For this month’s featured success story, we caught up with David Giannetto, author of “Big Social Mobile: How Digital Initiatives Can Reshape the Enterprise and Drive Business Results.”

Giannetto has been featured in numerous publications as a result of ProfNet, including Forbes, Strictly Marketing, and VentureBeat. Check out all of his clips here: davidgiannetto.com/category/article/

Very impressive!

We asked Giannetto to share his advice for making the most out of ProfNet queries:

David, how do you choose which ProfNet queries to respond to each day?

I try to respond to ProfNet queries that are very close to my expertise and something that I have both a unique perspective on and real experience working with actual clients on. Since my goals are to build long-term relationships with media who consistently write about my topics and to use those media placements to reinforce me expertise, I've found that the closer I stick to the topics I really know most intimately -- progressive technology and techniques that use information to drive business strategy -- the more successful I am at getting the media's attention. These writers and outlets are then more likely to come back to me unsolicited for future comments.

Also, I only respond when I will have time to actually do the work they are asking for. If I know my schedule won't really allow me to work on a big article for someone, then I don't offer, because chances are, if I disappoint them the first time, they won't work with me in the future.

What do you include in a typical response?

When I respond to a ProfNet query, I typically open with a statement that gives me credibility -- so they know my insight is based upon real-world work and not simply my opinion -- and then go right into a very short description of what my unique perspective is. I try to stay as close to their request as possible, and provide them exactly what they are asking for so they know I care about what they are writing about, and not just promoting my own agenda.

From there, I might tie it into why I believe what I do (based upon some example of a company that I've worked with) and perhaps tie it to a topic that is important that they might not have seen from another ProfNet respondent.

After that, I point them at my website or my book's description and the positive reviews that it has gotten, so that if they are interested, they can jump right out to it and verify my credibility very quickly. I believe they appreciate the brevity and by giving them everything they need, they will feel I am someone they want to work with.

Do you have tips for others for responding to ProfNet queries?

When working with the media through ProfNet, I believe the most important thing to do is respect their time and request. They are interested in working with someone who has something insightful to say on the exact topic they put into their query. If their topic is wide or loosely focused and they want broad responses, they'll ask for that. If not, stay as much on topic as possible. This is important because, over time, you will see the same writers in your field, and they will remember how helpful you were in the past.

And remember, getting into the media is only a part of it. You are going to want to share your media placement with your audience, and if the topic you are commenting on isn't close to your overall message, then it won't be effective for you down the road. So, if you are busy, don't waste your time on every query you could respond to; respond to the ones you can really put some thought into so you are more likely to get the placement and can then use it more effectively.

That is a great point we haven’t heard much before, but makes so much sense. Thank you for your insightful advice!

Here’s more about Giannetto:

David F. Giannetto is SVP of professional services at Astea International and a nationally respected thought-leader in the areas of business intelligence, enterprise performance management, information management, big data and analytics. He helps organizations leverage information -- providing both the technology and the methodology necessary to create, understand and utilize it to improve performance. He has led some of the most complex information-driven initiatives for today's leading brands and has been listed as a thought leader by the American Management Association, Business Finance Magazine and Consumer Goods Technology Magazine.

In “Big Social Mobile: How Digital Initiatives Can Reshape the Enterprise and Create Business Value” (Palgrave Macmillan 2014), Giannetto explains how organizations can integrate social media, mobile technology, and big data to create tangible improvements in revenue and profit. The book builds on his first, the award-winning management methodology, “The Performance Power Grid, The Proven Method to Create and Sustain Superior Organizational Performance” (Wiley, 2006), which defined how organizations use internal information to improve performance.

A former columnist for USBusiness Review, Giannetto currently writes for the American Management Association and Huffington Post, is a columnist for Strictly Marketing Magazine, and has contributed to numerous national magazines. He is a frequent keynote speaker on topics ranging from improving the effectiveness of digital initiatives, organizational performance, risk management and the impact of technology on organizations and consumer behavior.

You can learn more about Giannetto and “Big Social Mobile” here: www.BigSocialMobile.com

If you’re a writer, reporter, producer, blogger or any other type of content creator, find out how ProfNet can help *you* find the sources you need, whether they’re experts or “real people.” Just go to www.profnet.com to get started or go directly to the journalist query form to submit your query.

And if you have a ProfNet success story to share, let us know and you might see your smiling face on the Times Square sign!