Shifting gears for today's post. 

I usually write about business communication.

Since most of us in the US won’t be working on Thanksgiving, we’ll have to communicate with relatives and friends.

Damn, it may be easier to go to work!🙏

Here are 15 quick tips to help make your day festive and enjoyable.

Bookmark this post, as it will come in handy for the entire holiday season!😍

1. Forget previous holidays, discussions, disagreements, and conversations. Go in with a clean slate and an open mind that you will have a fabulous and relaxing day.

2. Close your mouth. Not every comment or question requires an answer. Silence and a smile are powerful. In other words, bite your tongue. This leads me to…

3. Use the phrase, “Isn’t that interesting?” If Uncle GrouchAF drops some off-color remarks, recite these three magical words. “Isn’t that interesting?” neutralizes most conversations. This phrase is a verbal dead-end. 🚷Say it, smile, and be quiet. 

4. Make everyone feel special. This mea...

User-Generated Content, or UGC, is a fun and interactive way to gain visibility and engagement online.  

Savvy marketers include UGC as part of their online strategy.

It's super-effective on Instagram when you...

• Need fresh content 
• Want more engagement and comments on posts 
• Target younger audiences

User-generated content is also fun.

UGC invites subscribers and followers to send in pictures (or enter a contest) based on a theme or "news of the day."

It's a strategy that's long been used in television news. These days, foodies, clothing brands, sports and other visual brands are tapping UGC, too.  

Here's an easy example: There's a snowstorm and a TV news anchor encourages viewers to send in their cutest snow picture of their pets.

The station selects "winners" and showcases them with the owner's name or social media handle. The "winners" — the public — create an organic buzz by raving on social media (word-of-mouth marketing) how Fluffy made the news.

The public is gat...

Hundreds of people over the years have asked me why reporters and podcasters are so dang hard to reach.

Why are they grumpy, uninterested and non-responsive?

[FREE VIDEO TRAINING: HOW TO SCORE INTERVIEWS WITH PODCASTERS + REPORTERS. CLICK TO DOWNLOAD THE RECORDING NOW!]

Here’s the secret:

Ninety-five percent of the pitches and “great story ideas” that are sent are irrelevant. They aren't newsworthy. They aren't valuable and “worthy” of an audience’s attention and interest.

It's that simple.

I was a radio news reporter and on-air anchor. I received thousands of pitches during my 10-year career in newsrooms in New Jersey and New York.

I decided what was newsworthy. I was the gatekeeper.

My audience depended on my sound judgement to share important, compelling and interesting stories that affected them.  The same is true today with reporters—and podcasters. They want subject matter experts—people like YOU!  

So, are you relevant to their audience??? 

Just a Lil' Tweak

One of my...

Most entrepreneurs enjoy a flood of ideas, creativity and a-ha moments.

How do you explain your idea to someone else, especially a busy reporter or online influencer who receives irrelevant email and phone pitches daily?

Here’s the secret: Take out your business card. Write your idea on the back of your card. If it doesn’t fit, rip it up and throw it out. Nobody is going to understand it if it’s not clear, concise and compelling.

[Join Communication Nation, our Facebook Group for Professionals Who Want to Communicate with Confidence and Clarity]

The “business card” approach is how you have to think of your pitches to reporters and online influencers. When emailing a pitch, for example, all you have is a few words in the subject line to grab someone’s attention.

The subject line must be a magical combination of just the right words…and in the right order. You’ll have to practice and edit. Being clear—and brief—are critical when trying to get publicity to grow your influence and bus...

“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?

[RELATED: FREE DOWNLOAD: CREATE 30 TOPICS IN 30 MINUTES FOR ANY NICHE! CLICK HERE TO GET THE #30/30 GUIDE.]  

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 opportunity to become a trusted and credible resource.

If you want to...

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.

[RELATED: To continue learning about communicating with confidence and clarity, join Communication Nation on Facebook.] 

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 update—content distribution are crucial. There are hundreds of freebie o...

"This kind of thing never happens here."

How many times have you seen and heard that line in the midst of a breaking news story?

Business leaders who think a publicity crisis is "for someone else" are likely to get caught short when something unexpected happens. Hopefully it won't be a massive incident that the networks cover. Still, we must be realistic because a local story can negatively impact your brand reputation, hiring and revenue for years to come.

If a plane or truck crashes into your building, you may find yourself scrambling to craft a statement or press release. A white-collar crime or violent incident can also attract unwanted media attention. 

[GUIDE: HOW TO BUILD LASTING RELATIONSHIPS WITH REPORTERS AND GET YOUR STORY COVERED. CLICK HERE FOR FREE PDF DOWNLOAD] 

The following 10 points will help you be proactive when dealing with reporters and the public.      

1. Have a crisis management plan in place and update it once a quarter. This includes assigning a designa...

Austin, Texas was the backdrop for the Public Relations Society of Americas’ International Conference #PRSAICON2018.

What’s on the mind of PR pros these days?

The theme: Convergence and Communication covered a range of topics including conflicts, creativity and client relationships. Crunching numbers (data and measurement) was a hot topic as well.

[RELATED: “HOW TO GET YOUR PRESS PASS.” SHARE VALUABLE CONTENT AND BOOST YOUR VISIBILITY. CLICK FOR DETAILS]  

The three-day event was packed with dozens of workshops, networking and impressive keynotes. Though I was one of the presenters, my greatest joy was sitting in the audience listening and learning from such knowledgeable and interesting peers.

We’re at a time in history when the media has become the scapegoat for what some claim is “fake news.” Others are attempting to clarify the obscured lines between trained journalists and the media. The conversations remain more important than ever. If we think for a moment that we are in ‘j...

Content often confuses non-writers. However, it doesn’t have to be an energy drain.

Content also has the power to grow your community. And regular posts that are valuable and timely keep you in front of your community. Content grows your tribe. It grows your business and moves you closer to achieving your professional and personal goals.

Think of content as your bank account.   

Let’s get past the confusion and angst that countless business owners endure when trying to generate ideas. Let’s make things easy. Remember, even seasoned marketers and bloggers get stuck occasionally.

[DOWNLOAD FREE CHEAT SHEET: 99 WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR COMMUNICATION]

No one expects you to be a professional writer so take the pressure off of yourself! You have plenty of knowledge hat potential customers need and want from you. All we have to do is get it out of your head…I promise it won’t hurt!

Here are five ways to overcome writer’s block:

1. Write a “Top 10” post. Listen in on a webinar that features...