Kuzmina E.M., Volovik N.A.

GAINING TOP OF MIND AWARENESS AS A MAIN PART OF PUBLICITY IN PUBLIC RELATIONS

As corporations in every industry are tightening their belt straps in order to keep themselves in the black, the competition for professional speakers to present to these organizations is tougher than ever. Corporate meeting planners, looking for the most bang for their buck, are scrutinizing every speaker's credentials and reputation in the hopes of booking the most influential presenter for their company's event. As a result, many talented and compelling speakers may find that their phones aren't ringing as much as they used to, and the time between speaking engagements may be increasing with every passing week.

If this scenario sounds all too familiar, there is hope. In this age of increased corporate bottom line consciousness, getting top of mind awareness will set you apart from the competition. What is top of mind awareness? It's when people think of you first to fulfill their meeting's needs. It's when magazines quote you and publish your articles, and when radio and TV shows feature you as a guest expert. It's when meeting planners and prospects say, "I've seen your name everywhere." But most important, it's when people book you as a speaker because they know your name and perceive you as a leader.

Gaining top of mind awareness should be the number one goal of your publicity efforts. In fact, when done correctly, effective publicity will not only lead to higher fees, increased bookings, and greater credibility, but it will also help you develop name recognition and make you stand out in the eyes of your prospects. Here's how the pros use publicity to enhance their top of mind awareness.

1. Develop your "hook"

No one wants to hear the same old message over and over again. That's why you must develop a hook - a unique angle-that sets you apart from other speakers. For example, suppose your area of expertise is employee motivation and team building. In order to stand out in your prospects' minds, you can specialize your message to "motivating sales (or administrative or technical, etc.) employees" or "team building amidst downsizing." The more you can make your message unique or different from the "old way," the more recognition and attention you'll attract.

2. Write articles

Getting published in a magazine or trade journal is an excellent way to become perceived as an expert. Articles allow you reach hundreds of thousands of people for free, and you'll receive the same amount of clout as other more well-known authors. Additionally, you can reprint your published articles and use them as promotional items. When meeting planners see your impressive list of published pieces, they'll consider you an industry leader and will want you to speak to their organization. Regardless of your speaking topic, you undoubtedly have plenty of ideas you could write about. Make your articles stand out by emphasizing your "hook" and giving the readers useful information they can implement today.

3. Make phone calls to editors, reporters, and producers

Phone calls are the most effective way to build rapport with the media. By talking with an editor, reporter, or producer, you can learn exactly what they need and can customize your message for their audience. Whenever you have an article or show idea, call the appropriate person and present your topic. Ask questions such as, "What are your readers (or viewers or listeners) looking for?" "What are you looking for?" and "What angle do you want the story to take?" Make changes to your initial idea based on the answers you get. If you receive a "no" response, ask, "What don't you like," and adapt your presentation on the spot. The more you customize your message to their particular audience, the more likely you are to be their next guest expert or featured author.

4. Send fax-outs and mail-outs

If you need to reach a large audience in a short period of time, fax and mail outs are ideal. They allow you to quickly and easily target key people who will get you the most publicity. Some examples of items you can fax and/or mail are press releases, upcoming book releases, a newly published article, product specials, or anything else that can get you publicity. Watch the breaking news and if something ties in with your topic, fax a press release to newspapers offering your take as an expert to interview for the situation. Likewise, if you mail magazines a sampling of your articles or some topic that would interest their readers, the editors will call you in order to get the whole story or to interview you for a story they are currently writing. The key is to target your audience and keep your message customized for their unique needs.

Top of mind awareness is your ticket to a successful speaking career. The more publicity you generate and the more people are aware of you, the higher your chances for being the speaker of choice to your prospects and clients. Remember, in this age of economic uncertainty, your message will make meeting planners take notice, but the frequency of your name being heard over and over will make them take action and book you today.