Key Takeaways: Don’t Publish or Post Without ‘Em

Follow the sniff, sip and gulp model

In today’s time-pressed society, you only have a split second to convince someone to read what you have to say. After quickly scanning the headline and subhead, a reader may take a quick glance to see who the author is and then make a snap judgement to do one of three things:

1. Drop everything and read immediately.

2. Save for nighttime/weekend reading.

3. Ignore/Delete.

 

By including three or four summary bullet points at the top of your content – from blog posts and articles to white papers and podcast transcripts -- you’ll greatly increase the odds they’ll take Action #1 or Action #2 above.

 

Whether you call them Key Takeaways, Hot Takes, Key Learnings, Summary Bullets or simply Takeaways, those hardworking bullet points at the top of your content should provide readers with an instant summary of what they will learn if they invest the time to engage with your words that follow.

 

Not sure what to include in your bullets? Think of bullets as mini headlines that outline the most valuable things a reader will take with them after reading your piece. Is it a better way of doing something in the career or their life? Debunking a popular belief? Learning something new that most people don’t know. Deconstructing something complex and making it simple? Whatever your objective, the Key Takeaways should be brief, actionable and accurate.

 

How long should Key Takeaways be? No more than two lines long. Preferable no more than 144 characters which is about 20-30 words max (more on that in a minute). Use action verbs whenever possible. This condensed format forces you to remove the fluff and get right to the point. Here are some good examples from our clients’ work (click on hyperlinks to see Key Takeaways in live content):

·        At Times Like These, You Have More Control Than You Think

·        What Nonpublic Companies Need to Know About Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation

·        What March Madness Brackets Teach Us About Investing Mistakes

 

The thing that’s great about restricting yourself to 144 characters is that you can create a tweet or post out of each bullet with a link to the full piece. Several of our clients have been “Tweetables” regularly such as this example and this one.

 

I have so much great material, it’s hard to pick three bullets. Hopefully you created an outline before you started the writing process. The skeleton of your outline can easily be turned into Key Takeaways. If you still having trouble distilling your content piece into a few concise bullet points, that’s a sign that you may be rambling, or perhaps are trying to cover too much in a single post, article, bulletin. It might be time to go back to the editing room or consider breaking your piece into Part 1 and Part 2 before making it live.

 

Sniff. Sip. Gulp. If you can’t provide the reader with a quick mini tour of your work, there’s a good chance you’ll lose them enroute to the finish line. As Investment Company Institute’s George Breeden, CAE once said in a presentation I attended, follow the “Sniff, Sip and Gulp” model.  First give the reader a sniff of your content (Headline). If they’re intrigued, then let them sip a brief sampling sip of what’s inside (Key Takeaways). Only after you’ve passed the reader’s sniff and sip test, should you hit them with the full gulp of content. Forcing them to gulp before they’ve have had a chance to sniff and sip, is overwhelming. When readers feel overwhelmed with information, their gag reflex is to hit the delete key and walk away.

 

Don’t play click bait game. Another disturbing trend I’ve seen is the use of provocative words or phrases within subject lines, headlines, even Key Takeaways in order to grab the reader’s attention. DON’T use “sex positions” or “salary survey” or “Kardashian” or “Musk” unless your content really is about those topics. If you do, be ready for the backlash.

 

Conclusion

Do yourself and your readers a favor. Respect their time. Summarize accurately. Highlight the three or four most valuable things readers will gain if they invest their valuable time with your words. If you do, they’ll be happy to post comments, share on their social channels, and keep coming back for more. They may even become clients.

Don’t agree? Tell me why.

Here’s how you can support the people of Ukraine

 

#KeyTakeaways, #SummaryBullets, #ContentMarketing

March Madness Confirms Humans Don’t Add Much Alpha

First let me tell you why I love the annual NCAA men’s Division I basketball tournament (aka March Madness). It’s the ultimate reality show. Where else can little known universities such as St. Peters, Loyola of Chicago, Murray State, Weber State, Florida Gulf Coast and Valparaiso suddenly jump into the national limelight with upset wins over perennial powerhouses.

If you don’t think March Madness success has much to do with a school’s brand recognition or athletic recruiting, think again. I know it’s hard to believe but 20 years ago, no one outside of eastern Washington had heard of Gonzaga University. Now the Zags are a national powerhouse. In fact, they’re the No.1 ranked team in the entire country ahead of Kentucky, UCLA, Kansas, Duke, North Carolina and all the Big Ten universities.

Don’t think that helps a school’s brand? Since 1999 applications to Gonzaga have increased 300 percent and enrollment has increased by  more than 86 percent. Hmm.

This year’s “Cinderella” team has been tiny St. Peter’s University of Jersey City, NJ (undergrad enrollment 2,200), The Peacocks upset mighty Kentucky (31,000 undergraduates) in the first round and then defeated former Cinderella Murray State in the second round to remain one of only 16 teams left in the tournament. Only 1.5 percent of brackets had the “Peacocks” advancing to the “Sweet 16.” St. Peters head coach Shaheen Holloway earns a fraction of what the lowest paid assistant in the Kentucky program earns.

What’s not to like?

St. Peter’s president, Eugene Cornacchia, told the North Jersey media “For our whole community, this is a seminal moment in our history. We can’t put $8-10 million into the (basketball) program,” [referring to Kentucky?] “but nonetheless you see what we can do if you have a great coach and players who are hard-working and committed. This is truly a miracle story.”

Not only did the St. Peters website crash after the win over Kentucky, but Cornacchia said the school has already seen increased applications from students. “There’s just been an outpouring of media attention across the country that has been unbelievable. Now I know why they call it March Madness… We’ve been hearing from people around the country about our T-shirts. We ran out real fast.”

Bracketology is not an exact science

Feel good stories aside, I love filling out the tournament brackets as do 20 million other sports fans, office workers, lodge buddies, fraternity brothers and millions of other people who never watch college hoops the rest of the year. Filling out brackets can be great for office morale, despite the drop in productivity. Plus, the tourney is a great reality show. It’s got heroes and villains, alliances and backstabbing. There’s no best of seven. It’s single-elimination win or go home. Just pick which team you think will win each game and each round. It couldn’t be easier. But it’s not -- at least for humans.

There’s no shortage of information to make an informed decision and you don’t have to be an “accredited” gambler to play. It’s almost impossible NOT to find a free printable bracket on the web. You get the official NCAA seeding number for each team (ranked 1 through 16). You get their season record. The Vegas odds for each game are everywhere on the web. You can even get injury reports, stats for each player, and each team’s national ranking on two-dozen common metrics. It’s all publicly available and free of charge.

Yet nobody – NOBODY -- seems able to fill out a perfect or even near-perfect bracket. This year, not a single one of the 20 million brackets filled out on the Yahoo, Capital One or CBS Sportline bracket challenges were correct after the first two rounds of the tournament. In fact, only one of the 20 million brackets had even 15 of the remaining “Sweet 16” correct and only .001 percent had even 14 out of 16 teams remaining.

As with stock picking, humans are just lousy identifiers of winners, even when you have a wealth of information, years of experience and high-powered computers at your disposal. Here’s another dirty secret. Despite all the upsets every year, you can do darn well just by picking the favored teams (i.e., the higher seeded ones). It’s like investing in index funds – unmanaged and emotion-free.

You’ll consistently finish in the 75^th percentile of your office pool just by picking the large cap favorites. This year that unmanaged “set it and forget it” strategy would put you in the 91^st percentile as we enter the Sweet 16. Sure, you need a few low-ranked small caps and under-valued “value picks” to score some bonus points in the early rounds, but by the time we got to the Elite 8 and Final Four, the big boys tend to rise to the top.

Going back to 1985, #1 Seeds have won the national title about two-thirds of the time (23 out of 36). That’s more than all the other seeds combined. Teams seeded #2 have won the title five times, #3 seeds have won four times and then just a smattering of one-offs for the remaining years. No team seeded 9^th or lower has ever won the tournament.

So how much alpha are human bracketologists adding? Not much. Just like active managers. That’s what makes March Madness fun – especially for behavioral finance observers like me. Just don’t put real money into your March Madness wagers.

Conclusion

Even with perfect information and a level playing field, humans just can’t override their emotions when it comes to March Madness. Same goes for the markets. I’m okay with that and so is my wallet.

Don’t agree? Tell me why.

Here’s how you can support the people of Ukraine

 

 

#marchmadness, #bracketology, #stockpicking, #ncaabasketball, #StPeters

Baseball: The National Past (It’s) Time

With all the problems in the world today, the last thing we need are billionaire team owners squabbling with millionaire ballplayers over money. With Opening Day and the first week of the Major League Baseball season canceled, fans and viewers may not return if and when the owner-player dispute is settled.

With a “minimum wage” of $700,000, the lowest paid Major League ballplayer earns more than 12x what the average American household makes in a year. And that’s for a six month a year job that includes free healthcare, first class travel, generous per diem and a pension. Not good enough the player’s union says.

The owners meanwhile have long enjoyed a special anti-trust exemption from the U.S. government that allows them to collude on wages, territorial monopolies and TV rights etc. under the guise of “competitive” balance. They can also force municipal taxpayers to build them new ballparks or else threaten to take their franchise elsewhere. With these good ole boy provisions in hand, the average Major League Baseball franchise has nearly quadrupled in value over the past 10 year to over $1.9 billion. Not good enough say the owners.

Meanwhile, both sides couldn’t care less about the stadium ushers, locker room staff, food vendors, security guards and parking lot attendants who will be losing their paychecks as the lockout continues. Unlike the wealthy players and owners, those folks can’t afford to skip a year of work and still hope to make ends meet.

Three strikes, you’re out

Baseball’s No.1 job right now is to give us something to cheer about as COVID, war in Eastern Europe, sky high inflation, and a host of other worries test the resolve of even the most optimistic among us. STRIKE ONE! Baseball’s secondary job is to give us a sense of normalcy in an increasingly volatile and unstable world. STRIKE TWO! Job No.3 is to give those of us in the frigid Northeast and Midwest a sense of hope for springtime and a respite from sky high energy prices and Artic temperatures. STRIKE THREE!

Ring ‘em MLB. Yer’ outta here!

Hubris

For almost a century, baseball was America’s game (aka. “The National Pastime). Despite dwindling attendance, declining youth participation, evaporating minority representation and drug scandals, Major League Baseball continues its entitled ways like a petulant child told it can’t have ice cream right before dinner. The ancient Romans took the survival of their empire and republic for granted. They over-expanded and lost control of the wheel as infighting and hungrier global challengers knocked them off their pedestal. It was a sharp and painful fall. Sound familiar?

Clearly football and basketball have supplanted baseball as America’s past-times at both the professional and collegiate level. And if the owners and commissioner aren’t careful, Major League Soccer – which plays approximately the same March through October schedule -- while leave MLB in its dust as well. Soccer has clearly won the youth participation battle, so it’s only a matter of time.

Speaking of attendance, here are two stats that caught my eye:

Average Attendance 2021

• Major League Baseball: 18,900
• Major League Soccer: 15,158
  
  

• Atlanta Braves (2021 World Series champions) 29,490
• Atlanta United (Major League Soccer):  43,964

What owners, players and commissioners need to understand is that their days are numbered if they want to remain relevant. While soccer is considered the No.1 spectator sport in the world, it is not considered among the four major U.S. sports leagues (yet).

Personally, I’ll miss baseball for a number of reasons:

• Rebirth and renewal. Spring training means another frigid winter in the Northeast or Midwest is fast approaching. Every team has a .500 record and unlimited upside potential.
• In the blood. I played the game reasonably well growing up. My dad played. My father-in-law played. My brothers in law all played. Both my sons played, including my youngest who is still playing in college.
• Community fabric. Our hometown (population 80,000) has sent over half a dozen residents to the Major Leagues. The town’s two high schools finished first and fourth in the statewide baseball tournament last spring, and its youth teams routinely make it to the state, regional and national finals.
• Memories. I still remember my dad taking to my first game at Philadelphia’s crumbling Connie Mack Stadium. Phillies vs. Mets doubleheader. It was the greenest grass, whitest chalk lines and tastiest hot dogs I had ever experienced. Later I was an assistant coach for my son’s Little League team that won the state championship and came within one out of winning the New England Regional. What a ride! More than half of those kids are now playing in college.
• Leisurely pace. In this fast-paced frenetic world, I enjoy having a game on in the background. The players, not the clock, dictate the pace. Players wait patiently for their turn at bat. New pitchers and pinch hitters have all the time they need to warm up properly. The game ends when the game ends.

Let’s face it, even in the best of times, only five or six teams have a reasonable chance of making it to the World Series. The other two dozen teams are grinding through a way-too-long 162 game schedule. They’re  going through the motions, entertaining the fans, being role models for the kids and trying to figure out how to rebuild. As entertainers and role models, MLB is failing miserable at a time when we could sure use a distraction.

Conclusion

Without spring training and opening day, I’ll enjoy March Madness college basketball, the NBA and NHL playoffs into June, catch a few soccer games in July and before you know it, it will be late summer, time for NFL training camp and the college football season. Baseball, it’s been a wonderful 40 years together. But I think we all know it’s time to move on. You’ve betrayed too many times.

Don’t agree? Tell me why.

 

#baseball, #MLB, #baseballlockout

Inflation Worries Inflated?

Yep, we have plenty to worry about as we grind through another seemingly endless winter on the two-year anniversary of the pandemic (2/22/22). Russia has invaded Ukraine. The first of many interest rate hikes seems imminent. Tax rates are likely going up. COVID remains omnipresent. The long-running bull market is taking a breather to massage out some leg cramps as it officially enters “correction” territory.

At times like these my dad used to say: “Things are never as good or as bad as they seem.”  He had a very high stress job which often involved life-and-death situations. But he kept things even keel and rarely brought his worries home with him.

His point was this: Whenever you’re on a roll -- whether in business, sports, investing, gambling or even your romantic life -- there are “cracks in the foundation” you’re not seeing because you’re caught up in the euphoria of your winning streak. And when it seems like you can’t get a break, no matter which direction you turn, there are actually good things happening all around you, but you’re not seeing them as you wallow is pessimism or self-pity.

Lessons from the Super Bowl

Case in point: At least two recent Super Bowl winners (2017 Philadelphia Eagles and 2015 Denver Broncos) have been in painful rebuild mode ever since they hoisted the Lombardi Trophy. Did they just get cocky or lazy after becoming world champs? No. They were simply a team of over-achievers that came together for one magical season despite all the aging veterans hobbling through in the final years of their contracts. They defied the odds with a roster held together with duct tape and safety pins. It makes for great stories the media and call-in-shows, but doesn’t set the foundation for a dynasty.

Momentum myopia works the same way when you’re on the schneid. Take the markets. While the S&P 500 officially entered “correction” territory today, did you know the index is still up more than 98% from where it was at this time five years ago? That’s better than a 14% annual rate of return!

 

Take inflation. The Labor Department reported earlier this month that the consumer-price index (CPI) in January reached its highest level since February 1982, when compared with the same month a year ago. As The Wall Street Journal reported, “that put inflation above December’s 7% annual rate and well above the 1.8% annual rate for inflation in 2019 ahead of the pandemic.”

Not great news, but let’s remember we’re talking about an arbitrary 12-month period today (Jan 2021 – Jan 2022) and comparing it to an arbitrary 12-month period 40 years ago (Jan 1981 – Jan 1982). If you widen the parameters of your comparison, you’ll see the peaks and valleys are not nearly as steep.

While we’re seeing jaw-dropping year-over-year price increases for things like gasoline (+49.6%), used cars & trucks (+37.3%) and energy +29.3%), let’s remember we’re coming off the extraordinarily low pandemic era prices when nobody went anywhere or did much of anything.

Let’s go back to 2019, a full year before the pandemic. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the CPI stood at 255.7. Today it stands at 281.9, including a substantial jump last month. If my math is correct, the CPI has risen just 10% over the tumultuous last three years, a compound annual rate of about 3.3%. Not much higher than the historical rate of inflation in the U.S.

Still not convinced? Take a look at gas prices, which everyone can relate to. Some of my earliest childhood memories are of around-the-block gas lines during the Arab oil embargo of the early 1980s. You may be old enough to remember it was the first time that gas prices first hit an un-American $1 a gallon (gasp!)

Today the price of gas has more than tripled to $3.44 a gallon according to U.S. Energy Information Administration stats. That seems pretty steep, but if you do the math, you’ll see it’s a compound annual growth rate of less than 3%. There’s that 3% number again -- the long-term historical rate of inflation. When it comes to gasoline, we just got spoiled by $2.10 a gallon during the depths of the pandemic (November 2022). Same goes for interest rates. Even if the Fed invokes four separate rates hikes in 2022, each hike is likely to be no more than 25 basis points. So if rates are a full 1% higher than they are today, the will still be extremely low by historical standards.

It may get tougher for those with huge credit card debt or variable rate mortgages they never should have qualified for in the first place, but I don’t think that’s the case for most of your clients.

I feel your pain

I know rent and housing costs keep spiraling upward. I just got whacked with a 25% increase for my office space. I was pissed when I first saw the new lease – especially with so much commercial space available. But my wife reminded how much nicer the building is than when I moved in a dozen years ago. And now the lease includes a fully renovated office, VOIP phone service, high speed internet, unlimited coffee and access to a stunning roof patio and a modern 24/7 gym right in the building. So even though I’m paying 70% more than I did a dozen years ago. Do the math: it’s an average annual increase of only 4.1% for much nicer digs. Don’t tell the building owner, but that makes writing the monthly rent check a little less painful.

Bottom line: let’s take the long-view here and not get spooked by the doom-and-gloom headlines.

Conclusion

Writer and humorist, Sam Ewing, once said: “Inflation is when you pay $15 for the $10 haircut you used to get for $5 when you had hair.” Perhaps, but eventually you get to an age in which you don’t need as many haircuts as you used to and or you stop caring what you look like on Zoom calls. So, in the long run everything evens out.

Don’t agree? Tell me why.

 

 

#inflation, #marketcorrection, #volatility

Zoom Fatigued? Go ‘Old School’ with Audio-Only Virtual Meetings

Guest Post: Tina Dietz

Much has been written about improving team connectivity and maintaining company culture in a remote working environment. The prevailing solution to increase team communication and productivity is having virtual meetings through Zoom, Slack, Skype, Google Meet and other video meeting platforms. Yet, we can all agree that “Zoom fatigue” is real and can undermine team cohesion and job performance. So, what do we do to enhance our team’s relationships, bolster company culture and lead our team well, even when we are working remotely? There’s a very simple, yet powerful answer: We listen!

Research shows that with audio-only communication, we develop better listening skills, become more attuned to our team’s needs, form deeper connections and establish a culture of verbal equity. In turn, this increases overall productivity and happiness, strengthens dedication to the organization and reduces stress levels.

A recent academic study suggested that audio-only communication improves team cohesion and productivity, whereas video communication can undermine group problem-solving and may contribute to verbal inequity (which is an unequal distribution of talking time for each person). This can lead to some people dominating the conversation and can result in an unintentional relational strain among team members, which will negatively impact effectiveness.

However, the study also showed that when audio-only communication is used, team communication is more evenly distributed, because members are not relying on visual cues that indicate that others are continuing to, or are about to, speak. This frees up people who are inhibited by the fear of interrupting to add to the conversation. The study also revealed that in audio-only meetings, members mirrored one another’s vocal tone and pitch much more than they did in video interactions. This vocal mirroring increased their connection and their ability to problem-solve. Furthermore, some people rated their peers as more likable and trustworthy in audio-only interactions.

In addition to increasing productivity and strengthening team connection, audio-only meetings help us understand our team members better. Auditory discernment is a powerful tool. Our ability to determine others’ emotions simply by hearing their voices is evident through our personal experience and has been proven in multiple studies.

We’ve all had the experience of knowing if a friend is talking to a coworker or a family member without even hearing the name of who they’re speaking to. In fact, in one study, participants were instructed to listen to an audio clip of someone asking the simple question, “How are you?” and try to determine whether they were talking to a platonic friend or to a romantic partner. Interestingly, participants had an accuracy rate of 60.2%. This implies audio-only meetings help us better understand our team because we are not distracted by the mixed signals that visual cues and vocal tone can potentially send. Therefore, over time, we can become more attuned to our team’s needs and know when it’s best to address issues, adjust our communication style or offer support.

Furthermore, through audio-only communication, leaders encourage active listening (intentional listening and emotionally-intelligent engagement) among the entire team. According to researchers from the University of Iceland, when supervisors actively listened to their employees, employees reported higher dedication and vigor. This correlated to an increase in reciprocal communication, more psychological safety throughout the organization and improved physical and mental health. Taken further, this indicates that when leaders establish an environment where everyone’s voice is heard and people engage in thoughtful participation, we create a climate where we can maximize strengths, address weaknesses and curb burnout. 

Audio allows you to be yourself

Finally, one of the most powerful ways audio-only meetings increase team relationships and performance is by reducing stress. On the technical side, audio-only meetings help mitigate issues due to a poor internet connection (we’ve all had our faces frozen in a contorted expression for everyone to see, haven’t we?). Additionally, it is human nature that we become more self-aware when we see ourselves on camera. Sometimes, we focus so much on what we look like that our attention is divided and we do not engage in the meeting as well as we could have. In audio-only meetings, no one has to worry about making sure we get the proper camera angle or the lighting is correct. It doesn’t matter if our hair isn’t done, our background is a mess or if our child runs into the room. Audio-only meetings allow everyone to be more relaxed, which leads to clearer thinking and higher productivity.

When we turn off the camera and adopt audio-only meetings, we can improve our team’s communication and efficiency, strengthen relationships, have a deeper understanding of others, better engage in active listening and reduce stress for ourselves and our colleagues.

So, what can we do to capitalize on these benefits, other than turning off the camera?

Be patient. The benefits will not happen overnight. At first, the conference call will be filled with interruptions. However, as your team learns one another’s rhythms, these interruptions should lessen.

Relax during the conversation. Because we are so used to “Zooming” into every meeting, we’ll initially stare at our computer or phone, as if we are on camera. Nevertheless, with each meeting, you and your team will relax, which will allow everyone to be more transparent with one another.

Intentionally listen during the call. Who else has accidentally zoned out during a phone call because they were free to do something else, like laundry? An easy way to ensure you are actively listening on team conference calls is by imagining that you are in a one-on-one conversation with whoever is speaking. This will help you be more attentive and gain insights into every member of your team.   

Ironically, audio is sometimes better equipped than video for the modern professional’s lifestyle. One client of mine is a top-notch salesperson who is constantly driving to client meetings. She finds it so much more efficient (and safer) to stay in touch with her team via conference call than Zoom when behind the wheel. Another colleague is a competitive triathlete who squeezes two daily workouts into his packed schedule. While he doesn’t try to have client meetings on the bike or in the pool, he does find himself frequently eating meals at his desk or dressed in workout attire. He finds audio significantly more efficient than video for staying in touch with clients and team members.

Conclusion

Remember: Turn off your camera, be patient, relax and focus on whoever is speaking. Try going “old school” with audio-only meetings where you can and implement these steps to give yourself and your team a new level of connection and the potential for higher productivity.

Tina Dietz is the CEO of Twin Flames Studios, an award-winning audio production company dedicated to transforming senior leaders and mature companies into global industry thought leaders.

 

Still Not Sure What to Write About?

Having a bylined article in your name is one of the most effective ways to establish credibility in your industry and position yourself as the go-to expert in your area of expertise. It also makes you a magnet for podcast producers, speaker bureaus and conference organizers seeking articulate experts.

In fact, the annual CPA | Wealth Advisor Confidence Survey™ found bylined articles are among the Top-5 thought leadership tactics that financial advisors can use (82% of respondents agreed). Our last post (Getting Your Bylined Articles Published) walked you through best practices for building relationships with busy editors. Today, let’s talk a closer look at the types of bylined articles most likely to get you the green light from busy editors.

Without being arrogant or self-serving, you want to help your peers learn a strategy, skill, or technique; solve a problem; or provide information or analysis to readers (or listeners or viewers) that helps them earn more money, become more efficient and stay in compliance. In media-speak we call this “service journalism.” Here are some examples:

• An interpretation or explanation of a market trend, and how to adjust to it or exploit it.
• An analysis of a new law or regulation, with tips on compliance.
• Case studies, and the lessons learned from them.
• Problem-solution stories.
• Common mistakes and how to avoid them.
• Using new technology to gain a competitive advantage
• How to work more efficiently, use time more effectively Building and nurturing professional relationships

A service piece often provides analysis and interpretation of hard news. That means following a breaking news story with discussion of how it affects a particular audience and what action they can take to adapt, accommodate, comply, or exploit the new development.

Here are five suggested angles to consider for your next bylined column:

1) How to. Give the reader clear, step-by-step instructions for accomplishing a difficult task, or an ingenious solution to a common problem. For example: “10 steps to helping your client exit their business and get crystal clear about what’s next.”

2) Trend/ “You’re Not Alone.” Whenever an emerging trend sweeps a profession or industry, articles explaining the trend to different audiences appear everywhere. “If you think more and more advisory firms are merging than ever before, you’re not alone…..The latest research from {source] shows that ……. But what you might not realize is that ………”.

3) Survey Results. These articles report findings of a survey or other authoritative study (See first paragraph of this post). One key is to summarize the conclusions at the beginning of the article, and then support the conclusions by elaborating on who conducted the survey, how it was conducted, who were the respondents, what questions were asked, and what were the responses (using tables instead of prose whenever possible).

4) The Contentious Premise. If you have an idea that is novel, contrarian, or challenging to readers’ sensibilities, don’t hesitate to put it out there – you might become known as an innovator or pioneer. For instance: “Why more and more retirees still have an 80/20 allocation of stocks to bonds.” It’s great to be provocative, but you must support your contrarian premise with hard facts, data, cases, experience, and/or authority.

5) Tie in to current news trends, important deadline or significant date. Suggest a piece about “The Top Five 529 Plan Mistakes” leading up to a publisher’s May 29th issue.

Conclusion

As a guest columnist, you have two jobs:
1) To inform readers and advance your profession (not sell your services).
2) Make the editor’s life easier, not harder.

You probably won’t earn as much as a writer as you do for your “day job” – but the value of name recognition and high quality client leads your bylined column generates can give you a 10X to 100X multiplier for your efforts.

Ping me any time to discuss further.

*** Take our weekly instaPoll (How many rate hikes do you expect in 2022?)

 

#thoughtleadership, #bylinedarticle, #credibilitymarketing

 

Getting Your Bylined Articles Published

Rarely a week goes by when someone doesn’t send me a link to an article in The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Business Insider or Barron’s that’s written by someone they know – often a competitor. “What do I have to do to get in there?” they ask me with exasperation. “I know more about [topic X] than he/she does!”

Okay. Prove it.

You may know more about topic X than your competitor does, but he or she seems to know more about working the press. Here’s the good news. With today’s shrinking newsrooms, you’re likely to see more content bylined by people who don’t seem to have the words “staff writer” or “staff reporter” after their names. So it shouldn’t be that hard to get a byline in a prestigious national media outlet that’s read by millions, right?

Not so fast. Here are three important considerations.

1. Don’t wait by the phone. Media outlets aren’t likely to call you unsolicited unless you’re an A-list celebrity, a superstar athlete or a university professor who’s an expert in a very arcane area that just happens to be in the news due to a recent catastrophe, natural disaster or astronomical phenomenon.

2. Open your wallet. If you’re willing to pay for advertising space, sponsor a related conference, or pay a fee to be listed as an “Advisory Council” member (sorry Forbes), the editors will find a way to get you some space to be heard.

3. Become a trusted source. In media jargon we call this “earned media” as opposed to “paid media” see #2 above. Earned media will take some legwork, since most journalists, editors and bloggers don’t have time for lunch, golf or drinks these days. But it’s worth the effort. I’ll explain in a minute.

Steps to becoming a trusted source:

1. Isolate a half dozen media outlets in which you’d like to be seen. Ask a team member to see which journalists are covering areas of your expertise regularly. Review recent articles they’ve published and get familiar with their style and publishing frequency.

2. Send the targeted journalist/blogger a brief email or voicemail thanking them for covering Topic X. Cite a brief excerpt from a recent story to show you’ve read their work. Let them know you’re available for comment when they do their next follow-up story on Topic X. Include links to recent articles or presentations you’ve done about Topic X to show you know your stuff.

NOTE: You may notice many journalists don’t make their email addresses publicly available. You can usually reach them by phone by calling the media outlet phone directory. You can also approach many on their Twitter feeds, LinkedIn profiles or personal websites. You can also subscribe to journalist databases, but I have a few other legal and ethical ways to reach busy journalists for free….Ping me for tips.

3. Be ready to respond quickly. After you’ve proven yourself a reliable source who understands a targeted media outlet’s audience (i.e., your peers), they will start calling you eventually for background. Just know the journalist won’t be sending a camera crew to your home or office for a lengthy sit-down interview. The questions often come in on tight deadline and you’ll often have to respond within 48 hours to be included in the article. NOTE: Always have someone on your team proof your comments before sending. Don’t make a time-pressed journalist do any more work than they already have on their plate.

NOTE: We have an economical service here at HB Publishing that alerts you to breaking stories that journalists with tight deadlines are working on.

4. Confirm the writing policies before pitching story ideas. Once you've identified possible guest column opportunities, call or e-mail the editor to confirm the writing policies, potential opportunities and specifications for the article. Most media outlets have strict rules about what should (and shouldn't) be included in guest columns. Word count, style and format, use of source materials and attribution will be spelled out as well as the rights they’ll need to your work (i.e., exclusivity vs. first rights, etc.).

Most media outlets will discourage you from referencing your company or product overtly in the article. Doing so could cause the story to be killed or heavily edited. To avoid such penalties, it's best to err on the side of caution. Keep it above board, just as you would when speaking at an industry conference.

5. Pitch a concise story outline. Don’t send the full manuscript. Before an editor accepts your pitch, he or she will likely ask you to submit an outline and a one-paragraph abstract summarizing your proposal. Even if such materials aren't required, it's good practice to prepare an outline before you get started.

Power of your byline

According to our annual CPA | Wealth Advisor Confidence Survey™, publishing a bylined article is one of the five most effective thought leadership tactics out of nearly two dozen choices we surveyed (82% of respondents agreed). Media outlets are always looking for new content with a fresh outlook to appeal to their audience.

The key benefits of bylines include:

• Establishing credibility in your area of expertise, and to your target audiences.
• Creating relationships with publications for future engagement.
• Starting conversations about issues for which you’re passionate.
• Positioning you as a trustworthy, go-to expert on a particular area that impacts your industry/profession and clients.
• Great platform for obtaining speaking engagements, radio interviews and podcast appearances. Speaker bureaus and producers are always scouring the web and the media for fresh voices and points of view. Having a byline in a prestigious media outlet makes you instantly “vetted.”

Conclusion

You may not win a Pulitzer, but bylined articles are one of the most effective tools available for establishing credibility with a target audience. If nothing else, they showcase you and your organization as a thought leader in your field. The article will draw attention to the stature and strength of your company which helps differentiate it from competitors. We have plenty of ways to make the process less daunting and time-consuming.

Ping me any time to discuss.

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