Peter Shankman on the Secret to Getting Media Attention, How to Become a Keynote Speaker, and Why You Should Be Brilliant at the Basics

Ever wonder how someone builds up enough credibility to become quoted in the media or a regularly booked public speaker? Peter Shankman is a five-time bestselling author, entrepreneur, and corporate speaker. It's been 24 years since he had a typical job after he lasted one week at a magazine. As someone with ADHD, Peter learned later in life the driver behind his "faster than normal" brain and why he couldn't focus at work in the way an office job requires. Today, he travels the world as a speaker educating audiences on two of his favorite topics: how to win at customer service and why Neurodivergent employees need to be celebrated and accommodated. His book, Faster Than Normal is a New York Times bestseller.

In this episode, Peter shares what it meant for him to pivot as a speaker during the pandemic and why having so much free time as someone with ADHD was a considerable challenge. He shares what it takes to get the media's attention with insider tips he knows better than anyone as the founder of HARO (Help a Reporter Out), a company he started that helps journalists find sources on deadline. Cision ultimately acquired it.

Peter's depth of experience in marketing, social media, and PR has made him an expert on what it takes to make people happy, and spoiler alert: a big bag of M&Ms can sometimes do the trick. We dive into the importance of learning about people and how small personalization touches can impact someone's experience with you or your brand, leave a lasting impression, and build loyalty.