www.VisibilityCoach.com

May, 2006

In This Issue

Greetings from the Coach!

O.K. O.K. I know it’s been a long time since I’ve cranked out an E-zine – a year, in fact. But that doesn’t mean I’ve been kicking back, doing nothing. It’s been a busy year of world travel, amazing new learning opportunities, home sale and moving to new digs. I’ve spoken from Singapore to Brighton, England and points in between and worked with clients and vendors from Sri Lanka to Bulgaria.

So much has been going on with my business, the industry and the world, that my heading is busting with information and perspective to share. So much so that it can’t all be contained in my periododic e-zines. I have been recently been writing articles for other publications and finally got on the Blog bandwagon.

And while I am far too busy and not nearly disciplined enough to write daily, the Blog does give me a chance to get some thoughts off my chest without the logistical difficulties of putting together the colorful, graphic intensive piece you are reading right now. You can check out my new Blog at http://visibilitycoach.blogstream.com/

On the book front, after a longer than expected delay, my new sappy dad book, “The Gift in Every Day – Little Lessons on Living a Big Life” is due from my publisher in bookstores nationwide in September. (More next month!) and I’ve begun work on my new business book “Guerrilla Branding,” co-authored with Guerrilla Marketing guru Jay Conrad Levinson. Big times!

This months issue looks at the issue of visibility as a vital component of a successful business and the importance of being seen and remembered by your prospects. Purchasing decisions are rarely made in a vacuum and most buyers simply have a problem needing a solution and there are most often numerous vendors ready to step in and offer their solution. While it’s up to you to make the best pitch, as they say, “you can’t hit a home run if you never get up to bat.”

Here’s hoping you have a great summer with many visits to the plate!

David Avrin
The Visibility Coach

See and Be Seen

During the recent National Speakers Association Meeting/Workshop in Washington D.C., I was zipping around the conference, as usual, on my Segway scooter when I passed a woman who said, “Hey, I remember you!” “That’s the point!” I said with a smile as I zoomed past.

Whether you call it my shtick, or my gimmick, it’s become sort of my signature at conferences such as this. I’m always happy to let anyone try it out and I meet many more people than I normally would at such a large event. As they say: “You can’t be an introvert on a Segway!” More importantly, I know that I can call any of the hundreds, or even thousands of fellow attendee in the weeks that follow and say, “I was the guy on the Segway,” and people will instantly recall who I am. If I’m going to call myself the Visibility Coach, I better be visible.

The question is, “What are you doing to be noticed and remembered by your professional prospects?” Please don’t get me wrong. I’m not suggesting that you have to find some hokey stunt to draw attention to yourself, but if there is a distinctive hook that dovetails nicely into who you are or what you do, by all means, don’t overlook it! My Segway is more than a great networking tool, it is also the centerpiece of my signature story, so it’s become my trademark. What’s yours? How are you ensuring your top-of-mind status with your clients and prospects?

MAKE A LIST
One exercise I conduct with my coaching and publicity clients is to ask them the question, “Who needs to know who you are for you to be successful?” Better yet, “Who, in your target markets, needs to know you and remember you? Get a paper and pen and start a list. First, jot down past, current and prospective clients; but don’t stop there. List anyone and everyone on whom you rely to support, refer and promote you and your business. Your list can include potential partners, non-competing professionals (i.e.: other speakers, consultants, coaches, suppliers, etc.) well-networked friends, etc. And don’t forget the news media – the “super-audience” as they are a conduit that can amplify and endorse your message to many other audiences.

When you have a truly comprehensive list of the “publics” that you need to reach, ask yourself the questions: “What do they read? What do they watch? Where do they congregate, recreate, dine and discuss?” Find ways to be where they are – when they are there. And it doesn’t have to be a physical presence. Are they finding your blogs? (and yes, you need to be blogging!), are they getting your e-zines? Are they reading the articles that you’ve made available for others to publish?

One of the best ways to be “Seen” by important, category-specific prospects is to submit articles highlighting your expertise to the physical and virtual publications that serve their industry. Every professional organization has a newsletter, magazine or e-zine that reaches their members. From financial planners, franchisees and home-based businesses, to parents of multiples and rocket enthusiasts, they all have industry “rags.” The reality is that all too often, someone in the administrative office has been saddled with the responsibility of cranking out the publication monthly or quarterly. Most of them are hungry for content. Ask for their submission criteria and write an article that speaks to them directly.

As is true in publicity work with the mainstream media, it holds true with niche publications as well – the quid pro quo is: “content for credit.” So along with permission to reprint your article come the requirement to include your italicized “tag.” The tag is your mini bio that says who your are, what you do and where to find you. For example, here’s what appears at the end of my articles:

David Avrin is known internationally as the Visibility Coach. A noted speaker, author, publicist, branding consultant and executive coach, David shows professionals how to stand apart and raise their profile in a competitive marketplace. Visit him online at www.visibilitycoach.com.

Don’t simply ask for the credit, insist on it. This won’t shock the sensibilities of the editor. After all, they’re getting free content. A good number of the business inquires I get are from people who read an article I wrote, saw their own professional challenge in my words and contacted me for assistance. It’s akin to putting flyers for a pet-sitting business on the windshields of cars at PetSmart. Go to the source and provide expertise directly to your target prospects. To borrow a phrase, with a twist: “Be seen. Be very seen.”

You don’t have to ride around on a scooter at a conference to get noticed, but if you blend into the crowd in your target market, you’d better do something that un-blends you. Take control of your brand and find, or develop a clever hook that makes you visible—and unforgettable—to those that need to know you. Any business that is worth having in this evolving economy has too many prospective competitors for you to be complacent. Be visible. Stand out and speak up – lest you be overlooked.

The Visibility Coach says that the greatest enemy of success in business is anonymity!

Read!

Meeting Planners and Speakers Bureaus, interested in booking David Avrin to speak for your clients or organization? Click Here.

Interested in learning more about the Visibility Coach? Click here!

David Avrin is known internationally as the Visibility Coach. Through entertaining Keynote Presentations, informative Breakout Sessions and one-on-one coaching, David Avrin helps professionals differentiate themselves in the competitive marketplace – becoming more newsworthy. Visit him at www.visibilitycoach.com

Interested in having David Avrin, The Visibility Coach,
speak to your company or organization? Click here.

For more information on a full day private coaching session
with the Visibility Coach, click here.

To access past issues of The Visibility Coach newsletter click here.