This blog is going to ruffle some feathers and, quite frankly, I’m here for it, especially if you’re convinced that self-development is for other people, not you.
There’s a real, raw side to personal growth that most people ‘conveniently’ forget to mention, so before you close the tab, let’s unpack what it really takes to get known, get seen and get results, through the lens of visibility and PR.
REAL TALK: VISIBILITY WITHOUT PURPOSE IS JUST NOISE
We’ve all heard the “just be visible!” advice, right?
Post on social media, do the lives, share your story, repeat ad infinitum. There’s no shortage of so-called experts shouting about showing up more, being louder and flooding the world with your content.
But here’s what so many fail to admit: being everywhere, for everyone, is a fast track to business burnout.
I see it time and time again, both in my own inbox and while catching up with powerhouse women doing the work: visibility alone isn’t the secret sauce. (Shoutout to my latest podcast guest, Vivienne Joy, for keeping it so painfully real about how blending mindset work and life experience actually changes lives, not just businesses.)
Before I get my inbox flooded by the visibility police, let me clarify: It’s what you stand for, what you’re actually saying and who you’re saying it to that will move your business forward.
LET’S DIG A LITTLE DEEPER
You can tick every box on the visibility checklist and never see a penny more in your bank account or a new enquiry in your inbox.
Why? Because if you’re not clear on your core message, crystal clear on your audience and not willing to truly own your story, you’re just shouting into the void.
Here’s what really matters:
🤔 Have you done the inner work to know who you are not just who you think people want you to be online?
🤔 Are you telling the kind of stories that actually connect, or just trotting out clichés because you’re scared of being ‘too much’?
🤔 Do you even know, truthfully, what lights you up and what drains you in your business? (If not, start there, it’s a game changer!)
Vivienne said it herself on the podcast: you can’t “be visible” from a place of fear, safety-seeking, or people-pleasing. Your audience wants the raw and the real, not the highlight reel.
PURPOSE + PERSONALITY = POWERFUL PROFILE
When I help my clients raise their profile, visibility is part of the equation, but it’s never the whole thing.
Here’s what you need to get serious about, especially if you want to build a brand and a business that lasts:
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Stop copying what everyone else in your industry is doing. There is so much of the same stuff out there (and if you’ve listened to my chat with Vivienne, you’ll know “same stuff” was a polite way of putting it!).
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Find the unique story that makes you different and talk about it, unapologetically, time and time again.
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Be honest: are you building a business that reflects your real mission, or one that just pays the bills? Because if you hate the business you’ve built, you’re not going to want to show up at all.
THE CONFIDENCE AND THE CONTROVERSY
NEWS FLASH!!! You don’t have to go on TV and talk about every intimate detail of your life (unless that feels right for you), but you do have to be brave enough to ditch the beige, drop the script and say what you really think.
Boring doesn’t pay the bills! It also doesn’t make you stand out, become memorable or Niche Famous.
Real visibility, the kind that gets you featured in the media, invited onto podcasts, and paid to speak on stage starts with owning your story, not the “approved” version that makes you blend in with everyone else.
As Vivienne explained during our episode, her willingness to share the mess and the magic, the struggles as well as the successes, is exactly why opportunities keep landing in her inbox.
People crave connection and truth more than ever.
NOT JUST SHOWING UP. SHOWING UP STRATEGICALLY
Let’s make one thing clear: Your audience isn’t everywhere. You aren’t for everyone. And just because you can post on all channels, doesn’t mean you should.
LinkedIn is my go-to for connecting with corporate clients—they’re not scrolling for PR support on Instagram at midnight, trust me.
My entrepreneurial women? They’re on Instagram and Facebook, wanting practical tips and a healthy dose of tough love.
But none of that works if I’m not grounded in my mission, confident enough to repel the people I’m not for and strategic enough to know where my energy makes the biggest impact.
SOCIAL MEDIA ISN’T YOUR LEGACY
As much as I love a good bit of banter on Instagram, social media isn’t where I’ve built my credibility. I’ve built my credibility by having conversations with ideal clients, with delivering transformational results and being quoted in the press (you don’t get asked to provide expert commentary on Harry and Meghan for weeks on end if you haven’t got the minerals to own your expertise)
Securing features, interviews and being quoted in the media outlets that your ideal customers and clients actually respect just adds to your credibility, your positioning and how clients perceive you.
If you’re ready to stand out and not just show up, now’s the time to go beyond the basics. It’s noisy out there, but the cream always rises to the top.
Want to explore how PR can make you truly magnetic and credible? DM the word MAGNETIC to find out how.
Let’s make you unmissable.
Laura Perkes
P.S. If you want more on blending real world mindset work with PR to create undeniable magnetism, go check out my latest podcast episode in the ‘What Is Public Relations?’ Visibility series! You’ll hear exactly how putting your messy, glorious, one-of-a-kind story first is the ultimate PR strategy.
About Laura Perkes:
Laura Perkes is a PR Specialist, Communications Consultant and the Founder of PR with Perkes. She helps creative, diverse and innovative founders, entrepreneurs, start-ups and SMEs who are wanting to raise their profile and build authority through effective PR.
Creating an an earned attention eco-system which contributes to the year on year growth of their business.
