Episode #12: Hayley Smith | How To Know If Your Business is Ready For PR

Hayley Smith Talks About How To Know If Your Business is Ready For PR Are you curious about what PR can do to your business? This episode of Enlightened Entrepreneur Podcast features PR expert Hayley Smith who graciously answers every questions start-up business owners might have regarding public relations. Hayley, who is the founder of Boxed Out PR, has been helping business owners with their public relations for ten years now, successfully achieving their goal to leverage the online world and creating online opportunities for business owners.

Key Questions Asked:

Hayley started her company during a difficult time, what happened that finally triggered her decision to start her own business? For business owners who are thinking to engage in the service of a PR agent, what criteria should they use in finding the right person to work with? What is a PR plan? What sort of changes had to take place as Hayley was transitioning from being an employee to being an employer?

Highlights of Lessons Learned:

Hayley’s advice is to not use a PR company unless you’re absolutely sure that you have all the business elements in place first. This includes having your work site ready, having your follow ins and social media set up. In terms of choosing the PR agencies, choose the one that can answer all of your questions and you feel like is a good for your business. Your marketing plan should consist of social media followings and engagement strategies, campaign ideas, and calendar markings that serve as your day to day guide of the activities that you intend to implement over a certain period of time. What’s so important with being a PR person is that you need to be available when your clients need you. In terms of doing your own PR, it can be extremely time consuming, especially if you’re a business owner, and it’s easier to outsource. It is important to maintain a really personal presence online, let people see your photos, do online video, and live Facebook video. A mentor is someone who you can go to and ask questions and guidance, someone you can invest in that will tell you if you’re doing the right thing.