Wanna be your own publicist?
Let’s face it, not everyone can afford to hire a publicist. As necessary as it may be to have a firm represent you and your brand, most business newbies just don’t have the budget for it. You may dream of being featured in magazines and having celebs talk about your brand but how do you gain publicity on your own?
Recently, we had the pleasure of attending the PRForDay Conference in Miami hosted by Ronnika Ann and iGNPR. The goal of the conference is to reach entrepreneurs ways to take their business to the next level without a PR budget. There were tons of industry powerhouses on the lineup, including leading ladies from Midori Star Media Group, Moore PR, Ready To WERK, PR2Politics and Above Promotions who shared tips and tools essential to all industries. From protecting your business to managing crisis, PRForADay left no stone unturned.
In order to create some visibility for your brand and become your own publicist, start with these tips from Ronnika Ann’s Putting The PR Back in EntrePReneurship book:
1. Have something worth talking about
You have to give people a reason to talk about you by having something unique to offer. It makes much more sense to focus on developing a quality product that hiring a publicist to get press for a less than worthy one. How are you changing your community with your new service? How does your new product enhance the lives of XYZ magazines’ readers? Pinpoint this prior to pitching yourself.
2. Develop a realistic goal for public relations
The most common goal of public relations is to help you craft your brand story in a way that helps the public get it, support it and see it as you do. In order to achieve your PR goal, you must first set a realistic one. Before setting out to secure your own press decide whether you’re looking for radio, magazine, newspaper, television or social media recognition. These days a simple share on Instagram could go much further than a radio interview.
3. Get specific
Do you research and follow the trends of the publications/brands you’d like to work with. How can you relate your brand to their customer base? What can you offer of interest? By studying their social media, starting conversations and opening the lines of communication — you can establish a genuine connection that can lead to future opportunities. Social media makes this simple! Follow their hashtags on Instagram, start a conversation on Twitter or post your review via YouTube and your genuine support can lead to future work and recognition.
4. Build relationships
Get to know the editors and contributors of the outlets you’re interested in. Following them on social media gives you an inside look at their world — this is a great place to establish a connection. Many times, content creators are looking for content. They need things to write about and exciting stories to share. You could equally benefit one another, but first, you have to make yourself known.
5. Pitch yourself
After you’ve researched the outlets you’d like to work with, create your pitch. When pitching yourself via email, be sure to address it specifically and make mention of specific articles that are related to the one you’re pitching. Include the ways that your story will add value for their readers or listeners and how it’s relevant and timely. Be sure to understand deadlines based on the type of outlet you’re pitching.
You can absolutely build your brand on a budget and receive national and international press without a publicist! By implementing a few of these strategies and being intentional with your goals — you’ll be in a position to fire your publicist and hire yourself!
