Did you miss the November meeting of the NSA Las Vegas? It was pretty fabulous. We learned a ton, got in some good networking, and there was that impromptu show by the Blue Man Group.
Alright, only two of those were true. Here’s your official recap:
Our fearless leader, Jeff Magee set the tone of the meeting while channeling his inner John Lennon. He suggested starting off our sentences with the word “Imagine” to inspire our audiences and get them from where they are to where they can’t imagine going.
Next, Darren LaCroix took the stage and challenged us all to do 90 days of Facebook Live. I’m on day five.
I’ve finally located my tripod and am proud to report that no one got seasick from today’s post. I’ve also coined the hashtag #BlameDarren. Feel free to use it. It’s catching on quite nicely.
Jim Root stepped in to fill Marvelless Mark’s shoes (although I don’t believe he was wearing snakeskin). He showed us how the act of recording our time (no lying!) could give us a whole other day to play with each week.
We also heard from Mike Rayburn, chair of Influence 2019 (July 24th to 27th). He announced the line-up of speakers for the conference and left us all searching for flights and booking pet sitters.
On to the main event… Jerry Seinfeld!
Just kidding, but our guest speaker, Jess Todtfeld does hail from Jerry’s hometown of Massapequa, New York. And he does do a pretty darn good impression of the comedian. However, Jess was amazing in his own right. With 13+ years of experience in media and the Guinness World Record for most radio interviews in a 24 hour period, he shared his secrets to pitching the media so they actually care.
Jess told us that the media has an insatiable need for content, we just have to learn how to provide it to them in the easiest, most digestible way possible. Here are a few tidbits of wisdom:
- Create a pitch hook. This is the difference between “So What?” and “Tell Me More”
- Don’t bore them with your bio and contact info first. Tell them what you’d say if interviewed and then tell them who you are. (Quick testimonial: I tried this and was picked up with my first pitch. Three publications!)
- Utilize his Sound Bite Quote System to appeal to reporters: Bold, action-oriented words, Emotion, Predictions, Humor, Absolutes, etc.
- Resend your pitches with a quick note: “I wasn’t sure if you saw this.”
- Remember there are human beings on the other end of that email.
You can also create your own media:
- Have an opening video when you speak, a demo video and full-length video showing what you can do, and a promo video that you make to wow clients.
- Add videos to your LinkedIn profile.
- Create a YouTube channel for testimonials.
You can find out more about Jess and his programs at www.jesstodtfeld.com .
Next month, we’ll have our holiday party in lieu of the monthly meeting. Keep an eye on your email for an invite and have a safe a happy holiday season.
About the Author
Sheryl Green has always enjoyed writing, however, it wasn’t until a divorce shook her world, that she discovered the power of story. Having penned three novels, she now brings her penchant for storytelling to non-fiction and content writing, working with businesses and individuals who want to position themselves as experts in their field. She leverages the power of story through blogging, website content, book coaching and ghostwriting, and speaking engagements.
She is the author of “Surviving to Thriving: How to Overcome Setbacks and Rock Your Life” and “Once Upon a Bottom Line: Harnessing the Power of Story for Sales.” Learn more at www.sherylgreenspeaks.com.