I just got the biggest media spot of my career, and I wanted to share how I got it.
An article was published on Forbes today called “Here’s The Simple Method Top Experts Use to Land High-Paying Clients”, and Yours Truly, a proud Hera Hub Temecula gal, is featured in it, complete with a fabulous pic of me rocking it onstage! I was positively giddy.
A few weeks ago the opportunity “came out of nowhere”.
But not really.
Here’s what I did to land this whale.
I was working my CRM and decided to touch base with a strategic partner in PR to say hello and tell him I missed his appearance at a recent event.
We went back and forth over email exchanging pleasantries and updates, and at the end of our conversation, he suggested I contact another esteemed colleague of his, one I knew very tangentially.
I reached out to the new person over LinkedIn, (re)-introducing myself and mentioning our mutual friend. I asked for a casual meeting, either in-person or over zoom, to get to know each other’s work better. I mentioned that I had two ideas on how I could be of benefit to him. We didn’t schedule the meeting, but I was hopeful that we were on our way to a mutually-beneficial conversation. A few days later, he asked me if I wanted to apply to contribute an article to Forbes. Even though I had no idea what the details of the process would be, my immediate answer was, of course, YES!
This is where I’d like to remind everyone of two things:
1) Use LinkedIn wisely – make your profile stand out by emphasizing the value you bring and be deliberate in sharing YOUR thought leadership or expertise, not someone else’s, and
2) go after essential credential-builders with ferocious tenacity! I don’t believe it was an accident that this nugget of awesome was offered to me only a few weeks after earning my Certified Speaking Professional designation through the National Speakers Association (which of course I amplified everywhere!) Those letters after your name MATTER when building a brand and business.
The pitch process was simple. Agonizingly simple.
Pitch an idea in 20 words or less, and give a credibility statement in 11 words or less. No big whoop. (She says as she threw up in her mouth a little bit.)
The only way I could have responded to this generous offer so quickly was to know myself and my expertise SO WELL that I could draw it on a cocktail napkin. My pitch ended up being 12 words with a credibility statement at 9 words. (Reach out if you want to know what they were!)
He said yes and asked me to write up 300-400 words of original content (with sources) about my idea. WOOO! After a few hours, I had the piece written, edited, and sent, clocking in at 386 words.
Yes, it was stressful, but also exhilarating. I know my stuff and just needed to trust in my expertise. (OK, maybe I ate some chocolate along the way too.)
The final article turned out AMAZING, and I have been leveraging it out the wazoo on all channels (website, newsletter, social media, proposals, carrier pigeon to my top prospects). It has opened doors to some delightfully unexpected golden opportunities, and I have woven it into my marketing and proposals, closing more deals at higher fees.
What’s the lesson from this happy accidental media win?
Relationships are everything. Treat them with the respect and care they deserve, even those that aren’t seemingly “revenue generating”. Use business systems wisely to stay engaged with as many people as possible.
Say YES when a scary or unknown opportunity comes your way. You can figure out the details later.
Know your Brilliance so well that you could write a short article on it containing real-world relevance for businesses and individuals. And then write it. And post it.
Here’s something to consider as you nurture your business to its fullest potential: What is your 20-word idea and your 11-word credibility statement? If you can write it on a cocktail napkin, you can sell it.
Because you never know when magic will find its way to you.
Theresa Rose is a Brand and Business Crystallizer, Strategic Co-Creator, and Certified Speaking Professional who works with experts and their businesses to create one-of-a-kind visual brands they can draw on a cocktail napkin. Using her Crystallization Process, Theresa helps thought leaders Clarify, Amplify, and Monetize their Brilliance as efficiently — and lucratively — as possible. For more information on Theresa and The Crystallization Process, visit TheresaRose.com.
