Paula Rizzo | Paula Rizzo - Media Strategist, Consultant and Expert

Content Creation, General, Media Training

How to Create Talking Points

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BONUS FREEBIE: Your message deserves the media’s attention. So how do you get out there in a bigger way? I’ve got you covered. CLICK HERE to grab my free “Checklist to Become a Go-To Media Expert.”
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I do a lot of talking. And I frequently speak on panels, do media appearances and host my weekly live-streaming show, Inside Scoop.

So I talk. A lot.

And even though I’m hired to speak as an expert and I know my usual topics – video, media, my books: Listful Thinking and Listful Living – I still have to prepare talking points. Every. Single. Time. One of the questions I get most from my media-training clients is, “How do you come up with talking points?”

Here are three things I do to prepare for every kind of speaking engagement.

Preparing to Speak on a Panel

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BONUS FREEBIE: Your message deserves the media’s attention. So how do you get out there in a bigger way? I’ve got you covered. CLICK HERE to grab my free “Checklist to Become a Go-To Media Expert.”
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Panels are a great way to promote your book or expertise and connect with professionals in your industry or your audience. But it can be tricky to know how to start preparing for a panel, especially if the topic is not exactly in line with your usual talking points.

I’ve spoken on many panels as a media expert, author, and LinkedIn Learning Instructor.

And they’re always a rewarding experience because I do a set of things to get ready every time.

Here’s my list of things I do to prepare for a panel.

How To Create An Editorial Calendar

BONUS FREEBIE: Your message deserves the media’s attention. So how do you get out there in a bigger way? I’ve got you covered. CLICK HERE to grab my free “Checklist to Become a Go-To Media Expert.”

Whenever I work with clients to help them pitch media better, look better on camera or set up a system to produce more of their own content, I always ask, “What are you producing now?”

Common answers include:

“A blog post every few months”
“A video here or there”
“I did a FB Live once”

To be interesting to the media, to your potential clients and your current fans, you need to consistently create content.

So how do you do it?

With an editorial calendar, of course!

This is a trick I’ve learned from nearly 20 years as a television producer. Everyone in the newsroom knew what stories were coming up in the next minute, five minutes, five days, five weeks, etc. Read more

January 6, 2020/0 Comments/by Paula Rizzo

Content Creation, Media Training

What Mr. Rogers Can Teach You About Producing Videos

BONUS FREEBIE: Your message deserves the media’s attention. So how do you get out there in a bigger way? I’ve got you covered. CLICK HERE to grab my free “Checklist to Become a Go-To Media Expert.”

On the flight from NYC to San Francisco I watched Won’t You Be My Neighbor? You know, the documentary about Mister Rogers?

As a kid I loved that show.

But I also loved this documentary and one of the unexpected lessons was about video and television!

When Mister Rogers said “television is community,” I thought yes, that’s it! Read more

November 10, 2019/0 Comments/by Paula Rizzo

Media Training, Personal, Pitching

How to Prepare for a Television Interview

BONUS FREEBIE: Your message deserves the media’s attention. So how do you get out there in a bigger way? I’ve got you covered. CLICK HERE to grab my free “Checklist to Become a Go-To Media Expert.”

As a TV producer for nearly two decades, I’ve interviewed lots of experts.

I began to get a pretty good idea of when someone had prepared for an interview and when they thought they could just ‘wing it’.

Here’s something to remember – this isn’t always dictated by the amount of experience the expert has at their craft. Just because you know your stuff doesn’t mean you’ll be able to translate it succinctly and effectively in the media.

As you can imagine, I’ve always been a firm believer in the importance of being prepared.

Now that I’m a media trainer and strategist I practice what I preach and I try to be a good example of what’s possible for my clients. Read more

September 23, 2019/0 Comments/by Paula Rizzo

Media Training, Personal

Three Ways to Get Buzz for Your Book

BONUS FREEBIE: Your message deserves the media’s attention. So how do you get out there in a bigger way? I’ve got you covered. CLICK HERE to grab my free “Checklist to Become a Go-To Media Expert.”

In a few short weeks my newest book, Listful Living: A List-Making Journey to a Less Stressed You, publishes! I’m super excited.

Many of my clients are authors as well and I always give them the same advice when I’m media training or working on media strategy with them.

So I’m practicing what I preach!

Here’s what I’ve been doing to get my book out there before it hits bookshelves:

Get Traditional Media Mentions: When it comes to publishing a book, I always tell my clients to get media attention well before the book comes out. If you’re lucky you could be like my friend Ilise Benun who got one media mention that brought her ten years worth of business! Check out my video interview with her here. Read more

August 25, 2019/0 Comments/by Paula Rizzo

Case Study, Media Training

The Media Mention That Got 10 Years Worth of Business

BONUS FREEBIE: Your message deserves the media’s attention. So how do you get out there in a bigger way? I’ve got you covered. CLICK HERE to grab my free “Checklist to Become a Go-To Media Expert.”

How much business do you think you get from every media mention?

It’s not easy to gauge and it depends.

You may hear from clients that they found you thanks to a particular mention in a magazine or TV segment.

But I’m a big believer that media begets more media. That’s why you shouldn’t be a snob when it comes to which opportunities you take. Read more

August 11, 2019/0 Comments/by Paula Rizzo

Media Training

Which Teleprompter Should I Use?

BONUS FREEBIE: Your message deserves the media’s attention. So how do you get out there in a bigger way? I’ve got you covered. CLICK HERE to grab my free “Checklist to Become a Go-To Media Expert.”

Teleprompters – they keep coming up again and again with my media-training clients. Questions like:

Should I use a teleprompter?
When do I not need a teleprompter?
How do I use a teleprompter?
Which teleprompters are the best for entrepreneurs?

Those are just some of the questions that have come up over the years. I’ve worked with dozens and dozens of anchors and reporters who have mastered the skill of using a teleprompter.

If you’re unfamiliar with them though it can be a bit daunting at first. So let me break it down for you.

What Are TV Producers Looking For?

BONUS FREEBIE: Your message deserves the media’s attention. So how do you get out there in a bigger way? I’ve got you covered. CLICK HERE to grab my free “Checklist to Become a Go-To Media Expert.”

I recently presented, “How to Pitch Broadcast Media” at Robert Wynne’s “BroadcastU” event in New York City.

The event is designed to let public relations professionals personally network with broadcast reporters, producers and bookers in one place, at one time, to finally answer the big question – what does the media actually want?

I’ve known Rob since my Fox News days when he had me on as a panelist.

He very kindly invited me back to speak to the group about media training and how to get their pitches read by the media.

The audience was predominantly made up of hospital and university PR people, which meant I got to see a ton of people who I had worked with as a senior health producer at Fox News Channel – how great! Read more

June 24, 2019/2 Comments/by Paula Rizzo

Media Training, Pitching

Have a Media Strategy Before a Book Proposal

BONUS FREEBIE: Your message deserves the media’s attention. So how do you get out there in a bigger way? I’ve got you covered. CLICK HERE to grab my free “Checklist to Become a Go-To Media Expert.”

I often get asked, when is a good time to start doing media to promote my book?

The answer is yesterday – and if not yesterday then now!

Too often people tell me they plan on doing media for their book when it launches.

That is 100% way too late.

You want the media to already know about you way before you have a book or a product to promote. Read more

June 9, 2019/0 Comments/by Paula Rizzo

Tag Archive for: Paula Rizzo

BONUS FREEBIE: Your message deserves the media’s attention. So how do you get out there in a bigger way? I’ve got you covered. CLICK HERE to grab my free “Checklist to Become a Go-To Media Expert.”

BONUS FREEBIE: Your message deserves the media’s attention. So how do you get out there in a bigger way? I’ve got you covered. CLICK HERE to grab my free “Checklist to Become a Go-To Media Expert.”

BONUS FREEBIE: Your message deserves the media’s attention. So how do you get out there in a bigger way? I’ve got you covered. CLICK HERE to grab my free “Checklist to Become a Go-To Media Expert.”

BONUS FREEBIE: Your message deserves the media’s attention. So how do you get out there in a bigger way? I’ve got you covered. CLICK HERE to grab my free “Checklist to Become a Go-To Media Expert.”

BONUS FREEBIE: Your message deserves the media’s attention. So how do you get out there in a bigger way? I’ve got you covered. CLICK HERE to grab my free “Checklist to Become a Go-To Media Expert.”

BONUS FREEBIE: Your message deserves the media’s attention. So how do you get out there in a bigger way? I’ve got you covered. CLICK HERE to grab my free “Checklist to Become a Go-To Media Expert.”

BONUS FREEBIE: Your message deserves the media’s attention. So how do you get out there in a bigger way? I’ve got you covered. CLICK HERE to grab my free “Checklist to Become a Go-To Media Expert.”