Is PR Even For you? 5 ways to find out.

Apr 8

Oh PR. It’s a very misunderstood space that comes with high expectations. If you’ve never done it before, you could be someone who thinks one pitch will result in instant wins or someone who sweats at the thought of cold pitching a journalist. Or maybe you’re someone who thinks that PR is only for the rich and famous.

The more time I spend in this industry, the more I realize just how many myths exist about the PR world. That’s actually the precise reason I wanted to sit down and write this article. Many of you are confused about PR and I want to help set the record straight.

So how do you tell PR myth from PR reality? Better yet, how do you know whether or not PR is right for you and your business?

Well, let’s just dive right in.

Here are five ways to know if PR is right for an entrepreneur like you.

1. You feel worthy of attention

Generational Inequality Makes Us Feel ‘Less Worthy’

Recently, I had someone tell me that PR wasn’t for someone like her. That it’s reserved for people like Marie Forleo. Which got me thinking there is a huge block women in business face when it comes to self-worth. Beyond pricing their products or services substantially lower than men do, we often don’t think we deserve the spotlight.

Let’s talk about this systemic inequality first and how this applies to getting media coverage.

We were born into trauma (Read Valerie Reins book The Patriarchy Stress Disorder) and that pain has been passed on for years. Even in our workplace it is estimated that it will take 202 years to close the gap in pay inequality between men and women.

Women choose careers in positions that typically pay less than men and the same can be true for the businesses that we create. Gender differences in occupational choice affect gender differences in earnings caused by these being roles that were always filled by women (teacher, nurse, homemaker). I bet if men occupied these positions from the get-go they would have much higher pay today. Alas, this is not the case which makes it a constant battle.

The perception of women at the top also comes with criticism. You know the saying “We expect women to work like they don’t have children and raise children as if they don’t work.” We know that’s not the case for men. Women are less likely to apply for a job if they aren’t 100% qualified (Hewlett Packard) and ask for less money from investors when raising a round for their business.

So why is this relevant to PR?

It emphasizes the confidence gap between men and women and what Pauline Claunce and Suzanne Imes calls imposter syndrome. Women worry more about being disliked, appearing unattractive, or garnering too much attention so they downplay most of their abilities and experience. This is why many women shy away from getting media attention. They don’t want to stand out for fear of outshining others.

I would say ‘lean in’ but that’s not the point. I suggest you dig deeper into why you may feel your limiting beliefs are stopping you from even trying. While you can keep using systemic issues and generational trauma as an excuse, if we as women don’t change the pattern now, it will never evolve. Go get it!

2. Your Product/Service is ready for the spotlight

A former client once asked us to help them with doing their launch PR. You know the kind, new tech company out of silicon valley launches the Uber for XYZ. Back in 2013, this was still a ‘new’ thing and a decent way to pitch the media, because not too many people were doing it. We had great connections all over the tech world and getting a client mentioned in a top tech publication was relatively easy.

This startup’s ‘wish list’ was TechCrunch so we secured them a full feature which ended up being a killer piece. The problem was that their product was still broken and their customer service nonexistent. So when TC sent them a crap ton of highly relevant traffic, they weren’t prepared and they totally missed the mark. In the world of PR, that was a huge miss because you can’t redo a launch like that and trying to recoup this traffic’s interest would be difficult.

What are the basics for PR readiness? Here’s a simple list:

Functioning product/Reliable service
Media spokesperson. A good conversationalist.
A decent website.
Your story (your ‘why’ behind your brand).
Great messaging. People know what problem you solve and WHO it’s for.
A social media presence. You don’t need a lot of followers, but you should have at least a presence on 1-2 relevant channels.
Easy way to purchase your product/service.

3. You can dedicate time each week for PR

Listen. PR isn’t hard, once you figure it out (Psst, my PR Authority mini-course can give you the foundation you need to get started.) You simply need to carve out time every week to invest in the process. Think of a good, better, best approach:

Good = 2 hours / week

Better = 4 hours/week

Best = 6+ hours/week

Although time is important, because PR is a value + volume game, you need to be strategic in your approach to creating angles and pitching the right media. But I can’t tell you how many clients I work with who start out all excited and taper off after only a few weeks because they get discouraged. Which is brings me to my next qualification …

4. You’re ok with rejection

The act of doing PR comes with a lot of no’s, not now’s and just flat out, no replies at all. And while you may think it’s because of you, most of the time it’s a timing thing. I’ve always said that some of our biggest PR wins were a result of right time + right place + right person. A great product or service is still table stakes, but it’s a red ocean out there and sometimes you do need a little luck on your side.

Back to rejection. It happens a lot more than you think and just when you want to give up, you must send that next email or pitch or follow-up. It’s the only way to be successful.

Look at Frank Body for example. They are a very successful coffee scrub company and have a full-time communications person dedicated to PR and partnerships. The company does get a lot of media attention, but for many newbie PR people, who don’t understand lead times or the process, you may expect more and bigger wins. This is because many people think that getting media wins is as easy as pitching a few top journalists and they’ll all reply. I have managed many successful campaigns that took over 150 pitches to get a handful of wins. 150!! So if you’re in this game, you will be denied and ignored and that’s just a part of the process. Keep moving on.

5. You’re a creative writer

You, someone on your team or a dedicated freelance needs to be an excellent writer. This means creative, entertaining, and informative. It’s a delicate balance between writing punchy headlines and subject lines and providing just enough information to entice the journalists. Not enough information and you look lazy. Too many details and it’s overwhelming. How you boil down your story and your CTA (call-to-action) is the fine art of PR and why specialists can charge thousands to help you get in your dream publications.

When I first started in PR over 10 years ago, my industry (the tech industry) was much smaller than it is now. To have one contact at all the top tech publications was all we needed to get our clients in the news. But as the industry grew, and our competition evolved, we needed to get more creative and create punchier pitches and stories. It wasn’t easy, and it’s still not today.

The trick is to ‘think outside the box’. Stale pitches will always fall flat. Uncrafted stories will fall on deaf ears. And all the time you put into creating something without a strategy, will not have an ROI. A creative writer or someone with a unique perspective will help you stand out - a tool perfect for more than just your pitches. Think….social media, blog posts, and podcasts. When you get too caught up in the perfection and formality of your PR approach, you miss out on a ton of creative opportunities.

So if you ask me, YES you are worthy of media coverage. It ultimately comes down to how much you want it and how much you are willing to do the work to get it. Get your business, yourself, and your confidence ready. Showing up is half the battle.

Good luck!

Header image credit: Alizée Baudez on Unsplash

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