If you've been rocking with me for a while then you'll know that helping women to go from stumped to savvy about how to get PR for their businesses is kind of my jam!
This wasn't the case in the beginning of my journey, though. Although I always knew that I had a call on my life to lead etc, I ran away from being visible for a VERY long time (years!)
I didn't want to come out of hiding.
I preferred to shrink rather than draw attention to myself.
I was afraid to be judged and criticised for sharing my story and my truth.
I didn't feel worthy
And the list goes on...
Yet recently that's exactly what I did on my episode of Let's Pause Podcast. Here's how you can speak up, step out and shine even if you're scared too, sis:
#1 Be Authentic
When it comes to PR, it's important to do it in a way that feels authentic to you. For example, I'm a writer; so that's the medium that I tend to use in that I blog for myself and I write for other platforms. Although I can vlog, for example, talking directly to a camera is just not something that I enjoy as much as writing. Being interviewed, like I was by the Let's Pause Podcast hosts, on the other hand I find easier because it feels just like a conversation- which I love. So, going back to your PR journey, I would say first and foremost that it's about knowing yourself and what you thrive in too. So, if you are someone who's more of a talker, then talk- get PR through podcasts, do Instagram lives, speaking gigs or whatever else will utilise those skills. If you're more of a writer, like me, then lean into that. In fact, lean into whatever it is, you are naturally gifted in.
#2 Shift your mindset
The other thing that I would say is that there has to be a mindset shift. Like I already said, I actually, for a very long time was a bit of a Jonah. I knew that I was supposed to be sharing my message. I knew that I was supposed to be more out there, but I just didn't want to do it. I didn't want the eyes... I didn't want the attention... But then I had to ask myself one day: "How can you say that there's an issue in the world that you want to solve or that you want to change, but then not be willing to speak about it? What impact do you make? What transformation do you cause if, basically, you refuse to come out of hiding?" The answer is none. I didn't find that acceptable. Do you?
#3 Be a vessel for change
When I had my first viral post, I had lots of women basically say to me "thank you because you are literally saying the words that I've been trying to articulate" or "I didn't realise there were other women who thought and spoke like me". That was my first realisation that PR is not about me. It's really not about you, either. It's about whatever you feel your purpose is and whatever the impact or the transformation is that you want to make in the world. In other words, you need to see yourself as a channel, resource and/or vessel for the people that you are called to help.