When starting a small business, it’s natural to want to focus on getting publicity to increase your business’s profile. More coverage means faster growth means more revenue, right? For the most part, yes, but it’s not quite so cut-and-dry. There are several struggles a small business owner faces in the beginning stages, from not having enough resources (time, money, human resources) to finding the balance between maintaining a personal connection with your audience and scaling up. A small business is a delicate ecosystem, and to grow with long-lasting results, it is critical to have a smart publicity strategy that won’t derail you. What you need to keep in mind is that trying to get the same kind of media coverage as a significant national brand right out of the gate will...

…to the success of any company or professional. When done right, storytelling is a powerful tool for any company looking to make a positive impression. But what exactly is storytelling, and why should it matter to CEOs and corporations? Humans are innately drawn to stories. For centuries, it’s how we’ve passed down information, shared experiences, and made connections with other humans. Apply that to the business world, and storytelling becomes the bridge you build to connect with your audience, influence change, add value to your products or services, and even shape company culture. When a business integrates smart storytelling into its strategy, it first and foremost attracts the right people. Using a voice tone that is authentic to your industry and audience can immediately filter through the noise to reach that target demographic....

Those in business have long understood that telling a story can boost sales. The psychology of storytelling is active in every nook and cranny of a corporation. Yet precisely why it has such an impact is often less well understood. Several studies support the power of storytelling and describe its impact on brain chemistry and neurological pathways. However, here, I wish to offer you three key reasons for the powerful impact of storytelling.

1. People hate sales pitches…

but they love a good story. It explains why cold calling is not as popular as it used to be, and some may say it’s dead. However, we still go to the movies. We do not like it when we know that someone is trying to sell us something, and younger people are particularly averse...

Welcome to the Control the Narrative: How to Use Publicity to Boost Your Brand mini-series, where I give you my five most vital tips for taking control of the stories told about your brand through the media.

Credibility, authority, and influence are the three cornerstones of any media strategy. Master all three, and you’ll be well on your way to booking whatever appearances you want, getting your pick of clients, and being the “go-to expert” of your field. I’ve noticed, though, that most of my new clients come to me focused on one of the three. They’re obsessed with being influential. They want to be a leading authority. They want to be believed. And this is often why their previous publicity strategy...

Welcome to the Control the Narrative: How to Use Publicity to Boost Your Brand mini-series, where I give you my five strongest tips for taking control the stories told about your brand through the media.

You know what they say: a picture is worth a thousand words. So, what is your public image saying about you and your brand? When your brand or name is first mentioned, your public image is what comes to your audience’s mind. It’s the overall feeling they get--the things they do or don’t remember. It’s the emotions associated with your name and work, as well as the people or outlets with whom you are affiliated. It’s the stories they’ve seen you be a part of and the...

Welcome to the Control the Narrative: How to Use Publicity to Boost Your Brand mini-series, where I give you my five strongest tips for taking control the stories told about your brand through the media.

Delivering a clear, impactful, and consistent message to a large audience can fundamentally transform your business for the better. While you build your brand, it’s essential that you understand the power of being intentional with your publicity strategy--and, of course, know how to implement it. As a media coach, I teach my clients that the stories and messages they put out into the world direct how their audience will think about them in the future. People tend to dismiss “storytelling” as childish or unnecessary to business, but really,...

Welcome to the Control the Narrative: How to Use Publicity to Boost Your Brand mini-series, where I give you my five strongest tips for taking control of the stories told about your brand through the media.

Until you reach the point where you absolutely can’t, everyone should do their own publicity. Some people get confused when I say this because of my job title. They respond, “But you’re a media coach--don’t you want to do other people’s publicity?” No! My goal is to empower you to handle it on your own. When you’re building your image in the media, it’s not only preferable but essential that you are the one down in the trenches booking interviews, networking, making connections, and making things happen....

Welcome to the Control the Narrative: How to Use Publicity to Boost Your Brand mini-series, where I give you my five strongest tips for taking control of the stories told about your brand through the media.

Emotions are a huge part of what makes us human. For better or for worse, they motivate an incredible amount of what we do--and can even be the spark behind entire movements. So, it’s only natural that one of my most important lessons to clients is teaching them how to lean into emotions to drive their audience to action. Turning your message into an emotional, inspiring story explicitly geared towards your target audience requires making the message about them and their possibilities. It’s about highlighting what...