A post from one of our fabulous sponsors (& resident PR rockstar!) Melissa Cassera
As a creative business owner, you’ve probably heard plenty of stuff about publicity.
You need it. You don’t need it.
You need to hire an expensive publicist. Expensive publicists are a rip-off.
You work really hard for it, and then you don’t even get a single sale. (insert sad trombone ‘wah-wah’ sound effect.)
Since this month’s theme is all about making moolah (and I looove helping people make moolah) I want to dive into some common myths about the publicity + cash equation to keep more dough rolling into your biz (along with some awesome press mentions.)
Myth #1 – Media Coverage will Bring a Flurry of Sales
Will a juicy press mention bring legions of new customers to your business? Maybe. But, more often than not, it won’t bring you the flurry of new customers you expect.
But don’t give up on your PR dreams just yet. You just need to shift your thinking about press coverage and know how to turn it into cash.
The first step is your mindset. Think of every piece of press coverage as the ultimate endorsement for your business. Martha Stewart Living thinks your stationery collection is the bee’s knees? You can use that endorsement for the life of your business. Even a small blog or local newspaper can make an impact – they have fans, and those fans could be potential direct sales or retail accounts. Instead of wondering how many new customers these pieces of press will bring you, think of it as a tool to get those “on-the-fence” customers or retail accounts to finally give you a big, bold YES.
Also, once you land a piece of press coverage, your work has just begun. There are a list of ways you need to leverage each and every piece of press to make that money. I teach you every single way in my upcoming class Make Headlines!
Myth #2 – You Have to Hire a Publicist to Get Big-Time Media Coverage
Publicists are awesome (I was one for 7 years before I started training business owners how to get press!) They spend lots of time building relationships with the media and knowing all the little ins and outs of working with the press.
That’s awesome…and if you can afford a $3k-$5k month retainer, then I say….go for it.
However, most business owners aren’t in a position to afford that kind of payout. Maybe you can relate.
Plus, there is a real benefit of doing your own PR and not hiring a publicist. Here’s why.
PR is all about relationships. But the media is just as open to building a relationship with you as they are with a publicist (in fact, some journalists I’ve spoken with even prefer working directly with the business owner.) If you know the right approach, before long you’ll feel like pitching the media is as good as curling up with your bestie and a bottle of wine. I break down the whole relationship-building goodness in my upcoming class Make Headlines.
Myth #3 – PR is SOOOOO Time Consuming, It’s Impossible
You’re incredibly busy. Some days you forget to shower until it’s 5pm. And forget getting to Zumba or yoga class. So, how is it that you can add PR on top of everything else you’re juggling?
PR can take up a lot of time and feel incredibly stressful IF you’re doing it the wrong way. Over the years, I’ve turned publicity into a super fun activity – one that most of my clients now say is their favorite thing to do. My method is completely flexible, so you can put in as much (or as little) time you want and still see results. It also includes lots of frothy coffee drinks, reading juicy magazines, watching TV, and partaking in other guilty pleasures.
Sound fun? I’d love to have you join me in my brand-new program!
This program is designed to help you get all the press coverage you crave and turn it into cash for your business. You’ll finally stop feeling overwhelmed by PR. You’ll stop wondering if you’re doing it “right.” And you’ll certainly learn how to actually make sales from the press coverage you get (bonus: if you’ve already landed some press, it’s not too late to start this process!)
This brand-new program means I’m also extending a one-time only special price intended to keep more cash in your pocket while learning everything you need to know about publicity. You can enroll in the program up until February 17th by visiting http://www.make-headlines.com.
I would love to help you Make Headlines <3
Editor’s note: You can also join Melissa and I for a non-sponsored #OMHG chat where we talk all about how to make the media fall in love with your business and how to turn that press into profits that help you keep doing what you love! Mark your calendars for February 14th from 1-2pm EST and be sure to share in the comments any press or marketing questions you would like to see Melissa answer at our chat!
