I find talking about myself quite challenging (weird, alien, unusual, strange, were all other words I considered for this opener).
It is definitely something I have got more comfortable with as I have built Cheerleader PR over the last few years, but it is something that doesn’t necessarily come naturally to me.
So my key message today is – if I can get seen, and go from being really shy to putting myself out into the world on a regular basis then you absolutely can too!
People would probably see my doing my live videos inside my Facebook group, plastering myself over social media, doing talks in other people’s communities and thinking,
“Oh it’s alright for her, she works in PR, she is used to it and it’s easy for her.”
When actually that’s not true.
It has been a process of building up to this point over a number of years.
As much as I know the mechanics of how to do PR, how to build relationships, how to put businesses out there – where and when – terms of actually doing it myself, that is something that I never really needed to do because I was behind the scenes!
Ultimately as a business owner in my own right, when I launched Cheerleader PR, it’s my business, my baby, I knew I needed to put myself into the spotlight (as no one else will).
I like to think that makes me really well qualified to advise you on ways to get more confident in putting yourself out there, so you can get seen in the right places by the right people.
For this blog post, I want to talk about my journey and how I went from shy to seen and how you can too!
Sssshhhhhh…..
I was really shy as a kid. The thought of ordering food in a restaurant terrified me. I even wanted to be a librarian so I didn’t have to talk to anyone!
I didn’t want to be seen (or heard) at all.
Obviously over time, things have changed – a lot. Now I find myself in front of the camera and putting myself out there as a business owner, which is not what I ever had imagined I would be doing with myself!
How to go from Shy to Seen:
Firstly, you need to make a conscious decision about what you want and how you want to get it
Let’s fast forward from the shy wannabe librarian to the freelance PR consultant who wanted to move her business online and find out how she did it!
I had spent 5 years freelancing taking whatever work came to me and I knew I wanted to make a change in my business.
The need and the desire was definitely there.
I wanted to step more into being a PR expert rather than being a PR ‘doer’.
I have been in PR for over 20 years so that comes naturally to me. It’s definitely my comfort zone.
What didn’t come naturally was putting myself out into the world.
As a freelancer who needed to to do that to make this change to become a well known reputable brand in an online world – that was completely new to me.
As most new business owners realise at some point, you have to add (yet another) role to your repertoire and become your own publicist! (unless you have a massive budget)
When this realisation comes to pass, there can be a lot of stumbling blocks such as:
- Should I be seen or can I get away with being in the background?
- What if people call me a show off?
- What will people think of me?
- Am I good enough to be seen?
- What if people figure out I am not as good as I seem? (classic imposter syndrome right there)
But alongside these triggering thoughts, there are practical things to consider so that you can promote yourself in the right way, build that identity from behind the scenes into being in front and building a community around it.
And what are they I hear you ask?
Find Your Safe Spaces
Are there any Facebook groups/communities that you are part of that allow you to share who you are and what you do? Live videos, introduction or promotional posts? Do you have your own Facebook group? I offer these opportunities in my Facebook group PR for Passionate Go Getters so come and join us if you’re not in there already.
I would find those spaces and take advantage of those opportunities by doing a quick live video on my phone in my office.
This helped in two ways:
- Not only was I sharing who I was and what I had to offer to an audience (and getting used to talking about myself)
- I started to get used to seeing and hearing myself on a screen, which can be a difficult process in itself!
Who are you?
Try and settle on a business name, your brand colours and a logo and this can really give you some momentum and help you decide what your business mission, values and services are so you communicate this clearly to others.
This can take a while, so don’t be put off by waiting until it is perfect. Usually when we first start out we know what we want our business to look like but this can evolve over time.
Something that I stress a lot is that imagery is so important for your business, so I would really consider getting some professional photos done for your brand. These can be used across your social media, your website and your PR, solidifying your image, your message and your brand.
By getting my branding photography done for my business with Maryanne Scott, it made it real, more professional and I was proud to share my images and my brand. I wanted to share! (yes it felt weird at first).
Get your story straight
The next breakthrough for me was my Media Bio Masterclass.
I cover this in a 2-hour workshop and it’s also the process that I go through with all my clients. It involves getting really clear on your story and the key moments that got you to where you are now.
When I did this for myself and my own business, it became really clear what I was doing, why I was doing it and the key themes in my story which enabled me to share my message.
I managed to pull my key story strands together, such as
- Being shy
- Working in PR for 20 years (and being an introvert in an extroverted world!)
- Being made redundant
- Becoming freelance
- Creating Cheerleader PR
Knowing these key story points has led to me getting coverage in The Guardian, Metro and BBC World Service. I spotted some very relevant #journorequests based on my story and by knowing my key points, I could quickly put myself forward for those opportunities via a pitch. I had the right story, at the right time, at the right place (but I wouldn’t have done if I hadn’t have understood my story in the first place!)
Realise how good you are!
The other key focus area in the media bio workshop is to really dive into your expertise.
Think about what you would share if you were asked to go on a podcast or live in a Facebook group to give a talk based on your topic. What things are you able to discuss at length?
When you have this list alongside your story – this is a really strong package that you can use across your PR efforts. I have used them to bag numerous guest expert talks at summits and various online/in person events.
Speak to others
This is common sense really but it needs to be shared as it can make such a difference. Building relationships with others is a game changer. Speaking and meeting other people in business can lead to wonderful friendships, collaborations and opportunities.
Earlier this year I did a collaboration on Clubhouse with three other PR experts, like myself, to help small businesses learn about PR, social and comms and that started by building relationships in a really open and genuine way.
This has led to speaking in others Facebook groups and being on podcasts – all of which have a knock on effect in finding other opportunities.
Don’t be afraid to put yourself forward to other people as well. Don’t wait for them to ask. Be bold and speak to podcast owners, or facebook group owners and pitch to them and ask if their audience would like to hear what you have to say.
The last two years for me have certainly been a bit of a rollercoaster and it has been a process. So if you find yourself thinking,
“Oh it’s alright for her, she works in PR, she is used to it and it’s easy for her…”
Then ask yourself if you really want it, as you absolutely can if you put your mind to it! If your mission means you need to grow your audience, then you will make yourself do it.
I hope this has given you an insight into the things that work for not only me but my clients as well.
If I were to leave you with some final advice it would be this…..
PR is all about relationships and reputations, so try and be as open as possible to opportunities.
Keep an eye out on #journorequest for those reactive stories and don’t be afraid to put yourself out there!
YOU CAN DO IT!
To see my live video talking about How I Went from Shy to Seen, click here.
📣 And if you want to work with me 1:1 to get your PR plan nailed, and learn how to plot your opportunities out for 2025, sign up for a 2-hour Cheerleader PR Strategy Sessions with me 📣.
Book now here.
