POP! Your Communication In This Issue: June 2009  •   See What The Washington Post Says About Sam Horn •   Who Said This?? •   What Are You Waiting For? •   Is Anyone Ever Really Happy? •   The Socrates of Sound-Bites •   What Does Sam Have Coming Up That Can Benefit You? See What The Washington Post Says About Sam Horn What a pleasure it was being interviewed by Elizabeth Chang in the Washington Post Sunday Magazine. The article, Author Profits with Perfect Pitch, starts with, “Sam Horn is an expert at getting noticed, professionally and personally. The author, speaker and consultant, whose latest book is about naming and pitching products, always wears a black hat, so people can easily spot her at crowded conventions.” Elizabeth’s right. People at conferences often come up to me and say, “There you are! I’m writing a book (or developing a presentation) and so-and-so told me I had to talk to the ‘lady in the black hat.’” Since the point of POP! is to stand out in your crowd, it’s nice to know I’m practicing what I’m teaching. The article chronicled how I was inspired to develop the POP! Process after watching authors fail to favorably impress publishing decision-makers at the first Maui Writers Conference. “The agents’ and editors’ eyes would glaze over and the writers would talk themselves out of a deal,” Sam recalls. “She decided she could create a system for coming up with a pitch, title and tag line without ’spending a lot of money, having an MBA or sitting around and hoping creative lightning will strike.” The article ends with my heartfelt sentiments, “I feel incredibly fortunate. Every day, I get to work with people who thrill me and help them crystallize what they have to offer.” Thanks for capturing how lucky I feel to help people get their ideas out of their head and into the world where they make a positive difference for others and a prosperous living for them. As a follow-up to the interest generated by this article, I'm offering 3 POP! teleseminars open to the public in the next few weeks for a nominal fee. If you have an idea, message, business venture or creative project you want to stand out from its crowd so it, as Ken Blanchard says about POP!, "gets heard, gets remembered, gets results," keep reading to find out more about our: POP! Your Ideas teleseminar - Thurs. June 25 POP! Your Communication teleseminar - Wed. July 1 POP! Your Pitch & Proposal teleseminar - Mon. July 6   What Are You Waiting For? "My parents told me I wouldn't amount to anything because I procrastinated so much. I told 'em, ‘Just you wait.’” - Judy Tenuta, comedian Our opening keynoter at last year's Hawaii Writers Conference was the incomparable Bryce Courtenay. He shared the good news that Amazon.com had just notified him that his life-changing novel The Power of One, has been their 5th biggest-selling book for the past fifteen years . . . just after To Kill a Mockingbird. Go Bryce! Bryce rocked us in our seats with his oh-so-true observation that “Writing is a perishable skill." Are you waiting for the “write” time to finish your book? What if those perfect circumstances never come? If you have a story to tell and a message to share, join us Labor Day weekend at the historical Royal Hawaiian Hotel (yes, the famous Pink Palace) on the beach in Waikiki for our 17th annual Hawaii Writers Conference. We have an incredible line-up for this year’s event. It starts off with a week long intensive retreat (August 28 - Sept. 3) in which you have the luxury of immersing yourself in your project while working in a supportive small group with an instructor dedicated to helping you move your manuscript forward. The impressive instructors include such notables as Pulitzer Prize winner Ron Powers (Flags of our Fathers, Mark Twain) and first-Oprah-pick Jacquelyn Mitchard (Deep End of the Ocean). And yes, I’m heading up the Business/Self Help section and I’m looking forward, once again, to helping participants crystallize a commercially-viable project that gets interest from agents and editors. The conference itself (Sept. 4 – 7) begins with a gala starring songstress Norah Jones. I’ll be Emceeing (for the 17th year) and am excited about our great keynoters including: Mitch Albom (Tuesdays with Morrie and The 5 People You Meet in Heaven)   Jospeh Finder (The Moscow Club, High Crimes)   Alice Hoffman (Here on Earth)   Kristin Hannah (Firefly Lane, True Colors)   Michael Arndt (Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay – Little Miss Sunshine)   Bobby Moresco (Co-producer for Oscar winners Million Dollar Baby and Crash)   Diane Ossana (Golden Globe for Best Drama – Brokeback Mountain) Are you in the market for an agent, publisher or producer? Jump the chain of command and take advantage of this rare opportunity to meet face-to-face with publishing and Hollywood insiders who have the power to give you a contract. MWC (renamed Hawaii Writers Conference since we’ve relocated to Waikiki) originated the concept of giving authors and screenwriters the chance to pitch their projects directly to decision-makers. Save yourself time, money, frustration and the SLUSH PILE by connecting directly with such powerful agents (Jilian Manus) and editors as Neil Nyren of Putnam (represents Tom Clancy, Patricia Cornwell, Ken Follett, Clive Cussler) and Georgia Hughes of New World Library (Ekhart Tolle’s The Power of Now). If you have always wanted to get published or produced,THIS is your opportunity to stop wishing and start acting. Fast-forward your cookbook, childrens' book, business or self help book, memoir, screenplay or novel’s success by putting yourself in the place where luck is most likely to happen. Hope to see you in Hawaii for this chicken-skin (Hawaiian for goose-bumps) experience.   Click here to learn more about Sam's retreat group   The Socrates of Sound-Bites “My grandfather invented Cliff Notes in 1912. He thought of it... well, to make a long story short.” - comedian Steven Wright What a pleasure it was attending a recent breakfast book-signing/seminar sponsored by HooksBookEvents.com and the Greater Washington Board of Trade. The interviewee? Alan Webber (co-founder of Fast Company Magazine) The interviewer? Daniel Pink (author of A Whole New Mind) Sipping quality coffee and enjoying a croissant at the Ritz –Carlton while listening to two brilliant thought-leaders share lessons-learned. Not a bad way to start the morning. Alan revealed himself to be a fascinating speaker as he explained the stories behind a few of the pithy, profound nuggets from his new book Rules of Thumb: 52 Truths for Winning at Business Without Losing Yourself including: Learn to take NO as a question.   Take your work seriously. Yourself, not so much.   Content isn’t king; context is king.   Keep two lists: What gets me up in the morning? What keeps me up at night?   You don’t know if you don’t go. Wouldn’t you be compelled to pull his book off the shelf and turn to that chapter to find out more? That’s the power of POPing your ideas into Purposeful, Original, Pithy one-liners that make your points instantly intriguing. I complimented Alan with, “You are the Socrates of Sound-bites” and asked, “Do you have a process for Cliff-Noting your epiphanies into these concise, compelling insights?” He thought about it for a moment and then said, “Listen hard. Think in bumper-stickers." Smart man. If you would like to learn a) how to listen hard for the essence of your message, and b) turn that into compelling sound-bites that capture people’s favorable attention, register for our POP! Your Communication tele-seminar Wed. evening at 8 pm ET, July 1. Discover why National Public Radio's Richard Lederer says POP! is "engaging, easy to apply and jolly good fun" and why it can help you crystallize what you want and need to say so it wins buy-in from listeners. I promise not to waste your valuable time on ivory tower theories that have no relevance in the real world. We will hit the ground running with real-life ideas you can use immediately to “Cliff-Note” your communication so you say a lot in a little. The result? People get what you’re saying, respect what you’re saying and are motivated to support and/or act on your requests and recommendations. And yes, these ideas work with written and oral communication. Plan on having your project in front of you while you’re on the call so you can immediately apply these innovative suggestions to make your message more persuasive. Can’t make the live call? Email Info@SamHorn.com to find out how you can order the MP3 and listen at your convenience.   Who Said This?? "You know what it's like to wake up in the middle of the night with a vivid dream? And you know how, if you don't have a pencil and pad by the bed to write it down, it will be gone the next morning? Well, I had one of those dreams when I was 23. When I suddenly woke up, I was thinking: What if we could download the whole Web, and just keep the links..." Who is the person quoted above? The first person to email the correct answer to Kurt@SamHorn.com will receive their very own choice of one of Sam's CD's for FREE. HINT: The person quoted above is the co-founder of an extremely successful company that was started as a research project at Stanford University. This just goes to show that one of the most successful entrepreneurs in the world understands how important it is to "Ink It When You Think It." If there’s anything I’ve learned in 17 years of helping clients turn their ideas into income; it’s that this is how our best thoughts occur. They POP! into our mind. If we don’t write them down, they stop coming around. From now on, capitalize on each “AHA!” A = Alert. They’re not called fleeting thoughts for nothing. Keep your antennae up for what Ralph Waldo Emerson called, “gleams of light which flash across the mind from within.” Those are ideas wanting to be born. Jot those thoughts when they’re hot. Muse 'em or lose 'em. H = Hook and Hinge. Anne Lamott says, “Writers get to live life twice.” Immediately relate intuitive flashes to whatever project you’re working on. Ask, “How can I use this insight in this blog post, staff meeting, report or sales presentation?” You may not immediately know how or where it fits into your work. Just trust it will. A = Act. Ink it when you think it so it will be there waiting for you when you’re ready for it. Our greatest minds from Mozart to Einstein have understood that if we’re gifted with an insight, even in the middle of the night, it is our job to write it down immediately. If we don’t, we’re not keeping our end of the bargain and our creative sparks die for lack of attention. I remember a consulting client apologizing to me once for “getting off track.” I told her that “random thoughts” are top of mind which means they’re often more current, honest, and revelatory. Sure enough, she wrote down what she initially thought was irrelevant and it made her presentation more powerful because she addressed an elephant in the room issue most people ignore. From now on, take a pen or recorder everywhere you go and record AHA’s as they occur. Integrate those fresh AHA's into your work to give it more immediacy. Want more ways to catapult your creativity and make a mint from your mind? Sign up for our POP! Your Ideas tele-seminar on Thurs. June 25th at 8 pm ET. If you have an idea for a business venture or creative project, it's crucial for you to be able to clearly and concisely explain to anyone who asks why your offering is different and why it's worth trying and buying. Sam will talk you through her proprietary W9 process so you can increase your idea's likelihood of success. Call us a 1 800 SAM-3455 or email us at Info@SamHorn.com for details and registration.   Is Anyone Ever Really Happy? "Perhaps we never really appreciate anything until it is challenged." - Anne Morrow Lindbergh "What a wonderful life I've lived. I only wish I'd realized it sooner." - Collette "The secret is to enjoy being you." - Diane von Furstenberg I blogged about some of the personal impressions and take-aways from the PINK luncheon in Atlanta honoring Edie Fraser and Jack and Suzy Welch a few weeks ago. One of the most profound "keepers" came from a conversation I had with Suzy at a private reception the night before. It was centered around the theme of the last chapter of Suzy's bestselling book, 10-10-10, in which she shares a story about attending a gala New Year's event with Jack. What was amazing was that instead of reveling in the champagne, exquisitely decorated surroundings and sparkly jazz music, their dinner conversation revolved around a provocative question posed by a couple at their table. As Suzy says, "If ever there was a moment to think 'Ain't life grand?' it had arrived. But this couple said they had been trying to put together a list of a dozen people who are really happy... and couldn't do it." The table took on the challenge. Everyone put their heads together and threw out names for consideration, but most were quickly dismissed with "bitter," "living the picture," or something that took them out of the running. Jack and Suzy finally pronounced THEY were happy and went off to dance. What about you? Can you come up with a dozen genuinely contented people? They don't have to be successful by society's standards; simply at peace with themselves, comfortable in their own skin, enjoying their life. If you want to have a really interesting conversation, throw this question out for discussion next time you get together with a group. Try to come up with 12 people who seem to realize and appreciate the wonderful life they are leading. With this conversation in mind, I asked my sons to join me in New York while I was at Book Expo. And I can say, I was absolutely, genuinely happy that entire week. We celebrated Andrew's birthday at Tavern at the Green, saw Tony-winning plays Billy Elliott and Hair, toured the Hayden Planetarium (which made Tom, NASA's Johnson Space Center Employee of the Month, very happy), explored Central Park in a horse-drawn carriage, lost ourselves in world-class Jazz at Birdland, and took in a comedy club. (By the way, that's Tom in front of the stunning stained glass exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. As their POP! slogan cleverly stated, "Isn't it time we MET?") To share this city and these experiences with my two wonderful, healthy sons was the personification and epitome of happiness for me. How about you? In these challenging times, maybe it's too much to ask to be happy all the time. However, we can certainly take responsibility and initiative for getting together with people we love and share good times. Isn't that what summer's supposed to be about? Let me know. Are you happy most of the time? Sometimes? None of the time? What do you attribute that to? I look forward to hearing from you -- and, with your permission -- to sharing your story with others in our next ezine.   What Does Sam Have Coming Up That Can Benefit You? Sam Horn, America's Intrigue Expert, helps people POP!. What does that mean? She helps entrepreneurs and organizations develop one-of-a-kind ideas and identities that monetize their business and brand and help them break out. TELE-SEMINARS   POP! YOUR IDEAS - June 25 - 8pm ET, 5pm PT   Want to know how to turn ideas in your head into money in your pocket? Register for this 1 hour tele-seminar. Sam will hit the ground running with original techniques you can use immediately to evaluate the commercial-viability of your idea, crystallize a clear and compelling description that wins buy-in from decision-makers, and package it so it stands out and gets noticed and supported.   POP! YOUR COMMUNICATION - July 1 - 8pm ET, 5pm PT   Would you like to be able to say what you mean, the first time and every time? Like to know how to speak and write in a way that commands attention and respect? Like to learn how to "Twitter" your thoughts into easy-to-understand sound-bites?   Your success in business and in life depends on how well you communicate. Discover why Michael Gelb, author of How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci and International Brain of the Year says "Sam Horn, the mom of POP!, provides practical methods for making your message outstanding and unforgettable."   What's a situation you've got coming up in which you'd like to speak confidently and compellingly so you favorably impress everyone in the room? The first 5 people to sign up have the opportunity to share that with Sam at the beginning of the call, and she'll tailor her tips so you can instantly apply them to your priority.   POP! YOUR PITCH & PROPOSAL - July 6 - 8pm ET, 5pm PT   Have you crystallized what is unique, needed, and potentially profitable about your offering? Have you crafted that into an edge-of-their-seat pitch or proposal that addresses and overcomes objections? Fast-forward your success and save yourself weeks or months of trial-and-error preparation by taking advantage of Sam's 20 years of proven expertise.   Discover for yourself why Sam is the Official Pitch Coach for Springboard Enterprises (which has helped women entrepreneurs receive $4 billion in venture capital.) Face it, you may have invested years in your venture. Now invest one hour to polish your pitch so you instantly intrigue decision-makers who have heard thousands of pitches and are yearning for something fresh.   Sam will focus on how you can "have people at hello" so they actually look up from their Blackberries and pay attention. As Rick Frishman, President of Planned Television Arts, said, "Sam can teach you how to intrigue people in the first sixty seconds of meeting them."   Register early for tele-seminars by emailing Info@SamHorn.com or call 1 800 SAM-3455   If you are one of the first 5 to sign up, you get to have Sam brainstorm and strategize your priority.   Each tele-seminar is $27 or sign up for all 3 POP! tele-seminars (POP! Your Ideas, POP! Your Communication, POP! Your Pitch & Proposal) for $57.   This is an incredible deal. In the comfort of your home or office, you get to pick up the phone and access Sam's expertise and make tangible progress on your priorities - for a fraction of the cost of her normal speaking fee.   Can't make the live tele-seminars? Order the MP3's or CD's so you can listen at your leisure. BOOKS & CD's   Sam Horn's POP! Stand Out in Any Crowd "If you liked Malcolm Gladwell's Blink, you're going to love Sam Horn's POP! If you want to compose marketing messages that stop people in their tracks, do yourself a favor and buy this innovative book." - Marilynn Mobley, Sr. VP, Edelman   Visit SamHorn.com for details about her other books which have been endorsed by Stephen Covey, Tony Robbins, Susan Jeffers, Ken Blanchard, Jeffrey Gitomer and featured in major media ranging from Investors Business Daily to Readers Digest to Smart Money to Jay Leno's Tonight Show. ONE-ON-ONE CONSULTING   Kay Cannon, 2007 ICF President, says, "I'm tough to please. Sam has the rare ability to help you find your hidden genius, shape this into a compelling message and deliver it in an eye-catching package."   Do you want to fast-forward the success of your project? Discover for yourself why Sam has 5 clients coming out with books from major publishers this month, why her client list includes everyone from former Presidents of NSA, ICF, ASTD and ASAE, the former top astrophysicist at NASA, CEO's, Inc. 500 winners and YPO'ers.   We know there are a LOT of branding consultants, book shepherds, pitch and proposal coaches, etc. out there. Very few of them have my proven track record with thousands of clients who say, "I couldn't have done it without you" -- whether that was preparing for a media tour, landing a book deal, receiving venture capital funding, developing a keynote, or turning an idea into a profitable business, brand and career. I welcome the chance to work with you.   Click here for more information SPEAKING   Discover why organizations including Fortune 500 Forum, Young Presidents Organization, Intel, INC Magazine, Boeing, Hewlett-Packard, Kaiser Permanente, KPMG, Capital One, and American Bankers Association have selected Sam Horn to keynote their conferences and provide training for their staff members.   Visit Sam's speaking calendar to see when she'll be in your area next. She has upcoming engagements for the Association of Corporate Counsel, AMEX OPEN and SCORE, Ignite Clean Energy Summit, Association of Women In Communication, and Entrepreneurs Organization in cities ranging from San Francisco to Boston to New York. Perhaps you can work one-on-one with Sam or piggy-back a speaking engagement for your group while she's in your area. Sam lives and works on a lake near Washington, DC's Dulles Airport. Sam's West Coast Business Manager, Cheri Grimm, operates out of California. Contact us at: 1-800-SAM-3455 email-Info@SamHorn.com Sam's Blog * http://www.SamHorn.com Follow Sam on twitter Sam on linked in follow this link. Sam on facebook     Did you find this interesting and useful? You are encouraged to forward this to your friends, family and colleagues by clicking the "forward" link at the bottom. Thank you for spreading the word about POP!, and sharing these ideas with others. - Sam

Unsubscribe | Update Profile | Confirm | Forward

Sign up for this monthly e-publication here.

Use these return links:   http://www.samhorn.com    http://www.samhornpop.com    http://www.tonguefu.com

Back to top