Why knowing your brand is key to PR

Quick question: What would you do if a reporter showed up at your business today? With no notice. At all.

Does the thought make you break out in a sweat?

Of course, it’s always helpful to have time to prepare for an interview, but sometimes people are hesitant because they truly don’t know what to say.

Here’s a quiz: Can you answer these two questions on the fly in one sentence each?

· What do you do?

· Why did you start your business?

Ok – quiz over. How did you do? Were your responses automatic or did you have to take time to think? Do your responses make sense to a person who is unfamiliar with your business or industry?

Let me let you in on a secret: Reporters don’t know everything. We learned how to interview, how to write and how to present on-air, but we didn’t learn the particulars of every industry on earth.

Don’t make the reporter work to know who you are and what you do. If it’s too much work, they’ll move on. The same can be said of your customers, investors or whomever you are attempting to reach.

Do the prep work in advance. Set clear and easy-to-understand messages for your business. Use them in everything you do. Internalize them so they come out of you automatically. (If you are struggling on your business’s messaging, contact me and let’s talk.)

You can’t afford unclear messaging. It’s the first step to growing your business.

This is part two of a five-part series. Read my article on four tips for PR newbies.

Hi, I'm Allison Sit, TV reporter turned PR consultant. I help motivated small business owners gain visibility and media exposure for their companies.

Follow me on Instagram at @allisonsitpr.