When I think about vision, I think about a beautiful waterfall or river. It knows where it is going. It reminds me of the serene nature scene. You know exactly where you are going even if you do not know exactly how you will get there just yet. Your vision must flow in your mind. It does not have obstacles. You know exactly where you are going. With no vision, your business becomes dull. It loses the sense of direction and you feel no passion. You become stressed out, burned out and… you quit.  Your vision can affect your business success if the vision is not BIG ENOUGH!

I remember reading a quote from Michael Gerber, in which he said, “Businesses fail not because their dream is too big, but because their dream is too small and too realistic to sustain the life they want!”

Why do I ask about your vision? Well, it is quite simple. Before you set your publicity plan in motion, you must know a few things. You have to be clear about your vision.  It is your inspiration and your dream!

It will define your publicity message. I learned to step aside from what I was doing and think about what my vision was before I decided to make changes. Your vision defines your brand and you must have a big dream to sustain your life. When you have a big vision, you know it is a journey and you become more committed to your success.  Does your vision only look good on paper? What about your heart?

When you create the right vision, things will flow. You will know you have the right vision when:

1. You know it is your dream and something you are inspired to do.

2. You feel no tension talking about it.

3. You can see yourself doing what you love and plan to expand your vision in the years to come.

4. You are ready to share your vision and mission with your team

5. You are confident about your core values.

6. You are very clear about your character and what you believe in and there is NOTHING that can change it.

7. Your vision is very profitable and you know the work and patience it takes to get things done. You are focused.

In order to create a good vision, you should NOT rush your life. You should take time and think it over.  Sometimes it requires taking a few days off to refocus and get very clear about what you want.  It will save you all the energy, resources and money you put into developing your business. No vision = No big results.

Have a great week!

Tatyana Gann

Yesterday I had a private coaching class with a new client of mine. It was our first class and we took good 90  min to go over her plan . We have discovered that her true passion was NOT what she was doing at the moment.  In one session she saw a new chapter in the book of her life.  She said, “Tatyana, you are a hope giver and really opened my  eyes to do what I always wanted to do…How did you know what I wanted to do.?”  Of course, I cannot predict people future but I was blessed to understand human needs and wants.

Shortly she expressed herself, I answered, “Brandi, when we work with people we get to know them and we feel their energy in the answers, the work they do and we dig deeper. I see you are not where you want to be…” I saw that immediately. I felt it and I had to ask her as a PR coach. In PR branding is very important.  Her message must carry passion and a clear message where she wants to be…When we talked about what she really wanted, she immediately knew it.   Her answer was a perfect sound bite or what we call “perfected elevator speech”. She was on FIRE. Are you on fire? Do you really enjoy what you do? Because it is ONLY January 11, 2012…It is never late to do what you always wanted to do..

So…I knew what my  passion was…..Coaching…Teaching…

But only the ones who VALUE their own talents and crave to create a major change…

After long weeks of writing my goals for 2012, mapping out where I want to be this year and how can I be more beneficial for my clients who are ready to make a quantum leap in their online presence using my publicity strategies, personal awareness coaching and living their dreams I have decided to stop FREE classes.

It was not an easy decision because I am a giver by nature but it was a very important one…so I can make a commitment to work with very serious clients. I am madly focused and ready to consult and coach the professionals who want TRANSFORMATION. They want more of:

• media exposure
• online credibility
• online authority
• become the thought leader in the niche
• attract new clients
• take their dream and make it happen
• brand their name to leave a legacy
• new lifestyle for their family

On Monday we had a class called “Top 10  Ingredients For Successful Publicity in 2012″. We have recorded this webinar and here is the replay. It is FREE.  I put a lot of value and powerful PR information for you to use to create a perfect PR blueprint. Starting next week we will be offering paid weekly training  with my business partner Angela Giles and we look forward to working with serious professionals. Sign up for the  updates and weekly newsletter to get the invite to our weekly training.

Watch the webinar.

Share this post with the ones who matter to you. I am sure you have a lot of friends who can benefit from this education.

Best wishes

Tatyana Gann

Tatyana Gann is the founder of Smokin’ Hot PR Ezine and SmokinHotPR Boutique, providing publicity, online PR services and even private VIP consulting.  Tatyana Gann is ready to bring you publicity tips, advice and PR services to help you gain more raving fans for your business and create smokin’ hot publicity! She has the simple formula for creating a publicity plan that brings results! Grab your FREE publicity weekly advice at: http://www.smokinhotpr.com/

A few times a week I go to the bookstore with my sons and take them to their favorite section; the children’s reading area. This is where we spend time together as a family, sitting  in little comfy chairs while enjoying our reading time! I have to admit that I am sort of a “geek” because I love to read and learn! These quite moments are some of the best times in my life where I can be in my own world and feel the creative flow!

Some of my favorite magazines are Oprah, Fortune, Blogger Guide, Inc,  and Success. But there are also other special magazines I love such as French Living and  Spirituality and Health.  My oldest son has developed a love for comic books and  movie magazines, so he often spends his time in the magazine and graphic novel section (he loves to feel like a teenager even though he is only 10!).

I take a few magazines off of the shelf, get a good cup of strong coffee and take a look at the magazine headlines and featured stories. It often surprises me what the media seeks to accomplish. Quite often it’s usually some sort of PR stunt to attract the most  attention and almost always, these topics discuss useless stuff.  I wonder what my kids see when they wander through the magazine shelves and what they think of the world based on what the media portrays.

It makes me stop and think.…Is your story good enough for your entire family to read? Are you proud of what you do?  What if your name becomes the front page news? What do you want your family to see? Are you truly living your own life or are you trying to “fit” into what society wants from you? Is your story interesting enough that your family members would share it?  It brings me back to the main question I ask my clients…“Do you believe that your publicity is newsworthy?”

Would you read your own story?

Before we go any further, you must remember three things when writing a media story:

1. Your facts must be trustworthy and reliable.

2. Your story angle must be interesting… compelling to read.

3. Stick to your values, your story even if media makes changes the rules for you.  Never try to to fit in.  Stand up for your name and what you represent.

It does not matter if you get publicity from magazines, newspapers or radio… your story must be interesting and true. No stunts, no pretense games. Being transparent and authentic is the key to build trust.  Do not try to “fit in” with your story.

Your task is to know what readers of your ideal publication love to read, comment and ask questions about… HOWEVER,  it does not mean that you should change your VALUES to match their values! You relate your story with their goals, their pains and bring solutions. As we say, “What your readers whine about you, you write about…”

One of the things you must know is the difference between the types of news you want to share:

1. Hard news

2.  Feature or People interest stories

Hard news presents certain deadlines. They have to be shared NOW. They are often breaking news. Think about what you have within your business development that could be shared as hard news. They are often breakthroughs, product research discoveries, company launches and even events that are held by certain companies… and yes, even negative news. These are URGENT.  One example I can give you is a press release I researched and wrote for my client about the launch of her company publishing platform, LoyaltePays. You can read it here: LoyaltePays Publishing Platform Press Release:

Feature news or people interest press releases are focused on a few things: customers case studies, new business partnerships and how it can bring about change, new solutions, major comebacks and the lessons of struggles that can help other readers. I recently asked the editor of a very well known magazine (among the top 10 business magazines) about her ideal story. She said, “We love writing about major comebacks, struggles,  and overcoming trials to teach our readers, who are mainly entrepreneurs, small business owners and top executives, to inspire them and give them fresh business ideas.”

If you are an entrepreneur, you would especially want to write about your major setbacks and what you did to get back on track and how you did it… Show the steps. Guide people. Give HOW TO advice.  Tip: create video releases and submit to video and radio release services. Make sure to watch the hottest trends. You can conduct your own research using free tools from Google Trends, Twitter Trends and Alexa Hot Topics before you put together the story and how it is related to a current hot topic.

For hard news, you must have a media newsroom set up with services such as PRlog, BusinessWire, CisionWire and PRWeb.

You can submit press releases to PR directories (make sure to at least get SEO press releases, so you can include the links). Advice: for every 400 words you must have at least 3 to 4 links in the body of a press release with 2 keywords ONLY per release.

For featured stories, the submission services I shared above are great, but I recommend to add a social media newsroom such as PitcheEngine and ask to be a guest blogger, sharing the message to your ideal readers. Some featured stories are not urgent, but bring advice that they can share with others day after day! New PR 2.0 strategies that incorporate SEO, PR and social media are a great way to say good bye to old marketing methods and start focusing on building a social media presence.

In my earliest video, I shared a message about why old public relations methods are not working … it is time to stop being a slave to the ideas that PR is only for “the big dawgs”. Some friendly advice: if you are a small business owner, you must have the best reputation,while learning how to compete ethically and win this game. You must learn to work smart and make the best impression. That is where Public Relations plays a big role: it elevates you above your competition and builds your credibility. It prepares the foundation to plant good seeds and gather the best harvest. If it is done correctly, it can bring a lot of leads using SEO and the right keywords for organic traffic.

Live your passion, tell your story, which could change people’s lives! Don’t make it your goal to become a celebrity… Make a goal for yourself to impact the world with your love, compassion and creativity… because the world needs something fresh every day or the media would NOT be seeking out the best stories!

Have a great day!

Tatyana Gann

Tatyana Gann is the founder of Smokin’ Hot PR Ezine and SmokinHotPR Boutique, providing publicity, online PR services and even private VIP consulting.  Tatyana Gann is ready to bring you publicity tips, advice and PR services to help you gain more raving fans for your business and create smokin’ hot publicity! She has the simple formula for creating a publicity plan that brings results! Grab your FREE publicity weekly advice at: http://www.smokinhotpr.com/

Dear business owner,

Show me your business and your product and I will give you publicity ideas for the next 90 days..Yes I am quite serious about it.

I want to invite you to a special teleseminar  happening Jan 9, 2012. It is called “10 Top Ingredients Every Small Business Owner Must Include In The Publicity Campaign” Plus Special Bonus…(we will reveal some cool information how to protect your reputation on the call)

If you are interested to pick my brain for 60 min it is your opportunity to get new publicity tips and strategies to start a PR campaign in 2012. I will share few publicity ideas which I usually give to my consulting clients. If you are quite serious about your publicity and looking for innovative, non- traditional, creative ways to get PR for your brand, your product and your name you must be on this call.

On this call you will learn the most creative PR and publicity strategies- BEST ones that fit YOUR particular business situation.

You will learn:

• · The top factors you must have consider before the publicity campaign
• · What you must write in your first press story…
• · What does media expect from you
• · Ways to turn one creative  idea into various forms of FREE publicity
• · PR resources to give you media exposure
• · Which PR medium is best for your business
• · What is your WOW factor and how to attract influencers in social media (from celebrity to top media gurus)
• Plus…we will have a mini FAQ session in the end of the call
  

I am hosting this FREE class designed to help YOU to choose the best publicity plan for 2012

Details:

Join us Jan 9, 2012

7 pm CST 8 pm EST

See you in class

Tatyana Gann

(photo credit)

Happy New Year!!!

After Christmas parties, New Year Celebrations, dealing with sickness during the holiday season and all the fun stuff that comes with it, I am finally enjoying calm winter days in my home office. I love the sound of the clock ticking in my office and the flicker of candles on the fireplace mantle… simple things like this allow me to write and share with you something very important…

…PASSION. I have been thinking about the most important element of success that some of us forget; Passion – doing what we love, setting new goals based on our passions, planning our business for 2012 and beyond, achieving the greatness we deserve.

I am excited about the coaching and consulting programs I plan to offer to my clients in 2012. When I think about my personal/business theme for 2012 and how I can serve you better, I realize it is PASSION and Awakening. Share with me… what is your theme? What do you want to achieve in your life? I would love to hear from you!

I had an awakening in which I realized that without true passion I could not be the best publicity coach to my clients. I thought a lot about it during the holiday season. I even took time off to really search my heart and ask my inner voice what I needed to do and how I could serve my clients better.

In the past few years, I have gained the skills to understand the needs and wants of humans based on my personal life and business experience, building relationships with business owners, media and visionaries. There is a passion within me to help my clients see their true direction and the best creative ways to express themselves… this became my new purpose. It does not matter how they express themselves, what matters is when they do it. They are passion carriers. They carry this power that is ready to evolve and the rest of the plan is the work that needs to be done. You will see it involves niche research, keyword analysis, etc.

When it comes to putting together a solid publicity plan, the key ingredients in making it all work are your passion, your clarity, your focus, your creativity and your patience. I’ve never met a business owner who succeeded in a business without having passion, focus and patience.

They are the important attributes for the success of your PR campaign. It takes time to put it all together. It takes time to do research, create a list of all the media contacts and communicate with them through various channels: from social media, emails, phone calls and even direct mail. Without passion, people lose focus and quit, wanting to start something new. I know it. I have been there myself.

Passion is #1 ingredient that creates success. It pushes us forward. It gives us vision. It jump starts your business. Your goals are usually aligned with your passion. You have a plan that you want to follow.

Passion is the glue that holds it all together.  Passion is the power that awakens the creativity within our heart. Passion brings wealth into our business. Passion is the fuel for our business.

When we have passion, we are more focused. We know our goals. We are excited. We are responsible for our own actions because it is our very own business, something we love and not what others love for us to do.

Clarity….Often when we have clarity we feel more passion. We have a better understanding of where we want to be. Clarity brought desire to be more inspired. It gave me motivation to go after my goals and sometimes I did not know how. Clarity was able to force me to see myself in the new light as a strong and a powerful woman without a being superhero gal! I did not need to be a TOP GUN to become famous. I needed to be UNIQUE to public, to people around me and get them to laugh, talk and engage into what I had to offer- my ability to write, connect and make them smile. You will find that clarity and passion are so connected. When we see clear, we have no obstacles to go after what we want in life. We are not confused any longer and misguided by others.

Focus…Focus is something we all must practice. In publicity we experience creative moments and the ideas can rush very fast. We must learn to filter them, take what we need and move forward. As creative individuals we lack the ability to focus and instead of beating ourselves up for that we must find the way to break our projects down into small assignments and accomplish them.

Creativity….creative-self is a part of us. You do not need to be a genius to be creative. It goes back to being passionate about what we do.. Creativity does not always mean you have to be an artist, a musician or famous fashion guru. Creativity means expression of words, feelings from the depth of your heart! It is about finding new and fun ways to express your personality. If you love to write then express yourself via written word and if you prefer to speak create series of videos.  I love writing because I can focus on the flow of my thoughts.

Patience…That is a HUGE deal for any business owner. We want everything NOW. But…Rome was not built in one day, so your PR success is not an overnight deal but a step by step process.  Good PR campaign takes min 6 to 9 months especially if you are a brand new biz owner or establishing a new brand.  Let the media and customers get to know you and trust you.  As you know trust is the golden key to long term success!

These 5 key ingredients are your foundation. They are the things you must understand before you call a publicist or a hire a coach.  As you can see passion is the most important. As Steve Jobs said once in his speech that when we were passionate we could face challenges with honor and noble character.

Tatyana Gann is the founder of Smokin’ Hot PR Ezine, and SmokinHotPR Boutique providing publicity, online PR services and even one on one PR coaching. Today her love for writing, connecting with people, serving people to reach new levels in their business, teaching and marketing turned her college teaching career into the street smart PR gal. Tatyana Gann is ready to bring you publicity tips, advice and PR services to help you to gain more raving fans for your business. She has got the simple formula for creating a publicity plan that brings results.  Her publicity secret strategies can help you to tap into the markets you never thought possible and how to establish your online credibility very fast.  Get her FREE newsletter at http://www.SmokinHotPR.com