Being visible…..
…..It’s something that you’re told is important:
You’re told that being visible will help you to attract more clients, make more money and accelerate business growth.
But is being visible actually working for you? 🤔
Do you feel like you’re spending all your time being visible with little or no reward? 😓
Do you feel like you’re wasting hours of time curating content for social media, showing up and ‘adding value’ in groups and not seeing the return you were expecting? 😓
(Let me guess, you didn’t set up your own business to spend 60% of your time in CapCut or Canva?)
I hate to be the bearer of bad news….
….being visible isn’t enough.
That’s because being visible is more than just being seen by more people.
Firstly, you need to know if you’re being seen by the right people.
Then you need to make sure that you’re sharing the right message with them, to make them want to find out more about you and the work that you do.
Then you need a powerful call to action so that you’re leading them somewhere and capturing their data and nurturing them in the backend, not just leaving them hanging.
❓Are you inviting them to download your freebie?
❓Are you asking them to book a call with you?
❓Do you want them to interact with your posts or subscribe to your channel?
Whatever you want them to do needs to be obvious and it needs to make sense.
I’m not afraid to say that my skin crawls whenever I hear the word ‘visible’. It seemed to reach ‘buzzword’ status rather rapidly during the pandemic (maybe it’s because I found myself surrounded by business coaches who were teaching ‘visiblity’ to their unsuspecting audience)
They were putting the fear of god into their audience, as if ‘being more visible’ is the solution to their problems (it’s not, btw, just in case you’re wondering)
Let’s face it, the CEO at Rolex doesn’t wake up in the morning and question whether the brand is ‘visible’ enough 😂😂
In addition, *most* business coaches teaching visibility aren’t actually that visible themselves outside of social media, so I’d question their integrity and validity before parting with your hard-earned cash.
For me, as a PR Consultant & Reputation Manager, being featured in the press is the ultimate flex when it comes to being visible.
F**K VISIBILITY – IT’S ALL ABOUT RAISING YOUR PROFILE!
If this is the first time you’ve come across any of my work, it’s worth noting that I’ve worked in the PR industry since 2004, following a three year degree in Public Relations & Media Studies.
PR has always been about raising your profile, whether you’re a solo business owner or the face behind a global brand.
We were taught (and I continue to teach this) that EVERYTHING you do is PR. The very definition of PR is relating to your public via the art of communicating your key messages to influence your audience
(To find out more about PR, you can purchase a copy of my Amazon bestselling book: How To Get PR)
If everything that you say or do is PR, then:
🎤 Every post on social media is PR
🎤 Every email that you send to your list is PR
🎤 Every podcast you’re a guest on is PR
🎤 Every networking meeting you attend is PR
🎤 Every event that you speak at is PR
🎤 Everytime you present a masterclass or training session is PR
Once upon a time, PR was all about getting on TV, on the radio or featured in print. Fast-forward a few decades and now you have access to a plethora of other media platforms:
- YouTube
- TikTok
- Clubhouse (not sure if that’s still going, can anyone verify?)
- LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram
- Telegram, What’s App, SnapChat
They’re ALL channels that give you access to your ideal customers and clients, whether they’re media channels, social media channels, or communication channels
They’re all giving YOU and YOUR BRAND the opportunitiy to communicate with your ideal customers and clients
You now have sooooo many more opportunities to share your story, to raise your profile and be seen as a credible expert in your industry (not just ‘being visible’ for the sake of it, but ‘being visible’ with purpose)
FIVE WAYS TO BE VISIBLE AF
Are you ready to hear five different ways in which you can show up and show off in front of your ideal clients?
Then let’s dive in…..
FACEBOOK & FACEBOOK GROUPS
I know, I know! It seems obvious, right? But are you really utilising FB as much as you can?
FB allows you to have 5,000 friends on your personal profile. That’s potentially 5,000 ideal clients just sitting and waiting for someone like you to come along and change their lives.
Your FB page is prime real estate and you should be milking it for all that it’s worth.
As for FB groups…. I bet you’re in a tonne of groups that you’re not very active in. And I bet some of them offer the opportunity to go live, run a masterclass or webinar, or even get interviewed by the host of that group.
Have you taken advantage of any of those opportunities? You may not have realised that they existed, so when you join a new group, message the group owner and get to know them, then offer to host a guest session that will help their other members.
If you haven’t done that before, then start doing it NOW! You’ll be surprised how quickly you’ll be taken up on your offer to share your insights and raising your profile while educating their audience and enhancing their group experence.
(If they have a paid group, or membership then they may take you up on your offer for their paid members, see below…)
MEMBERSHIPS & MASTERMINDS
These provide another way to raise your profile by sharing your expertise to a group of people who are already engaged and fully invested in the growth of their business.
And you want to attract people who are serious about investing in business growth, right?
Start doing research to see who in your network has their own membership or mastermind as they’re always looking for experts and specialists to teach their clients (just make sure that your topics align with what their membership or mastermind is teaching) As with FB groups, connect with them, build a relationship and offer to run a masterclass.
These groups can be an absolute goldmine when it comes to positioning you as an expert, helping to raise your profile and grow your audience.
Not only will you be helping the creator of the membership or mastermind to add extra value to their offering, but you’ll also be aligned with them and seen as a credible expert. If the host knows, likes and trusts you then their audience will too.
(Remember to get permission to share your freebie as their clients could be perfect-fit clients for you too)
PODCASTS
The popularity of podcasts is off the chart right now and shows no signs of slowing down, so definitely utilise the opportunities to be interviewed on air (podcasts tend to be pre-recorded, so don’t panic!)
There are so many different podcasts available now that there really is something for everyone, however weird or wonderful your business may be.
Podcasts open you up to a whole new audience, giving you the opportunity to share your personal story or expertise. Some podcasts may allow you to do both!
Do a quick Google search for the industry that you’re in and you’ll be amazed with how many you find.
(You’ll even find groups on FB that are dedicated purely to finding snd booking guests)
Once you’ve created a list of podcasts that you’d love to be featured on, send an email to the host, or follow them on Twitter or IG and send them a DM and pitch yourself as a guest.
Podcasts are super fun too (well they are for me, but I love to chat!) They tend to be really relaxed and laid back, and most hosts will interview you in a way that feels like you’re speaking to a friend (so less scary than being on the radio!)
I’m a huge fan of podcasts because listeners get to hear your passion and excitement for the work that you do, and that will draw them in and pique their curiosity. You also get to discuss topics that make you who you are as a person, giving the audience the opportunitiy to get to know you on a deeper level too.
(Podcasts are what I’d refer to as a modern media outlet. They allow you to secure media coverage without it feeling as daunting as speaking to traditional media outlets)
SPEAKING GIGS
If you’re looking to up your expert status then speaking gigs are like the holy grail.
The majority of entrepreneurs and business owners who I speak to would love the opportunity to speak on stage. And it’s most definitely achievable, but be realistic when setting your expectations and choosing what you want from your speaking experience (some event organisers will want you to speak for free, others will either cover expenses or pay you, while others will expect you to pay them)
Don’t be surprised if event organisers want to see a showreel of you in action, or to see how you can engage and interact with an audience. This is to showcase that you’re a speaker worth working with. Others while may want to see proof that you’re as credible as you say you are (which is where media coverage really helps you out)
This is another reason why it’s great to be interviewed in FB groups or present masterclasses in memberships or masterminds and be a guest on a podcast. It adds to your credibility and shows that you’re able to engage an audience and deliver an impactful talk.
If you can showcase your talent, your personality and your expertise then chances are you’ll be onto a winner.
Start small, you don’t have to start with the TedX stage! Look at opportunities locally, whether that’s in your local community or at a local business expo and work your way up to Ted, if that’s your end goals.
BEING FEATURED IN THE PRESS
When people talk about PR, most of the time they’re refering to being featured in the press (which is actually as a result of Media Relations, which is part of PR)
There’s something extra magical about being featured in the press. It automatically catapults you to Expert Status and shows that you’re someone to listen to, someone to follow, someone to work with and someone to trust.
You know how it goes: You visit someone else’s website and see the shiny logos of all the publications they’ve been featured in. You can’t help but be impressed and conclude that if they’ve been featured in the press then they must be a pretty big deal.
Media coverage gives you clout and kudos and your customers and clients are influenced by those trust tags.
PR is as powerful and potent as it’s ever been, so if you hear otherwise, send them to me and I’ll happily give them an education!
All you need to do is look for the opportunities available to you where you can contribute articles to respected magazines and online sites.
Journalists and editors are always on the look-out for stories. Your task is to be in the right places where opportunities are shared (check out The PR Portal for more info on how I help coaches, consultants and entrepreneurs access media opportunities)
THAT’S ALL FOLKS!
Thanks for coming on a whistle stop tour of the five different things you can be doing NOW to raise your profile, build your authority and grow your audience.
Oh, one thing to remember……make sure you have a clear call to action at the end of every interview, masterclass, or podcast so that you can invite people into your world to learn more about you, and hopefully (one day) work with you.
You can invite them to download your freebie or join your FB group and it doesn’t have to sound salesy or spammy!
If this blog post has provided you with the ultimate lightbulb moment then I’d love to hear what your biggest takeaway was and what you’re going to implement first. You can do that by sending me an email to laura@prwithperkes.com
If this blog has inspired you to take action and you’d like more support in making these opportunities comes to life, then I have several different services that you can choose from:
Get Featured! LIVE ‘Pitch Like A Pro’ Bootcamp is perfect if you’re brand new to PR and want to build your confidence by learning how to respond to journalist requests
The PR Portal is a 3-month group training programme that also focuses on reactive media opportunities, but the focus is on fine-tuning your pitching technique under my watchful eye so you don’t fuck it up! You’ll also learn how to build the relationships that will take your PR experience from transactional to transformational.
If you’re looking to be more strategic in your proactive and reactive approach to media opportunities, then my PR In A Day experience is just what you need. You can choose to join a group experience or book me all to yourself!
The next in-person group experience will be delivered on Friday 7th June in London
If you enjoyed this blog then you might also like this: Seven Ways You Can Get in the Media Right Now!
