Not in all cases, but whether you’re running a large or small business PR campaign, it’s worth considering whether pitching yourself as an expert will help drive sales. If you’re a service-based business – a PR agency or coach, for example – building your personal brand is essential, but even if you have a product-bases business, we all know that ‘people buy from people’ so showcasing the person behind the brand can be a real strength.
Social media plays a huge part in this and you’ll see more and more small business owners “showing up” on their Instagram profiles, with behind-the-scenes content and talking stories. Get your house in order and make sure that your social media also says that you’re an expert; your biog and content needs to tell people who you are and what you do at first glance, so no clever or complicated words… just make it clear who you are.
But, you can also start to build your profile through good PR too. Here are five ways that you can gain credibility in your industry and start positioning yourself as an expert, through an effective small business PR tactic.
1. Get quoted in press releases
If you’re sending out press releases – or having someone doing it for you – make sure that you’re including a quote from you. There’s a tendency for business owners to hide behind-the-scenes, but you want people to start recognising your name and the more coverage you get, the better it is for your own SEO.
2. Put yourself forward for media opportunities
There are lots of great media opportunities out there; whether it’s interviews and comments on what’s currently in the news or looking for business profiles in magazines and online, seek out ways to get your name (and face) into the media. A good PR tip: search for #journorequest on Twitter and you’ll uncover a whole world of opportunities for both large and small business PR campaigns.
3. Write blogs on your specialist subject
Writing blogs on your specialist subject is a great way to showcase your expertise. Even better if you have a strong opinion on a specific subject… controversy always gets people talking! Put them on your own website, but also look at providing guest blogs for other websites; both of which not only support your expert status, but can help boost your SEO too!
4. Enter awards
As an award-winning PR agency owner I would say this, but entering industry awards, not just for your business but yourself too, is a brilliant want to give yourself credibility as an expert. Obviously look at your industry awards, but also wider business celebrations that can help put you – as a business professional – in the spotlight.
5. Share other people’s content
And, as an added bonus, my final piece of advice is to share other people’s content. Yes, sounds weird but aligning yourself with others across your industry is another brilliant way of building your own profile, especially when they share and repost your content!
A simple, yet effective, start to your strategy, whether working on a large or small business PR campaign, but if you want to take it to the next level, get in touch and find out how we can help you strengthen your industry profile.