Do-It-Yourself Publicity Lessons from The Wizard of Oz

The just released 70th Anniversary Edition of the
classic film “The Wizard of Oz” is as memorable and evergreen as the
Emerald City. And, the story brings into clear focus some powerful
do-it-yourself publicity lessons that are equally evergreen for
business and success planning for the New Year.

• You
  don’t have to fly over the rainbow to get much of what you want. Most
  of the media coverage you seek to make a difference in your business
  can be found in your own backyard.
• Don’t let “blue bird
  envy” stand in your way. Wishing and hoping doesn’t get the job done.
  Get into action today to earn the attention you seek for your message.
• Don’t
  be afraid to ask for help to get what you need. Good witches and
  mentors are everywhere — if you just ask the local munchkins for
  quality recommendations.
• Along your yellow brick road to
  success, don’t settle for Munchkin Land when the Land of Oz is what you
  really want. Think big about what you want to accomplish and the
  perfect media outlets where you most want your message to be heard.
• Celebrate
  new media. If the crystal ball isn’t delivering the solutions and
  information you need, find alternative ways learn what you need to know
  to carry your message forward.
• There will be forks in the
  road and different paths to take along your journey to DIY publicity
  success. Make a choice, put some spring in your step, and have some fun
  along the way.
• It takes brains, courage, and heart to make your message stand out.
• Frame your story as a horse of a different color so it stands apart.
• Choose local color to invite memorable and remarkable photo opportunities.
• You
  have to be willing to put up with things that get in your way, like
  angry apples, flying monkeys, wicked witches, and sleep-inducing
  poppies.
• Put your best dress on and your best face forward before you make your pitch.
• Collaborate with a quality team when making your approach.
• Never
  underestimate the power of a sassy pair of shoes to boost your
  confidence when pitching a story or doing anything that really matters
  in your life.
• Don’t easily surrender Dorothy. Be willing to fight for the coverage you want.
• “Pay
  no attention to that man behind the curtain.” You have more power to
  make things happen in your business than you ever thought possible. You
  just have to look in your bag of tricks to find the right tools and
  resources to the get the mission accomplished. And you have to use them.
• There is no place like home. Start your media efforts close to home.
• Earn
  loyal friends, fans and followers with every step you take. That will
  go a long way to lend strength and momentum to your buzz-building
  effort here and beyond, today and forever.
• As you make your
  own storytelling plans for the New Year, commit to learning new skills
  to make sure your message is heard, or add the right members to your
  winning team to bring an element of magic dust to your success equation.
• Set
  your course, make your plans, and journey forward with quality effort
  and the conviction to achieve the media recognition you seek.
• Just as Dorothy discovered, you can make a lot of magic happen if you just click your heels together and get to work.

Nancy
S. Juetten is a newspaper columnist, speaker, Publici-Tea trainer, and
the author of the Bye-Bye Boring Bio Action Guide. If you are a rock
star, but your website bio is all washed up, this guide shows you how
to write a rockin’ bio, one step by easy step. Get an excerpt from this
popular guide when you opt-in to receive the Media-Savvy-to-Go ezine at
http://www.byebyeboringbio.com.