Top 3 Mistakes PR Clients Make

As a publicist and THE Podcast Matchmaker™, Michelle works with clients who have an established online presence and those just starting out. She talks to prospective authors and entrepreneurs on a weekly basis who are wondering when the right time to start their PR strategy is. Michelle continues to see these top 3 mistakes being made and is sharing them with you today so that you don’t make them!

PR On A Budget

There’s a myth that PR of any sort needs to be expensive. Michelle was recently interviewed by PRNews.io for her tips on how to create a PR strategy on a budget. Pitching is a free thing to do, as are podcast interviews. You pay a publicist for the existing relationships they have with the media and podcast hosts, along with the work involved in researching the right outlet, ensuring your message is crafted properly and doing all of the legwork involved. If you’re willing to spend your own time doing all of this, then your PR strategy should be completely free!

Mistake #1 – The Notion That PR & Podcast Interviews Are To Sell More

Before you start pitching yourself to anyone, make sure that your messaging is around your story, your knowledge and the education you are going to bring to those who hear from you. This is not a time to perfect your sales pitch because you shouldn’t go into any interview with the only intention of “selling” whatever it is you sell. It’s no secret that people looking for media opportunities and interviews are doing so in order to elevate their visibility and sell more book, more services, etc. The point is to not outright say that. You should be leading the media opportunity with the intention of leaving the audience better off than they were before they heard from you.

Mistake #2 – Not Repurposing Or Sharing Your Interviews

A media interview or podcast interview provides for incredible marketing content, yet many don’t repurpose their interviews. You should at the very least be sharing the actual interview on your social media platforms and your website. Go the extra step and create a blog post, quote yourself in graphics to be used in your social media feeds. You should be able to take one interview and create a minimum of 10 pieces of content from it. This is also the most perfect way to say “thank you” to the journalist, host and media outlet that invited you to be a part of their outlet. By sharing and repurposing an interview, you also elevate your own visibility by appearing to be in multiple places!

Mistake #3 – Waiting To Start Pitching Yourself

Oftentimes a client will think they aren’t ready for PR because they “aren’t big enough” yet. What is big though? Is it your revenue? Your social media following? The time to start a PR strategy and podcast interviews is NOW. Journalists and podcast hosts are looking for expert sources. Sure, some weigh more heavily than others when it comes to follower count, but that shouldn’t deter you from pitching yourself. By initiating a PR strategy, you’ll essentially grow your following. It goes back to what came first…the chicken or the egg? Why not work on both your PR strategy and your follower count in tandem?

Your story and your message is a part of the legacy you are creating and will be leaving behind. PR is a part of that legacy. With the help of a good PR strategy and podcast interviews, you’re going to create the legacy you want to leave behind for future generations.

Ready to discuss your PR strategy for 2023? Send me an email to get started!