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150. The Solopreneur's Guide to PR Success · The Life-First Solopreneur

• 0:00
  Carly Ries: Today's episode is one you cannot miss if you've ever wondered, how do I get noticed in a crowded market? Well, one of the ways to do that is through PR or public relations and getting media attention. But if you're like us, that is an intimidating world, and for many, it seems like it's reserved for a larger companies, and that simply isn't true. So no media experience? No problem.
• 0:23
  We have Simone Sauter on the show today who helps solopreneurs, coaches, and consultants be impactful through PR without the big price tag. We discuss things like first steps to getting noticed and securing your first feature, the biggest misconception solopreneurs have about getting featured in the media or on podcasts and how good they can overcome them. We talk about how solopreneurs can identify and craft their own personal stories for impact, as well as common mistakes solopreneurs make when trying to build visibility through media. We discuss all of these things plus so much more, so be sure to tune in. You're listening to The Aspiring Solopreneur, the podcast for those just taking the bold step or even just thinking about taking that step into the world of solo entrepreneurship.
• 1:08
  My name is Carly Ries, and my co host, Joe Rando, and I are your guides to navigating this crazy, but awesome journey as a company of 1. We take pride in being part of Lifestarr, a digital hub dedicated to all aspects of solopreneurship that has empowered and educated countless solopreneurs looking to build a business that resonates with their life's ambitions. We help people work to live, not live to work. And if you're looking for a get rich quick scheme, this is not the show for you. So if you're eager to gain valuable insights from industry experts on running a business the right way the first time around, or want to learn from the missteps of solopreneurs who've paved the way before you, then stick around.
• 1:48
  We've got your back because flying solo in business doesn't mean you're alone. So, Simone, this interview, I feel like, is a long time coming, at least from my point of view. I don't know if I ever mentioned this to you, but we had a guest on Mickey Kennedy months ago at this point. And he talked about, press releases and press releases specifically. And we ended the call and I was like, gosh, that was a great call, but there is so much more to media than a press release, and we have never talked about it. I think it's something that a lot of solopreneurs are kind of intimidated by. They think PR and media, and it's like, oh, am I worthy of that space? I'm so small. Who wants to hear about me? And that simply isn't true.
• 2:32
  So, Simone, you are gonna help us figure out how to get into the media as a solopreneur. Welcome to the show.
• 2:39
  Simone Sauter: I will. Thank you so much for having me.
• 2:41
  Carly Ries: Well and so let's start with that. For solopreneurs who don't have any media experience, what are the first steps to getting noticed and securing that first feature?
• 2:51
  Simone Sauter: Well so I have a 6 step framework, and the first step is really having the foundation right. So you need to understand it. like with all marketing. Right? So you need to understand your ideal client really well to be able to determine the right podcast shows, and the right media outlets. And if you don't understand your client, you're unable to do that.
• 3:13
  And then the second thing is you need to understand what you wanna be known for. So if you don't understand what you wanna be known for, you don't know what to talk about. You don't know what to talk about on podcasts, and you don't know what to talk about in the media. What kind of ideas should you pitch?
• 3:27
  And then, eventually, you also should understand your goals. What is it actually that you want to achieve with publicity? It doesn't matter if it's media or podcast. And then, what I always recommend is to have a an offer in place that you sold before, that you know, that sells. So, you know, getting publicity is is not the first goal to make more sales.
• 3:49
  It's, brand awareness and getting yourself out there to really also build your reputation. But then I always say, you know, if you get people through the door, if people already discover you, why not sell them something? Right? So, it's always making more sales is always a secondary goal, but it works because, you get discovered by 100, thousands, 10 thousands of people depending on the outlet. And when they discover you and they like what you have to say, they are potential clients. And then you can also sell them something. So that's basically the foundation that everybody should have in place to know your ideal client, know what you wanna be known for, understand your goals, and have something in place that you can sell.
• 4:27
  Joe Rando: I have a question or a clarification on the second step, know what you wanna be known for. So a lot of people that we work with, they know a lot and they do a lot. Right? So they help people in many different ways. do you have any recommendations for deciding on which thing which kinds of things are better to feature in this context?
• 4:47
  Or is there some way of say you know, you've got 10 things that you do, but is there picking that 1 or 2 that will work the best in this environment?
• 4:57
  Simone Sauter: Well, that's a really foundational question. So if you have 10 things that you do, I think I personally would start defining what is it that you that you really want to be known for. What is this one thing that you love to sell the most, that you love to do the most? And, you know, that's obviously I have an opinion on that because I don't think that people should offer 10 different things.
• 5:25
  Joe Rando: I wanna clarify. I don't mean that you've got 10 offers, but, just for example, let's say you're a life coach and you help a certain group of people. Well, that's a lot. I mean, you're helping somebody with their life. Right?
• 5:36
  So there's not just one thing that you're doing to help them with their life. There could be 10 different places that you're working with them on, you know, their personal life and maybe their health, mental attitude, helping them with relation you know, whatever. But, you know, I'm saying there are so many different things that somebody like that does. I just wondered if there was any particular kinds of things or any particular strategy to picking topics, to focus in on to narrow down on that would be most effective in terms of getting attention to media outlets? Maybe there isn't.
• 6:08
  Maybe there's no magic formula.
• 6:10
  Simone Sauter: So personally what I mean is I would niche down. So I would not offer health coaching and relationship coaching and mindset coaching because that's, if you try to be an expert on everything, you're an expert on nothing. So that's basically how I see the world. And then, you know, if you do that, then obviously, you need to look at the media outlet, and see, like, okay, what kind of people do you wanna reach?
• 6:32
  Like, do you wanna reach somebody whom you wanna help with their relationship? Then go, into women magazines, into lifestyle magazines, and talk about that topic. So the basic rule is always, you need to talk about things, that make sense to the person that you want to reach. Right? So the thing that you talk about in the article or in the podcast interview must be a natural extension of the conversation that you want to have with them.
• 7:01
  Right? So if you try to sell, relationship coaching, talk about relationship topics. But if you talk about relationship topics and you wanna sell a mindset coaching or you wanna sell a, I don't know, a money mindset or health coaching, there is a disconnect. Right?
• 7:17
  So that's really, important to understand.
• 7:20
  Joe Rando: I like that you put a fine point on it. Just very focused. Yep. Makes total sense.
• 7:27
  Carly Ries: Speaking of relationship building, you've talked about your journey from, like, heartbreak to success, and that's been a way to connect with your audience. So how can solopreneurs identify and kinda craft their own personal stories for greater impact in the media space?
• 7:42
  Simone Sauter: Yeah. So first of all, ask yourself why did you start this business? Like, everybody has a reason why we started this business. there was hardly anybody out there who was like, oh, okay. You know, I'm a finance adviser, but I'd rather be a health coach.
• 7:57
  Right? So there is always a reason for that. So for me particularly, my background is in journalism and PR. I worked as a journalist and then I worked as a PR manager. But then in 2012, my ex left me after 10 years relationship completely out of the blue.
• 8:13
  His new partner, now wife, moved in 4 weeks later. They got married. They had children, and I was completely devastated. Right? It took me a good 2 years to overcome it.
• 8:22
  And then after those 2 years, you know, I always wanted to run my own business. I never knew what kind of business business it was. But after those 2 years, I found that I learned so much about, overcoming heartache, overcoming a divorce, and self love and building confidence that I decided to teach this to other people. Right? And help other women specifically.
• 8:49
  And then, you know, life is funny because, I helped those people, but with that business, I got a lot of media attention because that's my background. Right? So I was in Cosmopolitan and In style and Closer and been on TV, wrote a best selling book with a famous publishing house, and then I got all the questions from all the entrepreneurs because I was also living as a digital nomad for 3 years. And I met those people, and they were like, how did you get into Cosmo? How did you do this?
• 9:13
  I'm like, you know, it's self record science. And then I basically came back to my roots, which are journalism and PR. And in 2018, I started my side hustle, and that side hustle became my main business within 3 or 4 months because I had so many people asking me that. So really ask yourself, like, why is it that you started that business?
• 9:32
  There was a reason, and start from there. And then, really think back on situations where you have helped other people. How did you help them? What did they say? What were the results that they got?
• 9:46
  Right? And start from there and then, you know, make a sort of a mind map and, and and, try to get this this red line in those stories.
• 9:57
  Carly Ries: So, Simone, that was a personal story you just told and that some people might feel vulnerable in doing that and uncomfortable in sharing their personal story. So how do you find that balance between the authenticity and relating to your audience, but also exposing your life and finding what you're comfortable to share and what you're not comfortable to share.
• 10:19
  Simone Sauter: Yeah. I get that a 100%. So the first thing that we need to understand is that people buy from people, and we connect with others by being vulnerable, and by being vulnerable, we allow other people to open up as well. I totally understand that there are people who don't wanna share everything.
• 10:35
  I didn't share everything. I mean, it was a messy breakup, and there were really things that I would never share with the public. But, you know, if you build the confidence to share it, it's going to be easier and easier, and, you know, understand that your business is not really about yourself. Your business is about the other people. It's about the ones that you want to help.
• 10:59
  This is why you started the business in the first place. Right? So you started that business with the intention to help others, and to be able to help others, you need to connect with them, and you only can connect with them if you are human. Right? And humans are vulnerable.
• 11:17
  And there might be some things where you have to work through yourself, maybe with help of somebody else. You know, I also had support. But I truly believe that if we are able to open up and to share what happened to us, that this helps other people to, connect with you and you know, also become clients easier. Right? So when I had my breakup in divorce coaching business, I had so many people telling me, oh, my ex left me, and he has now a new wife or new girlfriend, whatever.
• 11:54
  And it really helped me because I don't feel ashamed anymore. I was ashamed as well. Right? I didn't feel absolutely not worthy. The first thing I was like, okay.
• 12:03
  We've been together for 10 years and I wasn't even worth to be asked to get married to him. So, and that's something that I wouldn't have told in the first moment. Right? It took me more than 2 years to overcome that.
• 12:15
  But I knew that I can only help others when I present myself as, you know, when I'm vulnerable. And I understand it's challenging, but it's also very, very powerful, for yourself, for the people you wanna help, but also for getting clients, as business y as it sounds.
• 12:36
  Carly Ries: So let's say people have the 6 foundational steps down. They have a story to share. They know they can relate to others, but they still have that misconception that podcasts and getting in magazines and everything is an unattainable thing, and they just don't know where to start. So what are some of those misconceptions, and how can people break through this scary media barrier and actually get found?
• 12:59
  Simone Sauter: Yeah. So, really, the biggest misconception I just said is, people think they need to be famous to get publicity. Let's call it publicity, then I don't have to say, you know, podcasts and media. So with with publicity, I mean getting on podcasts and getting into the media. So people really think they have to be famous to get publicity, but actually it's the other way around.
• 13:19
  You become famous through publicity. Right? So if you think of all the people, all the famous people in this industry, I don't know, like Marie Forleo, for example, right? Those people, they, they got famous because of the publicity. It's not that they got the publicity because they are famous.
• 13:37
  They are famous because of the publicity they got. And, so what I always tell my clients is it's not how big your social media following is. It's not how many clients you have. It's not how much money you made in your business.
• 13:53
  The only thing that counts for the journalist is how valuable is your story, how much value can you add to the audience, and it's the same for a podcast host. So the podcast host is always interested in, okay, what kind of experience, story, or expertise can this person share with my audience? Right? This is why I'm here today. So I share my expertise about PR. And, it's the same for your listeners. Right?
• 14:22
  So if you listen to this, you have unique knowledge, and a unique story that is relevant. And the only thing that you have to do is find the right podcast shows and, pitch like, send a great pitch and get on the show. Right? So they don't really care about the audience size. And, you know, if you're gonna go for, I don't know, The School of Greatness from Lewis Howes, which he has, like, I don't know how many million downloads, this is a massive podcast.
• 14:49
  Right? They might care more about your stats, but, you know, also, really big podcast shows without a million downloads, they don't really care. They just really care about the story. And if you pitch somebody in Forbes, if you pitch somebody in Cosmo, or, you know, any other big magazine, it's always about the story. What kind of value can you add?
• 15:10
  What can you bring to the table for the reader of the publication? And it's not about, oh, okay. How many clients did you have? How many social media followers do you have? It's not about that because what we need to understand about the media is that they they run on fresh content. and since the Internet, it became even worse for the publications because they have to come up with more content, but it became much easier for entrepreneurs. Because, earlier when there was only a print version, it was really hard to get into print because there was, you know, so many people who wanted to get in there, such a big demand, but so little of space. And now with the digital magazines, they have to have fresh content every single day. So this is a huge chance for solopreneurs to get on there. The only thing that you need to understand is how to find the right story, and how to find the right person and, when to pitch them.
• 16:04
  And that's basically it.
• 16:06
  Carly Ries: Is it enough to just, like, go to the website and say like, click on the contribute a story? I mean, do they actually read those, or are there any tips to podcast aside, because I feel like they're more receptive to those direct emails. But if you wanna be in a digital publication or something, any tips to actually get your story read from the editor?
• 16:28
  Simone Sauter: Yes. So first of all, we have to to distinguish between, being a contributor and being somebody who's featured. Somebody who's being featured is somebody who's giving an interview, and the journalist would write the story, would use your quotes, would use the information, and then link out to your website if you're lucky. Right? Well, 85% of the journalists do that.
• 16:49
  So that is being featured, and then you address a staff member, a staff writer. Now if you want to be a contributor on the other hand, that means that you write for the publication, so that you pitch a story idea, and they say, like, okay, this is good. You can write it. You write it. You send it.
• 17:05
  They publish it. In that case, you wanna address the editor. So those are 2 completely different things, and if you're a contributor, most of the time, not always, most of the time you're also paid for it, right, to write those articles. And then what you wanna do is you, you know, there are all those, I don't know, contributor at forbes.com or whatever those email addresses are. They are monitored, but they are not really monitored by the editor most of the time.
• 17:33
  So, a lot of times they are interns, and so what I would do, or what I always tell my clients and what I do for my clients is find the right person to talk to. Go to the publication. Look for articles that are in your niche, and in, your topic area that you talk about, and then you have the byline, or sometimes you have even a page with all the editors listed out, and then find, the right person to talk to. Find out which person is interested in what you have to say. And then sometimes you have the email address on the website, although a lot of publications remove them because of the thousands of pictures that they get, so then you have to do a little bit of research.
• 18:15
  But, you know, there are tools, like hunter.io, or you can go on LinkedIn. There are various tools to find out their email address, and then send a personalized pitch. This is really important. So, you know, in your pitch, really build a little bit of rapport in the first paragraph and then pitch ideas.
• 18:34
  Right? So, yeah, that is basically it.
• 18:38
  Carly Ries: I'd imagine that people make some pretty, common mistakes in this space if they're new to it, but they think they can handle it on their own. But you have a publicity rock star method that is trademarked. Can you talk about that a little bit? Because I think that could help people avoid some silly mistakes.
• 18:57
  Simone Sauter: Yeah. So, basically, there's a 6 step framework, and the first step is, the rock star offer, which stands for the foundation of what we talked about earlier. So you need to understand your ideal client, what do you wanna be known for, understand your goals and have the offer in place. That's the foundation.
• 19:14
  And the second step is the audience, and the audience stands for creating your media list or creating your podcast list. So what you wanna do is you wanna find those publications and those, podcast shows that are really ideal, and that are actually consumed by ideal clients. So this is one of the biggest mistakes. People say, like, oh, I wanna be in Forbes. I wanna be there.
• 19:33
  And, so they pitch random publications, random podcast shows just to get on there, and, at the end of the day, when I ask them, okay, did you also find out if your if your ideal client is consuming it? They say, like, I don't know. You know, that's one of the biggest mistakes. But that's the second step. Create your media list, create your podcast list.
• 19:51
  The third step is the hit, which stands for grabbing the journalists, the editors, or the host's attention. So what you wanna do is you wanna come up with story angles, with speaking topics that are relevant. If you pitch a podcast show, listen to the show. Look what's the ideal client.
• 20:07
  Look what you can add to the table? What can you bring to the table? What kind of value can you add? And then suggest those topics. And with the media outlets, it's the same thing.
• 20:17
  Go to the publication that they wanna pitch and see what kind of, stories they are interested in. So you know, sometimes it's listicle, sometimes it's how to, sometimes it's a third person story, whatever. So go there, find this out, and then pitch accordingly. Right? So, that's the 3rd step.
• 20:37
  And then the 4th step is that stands for the stage. I love rock and heavy metal music, so titles are all for that. And so the stage stands for writing and sending your pitch. you know, it's just, as I said, build a little bit of rapport and always suggest, especially if you wanna be a contributor, 2 to 5 story ideas so that they can pick.
• 20:59
  Because then, you know, the first and the second and third are not good, then they can still choose the 4th or the 5th. If you only suggest one topic, it's easy to get a no. Right? If you suggest more topics, it's easy to get a yes. But don't do more than 5 because otherwise it's just such a long email.
• 21:16
  So that's the 4th step, write and send your pitch. And then the 5th step is the performance. And the performance actually stands for writing the article or giving the interview. Right? So if you're gonna be on a podcast, be prepared.
• 21:28
  You know, we just had the conversation before our call or before the recording, where he said, like, we send you the questions. Have you read them? And I'm like, yes. Of course I read them, but, you know, not everybody does. So if you get this from a host, then be prepared.
• 21:42
  Be prepared for the show. Understand with whom you're talking to. Understand what the show is about and and what kind of angle you need to talk. And, if you get questions, then please read them, and you know, it's important to understand that you are invited to a show and that of an audience that the host build up, and you are allowed to present yourself there, your expertise, but then also, at the end, you're allowed to say, okay, well, where can people find you?
• 22:11
  Right? So then you can, tell them where they find you. And the host built this audience for years and years, and you go there so you follow their rules. Right? Really easy, but, you know, apparently not as easy.
• 22:24
  And it's the same for the media. So if you talk to a journalist, be prepared. Be prepared, to talk to them. And if you write an article, please check grammar, check spelling.
• 22:35
  Like, write a good article. Do not write it with AI. If you get a contributor article and you gotta get it written by Chat GTP or any other AI, they will find out. They will blacklist you. They will never accept anything else from you, and they will not publish the article.
• 22:54
  Joe Rando: Seems fair to me.
• 22:55
  Simone Sauter: Yeah. You know, that's common sense. Right? Because if you pitch a publication with 1,000 or 100,000 or sometimes millions of readers, and they allow you to publish work on that website, on that publication, and get, like, I don't know how many, 1,000 and 10 thousands of clicks to your website, then please take the time, to write the article, and don't ask
• 23:19
  Joe Rando: Actually write an article.
• 23:20
  Simone Sauter: You can always ask Chat GPT for ideas. We all do, but if you have a good idea, then please write it. You know? So anyway, so that's the 5th step, the performance, and then the 6th step is the promotion, which stands for leveraging your publicity for clients' cash and reputation.
• 23:36
  So what I see most people do is they get on a podcast, they get into a publication, and they are super proud. So they they put in all the work. Right? So they did the research. They pitched.
• 23:46
  They wrote the article, did the interview, and everything that needs to be done, and then they just promote it once. Right? They promote it once on their social media. It's like, hey. You know, I've been on that podcast.
• 23:56
  Hey. I've been featured in Forbes. And there are so many more ways how you can promote it. Right? So with 1 podcast interview, you can make 5 audiograms from it, or you can, you know, make a quote, you can make an an image, you can transcribe it as a blog post.
• 24:10
  You know, there are so many more ways, how you can do it. You can add it to your email welcome series, for example. Right? So if it's a really big feature, so that you build your authority right from the get go when people join your email list, for example. so I think I have, like, I don't know, 34 ways how to promote your publicity, you know, to build your audience and to get, clients' cash and reputation, basically. Yeah. That's basically the 6 steps, and it's simple, but it's not easy.
• 24:43
  Carly Ries: Yeah. I was like, and that's it. There are those 6 steps Yeah. Simone, this has been so enjoyable. I've been in marketing forever, and people often think that marketing is synonymous with PR. And I'm like, those are so incredibly different.
• 24:59
  This is a whole area. I remember a friend of mine when I was working for a marketing agency 10 years ago, I think now, she had the list and it was like nobody touched her list. It was her media list. Like, it was her most prized possession. And I remember thinking, gosh, that's so interesting, like, that you could just have, I mean, those the relationships are everything.
• 25:22
  And I've always been fascinated by this side of the marketing umbrella and just not super in tune with it. So this has been so helpful for me. I think it's gonna be very helpful for our listeners as well. And we ask all of our guests this question. What is your favorite quote about success?
• 25:40
  Simone Sauter: Well, I don't really have a quote, or a favorite quote about success, but what I really deeply believe is that everybody needs to define their own terms of success or their own what does success mean? Like, so for most of the people, success means you have a lot of money. You're really rich. You're really wealthy. For me, the financial aspect is a part of it, but for me, it's also, you know, I have 2 toddlers.
• 26:04
  They are 3 and 5. I wanna spend a lot of time with them, so I run my own business, And I'm successful in my own terms because I can work whenever I want to. Right? And there is a reason. So mainly work with people in the US.
• 26:16
  And why? Because I'm based in the Netherlands, and then I can work in the evenings, and I can work at 10 PM, for example. Right? And I don't do this every day, obviously. But, you know, can really work on my own terms, and that's success to me in comparison to it's been like, wow?
• 26:33
  10 years. I've run my own business for 10 years. But 10 years ago, was working, corporate, and I had a 9 to 5 or 9 to 7 job because I was working in PR, and I didn't have a lot of spare time, right? And back then I didn't have kids, so I didn't really mind, But nowadays I really mind. So for me, success is really something that is not that one thing, and either you have it or you don't have it.
• 26:59
  So you need to define success for yourself, and then decide, are you successful for yourself? Does it feel successful to you? And if that feels successful to you, you're successful. And what success means to you doesn't necessarily mean success to somebody else.
• 27:15
  Joe Rando: That is the most LifeStarr answer we've ever gotten to that question.
• 27:18
  Carly Ries: Yes.
• 27:19
  Joe Rando: That is exactly, exactly, exactly what we're about. Awesome.
• 27:24
  Carly Ries: Yeah. the whole time you were speaking, I was like, this is our love language. Well, like I said, this has been wonderful. Where can people find you if they want to learn more and reach out?
• 27:36
  Simone Sauter: The easiest way is my website, simonesauter.com, and my main social media platform is LinkedIn. So that's where I really hang out and where I'm easy to approach.
• 27:46
  Carly Ries: Perfect. And we will have all of that in the show notes. You can find her easily. And I'll say it once. I'll say it a gazillion more times.
• 27:52
  Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for coming on the show today.
• 27:55
  Simone Sauter: Thank you so much for having me. It was a great conversation.
• 27:58
  Carly Ries: Yes. And listeners, you know what to do. We love those 5 star reviews. We love the subscribes on YouTube and your favorite podcast platform. So make sure to do it.
• 28:06
  Otherwise, we'll see you next time on The Aspiring Solopreneur. Take care. You may be going solo in business, but that doesn't mean you're alone. In fact, millions of people are in your shoes, running a one person business and figuring it out as they go. So why not connect with them and learn from each other's successes and failures?
• 28:25
  At LifeStarr, we're creating a one person business community where you can go to meet and get advice from other solopreneurs. Be sure to join in on the conversations at community.lifestarr.com.