weather, other parts are enjoying balmy breezes. Regardless of where you live, we all should wear the same thing.
Thursday, March 20, 2008 would have been Fred Rogers’ 80th birthday; in celebration, National Sweater Day was created.
For those of you born later than 2001 – when the show left the air after 33 years – Fred Rogers hosted “Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood,” a PBS children’s show. He opened every show with the removal of his loafers and jacket, replacing them with sneakers and a cardigan. 
At the conclusion of the show, when Mr. Rogers assured us we were all very special, he would reverse the process before leaving his house.
Born in Latrobe, PA, Rogers attended Rollins College right here in PR/PR’s home town of Orlando, FL. Following graduation and a marrige to his sweetheart, they moved back to Pittsburgh and began his public career. If he hadn’t gone into television, Rogers still would have still had a presentation platform in his future, being an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church.
Fred Rogers got into television as soon as he saw his first broadcast from his parents house. He was quoted as saying, “I went into television because I hated it so, and I thought there was some way of using this fabulous instrument to be of nurture to those who would watch and listen.” Mr. Rogers early on recognized the power of the broadcast medium. He proved that no matter who you are and where you’re from, you can harness the power of (then TV, now Internet) electronic mediums.
You can make a lot of noise in this world with a soft, yet steady, voice to a wide audience.
NSA Rocks On…
The Cow Palace echoed with emptiness last weekend cuz all the rockin’ was going on at the NSA conference. The energy was high as Pam, Rick and I touched down in the city by the bay. It was so great to see our clients face-to-face (e-mail is great, but nothing beats the ol’ grip-and-grin), see old friends from past conventions and make new ones, too.
Some highlights included Michael Lee’s session on “Black Belt Negotiation for Your Fees.” At the end, he unveiled a stack of concrete blocks, taught the audience to count to five in Japanese (ichi, ni, san, shi, go) and then broke through the blocks with his bare hand. It’s hard to doubt the advice from anyone who just proved what they preach.
The usual staid and stuffy tuxedos were kept in mothballs for another year, as the closing banquet went ‘groupie’ attire. The question of the night was, “Did you own that already, or did you have to go buy it?” as attendees donned jeans and rock ‘n’ roll T-shirts. Speaker and consultant Peggy O’Neill admitted to owning all the pieces of her outfit, just that she had never put them together like that before. 
Here’s what she and Pam looked like that night:
PR/PR was thrilled to learn that winter session in 2009 will be in Orlando (our home base), and then the convention in summer 2010 will be back here, too!
The rockin’ theme continues in NYC in August. Don’t leave us hangin’, stop by the booth to say, “Dude!”
- Russell
PS: Good News – I only had to hear “I left my heart in San Francisco” once in the five days we were there!
