I just got off the phone with a consulting client.  We were talking about a huge publicity opportunity he thought he had.  I didn’t agree and I was able to persuade him in a different direction.

When I hung up, I thought about how many people I’ve consulted with who’ve had the same thought, that thought being:

“I’ve got an incredible publicity opportunity and I’ve got to take advantage of it RIGHT NOW!”

My first comment is that great publicity opportunities come your way just about every single day of your life.  You simply have to train yourself to spot them.  Or you have to get someone to help you spot them (Hmmm, I wonder who that would be…).

Every single day of my life for the past 20 years or so, I’ve been able to spot publicity opportunities for myself.  While I was looking at them, I saw  opportunities for many of my clients as well.

Every day, day after day, for over 20 years.

Publicity opportunities are raining down on you like a summertime cloud burst.

My second comment has to do with how people view their publicity strategies.

So many people have very narrow vision when it comes to planning publicity.  The vast majority of people look at the opportunity right in front of them.  They don’t think about the next step, and the next, and the next.

When my clients send out one press release, done the way I’ve taught them, and then get an avalanche of interviews from reporters, I call that a one shot wonder.  They sent out just one press release and they hit the big time.

Does it happen?  Sure.  It’s happened to lots of my clients and members.

But I don’t want them, or you, to count on one shot wonders.

I want you to have a well thought out strategy.

What will your first press release be about?  When will you send it out?

What will your second press release be about?  When will you send that one out?

And so on for at least 7 or 8 press releases.

Each one of those press releases should lead into the next one.  By that I mean you shouldn’t send out a press release this week on gardening, next week on tennis, the following week on saving money on insurance, etc.

Think of sending out press releases the way you do about dating.

Do you go out with a different person every week for the rest of your life?  Of course not.  You build each date into a long-term relationship.

That’s exactly what you should be doing with the reporters.

Your first release may be about spring planting in gardens.

The second release may be about spring fertilizing.

The third release may be about early weeding.

The fourth release may be about summer planting.

And so on.  Each release builds on the previous release.  Each release leads into the next.

Yep, my Brooklyn Bridge press release  was a one shot wonder.  I got publicity all around the world.  Publicity that continues to this very day.  That one release led me to incredible fame and wealth.

But a lot of that was because all the planets were in line, the stars were all out and my horoscope was in my favor.

Sure, knowing how to write a phenomenal press release helped.

But there’s no way I’m going to count on a one shot wonder to provide a steady flow of business.

If it happens, you hit the jackpot.  When people play the lottery and win, they hit the jackpot.

A better strategy is to have a clearly thought out plan, follow the plan and reap the rewards.

Don’t just think about the one publicity opportunity in front of you.  Don’t just think about the one press release you are working on now.

Think about what’s going to happen after that…and after that…and after that.

It’s a much better plan.

Gotta go.  The Jacuzzi’s ready and I’m going to soak.

Now that sounds like a plan.