12 Basics of PR that people forget

Dear Lovely Business Owner,

I know many of you are looking to either do your own PR or get help with it. So here’s a post about the 12 basics of PR which will help you!

1. PR is not like marketing, you do not have any control over what or when the journalist, or if they will feature you! None. For example: a lady in a PR group I am part of recently had got her pitch story to a production meeting for a big television show, and the last minute they pulled her idea and gave it to someone else. Of course, I felt for her, but I know that it is the nature of the game; until you get the final call, or you see yourself in print, it is not a done deal, as things come up for both you and the journalist and er the world!!
2. PR is constant, it is not just for Christmas, for Valentines, or Easter, it is CONSTANT! For example: when news is going 24/7 there is simply no end as long as there is life. So this is important to bear in mind when you are starting the process of doing  your own PR or in the process of working with someone else. Really, that it is constant is rather exciting as it means that there are endless chances to weigh in on the news!
3. PR creates influence, above and beyond Social Media. My client Susan Marot was featured in America’s most read newspaper, yesterday USA Today. Do you think that this will boost her influence; without question
4. PR needs written content.  Here, I mean that the media are so busy, that they need to see your ideas, and opinions in a written blog. Why? Really Carrie? Yes really. They do not have time to watch your long facebook lives, or your books. They do have time to scroll through your blog posts to gain an insight into you and your views and your business.
5. PR needs preparation.  You do not like being spammed? Right? Who does. The media is no different. So, before you prepare your pitch you need to do your research. For example, you need to actually watch their show, read their column, or listen to their programme. Without doing your research you will likely be rejected and your email deleted as spam.
6. PR needs a personal touch. For example: when you are sending a pitch email to someone, you need to get their name right, and you need to demonstrate that you have consumed their content, by literally writing a few sentences about it; acknowledging their work, yes really.
7. PR needs big girl knickers It is inevitable that you will  be rejected again and again and again. So you have to not take it personally and just keep on going.I know this is hard as last year at times I found it throughly disheartening until I did some work with a lady who helped me to take this process less personally.  I admit, there is still room for improvement on this, but I am so much better about it than I was!
8. PR needs planning You need to know what you are stand for, what your story is, and what your views about issues that matter to you, and even the news before you even pitch. So, this requires varying degrees of planning, otherwise you will be stuck; most of the time, as preparing much more thoroughly will help you to become much more media-savvy, as once you do one piece very well you stand a stronger chance of being  invited back.
9. PR is a constant pitch. Absolutely. Like it or not, this is the nature of it. You either learn how to do it, get someone else to do it. Oftentimes, people can find it hard not to directly talk about themselves, which is how and why it is different to marketing. Whilst you with PR less often chat about your product like a book, you are more likely though to chat about the issues around your book; relating to what is currently happening, which is quite a different thing.
10. PR can require fast action When a newstory is breaking, and it is something relevant to you and your business, you need to take action fast. Like very fast, to catch the story before it fully breaks. This called:” newsjacking’ which is a very advanced strategy. For example a few weeks ago our Prime Minister Mrs May was to announce that she was committed to reducing plastic waste; which was a dramatic shift. It was announced before she gave her speech on Twitter and journalists were posting on Twitter asking people if they had views about plastic reduction, which one of my clients did and within hours was including in a piece.
11. PR is about relationships  Journalists are humans too, although sometimes I feel that they are secretly superhuman! Nevertheless, they work with people they like, they know and they trust. So, if you cannot directly help them with your business, or your views, but if you can put them in touch with someone who can, they will appreciate it !
12. PR  is long-game. PR  is therefore, in my view, not a quick-fix or magic pill; rather it works in combination with other sides of your business. Yes it can hugely establish you as an authority, and as an influencer but you need to have things in place such as products, services and you have to stand for something valuable, and that matters; otherwise it will be a flash-in-the–pan moment. After all, I know many of you are in business to make a real-life difference and to have real impact with your work. To do so, requires all of the above, patience and persistence for you to become a trusted source and a trusted authority in your field

To gain help with PR, I have PR courses starting tomorrow my basic PR course for £40, which involves an hour long Be Live Call and a private facebook group where you will be able to pick my brains for three weeks. Then next week, I am running an intermediate course in PR, such as how to find journalists and put your pitches together.  On  Monday 5th February, I will be delivering my advanced PR course; where I will be sharing very advanced strategies like newsjacking in much more detail.  Sign up here: www.Paypal.me/TheBlondepreneur.me40

If you are really ready to supercharge your PR, I run Virtual VIP days, for £1500, where I will walk you through some of the processes which I work with my VIP clients with. Until 31.1.18, these days are £1000. Get in touch iif you would like to have one of these; at: carrie@theblondepreneur.com

I trust the 12 points help you!

Sincerely,

Carrie x