Becky Robinson's Blog, page 41

How to Market a Book Without Hiring a Publicist

You wrote a book, you are writing a book, or you have a book inside of you that is waiting to be written.

You are a passionate person who knows that your thoughts, ideas, and dreams can deeply impact others.

You are a writer.

The one problem: thousands of books are being published per day, and you need to find a way to stand out. You need a marketing plan.

There is so much information on the internet and in print about book marketing, and countless publicists, PR firms, and marketing firms that you can pay to market your book for you. If you choose a partner who understands and believes in your work, you very may well see the success you are looking for. Many of these individuals and firms have spent years developing and streamlining their processes, and are a great option for those who can afford to invest.

But not everyone has thousands of dollars to spend on marketing services, and thankfully, there are tried and true techniques that virtually anyone with grit, determination, and focus can implement.

The Basic Formula

Leverage your networks. We cannot overemphasize the importance of leveraging networks. Your networks are anyone that you have a relationship with: family, friends, coworkers, acquaintances, and online friends. You should be getting together an email list, creating buzz around your book on social media, and generally talking up your book with your networks as early as six months before your book launch (or even earlier!). Though you may feel uncomfortable bringing all of these people into your book marketing loop, they will ultimately be your best tool in getting the word out there. We encourage our clients to make specific asks of those people, such as “please share this post about my book” or, during launch week, “please buy my book today.” In most cases, people are very gracious and generous in supporting book launches.

Use your content wisely. Your book’s content is one of your most valuable assets—use it! You can take quotes from your book and make them into tweets, Facebook posts, or beautiful graphic images. No graphic design skills? There are many free, easy-to-use tools out there, such as Canva and Pablo. You can host a webinar or, if you’re on a budget, a Facebook live event where you discuss the content in your book. Your content can become articles that you share on your blog or LinkedIn, or as guest posts on other relevant blogs. By effectively re-purposing your book’s content, you can share the messages from your book with a wider audience.

Keep your content organized. We recommend creating a simple spreadsheet and adding the title, type of content, and a link for any blog posts, articles, or videos you have on the web. If your content exists elsewhere, on a hard drive or in a paper file, indicate that on your spreadsheet as well. Categorize your content and consider which categories are most relevant to your current book project. You can learn more about how to set up your content library in this 30-minute recorded webinar.

Be consistent. Block a minimum of 20 minutes a day off on your calendar and devote this time to marketing. If you have more time, great—but even in 20 minutes a day, you can make a big difference. Use this time wisely: spend time scheduling social media posts (we recommend Buffer for scheduling), responding to others on social media (that’s how relationships are built), reaching out to bloggers who may want to feature your book or have you write a guest post, and perhaps getting your book marketing website together. You will be amazed by the difference 20 minutes a day can make.

It doesn’t have to be overwhelming.

Book marketing may feel overwhelming, and we understand why—there are a lot of moving parts! But it doesn’t have to be. By leveraging your networks, using your content effectively, and being consistent in your marketing efforts, you can make major advances towards sharing your book, your passion, with the wider world.

Some free resources for DIY marketers:

Questions about book marketing? Ready to take the DIY route? Join our Book Marketing Facebook group for authors, marketers, and publishers. We’re here to help you succeed!

Looking to learn from the experts? Weaving Influence Lab, the online learning division of Weaving Influence, regularly hosts free 30-minute book marketing webinars with experts in the field. Sign up to learn about our webinars and view webinar recordings here.

Read to dive into your DIY launch? The Book Marketing Action Guide is an online course for authors who want to have a successful book launch without hiring a publicist. The BMAG includes all of our best practices, checklists, videos, and downloadable resources for every step of the way. Learn more at weavinginfluencelab.com.

Lead Change: Your Destination for the Best in Leadership

Lead Change, owned and operated by Weaving Influence, has been a top source of leadership learning since its founding. It’s more than just a blog: it’s a global, virtual platform for encouraging and showcasing great ideas and helping leaders in their own professional growth by sharing and multiplying powerful leadership content.

Now, thanks to the hard work and talent of our web development team, we’re excited to announce an updated and streamlined Lead Change website! We’ve add some fresh color and design with our new logo, and changed the way we’re presenting content. Our new branding highlights Lead Change as a media destination for the best in leadership!

Beyond our new look, here are a few more features of the new site.

New Content Every Weekday

It is our goal to share thoughtful, relevant posts every weekday that will equip you to grow as a leader and a person. We also want to showcase great work from regular contributors (more on that below). With our new magazine-style homepage, it’s easier to browse the topics that interest you most — from leadership inspiration, to personal and professional development, team dynamics, best of books, and more! We also continue to feature the popular monthly Leadership Development Carnival, with great content from leadership blogs around the web. Start reading.

Contributor Section

Our Lead Change contributors — the ones you hear from five days a week on our blog — are CEOs, authors, consultants, small business owners, and employees who share a passion for leadership. We now feature our most frequent contributors with a brief bio and a link to their full list of articles. Other contributors, including those who are not regularly posting at the current time or who have only posted intermittently, have a bio, but not a full contributor page. And we always welcome new voices: if you’re currently leading change in your organization or work, we’d love to hear from you! Learn more about becoming a contributor.

Sponsorship Opportunities

As part of our new platform, we are pleased to offer exclusive 6-month sponsorship opportunities to exemplary organizations and/or individuals in the field of Leadership Development. Ranked by CMOE as the 8th most socially-shared leadership blog on the web, we have been inspiring individuals to innovate and grow in their personal and professional leadership since 2009. Our revised brand and website position us as a media destination for the best leadership content on the web, and we aim to grow to the ranks of Inc., Entrepreneur Magazine, and others. Interested in supporting our platform and gaining visibility for your own company or brand? Learn more about becoming a sponsor.

History of Lead Change

Mike Henry, Sr., founded the Lead Change Group in 2009, as a non-profit dedicated to instigating a leadership revolution. As of 2014, this virtual network has been a division of Weaving Influence, Inc., and CEO Becky Robinson. While the Lead Change blog has morphed many times over the years, we believe that adaptation proves leadership and development will always be moving forward, and we will continue to develop the website as a powerful resource for leaders and leaders-in-training worldwide. Learn more about the history of Lead Change.

Further Resources

We want to inspire you to boldly step up and serve wherever and whenever leadership is needed, and provide real and concrete advice on how to grow. From a free ebook about the Lead Change Revolution, to access to free webinars hosted by Weaving Influence, our Lead Change team is continually seeking new ways to deliver great resources and quality content to you, our readers and leaders!

Have an idea or a question? Reach out to our Lead Change community manager, Ellen Snyder. Or find us on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn to join the conversation!

 

Responsiveness Comes with Great Responsibility

With the nearly barrier-free ability to respond to any text, Facebook post, tag, Snap, or whatever form of communication and network you prefer, it’s almost as if we’re being conditioned to respond IMMEDIATELY to every form of communication.

While responsiveness is great, with that great ability comes a level of great responsibility. (Sorry, Spiderman, for the paraphrase.)

Since I first put my home phone number on my after-hours voice mail more than 15 years ago, I’ve long-realized that communications is not an 8-5 job. There’s an inherent expectation to be always-on. To be responsive.

But being responsive depends on your audience. It doesn’t always mean responding immediately.

Let me offer up what responsiveness means with four audiences that I – and maybe you – find yourself a part of. If you disagree with or can expand on my take, I welcome your perspective in the comments.

Media

Responsiveness means your contact information – mobile phone, email, social accounts – is readily available. After all, you need them more than they need you. With any communication you should acknowledge the need in a timely manner, and work to best to meet their queries. As the media world continues to become fragmented, being responsive makes a writer’s or influencer’s job easier, and possibly making a strong connection for you.

Clients

Clients depend on you. Responsiveness means, at times, no matter if they’re in the same time zone or half a world away, you make time to meet with them – even if it means a Skype call at 9:30 p.m. (after family activities are finished). Being responsive also means knowing their business, and making recommendations they don’t know they need to help grow their business.

Colleagues

Responsiveness means being supportive – being a valuable, reliable part of the team. It also means responding quickly to their needs when they get slammed, or need questions answered.

Family

Responsiveness to family means, as current client Larry Senn discusses, to be here now. It’s not only taking care of their basic needs, but it also means responding to and guiding their emotional and mental needs. While it doesn’t mean being on call for work 24-7, it does mean knowing that work is important. If you have the luxury, as we do at Weaving Influence, there are times when it must be done at home.

With virtually all of us within quick, easy reach of everyone else via our smartphones, the ability to respond can be amazingly powerful – as long as we know how to use that power.

 

If Life Is the Music – You Are the Song

You are a masterpiece, created for great works that have already been planned for you. You were made to do bold and mighty things that can bring about positive, enduring change in our world. But only you can sing the song that was written for you. When you try to be like others, you don’t listen to yourself. You can’t hear your own voice. You can’t find your own song. But if you are patient, remain fully present in the moment, and refuse to rush — the music will come to you.

Are you longing for more joy and fulfillment? Are you desperate to find deeper meaning and purpose? Are you determined to live the life of your dreams? Then tune in to that lyrical, elegant music. Unlock your gifts, start living from the heart, and find yourself on a journey to authentic leadership transformation. Your life is the music, and you are the song.

Made for Amazing

In Made for Amazing, Mark Nation tells the story of Joshua Lynk, a troubled young man with an extraordinary musical talent. Josh’s father deserts him at an early age, leaving his grandfather to serve as his primary mentor and source of wisdom. Choosing fame and fortune over his grandfather’s advice, Josh neglects the deeper, spiritual part of himself. In the excitement of playing to crowds and seeking to imitate others, Josh forgets his true music. A rise to success that ends in sorrow leaves Josh in a crisis of self-doubt and pity. Recalling his grandfather’s advice to “Head for Ap Jack,” Josh returns to his grandfather’s cabin on the mountain and transforms his life, leading him to a deeper sense of purpose, joy, and professional fulfillment.

Made for Amazing serves as your guide on the journey to create a legacy of success and a life of significance. Filled with convincing portrayals of a musician’s life and relationships, this inspiring self-help parable will empower you to seek your own deeper meaning in life and reach your fullest potential. Josh’s story and the thought-provoking Questions for Reflection and Discussion will help you to unlock your giftedness, embrace your passion, and discover your authentic leadership purpose.

Meet the Author

Mark Nation is a globally-recognized management expert, leadership consultant, executive coach, author, and speaker. He is personally driven to discover what makes individuals, teams, and organizations amazing—those elements which power the heart and soul of individuals and businesses worldwide.

Mark is Founder and President of Nation Leadership, the Made for Amazing Project™, and Harvard Help Circle. He has developed and managed companies in five industries: enterprise technology, financial services, music and entertainment, construction, and professional services. He has led start-ups and served in regional and global executive roles at SAP, JDA Software, Siebel Systems (Oracle), and UNUM. Mark’s work has been leveraged across a wide range of clients–from young leaders, corporate managers, and executives, to Fortune 500 organizations, start-ups, schools, churches, and non-profits.

When not traveling, Mark is based in Tennessee with his wife and two children.

Praise for the Book

“Made for Amazing is told with grace, compassion, pathos, and heart; the story will move you to tears, then lift you up with the encouragement needed to renew your search for deeper meaning and purpose. It’s a joy to read and, most importantly, filled with a message we really need to take seriously—now more than ever.”

—Jim Kouzes, Co-Author of The Leadership Challenge

“As a musician and business leader, I have always described the essence of leadership with the visual of a choral director aligning the voices of a talented choir. And now, in this beautiful story, our souls are once again reminded that each individual is uniquely designed by God, with an amazing song to sing. Imagine the possibilities if everyone simply understood that notion.”

—Cheryl Bachelder, Author of Dare to Serve

“Mark Nation masterfully weaves principles of hope and redemption throughout its pages. What a great encouragement to anyone who feels like they have blown it in life.”

—Troy Slezak, 5-star Amazon review

“This story will really get you thinking as you visit each chapter. It is very well written and makes you want to keep turning to the next page for hours.”

—Ryan, 5-star Amazon review

Learn More

Buy your copy of the book, or share a review of it, on Amazon.
Visit Mark’s website to learn more and download a free sample chapter.

The Importance of Responsiveness

Responsiveness: Be ready, willing, and available to help when needed.

When I interviewed with Becky to join the Weaving Influence team, she asked me what each of Weaving Influence’s core values meant to me. At the time, I was transitioning from working live events; so responsiveness, to me, meant being ready to adapt and respond to whatever unknown might pop up – a volunteer who cancelled at the last minute, a microphone that stopped working during an event, a song change the day of the event, a fire in the amp room during a Good Friday service (yes, that actually happened).

Today, responsiveness may not require I deal with a literal fire, but the idea of being ready, willing, and available to help when needed still applies. I need to be flexible enough to respond to current events, technological changes, and client needs. Responsiveness is one of the most important qualities for a communicator or professional in today’s world.

In fact, responsiveness is one of the biggest factors in whether a business succeeds or fails. Weaving Influence author, speaker, and customer service expert Chip Bell suggests that, “Competitive advantage today requires cutting edge innovation, distinctive service and lightning fast responsiveness.” A 2012 Oracle study shows that customers expect responses within 2 hours on Facebook and Twitter. I think it’s safe to say that today’s customers expect an even faster response.

How Can You Improve Your Responsiveness?

Establish communication patterns.

With your teammates and clients, decide what your preferred communication medium is. With hundreds of different communication channels to choose from, no one can stay on top of all of them. We use Basecamp at Weaving Influence for the majority of team communication, and texts for emergency or urgent matters. You may prefer email or phone calls. There isn’t one “right” answer; it’s what works for you, your teammates, and clients. What’s important is to decide on how information should be shared so everyone can stay in touch.

Stay connected.

I’m not suggesting you stay plugged in 24/7. No one should do that. But in order to respond, you need to make yourself available. You can’t respond if you don’t know that there is something to respond to!

Be ready for the unexpected.

No one wants the unexpected to happen, but it is better to be ready when it does. When I worked in live events, we had three backup microphones ready every service in case one microphone dropped out. Weaving Influence has procedures in place for how to respond on social media when a disaster or tragedy strikes. Think through some of the possible problems that could pop up and make a plan for how to respond. You may not be able to prepare for every situation, but the act of thinking through potential crises will help you no matter what does arise.

Above all, responsiveness is an attitude. I’m proud to be a part of a team that is willing to flex to help each other and our clients no matter what comes our way!

What to Do When Your Mojo’s Missing at Work

Remember when you were eager to go to work? When the prospect of learning new things and making things happen got you out of bed in the morning? That kind of inspiration is difficult to sustain, as evidenced by the overwhelming majority who drag through their days. What happened to make so many people so tired of their jobs?

The culprits aren’t just sub-par working environments or uninspiring bosses. In the majority of cases, what drags people down are self-defeating beliefs and thought processes. From fear and disconnectedness, to loss of control and feelings of insignificance, nine recurring “anti-muses” sap our energy and optimism.

The good news is, we can learn to counter the forces that drain inspiration and create conditions where it thrives. Instead of waiting passively, we can proactively unlock reservoirs of inspiration (and energy) that have been buried by circumstance, neglect, and boredom — and dramatically improve our work performance and well-being.

Find the Fire

For many employees, feeling burned out and uninspired is nothing new. But going through the motions impairs more than just work performance–it affects your well-being. Wouldn’t it be better to feel as engaged and energized as you were on day one?

Fortunately, everyone has the ability to rekindle inspiration. The key is to quit waiting for it to happen and take control of the process yourself. Whether you’re wrestling with fear, disconnectedness, boredom, lack of creative outlets, overwhelm, or other issues, Find the Fire helps shake off the malaise and dial up the motivation.

Packed with insights, exercises, inspiring stories, checklists, and more, this potent self-help guide identifies nine forces that drain inspiration and delivers tips and advice for turning things around, including how to:

Start learning and growing again
Reconnect with coworkers and your boss
Stop procrastinating
Empower yourself
Stay in control during tough times
Overcome fear and embrace risk
Produce work you’re proud of
Boost your self-confidence and personal presence
Leave your mark

Instead of asking what inspires you, the deeper question is: how did you lose inspiration in the first place? Learn to find it again — and fuel greater fulfillment and success.

Meet the Author

Scott Mautz is a passionate expert on employee engagement/motivation/inspiration, workplace fulfillment, and others-oriented leadership.

Scott is the CEO of Profound Performance – a keynote, workshop, coaching, and online training company that helps you “Work, Lead, & Live Fulfilled.” He is also a Procter & Gamble veteran who ran several of the company’s largest multi-billion-dollar businesses, including its single largest, a $3 billion-dollar division. At P&G, Scott consistently transformed business results and organizational/cultural health scores along with it.

Scott’s been named a “CEO Thought-leader” by the CEO Executive Guild and a “Top 50 Leadership Innovator” by Inc. Magazine, where he writes a weekly column for the national publication on topics such as employee engagement, others-orientated leadership, meaning in and at work, workplace culture, the how-to’s of motivation/inspiration, success, and entrepreneurship.

Scott also teaches leadership and employee engagement/motivation at Indiana University. He’s appeared in Harvard Business Review, Entrepreneur, and many other national publications and podcasts.

Scott was born in Central New York, and has an undergraduate degree from Binghamton University (1991) and an MBA from Indiana University (1994). He lives in Cincinnati with his wife and daughter.

Praise for the Book

“Mautz’s writing style is the perfect mix of research and data, actionable tips and tools, and a touch of humor that made the book as informative as a text book but far more fun to read.”

—Marissa Fernandez, 5-star Amazon review

“I really appreciated the author’s wisdom, storytelling and humor. This book isn’t like the dry business books that put you to sleep in 15 mins. I was reading it on a long-haul overseas flight and didn’t want to sleep. I kept telling myself, ‘I’ll take a break after the next chapter.'”

—Jennifer R., 5-star Amazon review

“Find the Fire is far more than a written pep talk; it’s a powerful, poignant, and practical inspiration manual that will teach you how to rekindle passion in your life. Crafted in a style that matches its theme, be prepared for a roller-coaster ride that races you through the full range of your emotions to your rational brain and back again!”

—Chip R. Bell, 5-star Amazon review

“If [your] people are lacking in their energy or efforts, Scott’s book is a fantastic resource for clarifying how inspiration is diminished and providing a clear set of options to address each of them.”

—Sean Glaze, 5-star Amazon review

“This was a great book for learning new things and Mautz has a way of turning what you need to remember into a tag line or slogan that you can’t get out of your head . . . . This is practical, put it to work, information. Don’t miss this book.”

—R. McConaughy, 5-star Amazon review

Learn More

Buy your copy of the book, or share a review of it, on Amazon.
Visit Scott’s website to learn more about the book and its author.
Watch our recent webinar to hear more from the author himself.

Why Responsiveness Matters to Me

In crafting core values for our company, I landed on responsiveness as especially important for the kind of work we do. With so many different communication channels and nearly constant information overload, I wanted to be sure that we focused our attention on staying connected to our clients and each other.

When clients trust us to lead their marketing efforts, they need to know that we’ll be responsive on a number of levels:

They want to know we’ll respond to requests in a timely way, especially to in-the-moment needs. As we respond quickly, we build clients’ confidence that we are available, attentive, and ready to serve them.
They want to know we’ll be responsive to events in the world. Recently, we had the opportunity to make recommendations regarding social media posting in light of the Las Vegas tragedy. Several clients expressed their appreciation to our sensitive approach and fast-action in responding to the crisis.
They want to know we’ll be creative in responding to news stories, to create media attention for their work.
They want to know we’ll be responsive to changes on social media platforms to ensure we’re following best practices on their behalf. Facebook algorithms change, LinkedIn’s functionality changes, and our clients want to know we’ll adjust to those changes in ways that ensure they are optimized to reach people with their messages.

I also knew, in forming a company comprised of both in-person and virtual team members, responsiveness as a core value would help our team stay connected to do our best work.

As a business owner, I want to know that:

I can reach my team in a timely way to request their work on projects.
Team members can count on each other to respond to questions or requests for help.
I can trust my team members to respond to clients quickly.
I can trust my team members to be alert to news stories in progress, changes to social channels, and the need to adjust our work to more effectively serve our clients.

In each of these instances, we have a choice about how responsive we will be AND we are responsible in teaching people, by our actions, how to communicate with us. We also bear responsibility for making requests about how we want people to engage with us.

For example, I’d much rather receive an email than a Facebook message for business-related communication. I’d rather receive a quick text message than a voicemail for an urgent request. If people contact me outside of business hours, even if I see the communication, I will choose when to respond.

I want responsiveness to be part of the core experience of my team and clients in working with Weaving Influence.  At times when we fail to live up to the value of responsiveness, I want us to be open to correcting any missteps to make things right.

Tell me something! What are the most important ways you incorporate responsiveness into your life and business?

Why ‘It All Matters’ for Achieving Your Dreams

There’s a thin line between winning and losing — between achieving goals and seeing dreams fulfilled, and falling short. What determines which side of that line you end up on?

No matter what your background, your limitations, your baggage . . . you are the author of your destiny. You have the ability to control your mindset and your response to life’s circumstances. But sometimes, a shift in perspective can help you respond to those challenges with confidence, clarity, certainty, and creativity, and become the successful person you were meant to be. Today’s book offers such a shift, with an all-encompassing framework for achieving the life of your dreams.

It All Matters

It All Matters presents a framework for the rest of your life. What are those dreams you would only dare to dream if there was no possibility of failure? How can you live a life of real intention and purpose instead of duty and obligation? This book answers these questions and more. Everyone has the capacity to author their own destiny; it’s not our circumstances that shape our lives, it’s our response to those circumstances that either propels us to great heights or keeps us stuck in the mud. Here, author Paul Cummings shares one of the most comprehensive goal setting systems ever put into print. Based on the key U.B.U. process—Understand who you are, Be true to yourself, and always be Unique—this framework gives you the power to transform your life. Through a fast-moving series of engaging stories, you’ll learn how to question yourself to greatness as you begin to think in bigger and more positive terms.

Professionals from across the globe have implemented this framework to achieve what they truly wanted out of life—isn’t it your turn? This enlightening guide teaches you the revolutionary strategies that can help you make big things happen.

Dig deep to find your real dreams, and set a plan to achieve them.
Discover the core principles the form the foundation for success.
Learn the art of self-questioning as a motivational tool.
Implement a comprehensive, proven system for getting what you want.

You are one great question away from everything you ardently desire at all times. Are you ready to take the leap?

Meet the Author

Paul Cummings has been educating business professionals for over thirty-five years and has developed revolutionary techniques in sales, customer service, and leadership development. Filled with the desire to not only teach but to also make a lasting difference, Paul is well-known for teaching his students and clients with unrivaled zeal and unmatched passion as he enthusiastically lives out his business motto, changing lives through dynamic instruction. A thirteen-time winner of the Telly Award and five-time winner of the Communicator Award, Paul’s ultimate desire is to tangibly and exponentially improve both personal and professional performance.

He has continued to revolutionize the way that people and businesses learn and improve by making it simple, affordable, fun, and efficient. In 2009, Paul developed Woople, a web-based learning system that delivers a variety of online training programs, including his very own, Paul Cummings University. PCU is an award winning, cutting-edge sales training program that is used daily by thousands of students.

Through dynamic live events and impactful eLearning videos, Paul has been instructing business professionals, leaders, managers, as well as today’s youth, for over 35 years. His desire is to teach and inspire every student and client to not only increase their personal capacity to learn and grow, but to also make a difference with their lives.

Fueled by his vision for lifelong learning and education, Paul also created TechTown in 2014 to engage the under-served youth in his hometown of Chattanooga in science and technology summer camps and year-round after school programs. He is the proud father of five adult children, who have blessed him with eight wonderful and amazing grandkids. Paul’s personal mission is to always leave it better than he found it because he truly understands and firmly believes that It All Matters.

Praise for the Book

“This book takes you on a journey of self discovery through thought-provoking questions, engaging you to not just read the content but to immediately execute and apply what’s being read throughout the entire book.”

—Joe Cala, 5-star Amazon review

“I’m only half-way through this book and my highlighter already ran out! Paul has a way of writing that makes it feel like a conversation and so much of what he shares feels quote worthy.”

—Michael, 5-star Amazon review

“You don’t read this book – you experience it. You approach this book with a pen, a highlighter and an open mind and heart. Fantastic book for teenagers, young adults and older people alike. Anyone that has a dream inside and a desire to chase….more, should have this book and apply the wealth of knowledge inside.”

—Dawn West, 5-star Amazon review

“With great stories, life lessons, practical exercises, and a touch of poetry Paul Cummings lays out a plan for achieving your goals. So long as you “U”nderstand who you are, “B”e true to yourself, and always stay “U”nique; the U.B.C. process will lead to success . . . . It All Matters is a save-it-on-the-shelf book. You’ll want to go back to it again and again.”

—R. McConaughy, 5-star Amazon review

Learn More

Buy your copy of the book, or share a review of it, on Amazon.
Visit the site to learn more about the book and its author.
Watch our recent webinar to hear more from the author himself.

4 Secrets to Mastering the Art of Responsiveness

I heard screams, expletives and loud banging coming from a neighboring office.

Then, silence.

Then . . . sobbing.

What had happened?

An error in responsiveness. An error that taught me one of my biggest lesson in communicating with others.

Take a breath. Slow down.

In my prior job, I worked in an office that handled public records requests for a large university. Earlier that week, some football players had allegedly robbed a gas station. The paper wanted the police report. A manager felt pressure to respond.

In her haste, she sent the un-redacted files to the journalist, whom she then called and pleaded for understanding. After all, sensitive information about students was revealed, lawsuits loomed, and her job was on the line.

It was a wake-up call for me—a realization that being responsive isn’t just about being fast. It was also about being calm, thoughtful, and smart.

As a former reporter, I’d been conditioned to work quickly. Moving into the public relations world, the feeling of being under the gun stayed with me. I wanted to meet the requests of reporters and serve my clients well. Many times, I responded too quickly, without making sure proper protocol was followed or all t’s were crossed and i’s dotted. Thankfully, I hadn’t made a career-ending mistake—but I could have.

From that experience, and now, from working at Weaving Influence where responsiveness is a core value, I have seen masters in the art of responsiveness.

Four Secrets to Success

Don’t go too fast.

In the world of public and media relations, timing can be everything. Wait too long to respond to a reporter’s request, and they’ve moved on to someone else. But respond too quickly without the best information possible, and you waste a valuable opportunity to put your client’s best face forward. It can be a gamble—but I’ve found that waiting just a little bit can reap rewards—and not just for those in PR.

I mean, who hasn’t stuck their foot in their mouth at some point or another because they responded too quickly to something? Taking a breath, gathering your thoughts, and gathering the right information is crucial.

But don’t go too slow, either.

All this is to say that you don’t want others to think they are being ignored or miss an opportunity.

If you need time to respond to something, tell them. A quick “I got your message and will back with you shortly” works wonders. A general rule of thumb is to try to respond to the sender within 24 hours. Send an update if you need more time than initially stated.

Don’t be reactive.  

Often, I’m on the receiving end of requests in which it’d be easy to do exactly what is asked. But sometimes, I know in my heart that what the client is asking for isn’t the best strategy for them.

This is another reason why I like to incorporate “breathing room” into my responsiveness. It allows me to mull over what’s being asked and consider the best options out there.

For example, a client may have their hearts set on a story in the Wall Street Journal but their business is mostly done locally. Thus, an interview in the local paper may suit their goals better—and give them leverage in obtaining national coverage.

Take a second look.  

The aforementioned breathing room also includes time to review responses to ensure no mistakes are made or points missed.

I’ve worked in newsrooms and PR offices in which stories and press releases were sent out without a second or third pair of eyes—and errors missed propagated throughout the media. Not good.

At Weaving Influence, our work is reviewed—and responses to clients thoughtfully considered as a team when necessary.

We respond with our brains and hearts—not just with our fingers.

 

Meet Team Member Mike Driehorst

One of the fun things about being part of a virtual team is not only the variety of people you get to know, but discovering the connections between them that exist outside the company. For instance, coworkers who attended college together, whose children know each other, or who are related to each other in some way. Today’s team member falls in that last category: he’s married to longstanding team-member Amy Driehorst!

Mike joined us in January, and we’ve all enjoyed getting to know the “other half”‘ of the dynamic Driehorst duo. I especially appreciate his professionalism and out-of-the-box thinking, not just with our clients but also in our daily team interactions. It’s a pleasure working with him, and I’m happy to have him share a bit more about his life “behind the screen.”

Meet Mike Driehorst

Tell us a little bit about yourself!

I’ve always been fortunate that I, essentially, get paid to ask questions, be curious, and learn new things. From my early days as a newspaper reporter to my move into PR and media relations, and adding social media marketing to my career, I feel I’ve been blessed with daily opportunities to learn.

The core of what I’ve learned is that, it’s not who you work for or what you do, but it’s the opportunity to make an impact, professionally and personally. In your day-to-day interactions, you hardly know what impact you can make so try to be at your best.

What’s the last book you read and really enjoyed?

I tend to read in spurts and sometimes read multiple books at once. One of my favorites of late is Charles Duhigg’s The Power of Habit. I’ve always been curious about the how-to’s of things (how people got where they are, motivation, etc.) and Duhigg’s exploration of habits, and how valuable they are and can be, really opened my eyes. I know why I do some things and how to try to change by bad habits.

Just for fun: tell us one thing that’s on your bucket list!

I don’t really have a bucket list but, if I had the right combination of time and money, I’d love to take a week-long (or two) vacation on a houseboat, fishing off the side, swimming at leisure, and just floating or slowly putting along.

How did you get connected with Weaving Influence?

I’m fortunate to have known founder/CEO Becky Robinson since before she started Weaving Influence, and have watched it grow and evolve mostly from an outsider’s view. It’s been fun being on the inside since January. In December, Becky contacted me about an opportunity in PR and, since I was looking to move, it was a perfect time and a good mutual fit.

Share a little about your role on the team.

I started Jan. 4, and have worked mostly in PR. However, I have also worked in project management with two to three clients outside of PR. I’ve also been involved in the Corporate Champions program, and other areas, as needed. The authors/trainers client work is new, compared to past client work, but in some ways it’s not. I still have to connect client’s expertise with the needs of relevant media. It’s what makes the day-to-day work challenging and fun.

What’s your favorite aspect of your work?

The variety of clients. Though many are similar, their approach is different enough — and I need to convey that to media.

Could you share one thing you’ve learned from working with the #WITeam so far?

One aspect I’ve been reminded of is that, really, every project is different and deserves a different approach. While there are similarities, clients are not paying us for “templated” work.

How can people connect with you outside of Weaving Influence?

Twitter – @MikeDriehorst
LinkedIn – @mikedriehorst

Thanks Mike! It’s been great getting to know you a little better! 

Got any questions for Mike? Leave them in the comments below!