Dear Friends,

When I was media coaching sisters Kitty & Jennifer O'Neil, whose new book Decorating with Funky Shui I predict will be a runaway best-seller (http://www.decoratingwithfunkyshui.com), Kitty said something that I want to share with you.

"I'm going to try talking in sound bites to everyone."

What great practice.

Kitty and Jennifer are the kind of clients I adore. When I asked them to prep for our on-camera media coaching session they got out their camera and grilled each other for days. They scoured their book for their best lines (why reinvent the wheel? If you've been clever on paper, use your best stuff in interviews). They wrote out the questions they thought the media would ask. They mapped out their answers. They were totally ready to roll when my assistant turned on the camera and I played the role of TV host.

Warmly,
Susan

BECOME A SOUND BITE GENIUS

1. Speak in sound bites to everyone.

Getting key phrases for concepts and ideas across clearly is central to all communication. As a fun practice try to shave off any extraneous details during conversation in your everyday life. In Errol Morris' film "Fog of War" former Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara said, "Never answer the question that is asked. Answer the question you wish were asked." Begin to train yourself to speak only what you want others to hear. In this way you'll be shaping others' perception of you—which is the essence of good media.

2. Answer the first interview question with your sermonette.

In a 1989 interview on the NPR show Fresh Air veteran TV journalist David Brinkley said, "Everyone of them [his guests] will arrive in the studio with some little sermonette in mind, and determined to deliver it. So one thing I do is first ask them a dull, boring question like, what do you think about this. And let them deliver their little sermonette. And then we get to the hard core of what we're there to talk about." Your first and last points have the most impact so plan and deliver your sermonettes no matter what you're asked.

3. Frame your ideas for your audience.

Jennifer O'Neil, a film producer and director, explained that when shooting background footage (b-roll) she uses a technique called "grounding." To "ground" the camera must end definitively on an object or scene that signals the viewer that that segment is over. I suggested to her that she probably also used the opening footage to "ground" or shape the beginning of how she wanted a viewer to perceive the scene. In this way you orient your audience to the scene or the material you want them to focus on.

You can apply the same concept to sound bites. Your opening words set the stage for what you want to convey, your final words signify the close, how you want your audience to remember what you've told them. Use your opening and closing statements to anchor your audience to the information you want them to grasp. That way you shape the way they think about your product, service or cause.

4. Tell people what to do.

I love mystery, but this isn't the place for it. Don't leave your audience guessing. Be forthright about the action you want them to take by letting them know why your product or service is necessary for them to have a complete and happy life now. What gap does what you have to offer fill? Be direct in pointing this out so there is no doubt.

5. Live your words.

Get to the point with clarity and insight. The Latvian violinist Gidon Kremer said of composer Astor Piazzolla's music, "I don't think it's [the music] always about embellishment. I don't think it all can be expressed rightly just gliding on the surface of convenient rhythms. This music can't be in fact performed, it has to be lived. And I always can distinguish if someone is flirting with Piazzolla as a convenient item of our commercial industry or if someone really lives the life or the heartbeat of the music of this great composer."

It's the same with you and your sound bites. Are you living the heartbeat of what you're saying, what you're representing? If not, we hear your false notes, your commercial intent. If so, we know in an instant when your music is true.

ARE YOU READY FOR MEDIA STARDOM?

The Sound Bite System for Success helps you-entrepreneurs, authors, speakers, coaches, salespeople, leaders and visionaries-create sizzling tidbits that:

• Spread your message far and wide
• Get called back for more interviews
• Create a "buzz" for your business, book, product, service or cause
• Grow your business exponentially

Until now, I have offered sound bite coaching to my personal clients exclusively one-on-one. To answer the demand for a more affordable means to maximum media exposure, I've created this new teleclass.

Register early. The class is limited to 20 people and we expect it to sell out.

HOW TO FIND AN AGENT
WHO CAN SELL YOUR BOOK FOR TOP DOLLAR

Most authors are thrilled when just any agent offers to represent them. However, did you know that:

• Having the wrong agent can do more harm than having no agent at all?
• Most of the five-star agents aren't listed in any guides?
• A personal introduction is the hands-down best way to meet an agent?

I recommend these proven, never-before-published insightful strategies from top literary consultant and colleague Jill Nagle. She'll help you locate and partner with top agents and avoid those wrong for you. Her guide is especially helpful for newbies to the publishing world.

ATTENTION COACHES WHO WANT
PASSIVE REVENUE FROM YOUR PRACTICE

If your coaching practice isn't earning as much as you would like, you may be missing a piece of the puzzle. The fact is, most successful coaches don't just coach. They teach, consult, train, write, speak, conduct group programs, develop products, license intellectual property, and much more, in addition to coaching. They use coaching as a springboard to running a business.

My colleague C.J. Hayden, author of Get Clients NOW!, is offering the next semester of her exclusive Coachpreneurs Circle (tm) beginning in September. A team of 15 coaches will be learning and working together to create streams of passive income and make a bigger impact as a coach.

Membership in the program includes a comprehensive online manual and learning library, message and discussion board, and many bonuses. Enroll early to reserve your place and gain access to all the program's resources immediately! To find out more, visit http://www.coachpreneur.com.

BOOK PITCH—GET YOUR COMPLIMENTARY MEMBERSHIP

A new site for authors is going to beta launch in mid-October. It will be a virtual 24/7 literary convention and publishing market place with everything from author interviews on streaming video to best-seller updates.

The first 1000 memberships will be free for one year. If you're an author, writer, editor, publicist, publisher, or agent the site will take names and e-mails. You will be notified at soft launch so you may sign up and fill out a web page profile for one year free.

To reserve your membership send an email to: pvance@globalbizgurus.com with the words "book pitch membership" in the subject line.

QUOTE

Anything done with focus, awareness or mindfulness is a meditation.

 ~ David Harp