5 unexpected reasons to get started with PR today

5 unexpected reasons to get started with PR today

I have many nick-names spanning from the expected (Neen, Neenz, Nini), sentimental (baby, baby girl, sweet girl) to slightly random without a back story. One of the more random nick-names came from my girl, Kishma, who went through a stage of calling me "Pretty Pants".

Here’s the back story to where that came from:

If you've been following me on social media for a while, or know me in real life, then you'll know that this British-born Nigerian girl loves patterned clothes. In case you haven't or don't, the pic above should prove my point. (Aside from African prints, I'm also partial to florals, animal prints and bright colours).

About 6 years ago, before my hair was locked, I was walking around Wood Green (a cosmopolitan shopping part of London) wearing trousers that had a black background and were embellished with bright, colourful flowers.

Long story short...

As I shuffled through the crowd and walked pass a bus stop a guy (who I had noticed watching me and hoped would leave me alone) cat called me with the phrase "Hey, Pretty Pants!" (referring to my trousers in his Jamaican accent and vernacular). I, of course, kept walking but I couldn't help but be amused by his "original" pick up line. So amused, that I laughed out loud as I walked away from him and told Kish about it the next time we met up, hence the nick-name "Pretty Pants".

Remember me saying that this happened before I locked my hair? Here's why that's an important detail...

Me and Kish actually went on to lock our hair shortly after that *clears throat* incident. Whenever people who are thinking about dreadlocks ask us questions about whether they should do it too, we often talk about the expected benefits of locking- like the low maintenance; improved health and strength of our hair- and laugh about the unexpected things- like the fact that men speak to you differently and, rather than calling you "pretty pants," "my size" and so on, use more respectful terms such as "Empress". Who knew, right?!

It's like that with PR too, sis. For example, you might be expecting PR to cause an increase to your visibility, credibility, email list and money- and rightly so! But some things that you may not be factoring in as a perk of PR (because I certainly didn't!) is:

3 Common myths that stop people getting started with PR

3 Common myths that stop people getting started with PR

When I first started this blog in 2016, I believed the old adage: "If you build it, they will come".

However- fast forward to 2017- I soon realised that, that was a lie.

The truth is, I built it and (close to) no one came!

I was a best kept secret.

Luckily, since then, I have been able to pull myself out of that rut....

I'm now an award winning content marketer, copywriter, PR specialist, international speaker and author who has been featured on over 50 platforms, including Thrive Global, The TEDx blog, HuffPost, Bustle, Relevant Magazine, Radiant Health Magazine, Premier Radio, Mic and more

And use my experience and expertise to help others do the same...

Going through this experience, as well as working with my clients, has definitely made me aware that I was not alone in that belief, though

In fact...

I've come to realise that there are 3 common myths that stop people from pursuing PR

Including:

How to set up a PR funnel

How to set up a PR funnel

The ladies that I work with are capable, inspirational CEOs, founders, authors and more that are at the top of their game. They are also wives and mothers who, are not only balancing their businesses, they are balancing the ebb and flow of family life. With so much going on in life and business, a lot of them come to me knowing that they can delegate media pitching to me so that they can get more visible, attract their dream clients and get paid what they want (without having to use their last morsel of brain power to get it done). However, there is sometimes a learning curve for them in terms of understanding that It takes a PR funnel to make this happen and how all the pieces come together to do so. Can you relate, sis? Well, consider this post your glossary!

How Bri avoided making THE #1 funnel mistake (and you can too!)

How Bri avoided making THE #1 funnel mistake (and you can too!)

When Bri first approached me, she knew that she wanted me to copywrite the email nurture sequence that would go out automatically once people signed up for her freebie.

As such, one of the first things that I did was talk to her about how important a nurture sequence is for:

  • Creating multiple touch points with new leads

  • Building that all-important know, like and trust factor

  • Persuading them (in a non-sleazy way) that you/your product or service are the solution to their problems, leading them to ultimately buy from you.

I then took it as my personal responsibility to help her avoid THE greatest mistake that people make when creating nurture sequences-

What rice can teach us about PR funnels

What rice can teach us about PR funnels

In my culture, which is Nigerian, rice is a staple meal. When I cook plain rice (as opposed to our famous jollof), I like to use a sieve at the end of the process so that it's completely separated from the water that it was boiling in and it doesn't become soggy (I can't stand wet rice!). This then leaves me with a perfect batch of fluffy rice, ready to eat with a some stew and fried plantain (dodo). This filtering process is very similar to what should happen in PR (when it's done correctly). For example:

How Kendra avoided these 3 common freebie mistakes (and you can too!)

How Kendra avoided these 3 common freebie mistakes (and you can too!)

When Kendra first approached me for my PR services, she knew that she needed help with getting her book out there but wasn't sure how to go about it. One of the first things that I did was talk to her about how important it is to have a media one-sheet and freebie. I then took it as my personal responsibility to help her avoid these 3 common mistakes that people make when creating freebies:

Why you need a freebie for PR Success

Why you need a freebie for PR Success

Anyone who knows me well knows that I not only love music, I love all types. Being the proud Naija girl that I am, one of my favourites is- of course- afrobeats. Knowing this, YouTube recently recommended me a new song by Mr Eazi in collaboration with Nelson Freitas (Tellin Me Something). I had no idea who Nelson Freitas was at the time but, off the strength of my appreciation for Mr Eazi's music, I checked it out.

Not only has that song been in constant rotation since then, listening to it made me so curious about Nelson that I ended up checking out his YouTube channel which then sucked me into the vortex of his discography. Now? I know exactly who he is in his own right and I am a fan! This is also how PR works.

By being featured on another platform and/or collaborating with another influencer, you increase your exposure to your target audience. If they like what they see, their curiosity will naturally lead them to check you out via your website. This is why it's important to make sure that it's optimised to make sure that they go from curious bystander to raving fan. One of the ways to ensure that your website is optimised is by having a freebie present on it. Here's why: