For over a year now, I have been working with Jack Milner, a client from London and the author of “Virtual Presentation Mastery.”

Jack is a former stand-up comedian who is also a playwright; his work in recent years has been serving as coach to presenters at Fortune 500 companies who have to pitch a new concept, idea, or trend to a corporate audience.

In our Covid-saturated world, Jack’s book helps teach those presenters—and all online speakers—how to do what they do better virtually to engage an audience that is listening while simultaneously responding to email, shopping online, checking the weather, or googling all kinds of things.

Initially, I helped Jack refine and copy edit the manuscript, then I designed the book, and shepherded it into the print process.

In a matter of weeks, the book will be available in the US; in days perhaps, in the UK. And the ebook is already available.

So, imagine my delight when I was invited to assist with a conference that took me right into the heart of London, giving Jack and I the chance to meet in person. With me, I had a print proof from the US; Jack had one from his UK printer, and we compared notes.

Jack arrived in the pub he’d chosen, and we immediately launched into nonstop talk as if we’d been meeting in person for a year rather than on Zoom, covering topics like who’s in our family to our work and broader worlds.

After our beer glasses were empty, there was more to say, so we found a small French restaurant to settle in and continued the conversation.

An aside here: the menu had pigeon on it—yes, the kind of bird you see in the park—and Jack declined to order it after learning it is only cooked on one side. Wow. I ordered and ate rabbit for the first time, and while I told Jack I’d have to one day confess to my granddaughter that I once ate Peter Rabbit, I had to admit, he was mighty tasty.

Jack told me about his wife, an actress who records audiobooks, and I asked for an introduction because I may one day have a client whose book should be in that medium. He also spoke about his mother, who was both an author and a playwright. I am hoping to get my hands on her book, “The Churching,” but it’s tough to come by.

I invited Jack to visit New Hampshire if ever he is in the United States. I sweetened the pot by telling him I’d teach him and his family to waterski.

I hope I get that chance one day.

Here’s to global relationship-building!

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I love that moment when I’m working with a new client, and I can see their anxiety and doubts turn to trust. 

That usually happens after a conversation where I’m guiding them in a direction and all of a sudden, they stop worrying about how much I might bill them and what the ROI might be, and they just start focusing on knowing I’ve got their back.

Sometimes the moment comes in the initial phone call when a prospect reaches out to me for help. They can often tell, from what I’m suggesting—and the relaxed and confident manner in which I’m suggesting it—that I’m guiding them in a good direction.

They might be apt to say, “I want to work with you. Now what?” 

This leads to years of connection and engagement and partnership.

Sometimes, though, that shift from “Hmmm, I wonder” to peace of mind takes a little longer. The client signs on because someone—maybe their marketing director or president—has told them they should. 

There is skepticism until they see results and then they do that relaxing thing, and they feel assured that I am a solid extension of the team.

I had a sort of in-between experience a few weeks ago. A client was referred to me for a press release on a significant investment his business was making in his community. He had yet to meet me until the moment we were on a Zoom meeting together for an interview.

I could see he looked a little overwhelmed and uncomfortable—kind of unsure about how this was going to work, and even whether it was going to work. 

Was it a waste of his dollars? I could tell he was wondering.

I am clear and thorough when I start a new engagement with clients. Before I leapt into my questions for his press release, I took a step back to explain my process—as I always do. 

“Let me tell you how this is all going to work,” I told the new client. “So we can take some of the mystery out.”

I explained that I would ask him questions to gather information, and that I’d make it painless. 

“Then I’ll write a draft to show you what I’ve done, and we’ll work together until it meets with your approval,” I said. “Then, we’ll choose photos, talk about best timing, and I’ll get it out to the media for you. Finally, I’ll track print results for you and let you know when it starts dropping in newspapers.”

He was nodding and looking a little less unsure. 

“Do you have any questions before we get started?” I asked him.

“No,” he said. “You just answered them all for me—before I even knew what to ask.” 

The press release I wrote and distributed for this client generated immediate results. It was picked up on MassLive.com immediately and then in the days following in two local newspapers and a business magazine.

I am a warm and compassionate person, and I have a solid process and approach. This makes my clients feel like they are in good hands.

Let me give you some peace of mind. I can have your back too as I help you plan and create impactful content. 

Start a conversation with me today.

Photo by Craig Fear of Fearless Eating.

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