Play “The Match Game” to find all the clients you need

Remember that old TV game show “The Match Game” with celebs like Charles Nelson Reilly, Fannie Flagg and Richard Dawson?  The contestants tried to match celebrities on funny fill-in-the-blank questions.

• On the airplane, Stephanie said to Jessica, “I don’t have much confidence in this airline. I just saw the pilot and he had a ______ sticking out of his pocket.”
• Nate the delicatessen owner is a fantastic violinist. But he doesn’t use a bow, he strokes his violin with his ______.
• Weird Sylvester was thrown out of the department store when they caught him ______ing the mannequins.

They still show “The Match Game” reruns on GSN, the game show network (yes, there is such a cable channel–what do you expect from someone who was on Jeopardy! and Family Feud, but that’s another story).

Here’s how you can fill in the blanks and win clients. One of my mantras is “Free Resources.” You need to demonstrate your competence by giving away information that proves you know your stuff. Most people hate writing and speaking and avoid it like you know what (personally, I avoid cliches like the plague). But you’ve got to have good content for everything else in your lead generation system, and you’ll need a few good solid topics to get you going. These topics, or headlines, will become the basis for your seminars, your articles, your columns, your book chapters, your speeches—everything you do to demonstrate your expertise.

How do you make a gripping headline for a prospect that’s focused like a laser beam on his or her frustrations, worries, and concerns? If you start looking at magazine covers, you’ll recognize these “recipes.” They’re everywhere. Thanks to Joan Stewart at the Publicity Hound for most of these headlines. (For more free publicity tips for your consulting or professional services business, sign up for “The Publicity Hound’s Tips of the Week,” an electronic newsletter.  Subscribe at www.PublicityHound.com and receive by autoresponder the handy list “89 Reasons to Send a News Release.”)

Here are ideas for your next article headline or speech topic. First, determine your expertise in a word or two. Next, read these headlines and put a star next to about ten that really appeal to you; then go back and fill in the blanks. After that, start writing.

A Quiz: Test Your _____________                                                                                  _ Smarts

Cash in on __________                                                                              _____ Trends

Chasing the Right                                                                                                                     

Cool Tools for                                                                                                              

 

Common Errors That Kill                                                                                                           

 

Part-Time Tactics for Full-Time                                                                                      

 

Discover the 7 Essential Elements That Guarantee                                                         

 

Finding the                                                                                            That is Uniquely You

Good News For / About                                                                                                            

 

How to Bounce Back from                                                                                            

 

How to Get Other People to                                                                                          

 

How to Handle                                                                                                             

 

How to Make                                                                                         Work for You

How to Turn                                                       into                                                                 

 

Mastering the Art of                                                                                                      

 

No More                                                                                                                                  

 

Questions and Answers About                                                                                      

 

Straight Talk from a                                                                                                      

 

The Great                                                                                                                      Dilemma

The Most Beginner-Friendly                                                                                           

The Last Word on                                                                                                                     

 

The Amazing Solution for                                                                                              

The Best and Worst Ideas for                                                                                        

The Complete Guide to                                                                                                 

The Worst Mistakes You Can Make When                                                                      

Top 10                                                                                                   Dos and Don’ts

What’s HOT and NOT in                                                                                                

 

When Not to                                                                                                                 

 

Your Must-Know Guide to                                                                                             

                                                                                                                        with Pizzazz!

 

                                                                                                                        and Grow Rich

 

                                                                                                                         on the Cheap

5 Ways to Get More from Your                                                                                     

5 No-Fail Strategies for                                                                                                 

6 Secrets to Successful                                                                                                

7 Ways to Keep Your                                                                            Dreams Alive

7 Ways to Avoid the Most Deadly                                                                      Mistakes

8 Ways to Avoid the Worst                                                                                Mistakes

9 Formulas for Fantastic                                                                                                           

10 User-Friendly Facts for                                                                                             

10 Tips to Jump-start Your                                                                                            

11 Questions You Must Ask When You’re                                                                      

12 Tactics to Open Up                                                                                                  

13 Tips That Will Make a                                                                                                 Smile

10 Time-Tested Tips for Becoming a                                                                             

25 Quick                                                                                                           Tips to Use Now