December 26, 2011
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Sometimes, other pressing news stands in the way of your news earning media attention. Such was the case with a story pitch I made several times to a number of local community papers in my own backyard on behalf of my friends at the Chat with Women Radio Show. Pam Gray and Rochelle Alhadeff have demonstrated the courage to follow their dreams, while giving others a platform to be heard. I say “Amen” and “Hurray” to that.
And, because I believe their story of pursuing their big dream is well worth celebrating, I am sharing it with you today. May this story inspire you to take big, bold steps toward the big, bold future you envision for yourself and your business in the New Year to debut soon, no matter what the naysayers or dream squashers have to say.
Impossible things are happening everyday, so said the Fairy Godmother to Cinderella. The same message is as true for you as it is for me. What we do to take action to bring our dreams to life is what makes the most important difference. So, with that said, let’s celebrate a story of dreams coming true in perfect timing to make a big difference …
Chat with Radio Show Opens the Door for Big Dreams to Take Wing and Fly
On October 21, 2005, Bellevue resident Rochelle Alhadeff and Redmond resident Pam Gray launched a radio program on a local radio network called the Chat with Women Show. Marking their sixth broadcast anniversary is an occasion that offers them and their mid-life and beyond listeners proof positive that successful career and life reinvention can happen at any age and give dreams wings to take flight in ways never prior imagined.
“We wanted to create a community to serve women aged 40 and better, earn a place as a trusted resource for information about issues women care about, and give them a voice to be heard,” Gray said, adding. “We have done that and more.”
Never Too Old to Make Big Things Happen:
At launch, both women were 58 years of age. Broadcast industry experts told them that their idea for a radio talk show for women only didn’t have a chance. Others said they were too old to be relevant. Still others said that women don’t listen to talk radio. Did either have radio broadcasting experience? No.
“So many naysayers and dream squashers showed up to throw cold water on our idea, yet we persevered,” Alhadeff said.
This year, these veteran radio show hosts proudly celebrated the sixth anniversary of service to their growing listening audience with a long list of accomplishments to their credit.
A Mission Worth Fighting For and Much to Celebrate
Their idea at launch was to motivate, inspire, and educate with fun and love. They have achieved that and found ways to monetize the effort to the benefit of their balance sheet and beyond.
- Quality sponsors including Verity Credit Union, Chef by Request, Homewatch Caregivers sign on and stay because the programming reaches their ideal audience of women decision makers with sufficient impact to justify their long-term investment, Alhadeff says. These commitments and others generate advertising revenues well into the six-figures each year.
- Their enterprise is profitable and poised to make an even bigger impact as the newly upgraded site adds video, community-building live events, and an expanded expert line up.
- The Chat with Women Radio Network now boasts 10 radio hosts who are reaching out to women radio listeners in numbers estimated to be in the 14,000 – 45,000 range every week. There is a wait list for show times for new hosts, Gray reports.
- A-List radio guests including Dr. Pepper Schwartz, Dr. Mehmet Oz, Whoopi Goldberg, and Suzanne Sommer have appeared on their program, along with scores and scores of subject matter experts with commentary to share of unique appeal to women.
Lessons Learned Along the Way:
Gray and Alhadeff have learned lessons along their journey to give birth to their dream.
- Choose partnerships wisely.
- Create an “inner circle” of trusted advisors who have genius beyond your own.
- Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Create a flexible business model that offers the promise of multiple streams of income from the start.
- Get your family on board with your dream. Big dreams require the investment of time, money, and resources. “Everyone has to pitch in and take extra responsibility for what happens at home so the business can thrive.”
- Don’t hear “no.” Don’t say “no.” Never give up, and listen always.
- Believe that dreams can come true, and take action every day to make it so.
- Do the work.
- Laugh often and much.
- Take time to celebrate accomplishments to refuel for the ups and downs that are inevitable.
What is Next for the Chat with Women Show:
Gray and Alhadeff are putting their focus on the use of video on their newly upgraded site to give all the hosts and themselves an even more powerful way to connect with women, engage, and join the community.
About the Chat with Women Hosts:
Pam Gray and Rochelle Alhadeff are best friends, business partners, and women on a mission to bring women 40 years old and better together to live, laugh and love – even when life isn’t smooth and easy. Creating, growing, and improving the Chat with Women Radio Network to serve as the go-to source to reach mid-life women with the discretion and influence to make purchase decisions of consequence is their top priority. Learn more at www.chatwithwomen.com, join the conversation, and enjoy the tips shared by the Chat with Women team of experts who share their expertise via engaging and content-rich videos designed to inspire, teach, and empower.
December 9, 2011
Be Heard, Good News, Video PR
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Life really change change forever with the crash of a bike. In August of 2000, Brandon Harney was stuck by a car while riding his bike. The accident proved fatal for him, and life-giving for 52 others. Yesterday, Dave Ebberson — the recipient of Brandon’s pancreas — drove from Ephrata to Seattle to be part of a “floragraph” decorating event that took place a BECU Headquarters in Tukwila to honor Brandon’s gift of life.
Shirley Harney Taylor and Ebberson put the finishing touches on the art piece made from 100% natural materials that will soon be winging its way to be showcased on the Donate Life America Float in the 2012 Tournament of Roses Parade. Brandon’s “floragraph” will be among 72 such images proudly on display to earn the attention of millions of viewers. The intent of the float is to raise awareness about the importance of organ and tissue donation. Shirley has been ad advocate for the important work of LifeCenter Northwest since Brandon gave the gift of life to so many others when he passed away. She has worked for BECU for 25 years. You can watch the KOMO TV 4 coverage by visiting this link. Share generously.
September 20, 2011
Be Heard, Media Savvy 101
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Today is my 24th wedding anniversary to Steve Juetten. He’s a great guy, and I could write a book about that, and I’ll save that for another day. One thing about growing together in relationship with another is how skills transfer from one to another. That Steve listens to me speak about how to earn publicity more than anyone else on the planet, and he sure pays attention. Just last week, he was contacted by a writer for Forbes.com and was quick to respond with useful tips about saving for college. The result that that exchange is now evident in this very meaty article about how to pay for college right now.
And this month, I am quoted within the pages of Success magazine — the one with Dr. Mehmet Oz on the cover. The article in which I am quoted is entitled, “Branding in your own backyard.” When I saw this query come across my desk from Reporter Connection, I jumped on it. This is a magazine that achievers read, and the halo of credibility that shines on my own expertise is priceless. Thank you Emma Johnson for including my quote within your article. I am thrilled beyond words.
So with all that said, there are two points I’d like to make about this when it comes to guiding you to earn your own publicity.
1) Always strive to be fast and first to reply and be of service to reporters seeking your comments and perspectives.
2) Consider the editorial environment would be the highest and best place for your comments to add value to the conversation. Earning a placement in prestigious, well read websites or magazines with national and influential reach is a powerful way to share your expertise and invite people from across the nation to learn more about you and how you serve.
And to Steve Juetten, my beloved husband of 24 years. Thank you for marrying me, growing in life and love with me, parenting with me, and staying with me. You are a treasure beyond measure. And while you have certainly learned a few publicity skills that are paying off for you big time, I will confess that your skills as a financial planner are unmatched and not yet shared on this end. Let’s see what happens on that score over the next 24 years. Can’t wait, and counting the minutes to enjoy more of life with you.
September 20, 2011
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The Canadian Association of Professional Speakers invited me to Vancouver, British Columbia last Saturday to take their members through the rock star status reality check and perform some bio makeovers live for their members. What a treat to visit a lovely city, meet some wonderful new friends, and be of service to fellow speakers across the border from my Puget Sound backyard. One of the most memorable moments of the half-day workshop was when event EMCEE Sieglinde Malmberg welcomed us all back from the break at the half-way point with an original rap song she created in my honor.
Nancy Juetten. Rhymes with Button. But She Looks Like Lauren Hutton. She’s Not Boring. She’s a Blast. Let’s Learn More and Learn it Fast.
I asked her to perform this little ditty so I could capture it on video, and she did. Tune in and enjoy. You’ll grin. I sure did.
Here is what Cettified Financial Planner Professional Patricia LaLonde had to say about my presentation:
“When I heard you present at our CAPS meeting you touched my mind with your brilliance. You were able to state clearly the message that I’m trying to convey. I’ve known that I needed help to put all the bits and pieces of my bio and profile in order and now I know who to go to for help. I’m looking forward to greater visibility and success after applying the lessons from your course.”
– Patricia Lalonde, CFP™
Here are a few of the tips I shared during my talk:
- Use descriptive subheadings in your bio to appeal to “skimmers” who want to get to the point fast.
- If you are a speaker, don’t start your profile with a heading like “John Smith, Professional Speaker, Author, and Coach.” In a sea of speakers, that is not the way to set yourself apart, especially on speaker sites like eSpeakers or SpeakerMatch.
- Instead, lead with a sassy headline about what you speak about to grab the attention of meeting planners who are looking for contributors that can stand out and make their impact now.
- When describing what you do, use the language that your ideal clients use to describe how you serve. Use words that a 12-year-old can understand.
- Sometimes, we get so caught up in self importance that we use really big words that don’t count for a lot. Remember your audience, and speak to them with personality, clarity, and impact.
If you’d like more help getting your story figured out so the marketplace can celebrate, join me this Thursday, September 22 at 11 a.m. PST for the “How to Pitch an Article the Media Can’t Resist” teleseminar. You can register for this free call and get all the call in details by visiting this link.
September 7, 2011
Be Heard, Business Success
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This guest blog post is shared today by
Lisa Cherney
Juicy Marketing Expert
President, Conscious Marketing
I’ll be hosting Lisa on Tuesday, September 13 at 5 p.m. for a “Juicy” teleseminar that you won’t want to miss.
Stand Out & Be Juicy: Magnetize Your Marketing to Attract Your Ideal Clients. Click here to register.
A solid marketing foundation is key to a solid business. Even the big boys like Pepsi and Coke realize this! If they get comfortable and let their marketing efforts relax, then sales will suffer, and they’ll have to work twice as hard to get back their share of the market. You, as an entrepreneur and master of your own domain, have to be cognizant of where you spend your time and dollars. Just like a house, you need a strong foundation that you can build on that will stand the test of time. From this foundation, you’ll be able to add on and up as your business grows. So here are the first 2 key elements to a solid marketing foundation, the Juicy way.
- Your ideal client is the foundation of your house. I, like most entrepreneurs, didn’t know when I started my business that just having a “niche” was not accurate or precise enough to create the success that I was after. Let’s face it: your business is you, so you have to love all your clients. You are no longer employed by someone else, in a job where you have to do what your boss tells you and work with people that you don’t necessarily like. You’re the boss now, so you’ve got to love what you do and the people you work with. Picture your clients as the frame that your house is built around. The large bottom part is your target market – the concrete foundation that holds the house together. The walls are your niche that you most want to appeal to, but the roof is where it’s at. They are your ideal clients. So you have to figure out what those folks at the top want to hear from you. It’s not always about money for them, it’s about growth. Do you have what they want? Here’s a question to ask yourself: “Which clients are my favorites and why?” You’ll be making a huge mistake if you only focus on what you do. Focus on the values of your ideal clients, because it will tell you about your own values – and you’ll be speaking the words that they want to hear. It’s the foundation of your house, so make sure it’s solid!
- Always highlight your irresistible Juicy benefits. These are the shutters, the crown molding, the landscaping of your house. It’s curb appeal! It is your unique way of describing how you can change someone’s life. In the end, your credentials don’t matter as much as how their life is going to change once they give your their money. This is where you tell them the benefits of working with you. NOT how many years of experience you have, or the huge mega-companies you’ve worked with, or all the workshops, workbooks and CD’s that they’ll get with your program. These are features, not benefits. Spend the time, dig deep, and have a juicy benefit statement ready to go for every form of service that you provide. This is your opportunity for getting clarity so that your marketing can stand out. These statements help you to know your value so you can charge more. Find the words to say why you’re different than everyone else out there.
The best part about owning your own business is that you get to design your own “house”!
Lisa Cherney, a.k.a. the Juicy Marketing Expert, founded Conscious Marketing 12 years ago to help small business owners find their authentic marketing voice, attract their ideal clients and increase their sales. Following her own Stand Out & Be Juicy program, which centers on owning your unique self and laser-focus marketing, Lisa has tripled her income while working part-time. Prior to Conscious Marketing, Lisa worked with many Fortune 500 companies, including AT&T, Lipton, Nissan, Blue Cross and Equal. She is a highly sought after speaker and often shares the stage with experts such as Jack Assaraf (The Secret), Jack Canfield and Jill Lublin. Learn more about Lisa at www.consciousmarketing.com or call 887-771-0156.
August 18, 2011
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“Shadow”
January 2004 – August 17, 2011
July 18, 2011
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Phone message — We are looking for a super low budget publicist. Call me to talk it over.
Call me crazy, but that is not the way to start a conversation. And the message was left on my answering machine at 6:30 a.m. on a Saturday.
How conversations start is a good indication of how the relationship will flow throughout an engagement.
I think I will let this phone call go unreturned, and I wish the caller success in finding the right candidate for this sizzling opportunity.
What would you do?
June 27, 2011
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This blog post comes courtesy of Prospect Profiler™ Rosey Dow. She says that knowing your prospects is the first step to creating a powerful marketing message. This blog post elaborates. Take it away Rosey.
A few years ago, my son and his four friends — geeks all of them — gathered at his apartment for an all nighter of networked gaming. Several of the guys brought their computers and they proceeded to hook them up. Everything went fine, but one computer wouldn’t show up in the system. Brows lowered, they ran diagnostics and checked settings. They went back and did them again. Still nothing. They rolled up their sleeves and dug in deeper. Two hours later, someone screamed. The other four looked up as from a dream. In the screamer’s hand was the dangling cord. The computer was unplugged.
How about you? Are you working frantically with focus and precision, typing feverishly and marketing anxiously with few results to show for it? Chances are, you are also unplugged.
Latch onto the problems, needs, and values of your prospects, and you’ll plug into the power you’ve been looking for. Understanding your buyers is the first step to success. This is foundational to your success. Without a complete understanding of your prospects, you have no starting place for your marketing message. Your bio will sag and your blog posts will flounder without this information.
Are your prospects caregivers? Talk about fatigue, the need for a quiet moment now and then, and ways to care for their loved ones more effectively with less effort. Are your prospects leaders? Give them a plan to reach the status and respect they crave. Are your prospects free spirits? Relate your product or service to living life on their own term. Authentically, of course.
A weak message means blown fuses and short circuits. Get clear and you’ll be hardwired into the source with the results to match.
Good news. It’s easier to get plugged in than you might think. While most entrepreneurs struggle with knowing their prospects, you can get insights by studying the values, the attitudes, and the problems of your best clients. Take a good look at the people you love to work with and think back to your first meeting. What did they hope for when they came to you? What did they fear? What did they actually need from you? Identify these and you’ll be plugged in sooner than you think.
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Still puzzled about your prospects’ mindset? Pick up your free assessment at this link. Rosey Dow is a Prospect Mind Reader. She’ll help you get a grip on how your prospects think and ferret out what they really want—so you can give it to them. She is a multi-published author and Internet marketing specialist. That’s why they call her The Prospect Profiler™.
May 26, 2011
Be Heard
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The last Oprah Winfrey Show has aired.
For me, Oprah has been a guide to transform my life into something that was beyond what I once did not have the vision to imagine. I remember her telling the story about looking outside her kitchen window of her childhood home and seeing just a single tree. Many years later, beyond the kitchen window of her Montecito home, she can now see 10,000 trees.
Oprah’s themes about grace, worthiness, validation, showing up, and listening have touched my heart and moved me into action over the years. And so the journey continues.
What Oprah has taught me and so many others is that what is possible is limitless, provided we have the courage to dream. Oprah has given me and so many others this courage. And it’s a beautiful thing for which I feel tremendous gratitude. I will miss her daily dose of inspiration, yet the lessons she taught me are mine forever. For that I feel tremendous gratitude. I just might have to plant a tree beyond my own window in her honor. It seems fitting.
Have any “aha” moments to share or next steps you will be taking? Please do!
April 8, 2011
Be Heard
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Today, I took on the task of updating my own story to reflect my most current and authentic message. This isn’t easy because I am so close to my own work. And, I would bet that this comment resonates with a great many of you.
Still, I’ve put out a new message for the world to see so my ideal clients can know right away that I am the right person to add value to what they have brewing. I’d love for you to read it and tell me how it lands for you.
Telling our stories as they unfold is always a work in progress, and we are never complete on this task. Check out your own story and ask yourself if you are telling your BEST, most authentic story that is going to resonate most with your ideal clients. If so, let me be the first to congratulate you. If not, it’s time to update and refresh your message so you can step up, stand out, and shine in the best possible way to invite the results you seek.
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