I’m a Writer, not a Marketer! (You Still Need PR)

"I’m a writer, not a marketer or promoter!"

That can be a nice sentiment, but it’s also generally the kiss of death. If you write and don’t want to promote your works, you best team up with someone who will.

The fact that successful authors need PR and to market their books is not a new phenomenon:

These three were giants of literature who were also brilliant promoters.

There are more stories than we'll ever know from talented writers who are unknown because they failed to promote, and many accounts of mediocre writers who have successfully marketed their works. A mediocre writer who promotes will generally be more successful than the talented writer who doesn’t.

Talented writers who also market and promote—those are truly ahead of the game.

The trick is not only to become comfortable promoting yourself as a writer, but to do so effectively. Sadly, it’s not enough to decide you’re going to promote, jump on Facebook, Twitter, and maybe Goodreads and then sit back and wait. Nor is cobbling together a media list and sending out a press release going to suffice.

The secret? Effective PR is effective storytelling.

Perfect you say, you’re a writer, storytelling is your stock-in-trade. True, but when it comes to PR you need to know what stories to tell, how to tell them, when to deliver them, and to whom you should tell them.

If all of those pieces aren’t in place, chances are not much is going to come of your efforts.

So, if PR and marketing aren't your strong suit—delegate.

Find a PR team that understands how to promote books and authors, have worked in the field and who you feel comfortable with. Bring them on board and, together, move forward.

Effective PR and marketing can spell the difference between success and failure of a book and a career.

Give yourself the best shot to succeed.

A Voice with Legs: Laura Carruthers Translates Dance into Film

Laura Carruthers is a six-time national champion and world-ranked Scottish Highland dancer, a former member of the Ballet Arizona, and an award-winning filmmaker whose portrayals of dance on screen welcome mainstream audiences to its intricacies. Her latest film, Grace Fury, is an autobiographical exploration into the joy of creating art that has just been nominated for multiple awards at the Glendale International Film Festival, the San Francisco International New Concept Film Festival, the LA Underground Film Forum, and the World Music and Independent Film Festival. Fascinated by the journey that would take a young Los Angeles native from Celtic dance enthusiast to successful filmmaker, I chatted with Laura about what it’s taken her to get here, the inspirations and challenges that she found along the way, and the sense that “bonding with art isn’t always immediate escapism.”

Born and raised in Los Angeles, CA--Burbank, to be exact--Laura spent childhood summers watching her father compete in traditional Scottish sport, a subculture she describes as larger than life. “Not your traditional vacation,” Laura noted laughing, but one that quickly inspired her to enroll in Scottish Highland dancing herself. And she was good at it--really good: she went on to win six national championships. Things took a turn when Laura enrolled at Arizona State University to study history, but there she kept her passion for dance alive by studying ballet under former Kirov principal Zenia Chlistowa, and following graduation she was accepted into the prestigious Ballet Arizona by Director Michael Uthoff.

At this point during our conversation, we paused a moment for me to ask the question that she says nearly everyone who’s not in her worlds asks: what exactly is Scottish Highland dancing, and is it anything like ballet? The answer: Scottish Highland dancing is very aerobic and demanding, requiring a simultaneous precision and buoyancy that results in what Laura describes as a “state of perpetual spring” (which as you might expect, is “very horrible on your legs”). Far from the synchronized pounding of its more mainstream Celtic sibling made popular with Riverdance, Highland dancing is relentless but never heavy. Ballet in turn depends on the same level of precision, but is, perhaps surprisingly so, less rigid than Highland dancing--a flexibility that Laura found very liberating and appealing.

Of course, one must acknowledge that Laura is blessed with preternatural energy and grace--born to a mathematician mother and a father who loved Scottish sport but not dance, Laura is the first of her family to become a dancer. And yet nearly everyone who has crossed her path can’t help but notice a natural exuberance and magnetism that translate across Celtic, classical, and contemporary techniques.

So, Laura made it to ASU where she discovered that the Scottish subculture of her Californian youth was minimal at best. She found herself living almost a double life: the side focused on that subculture, and the side in which her peers had zero connection to it or understanding about it; as Laura describes the dichotomy, “you’re either in it, or you don’t know much about it.” Despite pressure from her father to focus on academics and graduate, Laura discovered that ballet was a way to bridge the gap between Highland dancing and the mainstream professional dance world--and perhaps even a way to turn the dance realm into a long-term career.

Laura started introducing her fellow ballet dancers to the “strange little technique” of Highland dancing, and as a burgeoning choreographer she blended the Celtic with the classical. People took notice, and it was at this point that she started her transformation into the “voice with legs.”

Fast forward to today: Laura is still dancing, but is now also a successful filmmaker and a self-described sociopolitical activist. Her overarching artistic philosophy is intrinsically bound to her unshakeable insistence that art have a place in today’s increasingly money-focused and conformist culture: “I fear that in some ways we’re losing the innocence of just being artistic, allowing for a degree of freedom and room to do just what you need to do and say what you need to say...I feel like art, like science, is a space where we should be pioneering, and in many cases you don’t even know what contributions you might make--a way that might not seem huge in the moment but might influence people down the road. Even if it’s not entirely practical or doesn’t have a huge payoff, in some cases that’s the real stuff, the parts of the variation in our species that goes missing because we follow the same lines too often.”

It is impossible not to be inspired by the conviction with which Laura shares that vision for a world in which creativity continues not simply to exist but to thrive, and it makes it easy to understand why her latest film Grace Fury is picking up nominations across the festival circuit.

An autobiographical foray into Laura’s life and the necessity of artistic creation, Grace Fury combines her obvious long-time love of film (Kubrick and Coppola are some of her biggest influences) with a lifetime’s understanding of dance and self that’s challenged only by the technical innovation that five Panasonic VariCams offer insofar as true viewer immersion. The film is a beautifully intimate experience with a degree of “poetic mystery” that is all too often hard to capture, but it also speaks to the greater human experience. Laura notes, “I hope that some of the points I’m making, the questions I’m asking, are bigger and more core; I’m saying this little microexperience, this one person’s tiny shot at life that I have, that maybe there are some things I’m saying that might resonate with other people, that might speak to human nature.”

Grace Fury originally started as a festival opportunity offered to her by a couple producers in New York; when the larger project died, Laura decided to keep going with the film, realizing that maybe it was time to say what she really meant. If that’s not a metaphor for Laura’s entire drive in life, I don’t know what is. I asked Laura what she looks to get out of this film and the work she does now.

“I just hope the whole thing inspires people to do their own thing as well. To maybe be on the lookout for different kinds of artists who aren’t always in your view all the time. It’s important to inspire people in whatever capacity you have to make art. We should all have the experience of making art, and never resign ourselves to just being spectators or saying we can’t. It’s part of the human experience.”

 Check out Laura's work and upcoming film Grace Fury at http://www.lauracarruthers.com. 

Publishing & PR

You’ve written a book. Better yet, it’s getting published! (Congratulations).

Fact: Your journey is just beginning.

Many authors, particularly those new to the industry, make the mistake of conflating their publisher with a public relations team. Unfortunately, those two roles have key differences, and misunderstanding the distinction can lead to frustration and missed opportunities. Let’s clarify some of this!

Your publisher will likely assign a rep to your book, someone who is responsible for sending out an initial press release and ARCs (advanced reading copies) to potentially interested parties. Your publisher will also keep track of performance and sales, and handle inquiries as they come in.

What you can’t expect your publisher to do, however, is proactively and consistently seek out media opportunities for you, promote you as an author outside of this particular book, and consider the paths you could take as a burgeoning creative professional. It’s not that PR isn’t part of publishers’ job description--it is, particularly with the larger houses. But the reality is that books, particularly those by new authors, don’t get the push authors are expecting, or that they deserve. It’s often not the publisher’s fault--they generally just don’t have the wo/man power to do the work.  

If you want exposure and continued promotion as an author beyond the launch date of a book, you need PR.

In PR we use your work to promote you as a professional--the scope of your success and media magnetism extends well beyond one book, and we help you identify what makes you unique as a news piece--your story--and we share that with maximum effectiveness with the public.

We aren’t necessarily pitching your book to TV networks for adaptations, or handling second printings when you have a smash hit, but we do make everyone aware of those potentials so that they’re interested in your book now, and what you’re doing next.

Many authors think they’re getting a personal PR agent in a publisher, someone who will advocate for them and seek out interviews and reviews, but in fact the publisher’s role is largely diminished once the book is out--a few review copies, and pre-release coverage and then it’s up to you to keep that momentum going, and that’s when you’ll want a PR team in place.

The last thing you want to do is lose that momentum: if you’re getting close to publishing, or have published a book--you need PR. Give us a call, we’ll walk you through the next steps.

Write on, writers!

Podcasting, Fandom, and Media Specialization

Media placement is one of the core tenets of public relations, if not the main goal: we build clients into Brands through their exposure across a variety of outlets until they hit the threshold of public interest and become relevant (and then the real PR fun begins).

The endless evolution of media is one of the ever-changing trends that we have to be very aware of in PR; particularly since the 2000s, news and pop culture consumption has changed radically (and continues to). For example, the last five years have seen an abundance of articles bemoaning the “death of journalism” in the face of social media ubiquity and a pervasive click-bait-as-business mentality. Leading national newspapers continue to increase print subscription fees as consumers turn to the Internet, and even that online presence is constantly challenged by the instant accessibility of in-your-face Facebook algorithms that bring the news to you via right rails and friends.

In that same vein, we no longer turn to radio as much as we used to in booking exposure for clients. Radio shows used to be a default go-to, but as with the rest of media consumerism in 2017, the variety show model has largely been eclipsed by outlets that are tailored to specific interests and which are easy to digest on the go with a smartphone.

Enter the Podcast. A portmanteau of “pod” (iPod) and “broadcast” coined in 2004 by BBC journalist Ben Hammersley, podcasts snuck into the scene and enjoyed moderate interest among key early adopters until an explosion in the 2010s that cemented them as a popular medium, challenging traditional radio business practices. Of course broadcast radio is still prevalent: it’s an easy habit to flip on FM while driving to work in the a.m., and if we're talking local traffic, national news, and current hits, you're set.

But, so many of our clients—especially our authors and filmmakers who are just starting to take off—don’t have stories that fit immediately into that general news mold. Podcasts offer an hyper-accessible channel with the advantage of highly particular subject matter, if so desired. The host-guest(s) conversational structure that features in so many podcasts also means authentic connection and the chance to build lasting and mutually beneficial professional relationships. Plus, podcast audiences are already primed to be interested in show guests.

Why is that so important if the audience is just a niche community? Because if we can successfully identify appropriate channels, we win guaranteed exposure for clients in communities that will champion them, and amplify their presence enthusiastically and organically. In eternal HBO hit Sex and the City, leading lady Samantha Jones is a PR pro who pushes her then boyfriend Jerry “Smith” Jerrod to commercial success as an actor, gleefully noting of his confusion at the path his burgeoning career is taking, “First come the gays, then the girls!” Sure enough, his career takes off right on schedule.

Now we’re not that particular market here, nor would we perhaps be quite so flippant, but the wisdom holds: in this new age of Comic-Con as a media mogul instead of just a nerd haven, and Harry Styles as a critically acclaimed musical talent beyond a pre-teen dream*, we embrace and rely on fandom more than ever.

In 2017, fandom is not frivolous, it’s what comes first.

What we’re saying: if you’re an author or a filmmaker, don’t shy away from appealing to niche audiences, or starting off with exposure in smaller, more specific outlets (and if you’re working with your PR team, trust us, there’s a plan). Podcasts in particular are your friend! Find the communities that love what you’re doing and want to champion you, so that when it comes time to pitch yourself to bigger fish, those mainstream outlets will care because a quick Google search will show that everyone else already does.
*If you're dubious about One Direction's main man, check out NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour or Panoply's Switched on Pop for more on Mr. Styles...speaking of podcasts.

An Interview with Katie Hogan of The Altar Collective

I had the pleasure of meeting Katie Hogan last year. A vivacious literature lover, editor, publisher and author.

Katie is the founder, editor-in-chief, and creative director of The Altar Collective. She is a twenty-two-year-old student from the University of Southern California with a BA in creative writing. Katie first fell in love with a piece of paper and a pencil when she was eight years old. Ever since, she has been dedicated to pursuing writing, especially poetry. Katie has spent time in San Francisco, New York City, Paris, and New Orleans on a constant search for the best iced coffee and answers to her cliché quarter-life crisis. She has studied advanced creative writing at Columbia University and has been nationally recognized for her writing by the National Council of Teachers of English. Katie’s poetry has been featured in publications such as Quiet Lightning and The American Library of Poetry, and she has gained editorial experience as an editorial intern at City Lights Booksellers and Publishers in San Francisco, CA. She is currently living in Boston to get her MA in Publishing & Writing from Emerson College. So, with Katie I launch my interview series of writers, editors, publishers, agents and others involved in the literary world.

Tell me a bit about your publishing company.

The Altar Collective is a small press and arts collective based in Los Angeles, CA and Boston, MA. We specialize in publishing poetry, hosting events like open mics and music/art festivals, and uniting the artistic community together.

What was the impetus to start the company?

In 2012, I dropped out of college after my freshman year and decided to take a year off. During my year off, I traveled to Paris and lived in the city for six months in order to learn French and gain new experiences. Paris was nothing like I imagined, though. Prior to leaving America, I believed Paris would be a lovely trip—full of riding bikes to pick up fresh baguettes, meeting nice people who would show me around the city, and basically all those other cliché, overly happy moments you see in movies.

Although I was very grateful for the opportunity to live in a beautiful city and have this experience, it was more difficult than I thought it would be. Fortunately, I stumbled across a weekly bilingual open mic that took place in the basement of a bar. This open mic inspired me more than I can describe—it was where I felt the most comfortable, and it took away all my fears related to the cultural differences. I was not only able to meet many influential people, but I was also able to really understand the power of poetry and writing in general, regardless of language barriers.

That inspiration followed me back to the states and eventually became one of the main reasons I started The Altar Collective. I wanted to provide a stepping stone and platform for writers. I have been way too lucky to be surrounded by such amazing artists, and I wanted their voices to be heard.

Prior to Paris, I helped a friend run a weekly open mic down in Long Beach, CA. That experience plus my year living in San Francisco and being exposed to groups like Quiet Lightning also really pushed me to create my own press.

What is the most interesting aspect of publishing to you?

My favorite part of publishing has been working with artists. Our poetry anthologies have introduced me to so many talented poets. Some poets flew in from Chicago and New Jersey to participate in our monthly open mic/book release shows, and we still keep in touch. Working with our featured writers, like author Kris Kidd and musician Inch Chua, was an amazing experience, as well. I love getting to know each artist we work with; picking their minds and being able to dive into their writing/art is a real honor.

What has surprised you the most?

People love poetry, contrary to what many believe. Before I started The Altar Collective, I kept hearing that poetry didn’t have a market, that it wouldn’t sell. However, I found that there really is an audience for poetry, and that audience is hungry for quality poetry and a community surrounding it.

What are some of the book you’ve published and what was it about those writers that spoke to you?

Years ago, when I was focusing on pursuing photography, I met another photographer/model named Kris Kidd. Kris and I became friends, and over the years, I realized that not only was he a talented photographer, but he was an amazing writer. After starting TAC, I approached him about his writing, and within a few weeks, we had a manuscript of his essays organized and edited. The manuscript, which would become I Can’t Feel My Face, was a collection of essays about Kris growing up in Los Angeles and his struggles losing his father, joining the modeling industry, and growing up in general. Kris was a friend before we worked on this collection, but working with him on I Can’t Feel My Face allowed me to dive deeper into his struggles and his suffering. Although the essays have a very specific tone to them, they really speak out to what it’s like growing up in Los Angeles.

We published his most recent book, Down for Whatever, in June 2016. I loved working with Kris on Down for Whatever because it shows his growth. It is his first poetry collection, but each piece shows strength and vulnerability, and watching him grow up as both an artist and a writer has been an amazing experience.

Another experience I really enjoyed was working with Singaporean musician Inch Chua. Inch went through all her diaries and chose entries from each one, then compiled a new diary of sorts. I loved getting to know her on a deeper level, and her story of traveling from Singapore to America to continue pursuing music was not only inspiring, but a story I felt like every girl should hear. Inch doesn’t let anything get in her way—if she’s passionate about it, she will achieve it, and that is a message I stand by.

Your also currently studying at Emerson College. How do you juggle your various responsibilities and interests?

It has definitely been difficult, but it’s a challenge that I’ve enjoyed so far! I’m currently in graduate school at Emerson College, studying Publishing & Writing. It’s a great program so far and I’ve learned a lot about the publishing industry that has helped me think about the future of The Altar Collective.

I also work at MIT in patent law during the day, and act as managing editor for Write Bloody, another fantastic poetry press that has been a major influence of mine since I was 13. Going to school, working two jobs, and running TAC while living in a new city has been exhausting at times, but I am so happy to be able to have each experience. Each teach me a different lesson and reveal new skills, so it’s nice to be able to dabble in different areas—it keeps me going!

You also write. Tell me a bit about your works?

Writing has been a therapeutic activity for me since I was a little kid. I’ve mostly been writing poetry, and some of my work can be found in Quiet Lightning, The American Library of Poetry, and Nostrovia! Poetry’s Fuck Art, Let’s Dance.
What are your top two pointers for writers looking to publish their works?

If you are seeking out a publisher, I highly advise working with a press that you love and trust. Go for one that makes you feel like family and makes you feel comfortable.

Never, ever, ever let anyone take advantage of you—financially, creatively, etc. The publishing industry is great, but there are a lot of people out there that are just looking to gain profit off of your art. Protect your work, protect your heart, and never let anyone alter or try to change your work against your will.

For more information on Katie and The Alter Collective, visit www.thealtarcollective.com

Happily Ever Appter: Traditional PR Gets Social

There’s no doubt that Public Relations is an art. PR is a unique combination of communications mastery, sincere relationship building, and Jeopardy-level knowledge of current events. For good measure, toss in some tenacity and a sixth sense for what people will find compelling, and how. In PR, we build brands that set trends by capitalizing on the current.

But while PR has always required that we keep our fingers on the pulse of current global culture, what we consider “the media” is now more far-reaching, ubiquitous, and noisy than ever.

So how do we keep up? How do we separate the substance from the fluff, and make sure our own (quality) content stands out? We could easily drive ourselves into the ground trying to shoehorn our original methods into digital-age style, or we can evolve with the industry.

In short, to be successful in PR V.2017, we have to work smart, not just hard. And I do mean that literally—get your smart phone, we’re going mobile.

Okay, not just mobile, but that is a big part of it. These days, we have to optimize our journalism-based storytelling within traditional media outlets for the platforms and apps that drive contemporary consumer connection.

I’m not suggesting we toss our standards to the wind in favor of churning out daily content for ten different platforms in an effort to simply invite the masses to mindlessly “like” us. Quite the contrary, we have to raise our standards for content creation in order to stand out in a sea of contributors, and then we have to employ those same standards in carefully trimming and adapting that content for multiple short-form and visual platforms in a way that not only grabs attention, but keeps it.

When we do all of that successfully, we effectively convert momentary fans into long-term followers who will continue to engage with us through whichever platforms they prefer.

Social media—an incredibly broad term for the multitude of user-based sharing platforms that connect and inundate billions of brains a day—is here to stay. Maybe not in its current forms, for certainly not all of today’s popular platforms will weather the millennial storm, but it is undeniable that social technology has woven itself inextricably into daily human livelihood.

Increasingly, our conversations with clients include strategic approaches to pairing social and traditional media (sometimes even viral marketing), because it’s both what clients are already seeing daily and what we suggest they use to maximize their presence. We also have a much more involved relationship with web developers and analytics experts because we’re constantly monitoring the ways that people ingest interviews and news, and making sure content is accessible to the largest number of people.

What this means: If you are a PR professional, read up on social platforms, mobile news apps, and the digital workspace tools that can help you streamline efficiency and engage with your audiences. If you’re a writer looking to self-promote or hire a PR firm, make sure that you and/or your reps understand thoroughly the critical combination of legitimate news coverage and clever, multi-platform content distribution—that's definitely a conversation to have early on.

O brave new world!

Top image courtesy of Espresso Digital

PRFW Goes Global: Australia’s Smartphone Film Festival and a Chance to Win Free PR

PR for Writers is always looking for fun opportunities to collaborate, so we’re especially pleased about our newest partnership with Australia’s SmartFone Flick Fest (SF3). Now in its third year, SF3 an international film festival showcasing short films produced on smartphones and tablets.

The powerhouses behind it are Angela Blake and Ali Crew, two women who share PRFW’s passion for creative storytelling. Inspired by the growing prevalence and prestige of mobile work in the age of technological innovation, they wanted to offer both new and seasoned filmmakers a chance to really get involved. As Angela explains, “Smartphone filmmaking has burst into the mainstream in recent years, with many TV shows and feature films in the U.S. shooting on smartphones. The critically acclaimed 2015 film Tangerine was shot entirely on an iPhone 5s and picked up a slew of awards at some of the top international film festivals.”

SF3 Poster 2017 (1) SF3 receives hundreds of incredible entries from Australia and around the world. “Each year we’re wowed by the quality of films being submitted into the festival. From first-time filmmakers to industry stalwarts, the technology, apps and editing software that’s out there means the quality of films being produced is staggering,” notes Ali.

This year, the top ten films will be screened at the Gala Final Awards Screening at Palace Chauvel Cinema in Sydney, Australia and at the International Mobile Film Festival in San Diego, California. One film will be declared the overall winner, but there are also several other awards up for grabs, including kids’ choice, best first-time filmmaker, and—a new category this year—the SF360 for VR pieces.

Win a Month of Free PR

Naturally we’re biased, but one of our favorite parts about this is that the winner of the festival gets a free month of PR services from our firm. We’re beyond excited to check out all the fantastic submissions from around the world, and we’re looking forward to working with the next up-and-coming filmmaker.

What are you waiting for? Grab your smartphone and get filming: submissions are due August 1!

For submission details and information about the festival, visit sf3.com.au

PRFW Summer Internship Program

Want to learn the nuts and bolts of the industry?

No filing, getting coffee, or answering phones: learn how to develop and implement PR campaigns, and to maximize impact across social media platforms through compelling content and advertising. There are also three industry events at which you’ll be a guest, not counting optional partner events.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Requirements:
Must have excellent written and verbal communication skills, be able to work effectively under minimal supervision, and be comfortable with social media (principally Facebook and Twitter).

This is a part-time, unpaid summer internship. Mostly remote work, with meetings at the office twice a week. You'll build a network of industry connections and receive career coaching for your next steps as a professional. This position reports to Senior Account Executive Analise Electra Smith-Hinkley.

To apply, please send cover letter and resume to [email protected] by July 1.

An Interview with Philip Rebentisch, President of AMA Los Angeles

I met Philip at an event titled “How to Find and Retain New Customers,” presented by American Marketing Association (AMA) and the president of its Los Angeles branch—also known as Philip. The panel featured Ann Convery, creator of Speak Your Business™; Anil Punyapu, SVP of Sales at Cvent; Elizabeth Primm, Industry Director at Twitter; and Sean Kelly, Head of Sales at Spotify.

Philip was a great moderator. He kept the conversation moving, didn’t try to take over (as I’ve seen others do in the past), and ensured that the panelists and the audience stayed absorbed and engaged. His enthusiasm and passion for event, the AMA, and where the brave new world of marketing and creating is heading, was contagious. As such, I want to introduce you to him as well.

A brief bio: Philip was hired by NASA to create international educational television. Landing in Los Angeles after his contract expired, Philip became a staff TV writer-director for Rockwell International/Boeing, creating marketing and PR videos for NASA and Congress. From there he worked on his own video documentary projects, did freelance work including behind the scenes for HBO Comic Relief and a few shows for E! Entertainment. He then moved to the Internet, producing websites and creating content that eventually led him back to production work. He formed Wine Table Media to create digital video from concept to completion for CD, DVD, and Internet distribution. And, as earlier stated, he is now President of American Marketing Association Los Angeles. He’s also currently working as Director of Media Clearances for Manhattan Advertising & Media Law, Inc.

Philip hosts the newly launched, Get The Word Out! a monthly digital video program exploring marketing, advertising, PR, tech, and content creation in Los Angeles. He will be interviewing yours truly on June 21, on how effective PR is effective storytelling—but more on that in a later blog. As Philip’s bio states, “He’s still a content guy, he’s still curious, and still hungry.”

We chatted about the AMA, marketing, content creation, and why taglines pop into his head at 5:00 a.m. on Saturday mornings.

Tell me a bit about your background in marketing.

My career has centered on television and film content. In my junior year in college I formed a production company that produced cable commercials, music videos, and event coverage. After creating international educational television for NASA, I worked for Rockwell International/Boeing creating PR and marketing videos for the Space Shuttle and Space Station programs. When I formed my digital video company, my clients were a sports production company and nonprofits such as The American Heart Association, Aquarium of the Pacific, and the Flying Samaritans. My philosophy then and now was to tell stories to raise funding donations. For the last few years I’ve worked the legal side of the advertising business trying to prevent clients from getting into copyright or trademark issues with their advertising campaigns.

What are the major changes you’ve seen in the field over the years?

The major change is of course the digital revolution and the rise of social media. My perspective is that it has taken several years for clients to realize that marketing is no longer a “push-based” operation, it is conversation-based due to social media. The power of marketing is in the hands of the consumer, and I don’t see this changing anytime soon. Marketers must provide a reason for consumers to pay attention, and a siloed, push-messaging approach is as relevant as dial-up modems.

You’re President of American Marketing Association, Los Angeles. First, congratulations. Second, how did you first become involved with the AMA?

It’s a funny story. I knew nothing about the AMA until one day when my neighbor was on chapter panel and he wanted a friend in the audience. I showed up and was impressed with the level of the discussion. I started attending events, became an AMA member, and often asked questions during the Q&A sessions. It’s my nature! After a few months, I was literally tapped on the shoulder by the president at the time who invited me to join the board. I did and it has made an enormous difference in my life.

How would you describe the AMA?

We help people become better marketers! The AMA is the largest marketing association in the world with over 30,000 global members and its tagline is Answers in Action.® As an AMA member, you have access to a diverse wealth of information in the form of research papers/case studies, webinars, seminars, magazines, podcasts, and national conferences just to name a few benefits. The local chapters exist to further those benefits and provide the networking and educational opportunities for their community. The Los Angeles chapter is currently the largest chapter on the West Coast with nearly 400 members.

What is the Association’s primary mission?

Our chapter’s tagline is: AMA Los Angeles. Network. Educate. Volunteer. Move Forward With Us. This tagline popped into my head at 5:00 a.m. on a Saturday morning (like all good taglines) and it truly represents our primary mission. Leveraging the resources of the national organization, we provide professional, meaningful networking opportunities; create high level, diverse educational programming to chapter members and the LA marketing community; provide pro bono community outreach services; and help people move forward in their careers. We refuse to waste anyone’s time at any event, and we take this responsibility very seriously.

How does someone become a member?

It’s very easy! Go to the national AMA website at www.ama.org and sign up! Now through June 10, 2017 our Spring membership drive is underway so you can save on membership fees. You become a national AMA member and then select your specific chapter membership.

What are some of the benefits of becoming a member?

Free admission to all our educational events to start! We are the only AMA chapter that does not charge admission to our monthly educational events. In addition, you have access to the national AMA resources which include continuing education certificate programs. To sum it up, the AMA is focused on helping develop the individual’s skills, not a top-down, company based approach. Going forward, there is a new emphasis of being part of a national (and global) organization, and AMA Los Angeles helped lead the way in the re-branding effort.

You’ve launched a new TV show called Get The Word Out!. Tell me a bit about that.

Los Angeles is a media-centric town, and we felt it was important to represent that element as a chapter. It goes straight to the membership value proposition. Our communication goals for this year were to launch a blog, podcast, and video programming. Get The Word Out! is a monthly digital video program exploring marketing, advertising, PR, tech, and content creation in Los Angeles. Got a good story to tell about your business? Then get the word out about it!

What is the focus and format?

I host the show on the WCOBM.TV multi-channel network and we’re always seeking interesting stories and people. Los Angeles has always been a town about invention, or even re-invention, and we’re curious about the myriad of topics out there from Silicon Beach to Hollywood, with fashion and music included! Each show consists of four separate, 10 minute interviews exploring that guest’s personal or company story. The show streams live on WCOBM, Facebook, and YouTube at 4:00 p.m. on the third Wednesday of every month and is then available on demand. Find us at https://www.wcobm.tv/gtwo.

What is on the horizon for you and AMA Los Angeles?

This year is going to be even more focused on the membership value proposition. In other words, we want to ensure that membership provides the benefits that are important to each member. For example, we’re launching a new executive programming track for members only to learn from and network with local marketing executives in an intimate, exclusive format. We’re excited! We’ve also developed partnerships with the other West Coast chapters where LA members may attend events in San Francisco, Portland, Seattle, and others as if they are a member of that chapter, and vice versa for us.

Learn more about the American Marketing Association (and become a member!) at ama.org.

Ann Convery: Featured Panelist at How to Find and Retain New Customers Event

On Thursday, May 25th, 2017 Ann Convery, creator of Speak Your Business™, will be a featured panelist at the event How to Find and Retain New Customers, presented by American Marketing Association (AMA) Los Angeles. This unique event, which will be held at General Assembly in Santa Monica, California, will focus on how marketing professionals, agencies, and content creators can best attract and keep their clients and customers.

Joining Ann on the panel will be:

► Anil Punyapu: SVP of Sales, Cvent

► Elizabeth Primm: Industry Director, Twitter

► Sean Kelly: Head of Sales, Spotify

The event will be moderated by Philip Rebentisch, President of AMA Los Angeles

TALK TO THE LIZARD BRAIN

Speak Your Business™, Ann’s signature system, uses neuromarketing and other tools to show business owners how to transform their messages into client magnets that increase revenues, win the pitch, and boost the bottom line. Ann’s system focuses on targeting the Lizard Brain, the part of the brain that makes decisions. With Ann’s system, business owners talk to the “decision-maker” every time they communicate.

CAPTURE, KEEP, SHARE

Ann’s system shows how using the 5 rules of the Lizard Brain, in a brief story, makes it possible to capture anyone’s attention in 8 seconds. Lizard Brain stories make it a cinch to keep that attention, and get prospects and customers to care about the story they just heard.

GLOBAL TO LOCAL

Ann has delivered over 150 trainings in Barcelona, Madrid, Liverpool, Mexico City, New York, Chicago, Seattle, and California. She has worked in over 25 different industries with clients on four continents. Recently Ann worked with digital tech entrepreneurs at Cross Campus, the hub of L.A.’s Silicon Beach community.

For over 15 years Ann has prepared top professionals to appear on CNN, Oprah, Fx News, 60 Minutes, The Wall Street Journal, and numerous other outlets. Her media training evolved into Speak Your Business, a company that is out to revolutionize the way business owners communicate.

ALL MARKETING CHANNELS

Speak your Business works across all marketing channels, including personal introductions, customer and investor pitches, speeches, presentations, sales conversion, and b2b or b2c – online and off.

Ann has been interviewed by The Los Angeles Times, Elle, Cosmopolitan, ABC-TV, Entrepreneur, and many other media. Her two books were published by Harper Collins.

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Thursday, May 25, 2017
6:30 – 9:00 pm PDT

General Assembly
1520 2nd Street
Santa Monica, CA 90401

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