How One PR Agency Founder Uses Mentorship Tactics To Get the Best Results for Her Clients

Working in public relations has been one of the most fulfilling experiences for me. I started my career almost 11 years ago, and I have to say, I’m not the same person I was back then. Not only have I grown as an individual, but also as a business entrepreneur, picking up knowledge along the way.

In the first eight years of my career, I worked for a notable PR agency based out of New York City. It was there that I was inspired to launch my own agency, as my passion for helping and amplifying small businesses, specifically BIPOC-owned ones, grew. I saw the need for these businesses to get as much help and attention as big corporate brands, so I ventured out to start The Bonita Project and do that. 

As I slowly built my client roster, I had the pleasure to work with some of today's most popular Latinx- and Black-owned brands, such as Alamar Cosmetics, Second Wind, Pholk Beauty, Valdé Beauty, and many more. My role as a business entrepreneur and a PR consultant turned me into a mentor of sorts, and I now mentor clients and service their PR needs, while stimulating their growth as individuals and fellow business owners. Here are some of the tactics I used to help my clients achieve success in their own journey.

1. Set shared goals

Upon signing with a new client, set a list of business and personal goals. How do they want to grow their business exposure? How about their mission and image as a new business owner? Let them share their dreams (even if they may seem sky high). Let’s face it, we all have these ambitious dreams for ourselves. 

I always ask new clients what brands they aspire to be like. Who do they follow closely on social media, and what public figure do they see as a role model? We then work on a list of shared goals together, followed by a PR strategy! 

2. Listen and support 

Always lend an ear when they have a question or need advice on something, even if it's not entirely PR related. While we know "time is money," my relationship with my clients isn't always transactional. As a small business owner, I want to make sure they can confide in me and share their ups and downs, and even their work struggles. We usually come to a resolution together, while talking through their feelings.

3. Be their number one cheerleader 

Root for them and share words of encouragement, whether it’s a comment on their social media or a quick text after they’ve finished an interview. There have been many times when clients wrap up an interview, and tell me they did horribly or didn’t feel as confident. Boost their confidence by showing them that you care and plug in some tips for improvement if needed. There is always room for improvement, and our small business clients recognize that. 

4. Set them up for success 

This brings me to my next point. You always want to come prepared and ensure you’re setting your client up for success, while clearing their head of any doubts. You can boost their confidence with media training or practice sessions on how they should handle a press interview. Let the client take notes and you’ll see them improve each time.

5. Challenge them to step out of their comfort zone 

If there's something about me, I constantly challenge our clients with perspective. As the PR and marketing industry continues to evolve, so does today's consumer. And while some brands may be stuck on doing things the traditional way, I usually come in and challenge the client to stir things up a bit. 

My team and I introduce creative ideas, and new influencers and voices to partner with, but sometimes brands will think it's a bit too risky or "not on brand." I usually believe otherwise and give them more context as to why this idea would make sense. Apply the “it doesn't hurt if you don't try it" mentality, and they’ll see the growth. All it takes is being confident in your ideas. You're the expert and more tapped into the industry than the client. 

6. Keep it real 

There will be times when the client says or proposes an idea that doesn’t sit well with you, whether it goes against your values or you don’t think it’ll be well received. Keep it real and tell them what you are thinking. Keeping it real from the beginning will help the bond between you both go further, and grow stronger.

About the author: Danielle Alvarez launched The Bonita Project in 2018, and since its introduction to the industry - she infuses creative, nontraditional ideas while being unapologetically Latinx. The proud Peruvian-American is drawing from her bicultural experience to make sure she keeps breaking barriers between general & multicultural markets.

How Brick-and-Mortar Businesses Can Pivot to Sell on Social Media During COVID-19

Photo: Lisa Fotios for Pexels

Just because your physical doors are closed doesn’t mean your virtual ones aren’t open.

Instead of sitting back, kicking your feet up while binge-watching Netflix, consider making some changes in your business right now. The best part? If you go online now, you’ll be ahead of the game for the future and set your business up for success as we further enter the digital world.

Ready to get online? Here are the five things every brick-and-mortar business could be doing right now—and no, you don’t need to discount every product just to make ends meet!

1. Make It Personal

First, make sure your marketing materials include creative, thoughtful, and personalized touches. Uncertain times call for personal connection, right? So be sure to include something that will stand out to your customer.

Here’s an example: My fiance and I ordered takeout from a local Greek restaurant. When they came to the car with our food, they gave us a squirt of hand sanitizer so we could eat some fries on the way home. Who doesn’t want to dig in while they’re still warm and not have to worry about getting sick?! 

2. Go Virtual

Second, the one that should be a bit more obvious, go online! Everyone’s showing up virtually, so you should be, too. This is the time to get hooked on Zoom, Instagram, and Facebook Live. If you’re offering a service, now’s the time to get creative and provide virtual support. If you’re offering a product, start showing, selling, and shipping using live video.

If your events keep getting pushed back, instead of canceling, switch them to online events. Own a clothing boutique? Perfect. Host a “live” fashion show. Or maybe you sell stationery, crafts, or flowers—why not sell your items live, but make it even more interesting with a three-day challenge where everyone crafts at home with you? Get your community involved not only to try to drive sales but also to give something back to your community! 

3. Discounts, Anyone?

Third, discounts. I know I said don’t discount every product in your inventory, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do any discounts at all. This is a time when many people aren’t making money, so they’re typically not wanting to spend money. What better way to convince them than special (and strategic) offers?

You can do this in a way where you’re selling more but not seeing a dip in profit—meaning, don’t discount just for the sake of offering discounts. Instead, you can bundle items, make a major flash sale with “almost out-of-season” pieces, or offer to match a credit. If someone pays you $30, match them 50% of their payment in credit towards future purchases. Just don’t forget to set a maximum.

If you want to make it even more appealing, you can switch things up and offer a give-back program. Donate a portion of all proceeds, match purchase prices, or accept donations. And remember, if you’re passionate about something, the better it will do. I donated $100 from every course sale in March 2020 to a woman in need, totaling over $6,000 in donations.

4. Time to Advertise

Fourth, surprise, surprise! Many don’t know this, but online advertising costs are cut in half right now. Two words: take advantage. If you don’t have an online offer that you can get creative with right off the bat, consider just running ads for your quality content and focus on building your email list for when this is over.

5. Cut Through the Noise

Last but not least, cut through the noise. Offer an element of fun to help get people through these difficult times.

Try doing a social media scavenger hunt and ask your followers to find a post where you talked about XYZ, or encourage them to watch today’s story and answer a riddle. Facilitate a little “playtime,” your audience will appreciate it. 

The best thing you can do during this time is to be human. One thing we truly need to survive is connection, and that’s what’s missing for many right now. So get online, offer weekly video segments around trends and pop culture, make quizzes, introduce your staff in fun ways, and be a beam of positivity. Remember, there’s always an opportunity to help those in need. 

About the Author: Shannon Lutz is the owner of The Social Bungalow, and the go-to marketing strategist for female entrepreneurs devoted to making a purpose-driven impact while earning a wildest-dreams-status income. The Social Bungalow is a clever, creative, and collaborative online education space dedicated to helping women market their expertise and structure their businesses for big-picture profit. She said “peace out” to a 10-year corporate marketing career where she assisted in building multi-million-dollar businesses and marketing A-list celebrities (*cough* ARod & JLo *cough*). Now, she uses this marketing-prowess to turn solopreneurs into 6- and 7-figure CEOs.

How to Be a Shameless Self-Promoter (Without Inducing Eye Rolls)

Photo: Courtesy of Create & Cultivate

In an era of Kardashians and Kanyes, selfies and borderline obnoxious status updates, it seems like humility is a lost virtue. (RIP, modesty: it’s been real.)

Makes sense, right? Well, kinda. In these Tinder slash, Twitter slash, Instagram times, it’s all about showcasing the best of you with the best visual and in as few characters as possible. It’s also easier to have a certain arrogance when posting on social media because you literally have no filter (not to worry, by “no filter” I mean no reservations).

And even if it means shouting your accomplishments from the rooftops (or in Yeezy’s case, with consecutive ALL CAPS TWEETS), promoting yourself is necessary because if you’re not going to do it, no one else will do it for you.  The trouble is, being boastful and plugging yourself constantly on social media and in-person can get annoying AF to your audience—but being humble might cause you to miss out on opportunities. And that’s no fun.

It’s a case of “don’t hate the playa, hate the game.”  And it is, indeed, a game. So play by the rules, promote yourself with poise and come out a winner with these five tips:

SHOW, DON'T TELL

Whether you’re selling merchandise or your personal brand, hard facts speak volumes. So instead of posting that “You’re the best PR person in the city” on Facebook, opt for sharing photos of recent sold-out events you’ve organized. LinkedIn is the ideal platform for sharing news coverage about you, awards you might have received or listing recent achievements. Save Twitter as a playground for “quick hits,” such as any media coverage about you, recent articles you’ve written, or upcoming conferences you are speaking at, for example.

“Hard facts speak volumes when you’re your own PR hype.””

You can also leverage platforms like Levo to showcase your experience and your portfolio. Levo is an awesome website for creating personal profiles, where you can “tell your story” by adding all the cool projects you’ve worked on and connecting with your network.  

Tip: Focus on the “why?.” So when listing your accomplishments, always demonstrate the value added to your potential clients and why you stand out from the competition. For example, if you’re a publicist, post your client’s media coverage and showcase the buzz your client’s product is receiving. 

GIVE PROPS

Shouting out to people on your team, and anyone who helped you “make it happen,” is critical. For starters, the ability to give credit is a huge step toward being a successful manager, leader, or entrepreneur.

The magic of paying it forward on social media is also a key component to earning social capital. So if someone in your network tweets about an accomplishment, “heart” it and comment with a “Slay, girl. Slay!” (Feel free to insert relevant emojis.)

Go a step further and tweet about a female entrepreneur you know who’s killing it in her field, just to spread some love.

Giving credit to others on social media can even work with strangers, not only personal connections. They will appreciate the kindness, and many people might even return the favor. It’s all about social media karma!

BE A CONNECTOR

Knowing how to connect people to business opportunities or jobs is an amazing skill: it proves that you’re resourceful and have a vast network. If you’re the person in your squad who has this skill, use it! Your reputation as a master connector of people and ideas will spread — and it’s not something you need to shout from the rooftops either. Your clout will be clear.

AVOID CORPORATE JARGON

One of my personal pet peeves is when people spew corporate buzzwords in presentations and on their resumes, thinking it makes them sound credible. It goes something like this: “I suggest we deep dive into some blue-sky thinking that's high level so we can take a holistic approach.” It makes you sound like a robot, and more importantly, it takes away all authenticity. (More on this in a minute.)

While it’s key to sound savvy and relevant in your posts and social media presence, it’s also important to sound genuine. And yes, you might think you sound really smart with your corporate buzzwords, but they induce all kinds of eye rolls in my books.

BE AUTHENTIC

Authenticity is the most important part of knowing how to promote yourself with class. Not to get all Dr. Seuss on you guys, but no matter how you’re hustling, there’s a key mantra to keep in mind: no one else is YOUer than YOU. Others might have your skills and your experience, but no one else has your brand DNA: you know, all the things that make you, well, you.

Leandra Medine a.k.a. the Man Repeller is a great example of someone who has stayed true to herself. Her best-selling book Seeking Love. Finding Overalls and Man Repeller blog and brand are direct reflections of her personality, so when she promotes herself, she still seems real and slightly self-deprecating. This is part of her shtick and what has helped her gain celeb status.

So when speaking about yourself and promoting your recent wins, always make sure to stay true to your brand and personality. Authenticity is super valued in this era, so use it to your advantage. 

THE RECAP

The truth is, you need to be boastful, confident and plug yourself constantly. Because if you don’t tell your story, someone else will. And in a sea of other bloggers/freelancers /creatives/career women/entrepreneurs, etc., standing out is critical to your success.

Now go forth and self-promote!

About the Author:

Karin Eldor is a coffee-addicted copywriter, with a long-time love for all things pop culture, fashion and tech. Ever since she got her first issues of YM (remember that one?) and Seventeen in the mail, she was hooked on the world of editorial content. After earning her Communications degree, she spent 6 years honing her craft as a Senior Editor for AskMen.com. More recently, Karin enjoyed gramming and strategizing as social media Manager at ALDO. Today, she is Chief Content Writer at 818 Agency and a social media consultant.

This post was originally published on April 28, 2019, and has since been updated.

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How Letting Go of the Hustle Helped Me Grow My Business

By Alysha Light, FLIGHT PR

Ask any entrepreneur if they consider themselves a hustler, and most of them will proudly say, “Heck yes!” The concept of the hustle is glorified in business and entrepreneurial communities, because we’re struck by the image of the self-sufficient go-getters who are putting themselves out there, making things happen and having no one but themselves to thank for the the leaps and bounds they've made along the way.
For a long time, I was damn proud of my ability to get sh*t done, to do more with less, to fire on all cylinders and go out into the wild in pursuit of big game because hey, fortune favors the bold and those bills aren’t gonna pay themselves, amiright? In a 2016 C&C piece, Dr. Lauren Hazzouri broke down why so many of us are addicted to the hustle: "We're human-beings, and humans tend to repeat anything that feels good," she wrote. "For women, especially, nailing the presentation and bringing home the bacon feels SO damn good."

And she's right. It does feel good to secure a big win. But how "good" is it really, when you're spending every waking moment on your phone or laptop and missing out on life in the name of the hustle and grind?

That's how I operated for the first few years after launching my business in 2013: no vacation, no team, #nodaysoff. Just me, grinding away 24/7 to prove that I can get things done for my clients, fast. That I was basically superwoman.

Unsurprisingly, I was burning out from the constant grind. I was bending over backwards and stretching myself so thin for small wins and inch-by-inch growth. I knew I needed to reprogram my mindset if I wanted to stay physically, mentally, and spiritually healthy.

Check yourself before you wreck yourself

Here’s the thing about the "hustle" mentality that no one tells you: Even though it champions hard work and self-reliance, it's ultimately rooted in fear. Your core belief is basically, If I'm not constantly chasing new opportunities and busting my ass, then I don't eat. I’ll let people down. My business will stall. You become terrified of the things you think you might lose if you dare to take the world off your shoulders for a moment.

Even though ‘the hustle’ champions hard work and self-reliance, it's ultimately rooted in fear.

click to tweet

Plot twist: When I stopped hustling, that's when my business grew the most. In no way have I lost my "go get 'em" attitude – but hear me when I say that my business tripled when I let go of the idea that things would stop if I stopped...chasing, pursuing, stressing, hustling, stretching, bending over backwards, etc. In fact, it was just the opposite.

There’s a spiritual principle behind this that basically shifts your mindset to one of stress and anxiety (or fear) to one of ease (abundance). What you’re basically doing, is signaling to the universe that you trust it to operate on behalf of your highest good, and that you believe things are always working out for you. Because they are. And when you really get this, you find yourself in “the flow”—that amazing space where things start flowing with minimal “effort” on your part.

Setting intentions > goals

One of my favorite people on Twitter, Maryam Hasnaa, believes in setting intentions rather than goals. Having adopted this for myself, rather than focusing on a list of things I want to accomplish, I’ve started asking a simple question: how do I want to feel?

One of my intentions this year was to feel ‘in demand’. If I'm in demand, that implies money is flowing and my inbox is flooding with new business opportunities. And guess what? That's exactly what’s happened.

As Rumi once said, “When I run after what I think I want, my days are a furnace of stress and anxiety; if I sit in my own place of patience, what I need flows to me, and without any pain. From this I understand that what I want also wants me, is looking for me and attracting me. [There] is a great secret here for anyone who can grasp it.”

Grasp it, and prosper girl!

Alysha Light, a reformed hustler, is founder of FLIGHT PR, a boutique PR agency for companies at the intersection of tech, design, marketing and entertainment. Follow her @lightalysha.

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Small but Mighty PR Duo Is Transforming Marketing & Advertising

Small Girls: Bianca Caampued, left; Mallory Blair, right. Photo credit: Scott Furkay. 

Small-bodied, big brained, big city. 

When Bianca Caampued and Mallory Blair launched Small Girls PR in 2010, the duo decided that part of their "sauce" would be working with friends.  As the agency of record for GE and Panasonic, we'd say they've made some friends in high places. But while some of their clients are corporate, their strategy is anything but. From the gate they tossed pre-packaged ideas out of the window from their office in Brooklyn, successfully proving that a PR "stunt" can actually shift into a sustainable business strategy; they are one of the most successful boutique PR firms in New York. 

They don't issue press releases or BCC hundreds of people at a time. Their messaging is crafted, creative, and gets people buzzing. In a 2011 blog post celebrating their first year, Mallory wrote, "Small Girls PR is a happy accident balancing carefully on the precipice of fear & hard work. What I’m saying, Dear Internet, is that I am a fraud. Maybe a diligent one, but a fraud nonetheless."

At this point, we beg to differ. 

We checked in with the small but mighty duo to get the low down on their SG game. 

Can you tell us a little about your backgrounds and why PR was the right move for your careers?

Bianca: I started out working in promotions and advertising at Lucky Magazine out of college and I really loved the creative activations that were being done for advertisers. I eventually ended up doing in-house "PR" at a thrift store where I did it the way that made sense to me - inviting my friends who were bloggers and downtown 'cool kids' (what I guess you would call "influencers" now) to the store to create content for and around the store's socials. I ran the Tumblr, Twitter, and Facebook, produced lookbooks and shoots for the special things that came into the store, threw events, and even occasionally pitched an outlet if a writer's interests were in line with the brand and it caught my eye. 

Mallory: Bianca and I met right when I was graduating college, while still working long hours at a small, four-person brand consultancy whose clients were tech giants like Apple. When I saw what Bianca was doing, I thought it could make sense to merge surfacing trends in technology with creative campaigns. That's how we built Small Girls PR in the beginning - taking all of the ways she was playing with new media & events at the store plus the positioning & trend-jacking I'd gleaned from the consultancy. We leveraged our mutual blogger networks as talent, tapped our friends as tastemakers before the word "Influencer" was a thing, and called it the new PR. 

Bianca: I still run the team that handles these kinds of projects at SGPR, though we now have 3 entire hubs dedicated to press strategy and media relations as well. Even when it comes to more "traditional" comms work, we use the same spirit of creativity and personalization.

Small girls. Big business. What does that mean, respectively, to each of you? 

Mallory: To quote me quoting a tumblr meme quoting Shakespeare, "Though she may be but little, she is fierce."

Bianca: It literally means we are small girls (5'0" and 5'3") and we're capable of doing big business.

"To quote me quoting a tumblr meme quoting Shakespeare, 'Though she may be but little, she is fierce.'"

Tweet this. 

You’ve worked with brands like Google and GE, both at SXSW. What is it about a startup, and yours in particular that you think is compelling to larger corporate brands? 

Mallory: We're neophiles so we're always thinking about what's next, testing out new platforms, and meeting up with rising bloggers. Our entire team is in the same tech-savvy, marketer-aware audience that brands are trying to reach by participating in things like SXSW or launching a web series on a VR platform or creating an Instagram treasure hunt (all things we've been hired to execute and do PR for).

You both put yourself front and center for certain campaigns. Why do you think it’s important for bigger companies to brand themselves in relation to people? Are corporations people too? 

Mallory: This has gone so far that brands are now dipping into the uncanny valley, using 'bae' and 'fleek' more than 'discount code' and 'click to purchase'. I love brands playing into this weird twitter apocalypse and hope it never ends. [insert hands praying emoji]

This will be your 3rd year at SXSW, what is it about the festival that’s so exciting and appealing to such a wide audience?

Bianca: This is actually my 7th year at SXSW and Mallory's 8th! Prior to starting Small Girls, I helped Tumblr with their first SXSW event in 2009. I was also a regular attendee of the music portion of the festival for a while. Since then, Small Girls has produced SXSW events for clients ranging from Google to GE to The Dutch Consulate.I think that the most exciting and appealing thing about SXSW is the fact that it brings so many people across tech, music, and film together in one place. You can meet new people who are also working on interesting, creative things and spend time with them in a way that jumpstarts a friendship or even a business partnership. Hopping from panel to activation to party (to after party to the hotel lobby) gives you the opportunity to get to know people quickly & outside of just what they do for a living. 

Piggybacking on that, how do you get a brand to stand out when there are so many onsite activation points?

Bianca: This is such a tough question because there is so much noise in the space. Producing an activation in 2016 is not like what it was throwing a party in 2010. You can't just book a venue, slap an open bar on the invite, and get a DJ to get people excited; brand participation is saturated so it's crucial to give guests something to interact with, learn about, or experience for the first time- something they won't want to miss. All of this means partnering with the right brands or talent that can help draw attention to the experience and knowing the corners of the Internet where the people who would genuinely be interested in the project you're working on are hanging out. 

Mallory: Last year, we spent months in advance strategizing the amplification of GE's BBQ Research Center (debuting a 12-foot tall intelligent brisket smoker). We thought through every part of the experience from a media standpoint as well as the kind of content we could generate that would actually compel people to share or cover, whether data visualization of barbecue or tweeting gifs to attendees of their brainwaves reacting to brisket flavors (tracked via an EEG headgear set!). It was one of the most talked about SXSW events, with spots on ABC News, NPR, Fast Company & Nightline, earning over 1 billion media impressions. 

What’s the most exciting part of your job? 

Bianca: Making charts. 💹

Mallory: Making those charts go up and to the right. #TEAM

What are you most excited for at SXSW 2016? 

Bianca: Our client KnowMe is doing a keynote & event with the founder Andrew Jarecki and JJ Abrams (who is an investor). I love Star Wars and am a very active user on KnowMe outside of doing their PR, so I can't wait to work with them down there! 

Do you really believe that there is no such thing as “bad press?”

Mallory: Kill this myth! The wrong messaging can be damaging (even if merely by being confusing). That said, when there is "bad press" the fun is the coming up with a game plan to overcome the challenge.

"The wrong messaging can be damaging."

Tweet this. 

If disruption was the buzz word in 2014. And Innovation was 2015. What’s the word for 2016?

Mallory: Downround

Bianca: Spiritual (sub words - The Force & CrystalMagic)

What one song sums up your current office vibe? 

Mallory: RAC made a track for people to play with down at Deloitte Digital's Interplay lab at SXSW (a concert-meets-mad lab space with indie musicians). We've been playing the track on repeat as we work on the project. :)

Arianna Schioldager is Create & Cultivate's editorial director. You can find her on IG @ariannawrotethis and more about her at www.ariannawrotethis.com

 

Ask: Jessy Fofana of LaRue PR answers your public relations questions

Last week, we asked what you wanted to know from PR maven Jessy Fofana. Jessy founded her agency, LaRue PR, more than seven years ago after previously working in magazine publishing and founding (and later selling) her own cosmetics company. She knows her stuff, and will soon be covering everything PR for the Create & Cultivate blog. To kick it off, she picked a few questions to answer here, and warned us she wanted to answer them all.

cassandramonroe  What are qualities that PR agencies or personnel look for in a blogger/creative person that determines whether or not they feel like a collaboration is a good fit?

It’s always great to collaborate with a partner or influencer that approaches what they do with a creative spirit, but also like a brand/business owner.  Being responsive and having a media kit and rate card ready with available stats and numbers is always appealing. Partnering with a blogger that is truly interested in the product/service they are going to collaborate on is best.  It’s wonderful to team up with someone who has done their own research and is bringing creative ideas to the table that tie in what works best with their audience. Of course design, layout, image quality and general aesthetic sensibility are important, but if a PR person has reached out to you with interest they have decided you are “on brand” and the right fit.  If you are an emerging blogger trying to work with a company for a collab, it’s important to know what you are about and why you feel the partnership would be beneficial. I also suggest starting with smaller businesses that might be more accessible and approachable. Finally, it’s important to have a nice working relationship, to meet deadlines, to be responsive and to share post partnership results.

 
mommynotes What are some good tips for negotiating with PR companies as a brand, particularly when your budget is small?

This is a great question and one that I’m sure a lot of small biz owners new to working with agencies and consultants might have. If you are interested in working with a PR firm, it’s important to find a boutique agency that has experience working with small businesses or startups. PR firms usually create their pricing structure based on time, so you want to make sure that you whittle down what your goals are and where you would like the focus to be. A good PR team will offer input and advice on this as well and can advise on where your business will see the most benefit and how to streamline efforts and costs. Some agencies will create a retainer agreement that is tiered or that increases over time to accommodate a new business.  Approaching PR on a project basis (ex: product launch, around an event, or seasonally) is another way to limit the expense and create specificity for the campaign. Finally, if you find an agency or freelancer that you feel is a great fit, talk to them. While there are industry standards, there is no hard and fast rule and if someone sees the potential, they may be willing to negotiate. I’ve tried to move mountains for brands that I really believe in.
 
miss.collective  I would love to know what approach you recommend to targeting publications after hosting an event to have the greatest success rate of getting published. Thanks!

With events there are a few different strategies to consider. We typically look at any event and consider a three-pronged approach to press coverage that includes pre-event press, “live” event press, and post event press. Depending on what your event goals are, maybe only one of these applies, but it’s important to consider all angles. If you are looking for press coverage to drive attendance and foot traffic, pre-event coverage and “live” coverage are a necessity. If your goal is to showcase a private event, the focus is typically post event outreach. For this there are a few things you need to have at the ready. Event PR usually has the best return on a local or regional level, so putting together a hit list with the best area print, digital and broadcast media is essential. Do your research and make sure you find the right contacts at each outlet. Look at who has covered similar events in the past, check titles and beats and reach out.   Have all of necessary info ready, in either a press release or an event one-sheet and share a few low-res images to help create interest and excitement. If media didn’t attend the event, it’s important to have a photographer on site who can share event images for press inclusion. Timing is important. You can pitch for post-event coverage before the function happens to try and secure an exclusive story. If you have trouble getting interest in advance, then immediately following the event—ideally the next day—work on pitching it with all the juicy images and info.
 
mirabellamarket What is the best way for a handmade business on Etsy to gain traction and increase sales? How can we bring our products to the masses?

Fifteen years ago I would have said that traditional PR is really the only cost-effective way to bring visibility to any small business. It still is a great tool, but over the years, the scope of what PR includes has broadened and now there are so many more resources available. Social media has created entirely new outlets for visibility. Now influencer relations and strategic marketing are an important part of any PR strategy. When you have a handmade business, it’s important to get creative and to have a plan of attack. When I was in my 20s I started a “handmade small business” with a friend. Over the course of a number of years we grew our sales, and ended up selling our start-up to a multi-million dollar fashion label. One of the key factors that helped that sale along was the buzz we had created for ourselves via PR. In addition to creating exposure and sales it lent our fledgling business credibility. Don’t be afraid to pursue media coverage. I went out guerilla-style and just pitched our product and story to a ton of editors and we ended up getting featured in some of the most popular fashion and lifestyle magazines (Harper’s Bazaar, InStyle etc.). At the time I was just starting out and didn’t have a ton of PR experience, but I just pounded the pavement and believed in the product. I think that same strategy is still worthwhile and now that are a multitude of mediums to go after. 

Try an organized “spaghetti-at-the-wall” approach and see where you get interest and where you get return. Make a hit list of media outlets where you would like to land your product, research contacts and try reaching out (it’s often better to start with a more junior assistant, writer or editor). Figure out a few brands that are similar in size, or slightly larger, that have a complimentary rather than competitive identity and reach out about a co-branded social media collaboration to grow awareness among your respective customer base. If the collaboration is cool, look to get a bit of press coverage on it. Incentivize your existing customers and market directly to them with original (and hopefully not annoying) promotions. Social media is a way you can share your brand identity and connect with your end consumer on a daily basis.  Try to be sincere, create worthwhile content and don't be too focused on sales. Keep at it. Don’t give up. All of this takes time and keep in mind with PR specifically, you are bound to get a bunch of “NOs” before you get that “YES,” but usually that “YES” is really worthwhile.

Jessy Fofana founded La Rue PR over ten years ago after successfully directing public relations and marketing initiatives for an impressive list of well-known fashion, home décor, lifestyle and cosmetics brands and retailers.  Having worked in both digital and print magazine publishing as well as co-founding a fashion and lifestyle brand that she later sold, Jessy and her team at LaRue PR understand exactly what it takes to create the kind of take-notice, multi-faceted campaign that delivers brand-changing buzz.  With an experienced team of professionals, LaRue PR covers all the bases including print and digital media coverage, influencer relations, synergistic brand partnerships and more.  LaRue PR provides the skill and experience of a large agency with the creativity, dedication and affordability that can only be offered by a boutique firm.

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