If you want to take yourself and your business to the next level, PR is a great way of doing that. It’s a way of being able to extend your reach and grab the attention of people who, otherwise would not have heard of you and it’s more impactful than if you were to take out an ad in the local paper.
Think about it! If someone sees an ad, they know you’ve paid to have it placed there. It still works, but if there’s a story about you in the same paper it builds more trust and credibility because you’ve earned that media. You’ve created enough of a wave for the reporter to be interested in your story and to be shouting about your business. More people will sit up and take notice!
Some people worry about PR hurting their brand, and yes, things can go wrong but it’s very rare. I’ve personally been involved in a media storm around the circumstances of my marriage, which was scary at the time, but I wouldn’t change it now. I managed to turn it around to my advantage. A PR crisis can be handled in a way that you come out on top. I’d be more worried about people not knowing who you are in the first place.
It’s more dangerous to NOT get into the press. People will always be talking about your brand and this is a great thing, but if you’re not showing up powerfully, you have absolutely no control over what’s being said. You can’t stop people from posting nasty comments online or leaving bad reviews, but you can combat that with you sharing wins and positive stories, and sharing your truth about anything that’s been said. The advantage you have is that using the press, you will have a far greater reach than some Pringle crumb covered troll sitting in his mum’s basement.
So, how do you make it happen?
First of all, brace yourself for some harsh truth.
They Don’t Care About You
Unless you are already very well known, the press doesn’t care about you. Nope, it doesn’t care one little bit about how passionate you are about your business, how many hours you put into your book or how many times you’ve cried into your red wine feeling like it’s never going to work. It doesn’t care how much you want more success and to reach more of your people. It. Does. Not. Care.
Here’s What It Does Care About
So, what does it care about? The readers and sharing stories that are interesting enough to encourage them to part with their hard earned dough. That’s it!
This is actually a great thing, because it forces you to be more creative meaning that you end up with a story that people will resonate with, which will make you memorable rather than a pitch which people would most likely skim past.
“If they don’t care about me, how do I get into the press?”
Glad you asked! You lead in with your sensational story. Do some brainstorming around what other people would find interesting about you and your business- not your family, friends or people in your space, but complete strangers who have never even heard of you.
What have you experienced that is out of the ordinary? What about you is unique? Do you dare to share some shocking truths? This is the stuff that sells!
My clients, who have used this method have had their stories covered by local, national and global press and they have led into speaking engagements, magazines and even being offered shows on national TV.
There are other ways of getting into the press, such as introducing yourself as the expert on your topic or sending press releases to announce what you have going on in your business, but the Sensational Story Method is a great first step to take because once you’re out there, you will find that reporters come to you directly when they are looking for experts on your topic and are much more likely to pay attention to any press releases you send, if they already know who you are.
To increase your chances, look at the stories that are hot in the media right now and see if you can offer a different angle on the subject by sharing a part of your story. Then contact the reporters!
Don’t Forget The Twist
This is really important! You need to keep your outcome in mind- regardless of what the story is, you need to be able to twist it to your business, otherwise you risk getting a load of publicity, which is lovely, but it doesn’t really lead anywhere. Also, your story must be shared from a place of power, with you coming across as a strong leader and not a victim. I can not emphasize that enough.
If you’ve been thinking about getting yourself and your business into the press, I hope this gives you the motivation to take the leap! For further help and advice, join my Facebook group, Rockstar of Your Industry.
You weren’t born to be ordinary… you were born to shine!
About the Author
International bestselling author, Luana Ribeira, helps entrepreneurs to become the Rockstars of their industries using the power of books and media. Find out more here, and be sure drop by Facebook to say hi.
