What happens when an empath hires a badass for coaching?

It’s not every day that deep and revealing moments happen in our businesses and lives. Often, we work to “move the needle” and “plant the seed” and all the other clichés. We wait to see if our efforts bear fruit. We grow impatient. But we grow because we want to live our life’s purpose and share our gifts with others so they can be better, stronger. We all want to discover—and live—with purpose and make meaningful contributions to the world.

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When the stars align and we can answer Simon Sinek’s “Start with Why” and the “why you do what you do” makes sense deep within our souls and not our heads, we’re on the right path. It’s our calling, our purpose for being here in this moment called life.     

So, here’s the truth....

“If you want to attract media attention, think like a reporter.”

It’s something many professionals who want to be more visible must learn. But what does it mean? How do reporters think? And why do you need to be privy to this information?

You can’t effectively pitch stories to anyone in traditional or social media if you don’t understand how their minds operate.

How do journalists, bloggers and podcasters decide what is newsworthy and what gets tossed?

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I was a news reporter. Please, allow me to share these five common rookie mistakes small business owners should avoid when looking for publicity:

Rookie Mistake #1. I can sell my products and services with an article, post or interview. It’s all about me! When pitching a self-serving story that fails to connect with a specific audience, you’re missing an...

People often ask me about the "official" name of my publicity training company, Get in Front Communications.

Get in Front is a constant reminder to me to be proactive. It goes back to one of my "signature stories" when I speak and train people. It's about my husband Andrew, our son Danny, and the game of ice hockey.

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When Danny was seven-years-old and learning to play hockey, Andrew, who has been on skates since he was four, told him, "Get in front of the net, the puck, and  the other players."

Danny didn't understand, and with a puzzled look and a shrug of his shoulders, he quizzically asked, "Why? Why should I get in front?"

Andrew's response was simple and it applies to each of us.

"Because that's where all the action is. Nothing exciting happens to the guys who hang out in the back....

In a perfect world, we could put a pushpin on a calendar date and plan out days, weeks and months of special events, announcements, contests and news to share. Wow, an entire road map of content, blog topics and email promos. It would work out just fabulously.

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Of course, anyone who has walked the planet for a few decades knows that social media—and breaking news—can quickly push our best-laid plans out the window. If the TV interview you’ve been working on for weeks has arrived but there’s a major earthquake in California, your big moment might be rescheduled—or axed. That’s why you—and your editorial calendar—must be flexible.

First Things First

Though content planning can bring challenges, savvy professionals still keep a framework in place.  

Templates that allow you to easily track—and...

Chances are, you’re getting your business story—and marketing copy—all wrong. Don’t worry; you’ve got plenty of company, myself included.

Listening to a presentation by Donald Miller, author of the best-selling book “StoryBrand,” I was laughing—and cringing. The focus of Miller’s talk was clarity around how we present our offerings (products and services) to prospects.

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Here are 10 gems from Miller’s keynote at the EntreLeadership Summit. The final one is a video clip (above) from my follow-up interview with Miller.

1. On knowing your place: “Your brand is not the hero. Your customer is the hero.”

2. On helping your customers survive: “Everything humans think about is about survival. Associate your products and services with your customer’s survival, or...