that has big impact for individuals.
– Having enough time and money was always an issue in my house as a child. I want to build a business that means I have the time to look after myself and my family.
TIPS
– Don’t be afraid to keep looking at the personal reasons underneath your business why.
– There is the good reason why you run your business and then there is the real reason; knowing what motivates your business will focus how you hype it.
– Your audience will care more about what you are about and what drives you than what your business does, this must underpin everything that you do.
CHECKLIST
– Are you constantly referring back to your why – before executing any new element of your promotional campaign?
– Are you being honest with yourself about your real motivations as to what drives you to do what you do?
1.4 Audience
Back to the maps, who are you helping and what is their need? For this section, I want you to determine exactly who your ideal customer is, because once we know this, we can then look into how to reach them. You might also benefit from a service offering that is tailored to different customers at different points in their business journeys which is fine. Just make sure you map out for each of them.
ACTIVITY
Try creating an imaginary persona for your ideal client. It can be brilliant to have this person at front of mind as a reminder every time you execute part of your press office.
In your notebook, work through the following questions under two headings ‘Audience’ and ‘Media’:
Audience: Who is your target audience?
What is their name, how old are they? Where do they live? Who do they live with? What are their hobbies?
Can you sketch them or cut out a picture from a magazine to help you visualise?
Media: Where are your audience?
Do they watch YouTube? Are they reading magazines? Where do they get their news from? What influences their purchasing decisions? What are their preferred social media channels? Do they read traditional print media, or do they prefer broadcast?
What you need by the end of this task are two lists. Your specific target audience and the different target media they consume.
EXAMPLE
I’m currently focused on a zero to Forbes client – by that I mean someone who has no press exposure and wants to build their profile to a certain level. I’m not interested in the Forbes to TED Talk-type customer (currently); therefore, my business objectives and target audience are skewed to a very specific early-stage customer.
Below is a summary of my two different audiences.
1. Target Group 1: Start-up business/entrepreneurs – based in London, in shared workspaces, attending a lot of panel events. Age between 20 and 60, equal male/female split.
Media: Startups.co.uk, Courier Magazine, Telegraph Connect, Wired, Forbes, Jolt, Monocle Entrepreneurs, Secret Leaders.
2. Target Group 2: Creative freelancers, side-hustlers, e.g., sole traders or creative networking groups, Mum’s the Word Events, Mothers Meeting, No Bull School, UnderPinned, Federation of Small Businesses.
Media: Women’s lifestyle, e.g., Stylist, Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan, Women Who ParentsinBiz, DIFTK (Doing it for the Kids).
TIPS
– If you have a few audience segments, then make sure you do this exercise in depth for them all.
– The more specific you can be, the easier it is to reach them; people are often scared to niche their targeting, but this is proven to be the most effective.
– If you aren’t sure what media they consume or want to get a better idea – then just ask them! Do a simple research exercise on surveymonkey.com, perhaps offering an incentive to drive participants to help you.
– Don’t let your ego get distracted by your competitive set; being in an industry publication might win you points amongst your peers, but does it move the needle with your target audience?
1.5 What is unique about your business?
What instantly makes every business different is the individuals that are behind it. For this task, I want you to reinforce the foundations of Hype Yourself by doing some clearer thinking on what makes you and your business different. There is no such thing as a new idea but every person has their own thumbprint.
ACTIVITY
To help you think about your unique selling point (USP) you need to identify what separates you from other businesses, so you don’t get lost in the crowd.
Under the heading ‘USP’ in your workbook, do the following exercise:
– List all the benefits and features of your business.
– Put an asterisk against any of the things on this list that only you can say (and not your competitors).
– What is your signature style? Are you extremely strategic, funny, creative, practical, understated? List the words that describe your approach.
– Using all of the above, create sentences that are short, clear and concise and easily understandable.
– Cross-reference against your competitor. If they can be applied, go back to the drawing board.
EXAMPLE
– The Wern is founded by Lucy Werner, an anti-PR for startups and entrepreneurs.
TIPS
– Keep out jargon – make it easy for anyone to understand.
– Can you demonstrate how you address a need?
– Test and refine with your customers if need be – ask 5–10 people for feedback.
– Take your USP and apply it to your competitors, can they say the same? If it can work for any other business, then go back to the drawing board and make sure it is unique for you.
1.6 Communications calendar
Marketeers or social media strategists often refer to this as your content calendar. Planning out your key moments, framing your year and referring to this regularly are crucial tactics in reminding you how and when to hype yourself. A post on the LinkedIn marketing solutions blog states that marketeers
