The SMT

Last week, I went to New York City to do a Satellite Media Tour (or SMT, as they say in the business) to help launch the National Day Diary Project, co-sponsored by This Day and Colgate’s Lady Speed Stick 24/7. Cohn & Wolfe (Colgate’s public relations firm) and KEF Media (another public relations firm specializing in television news and media placement) arranged the whole thing. I was the spokesperson for the National Day Diary Project, which meant I did 31 (or was it 32?) TV and radio interviews back-to-back in seven hours.

A typical day in my life, not!

On the morning of the SMT, a driver picked me up at my hotel at 5:30 a.m. and drove me to Chelsea Television Studios (home of the Martha Stewart Show!). First things first—hair and make-up. My make-up artist was gorgeous and sweet and chatty. She told me stories about working at the Oscars and her new boyfriend who writes for People Magazine, all of which took my mind off the fact that I was about to go on live television. She also told me that she used to be Donald Trump’s make-up artist, but reassured me his wife does his hair.

On the set—designed to resemble a working woman’s kitchen with dishes in the sink and a laptop on the counter—the media experts reviewed messaging with me. “Reiterate the National Day Diary Project...” “Mention the website early on...” “Emphasize women’s 24-hour lifestyles...” They reminded me to talk into the camera; be perky; be myself. (Are you sure you want me to be myself?!) The audio guy attached a microphone to my new berry-colored wrap dress (no prints, no distracting jewelry!). Assistants offered to bring me coffee. Was I hungry? Was I cold? Did I need anything? (I could get used to this!)

6:45 a.m. The first interview! The floor producer (who was stationed beside the camera) wrote the name of the anchor and where the show was airing on her white board: Beth in Charlotte, North Carolina.

“Good morning, Joni. Thanks for joining us...”

“Thanks for having me, Beth...”

The interview took two, maybe three minutes, though it seemed even shorter. We talked about why people love to read about other people’s lives. I encouraged women to participate in the National Day Diary Project and spread the word. The anchor gushed about the current This Day in the Life book now on store shelves. (Thank you!) Then Beth in Charlotte was followed by Cindi in Louisville, followed by Julie in Waco, followed by Rick in Albuquerque, followed by Terrance and Bonny in Memphis... (Click http://www.kefmediastream.com/jc_wghp.wmv to view one of the interviews.)

Since the inception of This Day over five years ago, I’ve dreamed about this kind of attention for the book project, and a day diary phenomenon that allows all women to share in the experience of creating and swapping day diaries, beyond the page parameters of a book, or even a book series. I’ve spent countless hours contacting the media, sending out books, and shushing my two little girls as I did live radio interviews from the upstairs phone in my house. And I’ve (obviously) done my own hair and make-up.

Now, thanks to a corporate partner, two PR firms, the Associated Press, and thousands of day diarists and supporters, the message is really getting out there. I said it for seven hours straight during the SMT, and I’ll say it again. Every woman is interesting. Every day has meaningful moments. Your voice, your perspective is unique and matters. So pick a day—a single day—and create a day diary of 24 hours of your life. It’s easy. It’s fun. And it’s a great way to discover how special you really are! Click www.my247life.com for tips on how to create a day diary and participate in the National Day Diary Project.

--Joni