The Power of PR

According to Forbes.com, 30% of Americans are self-employed. Working for yourself has many advantages, including flexibility and more control over your schedule, but to ensure consistent growth, you need to know how to promote yourself.

One of the biggest mistakes small businesses can make is to underestimate the power and importance of PR.

Public Relations is a game-changer for how brands connect and communicate with their consumers. It is the best way to make use of your resources (time being the most important one) in order to generate more business.

PR should be on the top of your priority list.

Why PR?

Simply put – to propel your business forward.

PR helps your business establish credibility amongst your audience, bolstering your public image. A good PR strategy is the absolute best way to show your target demo they can trust you, while garnering brand visibility and heightened exposure.

Whether you are a large or small business, there are two ways you can promote your brand. You can either advertise or publicize. If you look below at the “4 Ps of Marketing” graphic, you’ll notice that both PR and Advertising fall under the Promotions arm of the marketing umbrella.

The difference between PR and Advertising is:

Free (PR) vs Paid (Ads)
Earned (PR) vs Purchased (Ads)
Credible (PR) vs Not (Ads)
Tells you something important (PR) vs Sells you something you think is important (Ads)

Although an integrated approach that uses both advertising and PR is most effective, if budget is a concern, PR is where you will get the biggest bang for your buck. According to a Nielsen study, PR is 90% more effective than advertising in influencing consumers.

This is because through your messaging and media outreach, you are influencing or convincing a reporter, customer, or stakeholder – a credible third party – to write or say something good about your brand. As a result, their decision to tell your story, to give your brand coverage, is EARNED (deserved as opposed to paid for). This gives you more credibility amongst your audience; your brand is verified by a trusted third party, rather than purchased.

Not only does this give your brand consumer trust, but you also have FREE publicity.

For example, a front-page ad in a high-profile publication can cost you up to $125K US. A front-page news story in the same outlet will get you the same exposure, and you’ve paid nothing.

Even word-of-mouth recommendations and online buzz can bring your business expedited organic growth.

Why Do-It-Yourself PR?:

It’s FREE…

Media coverage is free, yes… but having to hire a PR firm to get the coverage for you is not. In fact, it can be quite costly, with monthly retainers outside of most small business marketing budgets.

But the secret is – YOU CAN do it yourself. Once you know the simple tactics and can commit the time to implementing them, you will see they work! You WILL get traction – for FREE. There is nothing quite like having your business featured in the media. The exposure it can bring is game-changing. Not only will you see increased traffic and interest for your business, but you will see the value you are bringing by investing the time.

It’s EASY…

It is absolutely worth the time to learn PR tactics. Plus, the more you implement them, the quicker publicizing your business becomes second nature. PR is ultimately all about your public image and it’s necessary for the continued growth of your business.

I've been working in the media industry for more than 25 years and I can tell you, there’s no secret formula, it’s not rocket science. When you invest the time, you’ll see the change in your ROI (return on investment).

The truth is, the media needs quality content, and it is the entrepreneurs like YOU who can provide it.

It’s POWER…

Having said all this - your business is your baby and no one, not even a PR consultant, can know it and love it like you do. Doing your own PR gives you control and autonomy over your narrative, as well as the fate and direction of your own business. No one will put in the time like you will. No one will know or tell your story like you can. No one will have your passion to bring you success. Once you see the difference the exposure you’ve garnered makes in your growth, you will be unstoppable!

So how do you do it?

We all use PR in our daily lives to some degree, without even realizing it. Which means we all have an innate talent for it. And learning the tactics can only put you ahead of the game.

Whether it’s through media coverage or community outreach, it’s easy to do! You don’t need fancy connections, you just need your story, and a step-by-step guide on how to get your message seen and heard.

Step 1: Know the power of your story. And know how to communicate it affectively for impact. You are doing great things with your business, which means you are newsworthy! Find your angle and pitch it. With THE PR PROPELLOR you’ll learn how to tell your story to an audience while showing them WHY your business matters and what makes you stand out.

Step 2: Own your expertise! Establish yourself as the go-to of your industry.

Step 3: Build relationships. Your network makes a difference.

Step 4: Be in control. Control your image and engage with your audience, including the media and other influencers, with the reputation of your brand in mind. It’s also important to monitor industry trends so you know what your next best steps are at all times.

Step 5: Know your target audience.

Step 6: Leverage your coverage. Once you’ve got the one media feature, or stellar testimonial, share it and let it catch like wildfire!

Step 7: Show your love. Your passion will ignite the same in others. It is palpable. It will shine through everything you do and will inspire media to write about you, while attracting consumers towards you. Your passion is contagious and can’t be faked.

My methods are tried and true, and they work. They are and have been used by PR consultants globally. I know this because I am one! And I can teach you to be one too.

Join me on THE PR PROPELLOR and learn how to do your own PR for your business! I’ll be sharing with you how you can implement these tactics using your screen and keyboard right at home driving growth and propelling your business forward. These days, with a potentially limitless reach online, you can connect not just with your geographical community, but on a more global scale.

Change your game to see the difference.