Tom Warneka of Cleveland, Ohio writes:
“I spent two weeks in southern Mississippi last fall as a mental health worker with the Red Cross. We’re quickly coming up the first anniversary on August 29 of Hurricane Katrina.
“As a way of promoting my book ‘Leading People the Black Belt Way: Conquering the Five Core Problems Facing Leaders Today,’ I want to make myself available to the media to discuss the effects of Katrina, one year later.
“I’m a beginning Hound, so I’m wondering what the other Hounds think the best way might be to get the most media exposure. Should I write up a ‘special report’ for my website? Or something else? I’d appreciate any ideas. You can learn more about the book at http://www.blackbeltconsultants.com/pages/products.htm “
Ho-hum. Everyone and their mother will be doing one-year Katrina anniversary-related stories. Brainstorm and come up with a twist. Something like: Katrina, could this ever happen again? Or: Katrina, how to make sure it never happens again. How about, Katrina: what if it happened in YOUR hometown? Not only is this a refreshing approach, but you can incorporate some points from your book for leaders to utilize IF such a catastrophe ever struck again! Post one of these story angles on your web site and send out press releases; you will likely land many media interviews!
Tom, There are thousands of people who helped during Katrina. Hundreds of them will be able to say something about the first anniversary, but the real issue will be “what makes your experience so unique?”. While you might want to promote your book, if you can’t articulate how the principals in the book helped some of the victims, then the media isn’t going to see the tie-in. However, if you have contact with some of the people you helped, and they are willing to talk to the media about how your program really bounced them back from the tragedy, including the success they have achieved using your principals, there may be interest. Pitching something along the lines of…”how five people turned tragedy into success using Black Belt Leadership Techniques and where they are today” is better than soemthing like “my experiences helping Katrina victims and what I learned from it”. Make it about the victims and their success, rather than about you and your book and the media will probably jump all over it. You’ll get your chance to promote the book at some point during the interview or at the end.
Tom,
This may not seem like a constructive suggestion, but it’s meant to help.
I believe that if you make your book title prominent in your pitch, you’ll have a hard time getting the media to perceive you as someone appropriate to comment on the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Why? Because “black-belt leadership” comes across as a totally pointless, even appalling way to approach helping people after a natural disaster.
How in the world can kicking and punching help people who were devastated by the flood, by losing people and things and pets they loved, by being ignored by the government and so on? I’m sure you have an answer to this, maybe even a brilliant and convincing answer, but the juxtaposition of karate and Hurricane Katrina initially comes across as not only unappealing, but grotesque.
If you present yourself simply as a mental health worker who volunteered for two weeks after Katrina and are still involved somehow with helping, you’ll have a much better shot at getting coverage. And I’m sure you’ll have valuable insights that could help those directly affected and those who care but weren’t directly affected by the storm and flood.
Maybe you need to go for the higher good here in a selfless way, which is probably what you did after Katrina.
Sincerely,
Marcia Yudkin
Author, 6 Steps to Free Publicity (Career Press)
Never mind the naysayers you can tie in black belt defenses against natural disasters.
Perhaps while voluntering you gave lessons to people who needed to rebuild their self confidence and get out of depression and you used martial arts to help them do it. So how are they doing one year later?
Press Release:
“Katrina Survivors Kicking And Fighting Their Way Of Disaster One Year Later”
Tom name me one motivational guru other than yourself who owns that angle?
How about an angle where you focus on the volunteers of Katrina one year later so what’s their mental status one year later?
Change the title of your book to focus on this new angle. It’s your book, who says you can’t change the title to fit another audience?
Working titles….
“Black Belt Techniques To Survive A Natural Disaster And Regain Your Peace Of Mind”
“Karate Instuctor Helps Build Levee Of Hope”
Just one thought or three. You may like it or not.
Garth Gibson
author of
Fish For Sharks To Catch Your Success
How To Be An Infinitesimal Entrepreneur
INFOlust For The Celibate
Which Little Words Can Do Big Things?
Thinking Inside Of The Box And Outside the Rules
Here’s a different story about Katrina victims sporting hometown-themed tattoos as a memorial to the events that took place during the hurricane
Reading this might give you some more ideas:
Katrina victims wear their pain to never forget
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/nation/14992574.htm
After reading article these other working titles came to mind…
New Martial Arts Style Builds Self Defense For Katrina Victims
Karate Kids Of Katrina Kick Out Pain
I’m with Marcia.
And I can’t stop preaching this enough. Do NOT pitch your book. The media don’t care about your book.
What they do care about is free advice you can pass along to others who might someday find themselves in the same situation as the victims of Hurricane Katrina. Or comnpelling commentary about what you witnessed after the hurricane.
If they cover you, guess what they will most likely mention? Your book.