Episode 30 - How to Boss Your PR for Product Businesses with Expert Fiona Minett

Fiona Minett is an award-winning expert and coach who helps female entrepreneurs do their own PR and make it accessible, affordable and effective for every business no matter what size you are. Fiona joins Nicole on Start Scale Succeed this week to discuss what types of PR generate the best results. Why you should also be talking to the press about your story, not just the story behind your products. What you need in your PR tool kit. What to do if you have hit a wall and your PR has plateaued. timelines for PR and publications. How to choose the pieces the press are going to love. How to approach a PR strategy, and when to decide if you will use an agency or do it yourself.
 
KEY TAKEAWAYS
 
Sometimes the most powerful PR coverage a product business can have is one where you’re sharing more about yourself or your business, rather than a product itself. A profile of a founder or business owner is often the most impactful for your sales.
The “so what” test helps you peel back the layers and get to the core of what matters. Keep asking yourself “so what” so that you can get deeper answers you can use in your PR and marketing.
At the bare minimum you need in your ‘PR Toolkit’ before you’re looking for coverage are a functioning website, content, and imagery. Nobody will want to feature you if your website doesn't work, or if your imagery isn’t to a professional standard.
Look to see if you can involve any of your products in lists that journalists will be compiling throughout the year. Also make sure you have the quantities to back that up.
Long lead magazines will work 6 months ahead of publication. Short lead magazines work 2 to 12 weeks in advance.
Keep and eye on the Lightbulb Facebook group (linked below) and #journorequest on Twitter for journalists looking for someone to help with a story. See if your story, business, or product would be right for their request and if you can get yourself in an article you have free PR.
 
BEST MOMENTS
 
‘Don’t neglect telling the story of you, your product, and your business’
‘If you want to be in the pages of those magazines, you’ll need to be doing it 6 months early’
‘There’s nothing a PR agency can do that you can’t do yourself, it’s about time’
‘Start small, you do not have to take over the world on day one’
 
VALUABLE RESOURCES
 
www.bossyourpr.com
www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach
https://www.bossyourpr.com/the-pr-warm-up
https://www.facebook.com/groups/lightbulbhangout/
 
 
ABOUT THE HOST
 
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the Start Scale Succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
 
CONTACT METHOD
 
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk
Email [email protected]
Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall