So…..I’m biting the bullet and writing my book! 
YES the time has come! I am passionate about PR and I want to use my experience and knowledge to help entrepreneurs. If you are a little bit scared to be seen, this book is all about helping you prepare to be seen, so you can dare to be seen.
YES the time has come! I am passionate about PR and I want to use my experience and knowledge to help entrepreneurs. If you are a little bit scared to be seen, this book is all about helping you prepare to be seen, so you can dare to be seen.I am really excited but also desperate to get it right, to make sure the effort I put in brings the value and impact I want to those who read it.. I’ve scoped the outline with the fabulous Abigail Horne at Authors & Co and I am absolutely loving working with her. I have also embarked on the real test….the ‘real people’ test! 10 people were chosen to be part of an initial focus group via Zoom and it was incredibly helpful to speak to people who are suffering from imposter syndrome.
Some things I learnt from my focus group were…
“PR isn’t for me”
When exploring what PR is and who it is for, we had many variations in answers but the majority of the group said they had initially believed it was not for them…
Everyone has very different views of what PR is – and this seems often based on their ‘experiences’ of it- but more often than not these are not direct experiences.
Opinions seem to have been formed from observing PR as part of the marketing mix in corporate, from seeing mentors using it or those already in the public eye, alongside preconceptions of what PR is based on how celebs use it to manage the media…
Is this how you have ‘experienced’ PR?
All of this tells the 1 woman band who is just starting out- and already feels slightly out of her depth- that it’s not for her!! It even tells the business owner who’s a couple of years in that she’s ‘not quite ready yet’ and she should forget about it for now.
“It’s for those who have already made it”. “It’s for those with big budgets” “It’s for people trying to manipulate the media”
Yes – it can be used by those people – but it’s not exclusive to them!! – and it makes me sad to hear that often this is the belief.
PR is SUCH a powerful marketing medium– ESPECIALLY for small businesses and female entrepreneurs because it CAN level playing fields – it CAN get you a voice alongside your respected peers, it CAN open doors. If you wait too long to leverage this you are missing opportunities to increase your visibility and credibility and to reach more people – so you are limiting your impact.
Myth busters:-
1. You don’t need to have been in business for years to succeed in PR. We have launched businesses with PR – because you – not your business- is your story and PR leverage
2. The media won’t believe you’re an expert if you’re new in business – Not true if you have a credible background
3. The media hand picks who to feature. Not true- the majority of PR comes from putting yourself in front if Journos- not them choosing you
4. It costs thousands to do PR. It doesn’t have to- you can do it yourself when you know how!!
PR is accessible to you, no matter how old your business. Don’t waste time believing it’s not for you
It is my absolute mission to get more female entrepreneurs tapping into the power of PR!