How to get your DIY PR started

So, you're here because you're keen to get started with some DIY PR for your business. Here are three tips to think about to get you going:

Think ahead 

What time of year is it? What issue are the magazines working on? Understanding the cycle and timelines is really important to knowing what to pitch and not wasting your valuable time.  The monthly glossies generally work about 4 months in advance, so you need to be prepared if you have something timely. So for example, in September, they're probably working on their Jan/ Feb issues so will be looking for stories about Winter/ / New You/ Resolutions/ Healthy Habits.  In February they'll be on to their June issues so it's all about Summer/ Bright Colours/ Travel etc.  The weeklies tend to work about a month in advance and the daily and online can be anything from next day up to about 4 weeks.  So having a timeline is key to getting your PR out at the right time. 

Have a think about your business and what you offer? What angles and stories do you have to pitch to the media?  

Do your research 

One thing that's key when it comes to DIY-ing your PR is doing your research. Make sure you've spent some time reading or watching through the magazines / papers/ radio / TV you want to be seen in.  Have a look where you think your business and your story would be most relevant and pitch accordingly.  Did you know you can get free access to newspapers through your library membership? I also recommend Readly, an only platform that gives you access to thousands of magazines for just £7.99/month as a great place to start  (this link gives you a month free and I get one too fyi). Pick up those free magazines in the train station, look at the shelves in your local newsagent. Train your brain to look for opportunities for your business.

Shift your mindset 

One of the key barriers that I see to small biz owners like you doing their own PR is often mindset: "I'm not big enough to do PR" / "No one will want to feature my business"/ " I don't have enough time or budget to do PR"/ "What if they say no?" (Sound familiar?!) Well, let's reframe it: What if they say yes? What if you took the risk and it paid off? The media is looking for great stories, interesting businesses, they want content that will resonate with their readers.  And that could just be you. You've got to be in it to win it, so starting to work on your mindset can be the biggest thing to you getting PR for your business. 

I hope this helps you to get started.  DM me if you have any questions or want to book in a free discovery call for me to give you some pointers on how to get going! 

Photo by 鏡飛 匙 on Unsplash