Dear Friends,

Should you go nude to get publicity and build your career?

Vanessa Hudgens, star of "High School Musical" evidently thought so. In the past few weeks she has topped the search engine searches with over 10,060 queries. Before she bared her body her name was only searched on 350 times in a typical 48 hours.

Some speculate it was a planned career stunt to boost her popularity. If so, how sad is that? What does it say about our culture when youth "role models" like Lindsay Lohan and Britney Spears are routinely captured by the paparazzi loaded and sans underwear, knowing that they'll be photographed from all angles? And instead of hurting their careers, it helps them?

David Bauder of the Associated Press writes, "The Walt Disney Co. is sticking with the 18-year-old star of its wildly successful 'High School Musical' franchise, despite her 'lapse in judgment' in posing for racy photos that were leaked to the Internet." Her "caper" may have equally positively effected her status as a sparkly-clean Neutrogena spokesmodel.

Bauder continues, "Hudgens apologized Friday for the photos, which show her smiling as she posed naked and in underwear in a bedroom with a red curtain behind her."

"Vanessa has apologized for what was obviously a lapse in judgment," said Disney Channel spokeswoman Patti McTeague. "We hope she's learned a valuable lesson." She said negotiations were ongoing to land all the actors for a "High School Musical 3" feature film including Hudgens.

What lesson might that be? That going buff means bigger box office sales and movie deals?

"Hudgens, who played the brainy Gabriella in the first two made-for-cable TV movies, told her fans she was sorry. 'I am embarrassed over this situation and regret having ever taken these photos,' she said. 'I am thankful for the support of my family and friends.'"

I'd also give a rap on the head to Hudgens' publicist, Jill Fritzo, who "wouldn't say anything about who took the pictures and how they slipped out onto the Internet." She should have known better and had the wherewithal to coach her young client on how to behave. Perhaps a strategy session that involved some brains instead of breasts might be in order next time.

To those of you without the excuse of youth—know that when you do or say something dumb, once it's been reported in the media, you can never take it back. Consider how you want to grow your publicity in the big picture. Hopefully, your fame will be for something worth mentioning that will contribute to our culture, uplift and enlighten, and won't rest on baring your breasts or buttocks.

Warmly,

Susan

P.S. Learn how to keep your integrity intact while promoting your product, service or cause with the Sound Bite System for Success™. I created these teleclasses turned CDs (+ an online class for easy follow along) for people who wanted to be authentic and entertaining without sacrificing sales. You will learn how to be an "asked back" media guest who audiences love.

Control Your Media Image

Managing your media is so much more than not leaking nude photos. It's about controlling your visual and verbal image on all levels. The audience is looking for you to engage, enlighten and entertain them. Here's how.

1. Bring Props.

For my client Dr. Adrianne Ahern, controlling your visual image means bringing a brain to her TV appearances. Ahern is a peak performance psychologist and speaker who specializes in training your brain. She works with everyone from Olympic athletes to CEOs to help them understand what it feels and looks like to be in the zone so they can play and lead from that place. Using a plastic brain on TV, she has been able to convey complex ideas quickly with less words and more visuals. Using physical props are an effective way to create sound bite shortcuts as they do much of the explaining for you.

2. Use Headlines.

In a recent article about how to sell more effectively on eBay, I read that five times as many people read the headline as the body copy. Headlines work equally well with sound bites as they quickly "ground" a person in the main topic to be discussed. Another client of mine, wellness expert Dr. Deborah King, used a headline effectively on Fox News last week.

King said, "The subliminal message of nudity is, 'What you see is what you get.' This is a really confusing message to boys and men. It's no coincidence that in the U.S. today more than one out of every three girls will be sexually abused by the time she is 20."

Her astute comments about Vanessa Hudgens prompted the host to say he found her observations "very interesting." King backed up her headline and insight with a dramatic statistic that got instant attention. Using both a strong headline and a strong statistic made her sound bite doubly powerful.

3. Engage.

What I found truly remarkable about Elizabeth Gilbert's Oprah appearance on October 5th was her ability to be both relaxed and engaging, to listen and respond. Rachel Naomi Remen says, "The most basic and powerful way to connect to another person is to listen. Just listen. Perhaps the most important thing we ever give each other is our attention." You could see that this author of the best-selling book/phenomenon Eat Pray Love was 100% present and listening intently in the moment. Was this the result of the time she spent in India meditating on an ashram and practicing yoga? Partly. But Gilbert called herself a "social" person and I took that to mean that connection was crucially important to her. It showed. When a host is engaged with her guest and vice versa, we are too. We follow the hosts lead and can "feel" the connection.

While it takes quite a bit of practice to relax to get to a place of quiet so you can be present to the moment and not think about what you're going to say, how you look, or how nervous you feel, it can be done. Gilbert also engaged verbally with a lively anecdote. The Texan named Richard who she met at the ashram was a guest on The Oprah Show as well. When Oprah asked Gilbert what she learned from Richard, Gilbert explained that he could take esoteric and difficult concepts and simplify them. As an example, she said when she was whining about her ex-boyfriend saying, "I wish he still loved me, I wish we were together, I wish, I wish, I wish...." Richard said," Groceries, (his nickname for her) you're wearing your wishbone where your backbone outta be."

That story took about 20 seconds to tell and gave us the perfect example of her experience with Richard on the ashram. Plus, it took some of the heaviness out of the subject matter and made it easy for the audience to understand a simple but deep teaching on the spot.

Your presence becomes a pleasure when you can be a comfortable shoe that fits any foot using props, headlines, and by being engaging.

Your Talking Points: How to Create and Control Them

The Sound Bite System for Success™ gives you the facts, formulas and fortitude to develop and deliver your sound bites in 10-30 seconds with ease and grace under pressure.

In this 6-CD set, PDF transcripts of the CDs, and online class, you'll learn:

• What makes a great sound bite and how to create yours.
• How to sell your product, service or cause during a TV, radio or print interview—without sounding slick or "salesy."
• Ways to handle any interview and get only the information you want out to your audience.

Click here now for your Sound Bite System for Success™.

For Working Moms Who Don't Think They Have Time for PR

Here is some advice to not only make time for yourself, but to expand your business. One quote I particularly like from the book It's All About You! is "Better Done than Perfect."

What a relief for those of us who are waylaid interminably by trying to get it "exactly right" before moving forward. You'll get practical advice on managing your world so you have time for yourself and your business.

A couple of things I thought you'd like that are included when you buy a copy of It's All About You!:

• A Chance to Win a Trip for Two to the Mexican Riviera (we all need a vacation, no?).
• A Download of Mary & Heather's seminar titled: "Financial Freedom, Multiple Streams of Income for Moms."
• Free audio e-seminar: "First Step to Inventing: You've Come Up With a 'Can't Miss' Idea—Now What?"
• "The Power of Your Personal Image" seminar download by one of the country's top personal image coaches.
• And much more. You'll receive 27 bonus gifts worth hundreds of dollars.

Go to Its All About You!

Services I Highly Recommend

Many people ask me about the services I use and trust. The businesses below are a few of my partners or companies that provide services and products that I rely on that truly work.

I recommend them without pause. Please explore them to find out if they are right for you.

PRESSKIT 247: Both an online database where journalists and producers find you when they're searching for experts and your online presskit where all of your press materials including audio and video are instantly available to the media. Get listed here and to increase your media appearances and expand your business: PRESSKIT 247

OUR SHOPPING CART: I use a shopping cart system called 1shoppingcart for online transactions, autoresponders my affiliate program and tracking links. This shopping cart is the most widely used one by successful entrepreneurs and online marketers. You can trial it here: 1shoppingcart

THE WEB SITE TOOLKIT: "This is a complete tutorial and guide (written and audio) on creating an effective professional service business web site," says Robert Middleton, the creator. This is a best, most organized and comprehensive system that I've found to guide you through writing the copy and organizing the content for your website. Included are resources and directions for writing, design and technical requirements. Hundreds of people have used Middleton's methods to develop sites that attract the clients they want: Web Site Toolkit

EZINE MARKETING: Using an E-zine like mine is one of the fastest and easiest things you can do to promote your business. To learn how to create yours so it works for you and gets you ongoing results, I suggest taking a look at Alexandria Brown's complete manual on marketing with your E-zine.

THE INFOMERCIAL TOOLKIT: Online videos are the wave of the future. Your clients or customers may be all over the world, but they can meet you quickly right on your site. Sell your products and services, demo new ideas or just give people a small taste of what it's like to do business with you. Infomercial Toolkit

PRLEADS: This is the best deal on the planet. The only complaint my clients have lodged about it is, "I wish I would have done it sooner." You respond to reporters and producers queries for comments and insights on stories they're working in your area of expertise and then get quoted in the media instantly: PRLeads

THE SEDONA METHOD: Order your free two-hour introductory Sedona Method DVD and introductory CD or tape and learn to instantly release uncomfortable or unwanted feelings on the spot. Whether it's fear of speaking, becoming a more public person, losing weight, or letting go of stress, or past issues or trauma, this will help you achieve your goals effortlessly and with great joy. The Sedona Method

TELECONFERENCE SERVICE: For all my Teleclasses I use a service that's reliable and free. I also use this service to record all my consulting calls. Teleconference Service

Come Meet Me

Anywhere in the World
Christian Work at Home Moment
March 5, 2006
6:30pm CST on KCRO 660 AM
KCRO 660 AM, Omaha or listen
anytime at http://cwahm.com/wordpress/blog/

Anywhere in the World
Q&A to Get on Oprah & Other TV Talk Shows Teleclass
1 hour
Download it at no charge at:
http://prsecrets.com/free-sign-oprahtvtalkshow.html

Anywhere in the World
Get a 6 Figure Book Advance Teleclass
1 hour
Download it at no charge at:
http://www.prsecrets.com/free-audio-signup-6f.html

Anywhere in the World
Become a 60 Second Sound Bite Genius
(For Pitching, Producer calls, Networking or Presentations)
1 hour
Download it at no charge at:
http://www.webmarketingmagic.com/app/adtrack.asp?AdID=114141

For further schedule information and course descriptions
please visit:
http://www.prsecrets.com/speakingkeynotesworkshops.html

NOTE: Some new classes do not yet have descriptions. Your patience is appreciated.

Quote

I've hundreds of things to say but my tongue just can't manage them, so I'll dance them for you.

~ Nikos Kazantzakis, Zorba the Greek