How to Gain PR for Your Business: A Comprehensive Guide for Female Entrepreneurs in the UK

Introduction

Gaining PR for your business isn’t only for big corporations—it’s a powerful tool for small and micro businesses too. For female entrepreneurs in the UK, PR should be part of your wider business strategy as an effective PR strategy can play a huge role in a few key marketing areas, such as:

  • Increasing brand awareness – especially to new audiences
  • Building customer trust & loyalty
  • Opening doors to new partnerships and growth opportunities

In this guide, we’ll cover everything from crafting your brand story to building media relationships and leveraging social media. Plus, we’ll highlight examples from fabulous businesses within our network that have successfully gained PR in the local and regional press. Ready to boost your brand’s visibility? Let’s dive in!

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Understanding PR and Its Benefits

What is Public Relations and Why It Matters?

Public relations involves managing your business’s online and offline reputation and communicating your message to the public through various media channels.

Here are some examples of media channels you might consider for your PR efforts:

  1. Traditional Media:
    • Newspapers: Local and national newspapers such as regional dailies or national titles like The Guardian or The Telegraph.
    • Magazines: Industry-specific or general lifestyle magazines that cover topics relevant to your business, both on a local, regional and national distribution.
    • Television: Local news channels, national broadcasts, or speciality channels that may feature segments on small business success.
    • Radio: Local or national radio stations, including podcasts and talk shows focused on business and entrepreneurship.
  2. Digital Media:
    • Online News Websites: Digital versions of traditional media outlets or native online news sites.
    • Blogs: Industry-specific blogs or influential business blogs that reach your target audience.
    • Social Media Platforms: Channels like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and even emerging platforms where you can share your story, engage with audiences, or attract media attention.
    • Video Platforms: YouTube, Vimeo, or live streaming platforms for interviews, behind-the-scenes content, or brand storytelling.
  3. Influencer Channels:
    • Influencer Partnerships: Collaborations with influencers or thought leaders who have established trust with your target market.
    • Podcasts: Guest appearances on popular business or entrepreneurship podcasts can help share your story with engaged audiences.
  4. Industry-Specific Publications and Channels:
    • Trade Journals: Publications that cover your specific industry or niche.
    • Professional Networks and Forums: Online communities and forums where industry professionals gather.
    • Event Publications: Coverage in magazines or websites that focus on business events, conferences, or festivals.

Using a mix of these channels can help you reach different segments of your audience, build credibility, and increase overall brand visibility.

What are the benefits of PR?

  • Increased Brand Awareness: Get your name out there through news outlets, blogs, and magazines.
  • Credibility and Trust: Being featured in reputable publications builds authority.
  • Business Growth: Positive media coverage can drive traffic, leads, and ultimately, sales.

Real-World Example:
Nic Gray & Associates (a VA business within our network) secured coverage on the UK News Group news website after a feature on her award win at the Female Business Awards in November 2024.

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Essential Strategies to Gain PR for Your Business

Develop a Compelling Brand Story

Define Your Unique Selling Proposition (USP):
Identifying what sets your business apart is essential to make your pitch stand out. Your Unique Selling Proposition (USP) is the main factor or combination of factors that makes you and your brand unique. This could be the exceptional quality of your products, innovative sustainable practices, or a deep commitment to community support.

By clearly defining your USP, you not only differentiate yourself from competitors but also communicate the value that only your business can offer. Take the time to analyse your strengths, gather feedback from customers, and pinpoint the attributes that resonate most with your audience. Once established, your USP will serve as the foundation for your brand messaging and marketing efforts.

Craft a Narrative:
Your brand narrative is more than just a story—it’s an opportunity to connect with your audience on a personal level. Sharing your journey, including the challenges you’ve overcome and the milestones you’ve reached, helps humanise your business, whilst making it relateable and inspiring.

As an entrepreneur, your experiences, resilience, and unique perspective can inspire and empower others. When crafting your narrative, focus on being genuine and relatable; highlight the passion and determination behind your business. Use storytelling techniques that evoke emotions, provide context for your mission, and clearly articulate the reasons why your brand exists.

This narrative not only builds trust with potential customers but also helps create a loyal community around your brand.

Maintain Consistency Across Channels:
Consistency is key when it comes to reinforcing your brand identity. Whether you’re communicating through your website, social media profiles, press releases, or other marketing materials, maintaining a unified message ensures that your audience recognises and remembers your brand.

This means using the same tone, style, and visual elements across all channels. Consistent messaging helps build credibility and trust, as it signals professionalism and reliability. Start by developing brand guidelines that outline your core values, messaging pillars, and visual style. Then, apply these guidelines to every piece of communication you create. This cohesive approach not only strengthens your brand’s image but also ensures that every interaction with your business reinforces the same key message and values.

Build Relationships with the Media

Identify Relevant Journalists and Publications:
Researching and targeting the right journalists and publications is a critical step in getting your story in front of the right audience.

Start by identifying media outlets that have a strong focus on women-led businesses, small business success, or your specific industry. Use media databases and tools such as Muck Rack and Qwoted to find journalists who are actively covering topics related to your niche.

These tools allow you to search by keywords, location, and interests so you can create a targeted list of contacts.

Eve Cale from Giftwrapped by Eve, reached out to a business editor at the Business Biscuit, a regional business news publication, which helped her secure a feature that highlighted her Sustainability award win at the Female Business Awards.

Create a Media Kit:
A well-prepared media kit is an essential resource that provides journalists with all the information they need to understand your business and to help them write their story. Your media kit should include a clear and concise business overview that outlines your mission, values, and key offerings.

Include high-quality images such as your company logo, product photos, and images the represent your brand, always ensure these images have descriptive alt text for accessibility and SEO purposes.

You might want to consider highlighting your major milestones, recent achievements, and any awards or recognitions your business has received. Lastly, provide up-to-date contact information so that journalists can easily reach out for further enquiries or interviews. A comprehensive media kit not only saves journalists time but also reinforces your professionalism and credibility.

Craft Personalised Pitches:
A personalised pitch tailors your communication to each journalist’s interests and the specific focus of their publication. Instead of sending a generic email, invest time in understanding the journalist’s previous work, the topics they cover, and their audience.

Your pitch should clearly explain why your story is relevant and newsworthy for their readership. Highlight specific angles or insights that set your story apart, and include any relevant data or examples to support your claims.

Personalisation demonstrates that you’ve done your research and increases the likelihood that the journalist will be interested in your pitch.

For example, if you know a journalist has written about innovative wellness trends, emphasise how your unique wellness approach or product fits into that narrative. A well-written pitch not only grabs attention but also lays the foundation for a positive media relationship.

Let’s not forget the power of Social Media

Optimise Your Social Profiles:
Take the time to review your social media profile, ensure that every social media profile your business maintains is a true reflection of your brand identity. Start by updating your profile pictures and cover images with professional, high-resolution visuals that align with your brand’s aesthetics.

Your bios on platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok should clearly communicate your brand story, mission, and unique selling points in a concise manner. Use keywords related to your business and industry, and include a link to your website.

Additionally, ensure that your contact information is current and that your posts consistently echo your brand’s tone and style. Optimising your social profiles not only boosts your professional appearance but also increases your visibility and credibility among potential clients and media contacts.

Engage with Your Audience:
Social media is a two-way street. Actively engage with your audience by responding to comments, messages, and reviews in a timely and personable manner. Share behind-the-scenes content that gives followers an authentic glimpse into your daily operations or the story behind your products and services. Highlight customer testimonials, celebrate milestones, and showcase your team’s efforts. By actively participating in conversations and encouraging interaction, you create a sense of community and loyalty.

Share Press Mentions and Success Stories:
When your business receives media coverage, make the most of this recognition by sharing the story across all your social channels. Not only does this amplify your reach, but it also reinforces your credibility and builds trust with your audience.

Be sure to tag the publication and the journalist involved, which can help expand your network and encourage further engagement. Sharing press mentions can also spark conversations and lead to additional media opportunities.

Regularly updating your audience with success stories and media mentions helps to keep your followers informed and engaged while establishing your business as a trusted authority in your field.

Utilise Press Releases and Digital Platforms

Writing an Effective Press Release:
Your press release is often the first impression you make on the media, so it needs to be both compelling and informative.

Start by crafting a strong, attention-grabbing headline that succinctly conveys the news you’re announcing. Follow with an engaging opening paragraph that answers the essential questions: Who, What, When, Where, and Why. This opening should hook the reader and set the tone for the rest of the release. In the body of the press release, provide key business details such as relevant background information, supporting data, quotes from company leadership, and context that makes the story newsworthy. Be clear and concise—avoid jargon and overly technical language—to ensure your message is easily understood by journalists and your target audience alike.

Distributing Your Press Release:
Once your press release is polished and ready to go, it’s time to get it in front of the right eyes. Use services like Pressat or ResponseSource which are designed to connect your news with UK-based publications and journalists.

These platforms can help expand your reach by targeting media outlets that are most likely to be interested in your story. Alternatively, you can opt for a more direct approach by emailing your press release to a curated list of journalists who cover your industry or are known to feature stories on female-led businesses.

Remember, when emailing, personalise your message to demonstrate that you’ve done your research and explain why your announcement is relevant to the recipient’s audience.

Monitor and Follow Up:
After your press release is distributed, monitoring its impact is essential to gauge your PR efforts. Use tools like Google Alerts or Mention to track media coverage, online mentions, and discussions surrounding your release.

Monitoring not only helps you measure the reach of your press release but also alerts you to any errors or misinterpretations that may need correction. Once you identify journalists who have shown interest or have covered your story, follow up with them to offer additional information, clarify any details, or provide further quotes if needed. Timely follow-ups can build stronger relationships with reporters and increase the likelihood of more in-depth coverage in the future.

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Measuring Your PR Success

Tracking Your PR Efforts and ROI

Set Clear PR Goals:
Before launching any PR campaign, define what success looks like for your business. Setting clear PR goals might include achieving a specific number of media mentions, increasing website traffic by a certain percentage, or boosting engagement on social media platforms.

Having well-defined objectives allows you to measure your progress accurately and provides a benchmark against which you can compare your results. Clear goals also help in planning your PR strategy, ensuring that every effort is aligned with your broader business objectives.

Tools and Metrics:
Use analytics tools like Google Analytics and media monitoring platforms such as Cision to track the impact of your PR efforts on website traffic, user engagement, and conversion rates.

Key metrics to consider include the number of media placements, the quality and relevance of the publications covering your story, and the overall social media reach. By regularly reviewing these metrics, you can gauge the effectiveness of your PR strategies and determine which channels are driving the best results.

Adjust and Improve:
PR is an ongoing process, and continuous improvement is essential for long-term success. Regularly review the data and feedback from your PR campaigns to identify what is working well and where there’s room for improvement.

If certain tactics are not yielding the expected results, be prepared to adjust your strategy accordingly. This might involve refining your pitch, exploring new media channels, or experimenting with different types of content.

The key is to remain agile and responsive to changes, using insights gained from past efforts to inform future campaigns. By consistently tweaking and enhancing your approach, you can build a more effective and sustainable PR strategy over time.

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Conclusion

Gaining PR is a vital strategy for business growth—especially for female entrepreneurs in the UK. By developing a compelling brand story, building strong media relationships, leveraging social media, and consistently measuring your efforts, your business can secure the visibility it deserves.

Final Thoughts:

  • Be authentic in your messaging.
  • Use every networking opportunity to build relationships.
  • Continuously learn from your experiences and refine your strategy.

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