Dear Friends,

One of my clients, Donna Richards, author of My Brother's Keeper, A Kindergartner's View of Autism, was featured in a Tony Robbins' infomercial which aired on QVC this past weekend. She was chosen out of 160 hand-picked people to get the part to help promote Robbins' "Get the Edge" program.

To give you an idea of the kind of exposure this will afford her now that a Tony Robbins infomercial airs somewhere in the world every 12 and one-half minutes and has done so for the past 7 years. Zounds.

How did she do it? Great sound bites. She found out she was going to be called by a producer on a Tuesday. I instructed her to tell the producer she wasn't available until Wednesday--so we could get her details in it like: "I went from driving a $50,000 Lexis to counting pennies to scrape together 59 cents to buy a burrito for my son as a single mom."

We did one other critical thing together. We put Tony Robbins' needs at the center of the stories. Richards' appearance in this infomercial isn't being created to publicize her products & services of course--though it will. It's purpose is to promote how great Tony Robbins' products are. So when we crafted the stories we put Tony's influence front and center. It's the same when you're on a radio or TV program.

Your job is to make your host look good and to serve their audience. You may not think of it that way-- but you should. If you make them look good, you'll look good, be loved and prized and appreciated--by both the audience and the host. You make them look good by being prepared and giving a great show--which means crisp sound bites tightly tailored YOUR topic and to THEIR show.

Do you know what the producer told Richards after letting her know she was chosen? "I have to interview most people for 45 minutes to try and drag their story out of them and then try to make sense of it all. But in 5 minutes I got yours--and in 3 easy parts." Yup, just how we planned it.

Now, I know you may not be gearing up for a hot coal walk or an infomercial, but the rules are the same for any media (and for agents and publishers alike)--the great story makes the cut. So whether you're going for a job interview, doing print, radio or TV interviews, handling a meeting, trying to get an agent or planning for your book to go to auction, the sound bite series of teleclasses will help you get prepared for those all-important auditions."

The more I think about life the more I'm sure it's all one big story waiting to happen. And stories are at the center, the core, of what catches and keeps interest. I encourage you to learn to tell stories so you can regale your friends, sell your book, be a media magnet, and pass on your traditions to your kids.

Warmly,

Susan

P.S. If you've been looking for a way to tell stories come to my next sound bite teleclass series starting September 6. Find out more...

QVC: Star in a Famous Person's Infomercial

Not many people are qualified to have their own infomercial. You have to be a great mediagenic salesperson, have a product with large profit margins that appeals to millions, and fits into a category that is already a known, successful seller. But you can star in an infomercial of someone already established. Being a part of a profitable infomercial can bring you opportunities you never even imagined. Here are some requirements.

1. You have a dramatic story about how a product changed your life.

The story needs to have big highs and lows. My client, Donna Richards, author of My Brother's Keeper, A Kindergartner's View of Autism was already rich when a woman employee was shot in one of the two pawn shops she owned. Almost overnight Donna lost both businesses and became bankrupt. She went to hear Tony Robbins speak (for fr.e.e.), borrowed money to get his "Get the Edge" program and began putting her life back together.

She said, "I went from driving a $50,000 Lexis to counting pennies to scrape together 59 cents to buy a burrito for my son as a single mom." She listened to "Get the Edge" on the way to her first job and on the way home from her second job, every day. Within a year she had bought a house, dumped an abusive husband, and was making 2 million a year in a new business. Is that a great testimonial to how well "Get the Edge" worked? The producer of Tony Robbins' infomercial thought so.

2. Make the host look good.

Tie your success and the success of your business and product back to the host again and again. Donna and I worked on her story to incorporate all the different ways "Get the Edge" made a difference in her life. She discussed how, when the Doctors all told her what her autistic son, Justin, couldn't do, she pushed through her frustration, anger and denial by using the Robbins' technique of "Incantation" (In CAN tation) in the "Get the Edge" program.

While Doctors said Justin couldn't talk, couldn't go to regular school, couldn't be anything but a retard, she proved them wrong on all accounts. She thanked the Robbins' company for her fortitude and for the results that positively impacted her son, and her entire family.

3. Romance the producers.

The producers are often neglected because the focus is on the host, the star--but they do all the hard work behind the scenes. Give them gratitude--and gifts. Donna sent a big basket of chocolates and goodies to the producer after she made the cut. Who loves Donna now and would do anything for her?

Of course in addition to sending sumptuous stuff Donna did everything she was asked to with a smile. Like, drop everything (she works full time at her own business--now a 3 million dollar a year venture) to talk to the QVC attorneys for hours to make sure anything she was planning on saying was legally viable. Like, get the clothes that the producers requested so she'd be dressed appropriately for the set--and represent the Robbins' product in the best possible light.

Like, get her story honed down to 6 minutes (which we went through a dozen times, timed it and actually got it down to 3 minutes) with the knowledge that she may need to change it on the spot as Tony likes to be spontaneous. The filming is live, so the pressure is great.

These are just a few things that went on behind the scenes. Donna & I are going to do a teleseminar on how to get into someone else's infomercial and promote your product. We don't have a date set up yet but if you're interested send a blank email and we'll let you know when we're doing it. This is an exclusive interview. You won't hear it anywhere else.

Get a 6 Figure Book Advance--Without Even Writing a Book Free Teleclass

Whether you're a seasoned author, a first-time novice or anyone in between, find out how you can be one of the upper echelon of authors who command the big bucks. Join me (whose clients have gotten hefty advances,) along with ghostwriter Mahesh Grossman, as I show you what it takes to be a best-selling author.

You'll learn how to:

• Develop an irresistible platform.
• Create a publicity plan that will wow! editors.
• Entice agents to pursue you.
• Avoid the pet peeves of editors at the major New York publishing houses.
• Use strategies to create an auction so your book sells to the highest bidder.

When: Thursday, August 4
4:30pm PT, 5:30pm MT, 6:30pm CT 7:30pm ET, and 12:30pm UK
No cost
1 hour

To register send us a blank email

IMPORTANT: You will get a response with all the information you need to join the class when you register by using the above email address. As this response comes from an autoresponder you must allow an email from: newslettereditor[at]prsecrets.com. Please whitelist or add this email address to your address book ASAP or you will NOT receive this information.

Free Author Video Taping

Respected Internet Publicist Steve O'Keefe is shooting author videos for free as part of a test program for AuthorViews. The 10-30 minute video footage he shoots with you discussing one or more books is edited down to a 2 minute video that anyone can download on the Internet for no charge, as long as they don't edit it. Pretty cool publicity tool. I'm doing it when he comes to San Francisco August 2. Note: San Francisco is sold out--sorry.

Here are the dates for the other locations:

August 4 Los Angeles, CA
August 7 Santa Fe, NM
August 9 Little Rock, AR
August 10-12 New Orleans, LA

You can view samples and read about the tour on the blog.
Contact: Steve O'Keefe
504.947.4994
504.715.3051 cell phone

As Steve is only in each city for 1-2 days I recommend you contact him ASAP to get a spot on his schedule. Please DO NOT email me. Contact Steve directly.

Make Stinky Money on Your Book

If you have a bad premise, an overdone idea, poor proposal formatting, a paltry platform, or second rate agent, you can expect to make a pittance from the publishing industry on your book.

However, if you could just get your book proposal done, knew more about how to get a great agent and felt sure that your book was a best-seller--if you could just get it published, you're in luck.

Let me show you how to get $100,000+ for your book and and then turn it into a bestseller.

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Come Meet Me

Anywhere in the World
Become a 60 Second Sound Bite Genius
(For Pitching, Producer calls, Networking or Presentations)
1 hour
Download it at no charge

Anywhere in the World
Get a 6 Figure Book Advance Teleclass
August 4
Thursday
4:30pm PT, 5:30pm MT, 6:30pm CT 7:30pm ET, and 12:30pm UK
No cost
1 hour
To register send a blank email here

IMPORTANT: You will get a response with all the information you need to join the class when you sign up. As this response comes from an autoresponder you must allow an email from: newslettereditor[at]prsecrets.com. Please whitelist or add this email address to your address book ASAP or you will NOT receive this information.

How to Use Sound Bites to Get The Media Attention You Want
Level 2, The Interview
(The above class is a prerequisite)
4 sessions
(Handle any type of media interview)
October 4, 11,18, 25
10am-11:30am pst
(other times may be available)
See all upcoming dates here
$299

San Francisco California
Get a 6 Figure Book Advance
September 20, 2005
The Learning Annex
6:30-9:30pm pst
415.788.5500
$44.99 (Take $5.00 off this course for enrolling on the web!)
For further schedule information and course descriptions please visit us.

NOTE: Some new classes do not yet have descriptions. Your patience is appreciated.

Quote

You must be arresting at the same time that you're being sincere.

~Sheila Nevins