Steve Harrison National Publicity Summit

I haven't attended anything but the pre-seminar cocktail party. You're right, they are ridiculously expensive. When I met Steve, my 'scammer' antennae went up. The guy is too slick. The agent who invited me to attend was incredulous at the price of the seminar, and told me that writers should find better ways to spend their money.

Perhaps I'm prejudiced because of my initial reaction to Mr. Harrison, but I wouldn't put a slim dime in his pocket. I had a comped seat at his seminar and chose not to attend. Stick with his free offerings. Or quit them, because obviously the subliminal messages are getting through to you!

You could take your $2500 and buy your own books to shoot them up the Amazon list. Probably hit #1 if you bought them all the same day.

We had a nice little chatty at a table; Mr. Agent guy was way more forward than I could have been, and asked Mr. Harrison all sorts of questions. Turns out that the two-day seminar brought in $250k, Harrison had less than $50k in overhead (including travel, expenses and payment to the dozen-plus agents invited, and hotel costs), leaving him with a net profit of $100k a day. He kept looking at me and emphasizing all the bonuses the writers get after the seminar (including those teleseminars you spoke of).

Hopefully Jenna will come along and correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe she SELLS advertising in the newsletter. Selling ad space is different from endorsement.

Good luck! Be smart.

Ooh! Thanks, Siddow. Yes, those are paid ads, not endorsements. The one thing that crosses through that line is the Amazon Bestseller program, which is a shoot-off of something I did personally use. When I did the Amazon Bestseller thing, it was an e-book by Randy Gilbert that I followed (cost something like $90), and I was happy with the results, so I did "endorse" it. Now it's a course that's a lot more expensive, and I have never taken it (but it's based on the same material).

But in short, ads in the newsletter are a lot like ads in magazines. Much of the time, I don't even know about an ad before it appears (I don't handle the advertising end of the newsletters). I try to make sure no scammers appear in our publications, but I don't try to make value judgments about whether or not a particular service/product is overpriced/"worth it." That's up to readers to decide.

I know that, and it's frustrating to me. There's no way I could have (or would even want to) try/buy everything advertised in the newsletter. There are very few things that I've personally endorsed, and I try to make that very clear. I've even written a couple of letters from the editor addressing that topic.

One note on this thread, though-- I've deleted references to Steve Harrison's appearance, because that's probably not fair to him... doesn't much matter what someone looks like if he/she has good business practices.

Great Experience with Publicity Summit

Mahesh Grossman here.

I had a great experience with the National Publicity Summit-- so great, in fact, that I attended twice.

First, I would caution that it's not for everybody. It's really tailored to non-fiction books. And I would say that in most cases, it's better for authors who want to be known as credible experts in something, who offer back-end products or consulting, than for someone who is trying to promote their autobiography.

That said, it's a phenomenol opportunity to really learn what makes a producer or editor want to interview you-- and to actually pitch editors and producers.
You actually do "speed-date" the media from top TV and radio shows and national periodicals.

My results included appearance on Fox News, where I was called a "ghostwriting guru" (which I can now put in all my promotional literature from now until eternity) and a piece about books I publish appeared in USA Weekend. I developed longstanding friendships with a few of the media people I met there and several others continue to return my calls and have pitched stories I suggested that haven't quite hit.

They also have editors from top publishing houses who attend as well as literary agents.

Is it expensive? Yes. Is it worth it? Yes. It's extremely different to call producers and editors who personally know you and remember you than to call similar folks who are strangers.

I wouldn't spend my last dollar on this event, but if you are building a long-term career and want to appear in the media, and you have the money-- it's a very worthwhile event.

I haven't attended Mr. Harrison's seminars, but in the screenwriting world, there are other just-as-famous lecturers who charge a boat-load of money to learn "hollywood secrets to getting sold" and "screenwriting mastery."

I learned a long time ago, from a very respected pro in the industry: there is absolutely NOTHING that ANYONE can teach you, that will guarantee you get sold, or make it big as a writer.

Bottom line, your agent is right. What could this guy POSSIBLY be able to give you that you wouldn't be able to get for much, much less?

I mean no disrespect to him or his services, but at those prices, he's not looking to help writers. He's looking to make money off people with nothing better to do with their wealth who're trying to get lucky.

Steve Harrison - Quantum Leap Program

I saw the thread on his National Publicity Summit and appreciated the comments. Has anyone done his Quantum Leap program? Any thoughts?

Re Steve Harrison and RTIR

Okay, I know this is an old thread. And I know I haven't even so much as introduced myself. But I feel compelled to respond.

Steve Harrison is not slimy as one of the earlier members mentioned. Sure, he has thick wavy hair that he keeps in place with "product," but that is what we people with thick wavy hair must sometimes do. But his intentions and his business practices are not slimy.

I was highly impressed with Steve years ago when we were at PMA (Publishers Marketing Association) University, held three days before BookExpo every year.

He was giving a seminar presentation, and I was in the audience. As an author, I've independently published two books, and I also offer a service ( http://www.GuestFinder.com ) that competes with Steve's Radio-TV Interview Report. So at PMA, I'm always sort of a mix between a participant member and a vendor.

Steve could have ignored me. He could have intimidated me and angrily asked me to move on (as one competitor did at BookExpo!). Instead, he graciously introduced me to the audience and mentioned GuestFinder.com (an online directory of authors an experts available for media interviews). I was shocked and pleased.

Over the years, I've never heard anything negative about Steve or his products. (I must admit the Publicity Summit seems quite high in price. GuestFinder charges just $249 for a one-year listing; I am well aware of the financial limitations that most authors and independent publishers have. Apparently, some people with healthy budgets find the Publicity Summit worthwhile.)

But Steve Harrison is not a slime. He's a good guy.

BTW, I am now re-energizing GuestFinder.com and investing in new tools and software, and I'll be offering new products in the coming months. Although I admire Steve, I hope to continue to compete as an effective, yet budget-friendly option.

And -- if anyone needs any general advice about independent publishing, I'll be glad to try to provide answers.


Lorilyn Bailey
http://www.GuestFinder.com - "Where great interviews begin"
http://www.NewsBuzzPR.com

Whoops. Didn't mean to post twice. The first time I did, a page displayed that said I wasn't logged in. So I logged in. Sorry!

I've deleted the double post for you. No worries.

Steve Harrison conference call

Ok I searched for this but only found a thread in '06 about the summits.

My question is: I have signed up for the FREE 10X Author Success Strategies conference call. Is this hour and a half worth my time? Has anyone else done it and felt as though it was informative?

I write fiction; I have heard it is geared towards nonfiction writers.

A year or so ago I signed up for one of Steve Harrison's conference calls. I was able to glean a couple of nuggets that could be useful, but it was geared toward the non-fiction writer. I kept a pad and pen close and wrote down what I thought I could use and found his take on networking interesting. Throughout the call, they kept promoting their upcoming writing classes that cost a pretty penny, and that got annoying. I didn't listen to the full conference call, but don't regret signing up for this freebie.

I agree his calls and education opportunities are mainly geared toward non-fiction. As far as a good use of your time, many ideas for non-fiction can apply to fiction. It all depends on how much you expect to get out of it and how that compares to what else you would do with that time slot. Will you get a ton of applicable info? Probably not, will you get some useful info, most likely.

the beauty of speakerphone

I've posted in the forums before that I regularly listen to free conference calls (about twice a month). I have a background in marketing but I usually find a few new pieces of information in these calls.

Practically speaking, I put my phone on speakerphone and do some other task, and like one of the other people said, I jot down notes if needed.

I can't afford the pricey classes offered by Mr. Harrison so I try to devise my own goals after each call and hold myself accountable. Not a perfect system, but affordable for now.

Steve Harrison...good guy

I started a business 12 years ago and had numerous marketing experts saying they were going to help me but within 4 years I was going under. As a last ditch effort I bought a book about marketing yourself/your product to the media by Marcia Yudkin.


I read through it, changed my direction from trying to sell a product to being an expert talking about the problem of water pollution. I then scored a live interview on a noon news program in a neighboring state and during the interview the news man asked me if I knew of any solutions and that opened the door to my product.


I got dozens of calls and orders from that one appearance and realized this was the clear ticket. Over the next few years I managed to get on several local and regional news programs and produced enough sales to get me out of the hole and actually ahead.


But then I wanted to hit the national programs which is a totally different game because everyone wants on these shows and the producers are very well insulated…meaning you will never get through to them unless you know someone or tricks to get in.


Having a taste of “success” and how effective media appearances can be but not willing to pay some big PR firm to maybe get me on I started looking for cheaper ways to do it and that brought me to Steve Harrison and his outfit.


At first I was put off by the costs of the different programs he offered but soon realized this wasn’t a case of hiring someone else to get you on, it was about training you how to get yourself on, and they do a great job.


I took a gamble 3 years ago and did the summit (my wife and I stayed an extra 5 days as a vacation. Manhattan is now our favorite city). I didn’t get anything at the summit but within a week I was back in New York to shoot a story for CBS. New York was so much fun we did the same thing the next year and would have done it 3 years in a row but my wife couldn’t get the time off work.


The summit is expensive but CAN be worth it if:
·You have a topic that is worthy (look at the garbage on the news…almost anything can be news worthy if you can come up with a good hook, but be realistic).
·If you are willing to listen to his crew and let them steer you to what media people want to hear and how they want to hear it.
·If you are willing to follow up with the contacts you make (even I failed to follow up with all of the people I met the way I should have).
The purpose of the summit is to give you the opportunity to meet producers/editors face to face which is the only way you can do it because unless you know someone on the inside or it is MAJOR breaking news, you can not just walk into NBC, CBS, PEOPLE Magazine, etc. and ask to talk to so-and-so because they will broom you out the door. Regardless of how the media says they want to hear from you, there is no such thing as a walk-in.


But one of the big things I felt I came away with is the equivalent of a 4 year collage degree in how to work with the media and I can use that education to work on other “stories” and issues at my leisure and I don’t need to pay someone else to do it, I can do it myself.
From the few hours I spent with Steve I truly like him. He is a genuinely nice guy that wants you to succeed, but he is also a businessman and when you succeed he succeeds, and running a business means you need to make a profit (yes, I did figure it out real quick the kind of loot he makes from the summit and the other services he offers).


But I look at it this way; if I worked for someone else I would be sitting at work most of the time with the occasional vacation when I could afford it. Or as a business owner I could pay some PR firm 8 to 10 grand to get me interviews/exposure, or I can take my wife on a business trip with me to



New York for 10 days, write it off as a business expense and make my own

contacts and line-up my own interviews/exposure.
It isn’t for everyone but I would go again this year however I was just in New York with the kids (on a working vacation) and the elections are coming up so most of the news focus will be on the race, not environmental issues so I don’t think it would be an effective investment at this time.


However you never know when it comes to the media…you can pitch a producer that doesn’t seem the slightest bit interested in you because there is something bigger going down, but a year later they can call you saying they want you on a plane for a story tomorrow. You never know what will trip their trigger or when it will happen.
And wow, I just noticed how old this post is. I will post it anyhow…maybe it will help someone. Jim vonMeier

Hi: I had the same questions as you all about this. I know this is an old thread but it's the only one that came up. Anyway, I decided to take the risk. I signed up for the Quantum Leap coaching starting Dec 2009. I'm keeping a blog on it so if you're interested in how it's going you can go here
http://quantumleap9.blogspot.com I'll tell you as it goes whether or not it's worth it. Thanks for sharing your experiences here.

I'm new here, and found this thread on Steve Harrison. I know it's old. Just wondering if anyone finished his Quantum Leap program and what the outcome was? (Margaret Parker, by chance?) His price of 10K, which is 13K if you choose installments is going up again in a few days. I'm leaning on not doing it. Thanks for any insight you may have.

Welcome, liberacat!