What's in store for this edition:
One of the best PR Strategies that doesn’t cost a dime
Be a Helpful Hero
Online, everyday, are people looking for answers to their questions. Be it on TikTok, Reddit, X, Facebook-the list goes on- these are platforms where you can promote yourself or your company by being helpful and answering questions or give out advice. However, there are wrong ways and right ways to show up with help.
The Wrong Way
A big turn-off is treating every online interaction as a chance to “pitch slap,” or bombard the reader with your self-promotional messaging. Shamelessly promoting yourself without giving any thought of how you’re coming off can turn people away and damage your reputation.
So what should you do?
Be Genuinely Helpful
Show up where your audience is and answer questions.
Share insights.
Offer real help.
There should be no strings attached.
By consistently providing value, sharing genuine stories, giving good advice and tips, people will see you as an expert and a trusted resource. Over time, you will build your credibility, and you’ll get more attention for your business.
How to do it:
Find Your Nice Community
Search for online groups, forums, or hashtags where your ideal customers hang out. For example, if you run a bakery, join local food groups or neighborhood forums.Answer Questions and Offer Advice
Don’t just wait for someone to ask about your business. Look for posts where you can offer expertise-maybe someone’s asking about sourcing ingredients, or how to organize a local event. Share what you know, and don’t mention your business in every post. You can reference your business in your profile. If your answer is good, people often check out your profile to find out more about you.
Be Consistent
Spending 10-15 minutes a day is a good start for engaging with these communities. Over time, your helpfulness will be noticed, and people will start to seek you out for your services.Repurpose Your Content
If you write a blog, have a podcast, or a newsletter that answers questions in detail, turn that into a LinkedIn post or a short video for social media. Extra reach without extra work sounds good to me!Don’t be overly promotional or spammy
My rule of thumb is that before I send out a message, I put myself in the reader’s shoes. How would I feel if I read this reply?
PR on a budget is about being present, helpful, and authentic in the right places.
Show up to serve, not just to sell, and your reputation—and your business—will grow.
“The purpose of human life is to serve, and to show compassion and the will to help others.”
Do this now: Get your list of forums, groups, and hashtags that align with your industry. Join, follow, and subscribe to them and start observing where you can contribute.
FAQ
Q: What if when I am “being helpful” I truly feel the person asking the question would benefit from my services, how can I word something with out sounding too promotional?
A: First, answer their question without mentioning your business. Then, if appropriate, add, “Need more help? I’m happy to chat further,” or “I’ve worked with clients on this same issue. Feel free to DM (direct message) me.” Have a strong profile that clearly shows your expertise. They will most likely check out your profile and reach out if interested.
Get PR techniques from recent news.
Newsworthy
Kiss-cam replaced by Beer-cam
Ecuadorian fans, in the heat of celebrating goals and great plays, often spill up to 40% of their beer. In an unforgettable way to give back, Pilsener uses technology and “Beerman” to provide free refills for spilled beer.
Essential strategy:
They used technology and human insight to solve frustrations
They turn a negative (spilled beer) into a positive (refilled beer)
They humanize the brand with Brand Ambassadors
They encouraged UGC and influencer collabs
✍️ Key PR Takeaways:
Make it about your audience and their experiences—not just your brand’s message
Make it easy to participate in interactive, shareable moments. Build the bridge between live events and digital platforms
Any campaign that connects with cultural norms will be remembered by the audience
Brand ambassadors should receive training! They should be encouraged and empowered to deliver memorable interactions
Encourage, boost and promote Po content to extend reach
Learn from others.
100% Cool : 0% Cringe
F1 Drivers driving Lego-Built cars at Miami Grand Prix.
10 cars. 400,000 Legos blocks. 23,000 hours. Now that’s a PR Stunt
Replacing the traditional touring truck, 20 drivers participated in a parade of custom Lego cars, featuring team colors and logos, for the pre-race shenanigans.
✍️ Key PR Takeaway: Two things I learned here are that we mere mortals can do when executing a PR campaign: 1. Do something that makes people smile! Smiles are contagious, and feelings of joy and laughter are what people remember. 2. Reuse or repurpose efforts that you made.
Useful PR Resources.
🧰 TOOLKIT
Podcast: Grammar Girl’s Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing
Hosted by Mignon Fogarty, this classic podcast makes tricky grammar rules funny and easy to remember.
Speaking of being helpful, podcasts are great ways to get information about particular subjects. They are also great PR tools.
I found this podcast interesting, since my job includes lots of writing.
What podcast do you like to listen to?
Attention Seeker of the Week
Miles
Bindi, a 4-year-old Australian Cattle Dog, takes her job of getting your attention seriously. She will stare deep into your soul, touch you with her paw, or bring a toy if all else fails. Bindi, you cutie, you have our attention!
Thanks to our readers in Oregon for introducing us to Bindi. Can we show off your furry attention-seeker?
Sometimes I forget how intertwined sports are into the fabric of society. What’s your favorite sport to follow?
Until next week, keep your shades on and stay cool.
Your fellow Seeker,
Keren
🕶️
Term to Learn
Social Monitoring is the process of tracking and understanding what is being said about brands on social media in particular. The comments measured can be either positive, negative, or neutral.