The ultimate goal of any brand-driven marketing campaign is to influence people to “buy” what you’re selling. And at the core of any successful promotional effort is something that is either desired or needed. Quite
simply, a marketing effort requires something of value to market. A product or service must have unique and attractive qualities to be reasonably promotable and be targeted to those who would likely want it or need it.

As author Seth Godin observes in his best-selling book, Purple Cow: to be marketable, a product needs to be “remarkable,” in that it must be “worthy of being remarked about.” So it is with expertise, services, products and even individuals.

Opinions. It is said that opinions are like…um, pick a body part. Everyone has one. And more than ever before, we have seemingly endless avenues to share our opinions with anyone willing to listen. Just look at the airwaves, the internet and the newsstand. From call-in talk shows and other broadcast “gab-fests,” to e-zines, chat rooms, My Space, YouTube and the explosion of internet blogs, everyone has something to say and
they’re fighting to get their voice heard.

The glut of voices in the marketplace creates even greater challenges for information experts. Speakers, coaches, consultants, authors, analysts and too many other professionals are looking for the “secret formula” to get the microphone or camera turned in their direction. Well, I hate to break it to you – but there isn’t a secret formula. The answer, in fact, is right in front of you on the air, online and in newspaper columns across America every day – you just have to pay attention and recognize the source of the noise.

How many times have you heard the adage: “It’s better to be proactive than reactive.” So often in fact, that the popular admonition has become the de facto rule. Who would dispute it? But the truth is that when it comes to generating positive press, the opposite is more often the case. To be successful in pitching the news media, reactive rules.

To understand the assertion, you have to understand how and why the news media makes their story choice decisions. Besides the obvious requirement for a subject or story to be “newsworthy” and relevant to their audience, the element of timeliness is paramount in the minds of the press. With every pitch they ask the question: “Is this story timely or ‘evergreen’.” An evergreen story has no deadline, such as a story about the increasing popularity of soy food items at full-service restaurants. A timely story would be the public’s outcry in response to a politician’s use of a racial slur caught on camera the day before.

Here a quick question for you: What’s the difference between someone who is very smart and someone who is a recognized expert in their field? It could be an advanced educational degree. It might even be a measure of achieved fame or public accolades for a significant feat or discovery. The reality is that for many, often the missing link between credibility and obscurity is simply having written and published a book.

Being the author of a book – on almost any subject – can make you an instant “expert” in your chosen category. Right or wrong, it’s an interesting dynamic that plays itself out with decision makers every day. “Why is this person credible?” a meeting planner, or television producer might ask a colleague. “Oh, they are the author of “Something or Other,” is the response. “Sounds good. Get them on the phone.”

Recently, I have a received quite a few inquiries from clients and readers about how I have achieved such great success in generating media coverage for my new book: The Gift in Every Day – Little Lessons on Living Big Life. To date I have done 38 radio and television interviews across North America and have another TV appearance slated for tomorrow morning.

The answer is simple: I didn’t promote the book. Now let me be clear. The book was an integral part of the “hook,” but with close to 500 new books being released in America every day, books just aren’t newsworthy. Of course, if you’re Donald Trump, John Grisham, or Nora Ephron, new books can create their own buzz, but for the rest of us, books are a dime a dozen.

Friends, I am going to ask for your indulgence for a few minutes as I depart from my usual newsletter content.

I have been blessed by so much in my life. I live in the greatest country on earth. I married the woman of my dreams and we have three amazing kids. My work gives me great satisfaction and I have built and ostered some truly wonderful friendships. The best news of all is that I likely still have half my life ahead of me. With that in mind, a few years ago, I decided to take a step back, check in and take stock of the life I have lived and the life I intend to live in the years to come.