Admit it, you're a selfish lover: Greg Simpson, founder of Press for Attention PR

Channelling the spirit of Valentine’s Day, Greg Simpson, founding father of Press for Attention PR and Enterprise Nation Champion for Nottingham, offers some sound marketing advice.

Covid is red 

But please don’t be blue

Because mastering the media   

Is easy to do

You start with your buyer

The ideal punter

Then get researching

Become a real hunter

Discover their pain points

What makes them bemused

Then look at the media

They tend to peruse

Now make the switch

Stop selling, just share

Become their new teacher

Show them you care

The media will thank you

With coverage galore

And you’ll get the leads in

And oh so much more

Come on guys, be honest, when it comes to your marketing, you are usually a bit, well, selfish. So, with Valentine’s Day looming on the horizon, I want you to start giving a little more.

You see, when it comes to a lot of marketing with PR in particular, too many business owners focus on themselves. I’m not talking purely about “weeing” all over the copy – “We do this, We all do that, We are great” – I mean that there is often very little in the campaigns and messaging for anybody else. There’s no value.

That is the reason why so much of the ‘content marketing’ that gets spewed out is ignored. It is simply too sales focused. It isn’t shedding a brand new light on a topic, it isn’t clarifying a problem, debunking a myth or basically being helpful.

This is how things fall down so badly when individuals try to work with the media through PR. I mean the clue is there within the name…Public RELATIONS. It is a two-way street, both you and your customer.

Actually, it is really a “three-way” when you add in a journalist but let’s not explore that analogy too much otherwise this magazine will need to reside on the top shelf!

Suffice it to say that there has to be something in it for everyone when you are working on building your profile and RELATIONSHIP using the press. First, you need to enlighten, inform, or entertain the client. You then need to help the reporter money clicks and/or copies or generate social buzz. Only then can you be selfish about your real motives, that is basically to sell but from a position of authority.

Let’s stick with the Valentine’s example.

If you are a florist and want to generate media coverage, it is no good asking a reporter to write about how good you are at your job unless;

• You have just won an award
• Expanded your business
• Created a totally unique bouquet of flowers

What you must do is be USEFUL to the reporter and also the reader/audience – aka your potential punter.

• Explain which flowers take presctiption trend this year
• Discuss how the pandemic is different the market
• Share how to keep your flowers fresher for longer

Do you see how that content is useful?

It isn't an advert proclaiming (without proof) that “We're the best florist in all of town,” it is positioning you as the best florist in all of town because you are being so generous together with your advice that you don’t even Have to sell. Once you master that, pricing becomes irrelevant, instead it's all about service, delivery and experience.

If you believe this approach would make a difference for your offering, give it a go. If you need some inspiration, just yell, I’m more than pleased to give you some free tips.

No flowery language needed, remember I’m a giver!