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Why You Don’t Need a PR Agency: The Small Business Guide to Free Press

Why You Don’t Need a PR Agency: The Small Business Guide to Free Press

If you run a small business, you already know the every penny counts.

When budgets are tight, every investment needs to actively move the needle and drive you closer to your goals. Unfortunately, traditional public relations (PR) is often viewed as a playground exclusive to big corporations with massive budgets, a luxury where you throw thousands of pounds at an agency and hope for the best.

But, you do not need to spend thousands of pounds on a PR agency to get featured in the press.

When done well, PR can reap monumental rewards for your brand awareness and your bottom line. And the best part? You can get started right now, by yourself, entirely for free.

If you are ready to stop letting a lack of budget hold your business back, here are the three essential steps to kickstart your own DIY PR journey.

1. Identify Your Gatekeepers

Before you write a single pitch or send a single email, you need to understand exactly who you are trying to speak to. Stop sending generic press releases to blind info@ email addresses. They’re a lot less likely to find the right person in a timely manner!

You need to identify the precise gatekeepers for the media sectors you are targeting:

  • Magazines and Newspapers: Look for specific section editors (such as the Business Editor, the Lifestyle Editor, or the Features Editor). If you are struggling to reach them, look for the editorial assistant of the publication first. They are fantastic allies and often help route great stories to the right desk, and also tell you who the right person is!

  • TV and Radio: Forget the presenters or the face of the show. You need to find the producers. They are the creative engines behind the scenes who actually curate the guest line-ups and choose the topics.

2. Study the Outlets

A terrible pitch is incredibly obvious. It’s usually a copy-and-paste mass email that offers zero value to the journalist. To stand out, you have to do the research time.

Pick the specific publication, radio slot, or website you want to be a part of and study it intensely:

  • What kind of recurring features do they run?

  • What specific topics does their audience engage with the most?

  • What is the tone, style, and rhythm of their content?

If you put the research time in first, your eventual pitch will make perfect sense to them. The journalist will instantly recognise that you understand their world, that you’ve done the work, and that you are there to add genuine value to their platform, rather than just begging for a free advert.

Pro Tip – Note down features and interviews you particularly enjoy/ed, this will come in useful for when you pitch as it shows you really have done the work!

3. Demolish the Fear of Rejection

Here is where most small business owners fall at the final hurdle. They do the mapping, they do the hours of deep research, and then they completely chicken out at the last second because they are terrified of getting a no.

Let me tell you something from personal experience: you will get ignored – a LOT – and that is completely fine.

Early in my career, I was ghosted more times than I can count. But every single time a pitch was met with radio silence, I didn’t view it as a failure. I viewed it as a data point. I analysed it, learned from it, and used it to sharpen my strategy for the next time. And I just kept going!

Because of that resilience, my pitch hit-rate today – and my clients’ hit-rate – is incredibly high. Rejection isn’t a wall if you don’t see it as that, it’s actually just feedback. The more times you put yourself in front of the right people, the higher your chances of success.

Building Your Asset for the Future

Even if an editor or producer turns you down initially, it doesn’t mean your effort was wasted. Sometimes your business simply isn’t a perfect fit for what they are working on at that moment, it’s a just a no for now.

However, by reaching out professionally, doing your homework, and presenting a high-value concept, you have made a great first impression. You are now on their radar. You can add them to your growing press list, nurture that relationship, and set yourself up for massive editorial wins down the line.

PR isn’t about having a massive corporate bank account. It’s about strategy, research, relationships, and having the guts to show up anyway. Again and again and again!

Want to Master Your Own PR Strategy?

Learning how to navigate the media landscape and pitching your business like a seasoned pro is entirely within your reach.

For insider PR tips, actionable tricks, and deep-dive breakdowns of the marketing campaigns making headlines right now, come and join the community on Instagram! Follow along at @rheafreemanpr and let’s start getting your business the visibility it deserves.

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The Hawkstone Farmers’ Choir: A PR Masterclass Where Everybody Wins

The Hawkstone Farmers Choir: A PR Masterclass Where Everybody Wins

If you were watching television this weekend, you didn’t just witness a piece of entertainment history, you witnessed an absolute PR masterclass.

The Hawkstone Farmers’ Choir winning Britain’s Got Talent is an incredible triumph for the choir itself, but it’s also a blueprint for how modern PR, community amplification, and brand alignment should actually work. It was a rare, beautiful moment where every single person involved walked away a winner.

Let’s break down exactly why this campaign was so brilliant, and the key lessons you can steal for your own business.

1. It Was Rooted in Real Community (Not a Corporate Stunt)

To understand why this win felt so powerful, you have to look at how it started. The choir wasn’t manufactured by a marketing agency to sell beer. It was originally set up by Jeremy Clarkson, whom we all know from Top Gear and Clarkson’s Farm, to support local farmers and raise awareness for mental health.

Farming can be an incredibly isolating job. Last year, the choir appeared in a Hawkstone campaign video that went completely viral. They were real, raw, they swore, they sang beautifully, and they grabbed massive press attention because they were completely authentic. And the fact that Jeremy said the ad had been banned…

When they stepped onto the Britain’s Got Talent stage, they brought that genuine community with them. It didn’t feel like a manufactured PR stunt, it felt like real people with a real purpose (because that’s exactly what it was!).

2. It Shattered Industry Stereotypes on Prime-Time TV

While Clarkson’s Farm on Amazon Prime has done wonders for changing public perception of agriculture, taking the choir to ITV for Britain’s Got Talent opened the floodgates to a completely new, mainstream audience.

For a long time, farmers have been saddled with a grumpy, old-man stereotype that is hard for the general public to connect with. The choir completely blew that up on prime-time television.

Looking at that stage, the audience saw:

  • Men and women of all different ages.

  • People of all different sizes from all over the country.

  • Real, hard-working human beings who face the exact same struggles we all do, working tirelessly to feed us.

By showing the human faces behind the industry, they built an emotional bridge with millions of viewers who usually feel completely disconnected from agriculture.

3. The Power of “Snowball Effect” Amplification

One of the reasons this campaign reached such heights was the sheer scale of the amplification. Because so many different camps were passionate about the cause, the message snowballed naturally.

It wasn’t just the choir shouting about it. You had the entire ecosystem working in perfect sync:

  • The Star Power: Jeremy Clarkson was backing them publicly.

  • The Cast: Clarkson’s Farm favourites like Lisa Hogan, Kaleb Cooper, and Charlie Ireland were constantly championing them.

  • The Judges: Amanda Holden even visited the team on their home turf during a previous show to support them on their journey.

  • The Grassroots Hub: They held a massive watch party at Jeremy’s pub, The Farmer’s Dog, bringing people together physically to watch the final.

When you combine mainstream TV, hyper-engaged social media support, and real-life community hubs, your brand message becomes unstoppable.

The Ultimate “Everybody Wins” Result

The best PR campaigns aren’t zero-sum games. The Hawkstone Farmers Choir victory proved that when PR is handled with genuine care, the ripple effect of success benefits everyone:

Who Won? What Did They Gain?
The Choir They literally won the biggest talent show in Britain and a life-changing platform. The first choir to do this in the show’s history.
The Farming Industry A massive prime-time PR boost and a brilliant spotlight on the reality of modern agriculture.
The Hawkstone Brand Priceless, money-can’t-buy brand awareness, visibility, and positive sentiment.
Mental Health Awareness Vital awareness around isolation and mental health challenges within the farming community, encouraging people to speak out and find help.
Clarkson’s Farm & Jeremy A beautiful, positive nudge for his show right as it returns to our screens.
Britain’s Got Talent A massive dose of genuine, feel-good television that engaged an entirely new audience.

What Can We Learn as Business Owners?

As business owners, we can extract a massive amount of value from this masterclass:

  • Community is your superpower: Nurture your community fiercely. When your audience feels like they are part of a movement, they will vote, share, and fight for you.

  • Storytelling is magic: A great story doesn’t just inform—it captivates and educates. The power of a human story will out-perform a slick sales pitch every single time.

  • Commercial goals can be positive: Just because a campaign brings commercial benefits and brand awareness to a company (like Hawkstone), it doesn’t detract from the positive social impact. That is, if it is managed with true authenticity.

On Britain’s Got Talent, the Hawkstone Farmers Choir made history. But they also reminded us exactly what happens when you lead with real people, real passion, and a great story.

Want to elevated your brand’s PR?

Learning how to extract the gold from major cultural moments is exactly how you build a standout brand strategy.

If you want more practical PR tips, behind-the-scenes campaign breakdowns, and actionable tricks to give your product or service the spotlight it deserves, make sure to follow me over on Instagram at @rheafreemanpr! Let’s get people talking about your business.

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How to Get the Press to Notice Your Business: 3 Non-Negotiable Rules

How to Get the Press to Notice Your Business: 3 Non-Negotiable Rules

Let’s be completely honest for a second. Getting the press to pay attention to your business, your new product, or your service can feel like trying to shout in a crowded stadium (and no one hearing!). You send off an email, you wait, and then absolutely nothing happens. This isn’t necessarily you, journalists are incredibly busy people.

It is incredibly frustrating. But more often than not, it isn’t because your business isn’t interesting, or your new product isn’t great. It could well be because that person’s inbox is overflowing with requests, but it can also be because your pitch didn’t give the journalist exactly what they needed to do their job.

Journalists, editors, and producers are some of the busiest people on the planet. They are drowning in deadlines and wading through hundreds of pitches a day. If you want them to pick up your story, you have to make it as easy as humanly possible for them to say “yes.”

If you want to drastically increase your chances of media success, you need to embed these three fundamental rules into your PR strategy.

1. High-Quality Imagery is Non-Negotiable

You could have the most life-altering product or the most inspiring business story in the world, but if your imagery is rubbish, your pitch is heading straight for the bin.

Think about it from their perspective: if a journalist loves your story but you haven’t provided a decent photo to run alongside it, they can’t publish it. You’ve stopped them in their tracks.

Here is what you need to keep in mind:

It doesn’t have to be a professional photoshoot. While professional shots are great, standard smartphones are incredible these days.

It does need to look professional. Your images must be crisp, clear, well-composed, and never blurry.

Watch your background. Make sure the background is tidy, decent, and fits your brand aesthetic.

Think about sizing. Provide high-resolution files that can be easily resized or cropped for print or digital.

Do everything you can to set yourself up for success from the very first click.

2. Keep Your Pitch Concise

It is tempting to write an essay when pitching your business. You want to explain everything from how you came up with the idea, your life history, your vision, for the future and maybe even where you went to primary school (I’m only half joking!).

Stop right there. They do not want your life story.

The golden rule of pitching the press is to keep it as concise as it can possibly be while still delivering the vital facts. Your email should be punchy and straight to the point.

💡 Insider PR Tip: If you absolutely have to add extra context or background details, do not clog up the main body of your email. Instead, create a clear ‘Notes to the Editor’ section right at the bottom. This keeps your introduction clean, while still giving them extra info if they choose to scroll down.

Before you hit send, ask yourself: ‘Is this extra paragraph helping my chances, or is it just making a busy editor close the document because they don’t have time to read it?’. If it’s the latter, you know what to do…

3. Include a Clear Call to Action

Let’s say the magic happens and a member of the press reads your pitch, loves your product, and wants to run the story. What do they do next?

If there isn’t a glaringly obvious next step staring them in the face, you are creating friction. You should never force a busy journalist to go on a weird, adventurous treasure hunt across the internet just to find your website or your imagery.

Make the next steps totally seamless. Inside the body of your email, explicitly state what to do next:

Provide a direct link. Always include your exact website address.

Offer more assets upfront. I always say something like, “If you need additional information or images, please let me know.”

If you like, link a shared folder. You could include a link to a Google Drive or Dropbox folder containing your press release and image library if you want. Do not, and I repeat DO NOT, send a link to a file that expires in a few days… you’re not helping them and that means you’re not helping yourself.

If they want to publish your business, make sure their readers actually know where to find you.

Want More Practical PR Tips?

Mastering your own PR doesn’t have to be overwhelming. It’s all about understanding what the media needs and delivering it to them on a silver platter.

For loads more actionable tips, behind-the-scenes tricks, and strategies to get your product or service the massive promotion it deserves, make sure you’re following me over on Instagram at @rheafreemanpr! Let’s get your business noticed.

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How to get national PR for free

Do you want to feature in the national press? Let’s talk about how to get national PR for free!

Ever thought ‘I wonder how I can be featured there?’ Well, if your ‘there’ is in the national press (whether this is radio, TV, newspaper, magazine or website) then you’re going to LOVE this blog, and the corresponding podcast that you can listen to below (or on Apple/Spotify/wherever you listen to podcasts).


Featuring in the press can do wonders for your personal brand, business, and overall visibility. It can elevate you to a status of your own, establishing you as an expert and boost your credibility. Now, you might be thinking, “Sounds great, but isn’t it expensive?” Well, here’s the secret: it doesn’t have to be.

Get featured in the national press for free

In fact, I’ve been featured in various national press outlets, and on this episode of the podcast, I’m going to spill the beans on exactly how I did it.

But before we dive in, if you find this exciting and are looking for more in-depth guidance, check out the Small and Supercharged Mastermind group on my website. It’s a fantastic community where we delve into detailed marketing masterclasses each month.

Back to the juicy details of securing national PR. Contrary to popular belief, it’s not as daunting as it seems. The key is putting in the effort, and let’s face it, what worthwhile achievement doesn’t require some work?

You can pay for leads, or find your own

You can approach this in two ways: throwing money or throwing time. If you’re swimming in cash, you could hire a publicist or have an in-house PR expert. Buying ad space is also an option, but here’s the thing – I’m here to tell you that you don’t need a massive budget to get featured in the national press.

So, how did I do it? Over the past few months, I’ve secured features in Metro, Stylist, GB News, The Independent, iNews, and Thrive Global, just to name a few. And guess what? I did it all for free with a bit of time and effort.

Let me take you back to how it all started. While I’m deeply immersed supporting my clients and helping them find opportunities to grow and promote themselves, my personal promotion often takes a backseat. But during the holidays, when things quieted down a bit, I decided to explore what I could achieve in a short amount of time.

Being a frequent guest on local radio and a regular contributor to various publications, I was no stranger to media exposure. However, I felt the urge to venture more into the mainstream media. So, I turned to Twitter and started engaging with journalist requests.

#journorequest is a secret weapon

The #journorequest hashtag on Twitter is a goldmine for opportunities. Journalists, both local and national, use these requests to find people for interviews and insights. The beauty of it is that it’s accessible to everyone, and it’s free. It’s a platform where journalists broadcast their needs, seeking experts, opinions, and personal stories.

Now, not every response was met with positivity, but that’s part of the game. You don’t always have to talk about your business; these requests often centre around personal stories and experiences. For instance, I shared insights about being a mum and even discussed my dog in response to a question about 2022 highlights.

Be aware of what journalists want and need

Timing and responsiveness are crucial in this game. Journalists work on tight deadlines, so being quick and concise in your replies is paramount. While not every pitch will land you a feature, don’t be discouraged. The ones that do can open doors to unexpected opportunities.

It’s a really good idea to follow journalists posting these requests. Engage with them beyond just responding to requests; show genuine interest in their work. Building a rapport can increase your chances of being on their radar when relevant opportunities arise.

National or niche?

National press coverage is lovely, but the power of niche press can also do great things. Your target audience might be more engaged with specialised publications that directly relate to your products or services.

Getting featured in the national press doesn’t have to be an unattainable dream. With a bit of time, effort, you can elevate your personal brand and business without breaking the bank.

Shameless plug alert- want to know more about how to grow your brand on a budget? You’ll love my best-selling book, Small & Supercharged- small steps to supercharge your brand on a budget. Enjoy!

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Are press releases dead?

are press releases dead

Are press releases dead? It’s a question I get asked a fair amount, and while the short answer is no, the longer answer is more a ‘no… as long as…’. And the long answer is what you’ll get on this episode of the Small & Supercharged Podcast!

Are press releases dead?

The world has changed from the days of being able to write a press release, send it out, and then feel happy that you’d done big things in helping get your amazing new product out there. Now, you have the option to do a whole lot more with that press release… and that means it can be used for so much more than was originally intended.

The thing is, the way press releases used to work still has value, but with a few extra steps, press releases can be incredibly valuable to you if you repurpose well!⁠

On this episode of the podcast, I explore why the humble press release is very much- in my opinion- alive and kicking, and how to make it (and the process of building your press list, etc) work really well for you.

Small & Supercharged Mastermind

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Why you should do your own PR – Small & Supercharged Podcast

Today we’re going to have a chat about PR, and why you should do your own. Whether you’re a PR or a business, I think you’ll take something from this podcast. Honest. It’s what I really do believe, what I’ve found works really well for businesses and, actually, what I know works well for me when I’m working as a PR for equestrian and rural businesses.

Why you should do your own PR

Show notes from episode 14 – why you should do your own PR. In this episode I’m going to talk about why I think it’s really important to do your own PR, particularly for niche markets. 

In this episode you’ll hear…

  • Why I think it’s important to do your own, particularly for niche businesses. I do a lot with equestrian, country and rural businesses, but I think for niche businesses it’s really important.
  • The value of doing your own PR and how this will help you if and when you decide to outsource in the future.
  • How it’s not rocket science to write a press release.
  • How to learn how to write a press release – have a read of ‘what is a press release’ for a bit more info.
  • Why it’s important to give your press release the best chance of being used.
  • Ways to get around writing press releases (yep, I know that not everyone loves them as much as I do!).
  • How doing your own will allow YOU to build your own connections with the press.
  • The value of constantly updating and tweaking you press lists.
  • How to build connections with magazine editors, bloggers and vloggers and how you can use these connections..
  • Why it’s important to understand the process – things like lead times, image quality, deadlines, etc.
  • Why it could cost you less money to do your own, how it might not (good PR can deliver a really good ROI), and also how doing it yourself could help to reduce your costs even if you outsource!
  • How you can use all of the above to work with your agency (if you’ve outsourced).
  • When you might want to outsource your PR, and when you might want to outsource other elements of your business if you love this side of the business.

As I mentioned at the start of the podcast, this podcast was inspired by my 5 reasons to be your own equestrian PR blog I wrote a little while ago. If you fancy a read, the title is a live link.

Rhea Freeman Newsletter Link

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Do press releases ONLY work if you advertise?

Do press releases only work if you advertiseA little while ago I had someone explain to me that press releases were pointless if you don’t advertise with the publication. I couldn’t disagree more. In my experience (and, let’s be clear, I send a lot of press releases and have been for a number of years!), this is certainly not the case. More than this, it’s really underestimating the full scope of a press release. Let’s have a look at this in phases…

What’s a press release?

In really simple terms it’s a document that informs the press about a new product, services or newsworthy ‘thing’. This has changed a bit in recent times because ‘the press’ now includes websites, bloggers and various other channels too.

A press release is usually a concise text document that gets over the key points in a concise way. It’s not a book. It’s not a brand manual. It’s not your company’s history. It’s newsworthy content delivered in a succinct way.

Then what do you do with your press release?

You send it out to your contacts. These should be people you have reached out to in the media connected to your business (could be niche, national, regional, B2B, B2C… loads of options). The idea (and hope!) being that the person who receives it (traditionally a journalist but could be blogger, website editor, etc etc), sees some merit in what you’re saying, feels it’s valuable to their audience and uses this content. It could be online or in print. That’s the basic idea.

Ah- so press releases only work if you advertise?

No, no they don’t. Some magazines/websites work on a policy that DOES favour the content from advertiser- I’ll give to that. Why? Because advertisers support their business and allows it to run and keep functioning. There. That’s the basics. BUT many do not operate this as an editorial policy. I mean, one could argue that the above is actually advertising in itself, but that’s another debate. Many review and consider content in a press release (if it is worthy and actually new/interesting) for the what’s new sections, or product sections, or editors/bloggers reach out about tried and testeds and further opportunities. I’m not saying ‘this is what should happen, but it doesn’t’, I’m saying this is what DOES happen, because I know it does and have a lot of press cuttings to back this up.

But let’s clear one thing up right now. Not every press release you send will get the exposure you think it should. Some might not get picked up at all. This is annoying. If you were to speak to a magazine and pay, you could well bag yourself some advertorial space in the publication to run your release. Or you might be able to negotiate additional promotional opportunities moving forward. That is true. But people also pay to advertise and their product doesn’t get chosen. It might have a bearing on it (in a keeping advertisers sweet way) but I can categorically tell you that there IS a point to press releases. Even if you don’t advertise.

But if the press release doesn’t get used, it’s wasted

No. Whether it gets used or not, you should not send out one press release about a new product, service or newsworthy thing, mop your brow, and exclaim that the job has been done. It hasn’t. Repurpose the content. Tweak it and write a blog – or even a series of blogs depending on the story. Create a video. Take images and short clips for social media. Create graphics using snippets from the press release. BE CREATIVE. Having a press release written can be the core around the promotion of a new product or service. Repurposing and making sure you extract every bit of juice out of the story makes a press release incredibly valuable – it’s the cornerstone to the rest of it.

So, when you get told that press releases only work if you advertise, if you get asked ‘do press releases only work if you advertise’ then I would urge you to say no… because it’s simply not the case.

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What’s lip balm got to do with a Royal Wedding?

Royal Wedding What’s lip balm got to do with a Royal Wedding? This was the exact question I asked myself when an ad for a very well known brand of lip balm popped up in my Instagram feed. Oh- did I forget to mention- it was a special edition Harry and Meghan wedding edition one? Yep- I thought it was a bit strange too… and even though the angle is clear, it still feels odd to me. As a long game strategy, what does it bring to the table?

Has lip balm got anything to do with a Royal Wedding?

In my opinion? Nope. But then I don’t think that half the wedding themed stuff I’ve see has either. I completely 100% understand why people have brought out Royal Wedding themed things, I really do, but for me it’s got to fit the brand. It always has to feel on brand and not like the company is clutching at straws. An attempt to grab a bit of the spotlight when it’s shining a long way away from them and their brand. Do you know what I mean? Capitalising on the things that your brand is doing, that match the values of your brand – absolutely – but when it’s random? It just feels odd. Like a vegan friend eating a steak because it’s now on trend and popular.

But it gets even weirder than lip balm…

Yep… after that Royal Wedding edition of lip balm popped up, I kept seeing everything connected to the Royal Wedding. And don’t think I’m anti that either – I really hope they make each other very happy and live happily ever after. I have no issue with weddings, or marriage, or the Royals, or businesses trying to capitalise on a current event – newsjack if you will – it can have huge value. Note the use of the word can. I think when done well, and in a way that is reflective of the brand’s values, target market, etc. etc, it can be a very valuable tool. Shall we explore some of the other fun wedding themed products I’ve found? Just for kicks… I’m not going to name brands because I am sure there’s more than one doing the same thing… but here we go…

Wedding sausages. The one I found did amuse me as it combined sweet ginger and American mustard, but a wedding sausage still seems a bit of a stretch,

Crisps. I’ve seen ones combining ginger with edible glitter

Swimming costumes. These are very, very special and Harry’s chin groove falls in a really awkward place…

Dog neckerchiefs… because all dogs are pro the Royal family, aren’t they?

Specially designed deep fried chicken buckets. No other words needed 

Wooden spoons. So you can see Meghan or Harry’s face when you’re cooking.

There are more – plenty more… just have a Google.

 

So, why do I object to these? On one hand, I don’t. All of these have attained many column inches online which has, no doubt, raised the profile of the brands involved. It’s probably generated significant sales too. So that’s gone well…

But long term… will it make a difference to the brand, to loyalty, to product development and reputation? Will it make people become raving fans of the brand… or fans at all? For some, it might do. If someone tries one of the wedding themed sausages or crisps and really likes it, they might be tempted to buy more from that brand. Maybe. Or maybe they make a ‘serious’ company that prides itself on a range of values appear more flippant and frivolous?

What do you think? What Royal Wedding themed products have you seen?

Do you think they’re a stroke of marketing genius or a bit tacky?

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Why the Equestrian Creative Network Awards made my day

Equestrian Creative Network AwardsWhy the Equestrian Creative Network Awards made my day…

Did you wonder why I was so excited when the winners of the Equestrian Creative Network Awards were announced? It was weird, wasn’t it – I didn’t win anything. I wasn’t even runner up. Actually, come to think of it, I didn’t even enter… so why on earth would I be THAT pleased?

Reason one – my clients nailed it

Proud doesn’t even begin to cover how I felt when I received the list of the winners and runners up. Two of my clients won categories (well done Emily at Inkpot & Press and Rachel at Sweet Images Photography) and two took runner up position (well done Rachel and Sophie Callahan Photography). I did an air punch when I saw the results and LOVED sharing in their excitement when the winners were announced. As sad as it sounds, I get WAY more of a kick when my clients do well in contrast to when I do. I’m not sure if that’s weird or not, but it’s the truth. And the honest truth at that. I’m SO FLIPPING PROUD! See the full list here!

Reason two – because Liam nailed it

I like seeing good plans and good ideas work. And Liam Killen, the brains behind the Equestrian Creative Network and these awards did an exceptional job. The entry process was easy, the categories were great, it was run professionally, the press releases were well written and informative (OK, OK, that’s just a little plug for teamwork!) and the awards video was brilliant. Have a watch here. Selfishly, it was really nice to support the Equestrian Creative Network Awards’ PR and work with Liam again. We created the very very successful Equestrian Social Media Awards together and, although the Equestrian Creative Network Awards are 100% Liam’s, it was nice to be a bit of a helping hand in a great idea.

Reason three – Small & Supercharged VIP sponsored a category

Shortly after Small & Supercharged VIP launched, the awards were announced, and Liam asked if I’d sponsor a category with a prize… and the obvious prize was a year’s subscription to S&S VIP. Which I was very happy to provide. I’m delighted to welcome the lovely Amanda from Full Gallop Communications into the group – HUGE congrats on winning your category if you’re reading this!

 

I can’t wait for the next Equestrian Creative Network Awards to roll around if I’m honest with you. I’m hoping that I might be asked to help with the PR again, and I’m hoping I might be able to sponsor a category… and I am definitely hoping my clients do as well, if not better, than this time!

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The start of Small & Supercharged VIP

Small & Supercharged VIPSo, today’s blog is as close to a shameless plug as you’ll see on this blog. It’s all about the members group, Small & Supercharged VIP, which launched on 1st July, which was the Saturday just gone… and even though enrolment is now closed for July, you’re still welcome to register for the August intake here. But let me tell you a bit more about it…

What is Small & Supercharged VIP?

The short answer is it’s a membership group designed to support small businesses from all industries through providing resources, support and challenges to help business owners up skill, become a WHOLE lot more visible and grow their businesses. There’s a password protected area on my site for VIPers where all the content lives, but it’s also posted inside the VIP Facebook group each month too. So you get it wherever you try and hide!

How is it different to Small & Supercharged?

Small & Supercharged, the Facebook group that started this whole journey, is a community area. People ask questions, exchange ideas and chat. And it’s great. But what became apparent was the need for additional help and support… and I don’t mean this in a patronising way. I’m a social media, PR and marketing bore. I read wayyyy too many books, I admin far too many accounts (!) on a number of platforms, I advise a lot of businesses and I have been working in PR, social media and marketing, both running my own agency and in house, for over 10 years. I’m not doing this to tell you how brilliant I am. Far from it. See, the thing is, I’m immersed in this stuff each day. Ask me the best EPOS system and you might as well ask me about quantum physics. It’s not my bag. I know people who know (and you’ll find a few in Small & Supercharged!!), but I know how to promote businesses, how to leverage social media platforms, how to grow a tribe of raving fans and how to develop small businesses and products. So what if there was a way to combine the stuff I knew with the stuff that you knew about your business and your customers?

And that’s what kick started the small business coaching service I offer…

Yes, getting under the skin of people’s businesses excites me. I love it. I like finding out how they work, what makes them tick, how they could improve and develop and how they can do this. Seeing my clients do well gives me a bigger buzz than my own successes, always has done to be 100% honest with you. Combining my skill set, knowledge and my passion for learning and development with the business brains of my clients has worked incredibly well for coaching. The one to one environment allows me to give very specific advice, create very specific links and introductions and come up with very specific plans and strategy. Sometimes these sessions involve sending additional materials too, when I email over my recap. This can be through finding useful Youtube videos and articles to summarise what I’m talking about… but where I can I always try and create my own resources.

And then it struck me – other people could make use of these resources too, along with my one to one coaching clients… and Small & Supercharged VIP was born!

Small & Supercharged VIP provides resource packs, challenges and support for just £10pcm. I’ll be completely honest again and say it’s very different to one to one coaching but works very well in conjunction with this but also well on its own. Not everyone wants one to one coaching and that’s fine. But lots of people want to up-skill and work with experts (and I’m not just talking about me, there’s a raft of experts contributing to VIP…) as well as test new ideas in a closed environment. There’s a lovely range of people in VIP so far and I am SO excited to see how it grows and develops. I’m planning to close enrolment on 1st of each month because each month will have a challenge, and someone joining halfway through won’t get the full benefit. But people can register and get themselves set up for the next wave and join the fun for the next month. Here’s the link

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