Should I pay for an agency or DIY my PR?
How to know if it’s time to dip your toe into public relations
How do you know when you’re ready for PR?
One of the most common questions I receive from entrepreneurs is ‘how do you know when you’re ready for PR’?
If you’re reading this, you’re already aware that there’s value in sharing your oh-so-unique story with the world. You know what I’m talking about: that set of values, your killer backstory or your way of doing your thang that makes you completely and genuinely you. Hurrah! The world of public relations and media coverage awaits.
But now you have to decide how you’re going to get there. Will you pay someone to do your PR? Can you even afford to do this? Or could you in fact DIY it, and pocket a handsome sum to be spent elsewhere in your biz?
Let’s go through the DIY vs Outsource checklist to help you decide.
Whichever route you go down, the most most MOST important thing to ask yourself before you embark on your PR journey is: do you have something to say? And if you’re not sure of the answer to that, you may want to go away and have a think about why you do what you do, and what makes your story or the way you operate special.
When should you do your own PR?
1. You’re in the first three years of business without a giant pot of gold to dip into
Ah yes, the early-stage struggle that all businesses and solopreneurs face. It’s a slog, my friend, I’m not going to lie. But it’s also the most rewarding period as you watch your little dream turn into a real thing and get hands-on with prettttty much everything. You don’t have a cent to spare, which is why hiring a publicist is probably out of the question. So, let’s move on to the other considerations.
2. If you believe this is a skill that you can use across your business
It makes sense to invest in learning a skill that you can take with you anywhere, whether that’s into your next growth phase or into your next business venture. PR is one of those skills. It’s been around for as long as the media. And aside from knowing how to win headlines, when you learn a bit about public relations, you pick up all the other things that draw people to your biz: storytelling skills, identifying your niche, more confidence selling yourself, and more.
3. If you can say, hand over heart, that you can set aside 3 hours every week
That’s what it will take, week in, week out, to keep your PR presence steadily growing. Sure, you can pitch one op-ed and then move on to ticking other shiz off your list, but that would be wasting the momentum that you generate with each piece of coverage. Build on each win with another win and that’s when you’ll start to really see your star rise.
“What other tasks could you outsource? Hire a virtual assistant (for a fraction of the cost of a publicist) and shift some of those to-do list items off your desk.”
4. If you’re prepared to spend a little on outsourcing other tasks
If your hurdle is that you struggle to see where you could find the time to focus on PR, it doesn’t mean it’s an automatic no-go. What other tasks in your business could you outsource? Hire a virtual assistant (for a fraction of the cost of a publicist) and shift some of those core to-do list items off your desk so YOU can do the PR.Don’t feel super confident in your writing ability? Hire a copywriter to help you with your pitches and op-eds while you still learn how the media works and drill down into the unique parts of your story. You’ll walk away with the value of understanding public relations and the strategy behind it, without all the late nights and stress of putting pen to paper.
5. If you have the confidence to put yourself out there and take some rejection
PR is a tough game, I’m not going to lie. You need to have the ability to dust yourself off and keep trying when editors say ‘No, that’s not news’ or, even worse, ignore your pitches about your pride and joy - your biz. For every headline a person wins, trust me that there have been more than a couple of rejections before it. But they didn’t give up. Have you got that kind of resilience?
When should you hire a publicist?
1. If you can comfortably spend $10,000 each month on PR
Every publicist is different and charges slightly differently but this is a safe budget to set aside for retainer work, as well as the odd media campaign that a publicist can run for you. A campaign is a concerted effort to get you and your biz out there, and may coincide with a product launch, a big collaboration you’re doing or another key event for your biz. They take a lot of work and have many moving parts, hence they cost.2. If you have a good understanding of the media landscape
Do you know the names of the journalists who cover your niche? Can you tell me what they wrote about last week? Do you listen to loads of podcasts, read the news daily and subscribe to newsletters from media outlets that relate to your biz? If you’ve answered yes to all of the above, you understand the media landscape and can properly brief a publicist. If you don’t, you’re flying blind and letting a publicist spend your cash without any understanding of their strategy and whether it will work. You’re better off brushing up on your own understanding first.3. If you absolutely have no time to spare
I know, we’re all, like, extremely, busy. But go away and take a look at how you actually spend your time and see what can be outsourced. If there’s nothing you can see on your list of tasks that another human could do, I’ll give you a free pass. It’s time to hire a publicist.
“Whichever route you go down, the most important thing to ask yourself is: do you have something to say?”
4. If you already have shiny-star status and loads of cred in your field
Congratulations - you’ve already got quite the profile! It’s a great position to be in, because you’re more likely to land some big stories in some big-deal media outlets. But that territory also comes with a few more risks that are best left to a professional. Plus, that publicist is likely to have a ready-to-go book of contacts at the outlets that you deserve to be covered by. Just be sure to ask any publicist before you hire them about when they last got a story with the outlets you’ve got your heart set on. If it was more than 2 years ago? That relationship has probably dried up.
5. If your work or product is controversial
If what you make, sell or do carries any kind of risk, it’s time to call the professionals in. I’m talking crisis communications experts, who are fine-tuned to all those little risks many of us may not think of, and know how to put out spot fires before they turn into media meltdowns. I’m thinking health products and services, the law, privacy or anything that people may find sensitive or where things can go wrong.
If you think you tick the boxes to DIY your own PR, find out about my 9-week program, Hack Your Own PR. It gives business owners like you the skills to pitch stories, build relationships with media, and leverage your headlines. Want to chat through whether you’re ready? Book in a 15-minute ‘Am I Ready for PR?’ call with me.
