http://www.ABCnashville.com

When Oprah retired every PR professional across the country let out a unanimous sigh of relief.  As a media mogul, Oprah had the ability to make your once small town company turn into a household name.  However, what most businesses—particularly small ones—sometimes overlooked was their unique and almost necessary need to become their own media outlet.  As a company, The MEPR Agency treats each client like they are a media outlet and we believe that it is essential to shape and share your own brand story which makes it much easier to tell when the media comes calling.

But with all that being said there is still one question that is often asked around our office…”How can I get (more) media attention for my company?”  Well since it is so common we thought we should take a small part of our PR Essentials program and share with you—our valuable reader—how to prepare for the media!

So here are the questions we begin with!

What do we need first?

1. A communications plan to outline story ideas, editorial calendars, media protocol, company and team bios, and even a crisis plan
2. A company spokesperson. Think about who can articulate the company best—and they may not be the CEO/president/founder
3. Identify who can distribute information.  Who is the keeper of information and what are they authorized to share?

What is our story?

1. Is this newsworthy or something that is better shared within a blog post or on social networks?
2. Is your message national, local, or industry specific?  We encourage localizing as many stories as possible to connect with the community.
3. Where is the emotion or connecting factor? How will people connect to this story and adopt it as something worth sharing?
4. Are there outside people or companies who can lend to our story?  If so, be sure to communicate with them and share your media protocol.
5. Are you a high crisis company? If so, create a crisis plan—even just an outline—of who can give what information, the best ways to share it, and commonly asked questions.

Who is the audience?

1. Who is our target audience? Be as specific as possible—including age, race, socioeconomics– as it will help you identify the type of outlet (trade, local, national, wire service)
2. What type of information do they traditionally like to receive? (mailers, newsletters, email, robo-call)
3. What other mediums can you use to communicate with them (YMCA bulletin board, local Kroger’s inserts, community center newsletter)

The media is calling so what do I do?

1. When media requests come in promptly (within 30 minutes) respond to the inquiry and provide the additional details requested
2. Understand the deadlines and needs of the varied types of outlets—blogs, talk radio vs music radio, television midday or specialty show vs television news, trade publications, daily paper vs (bi)weekly paper
3. As they book the interview be sure to include an after hours number, confirm the details of the date, find out specifics about what to wear, and will you need to come camera ready
4. Prepare yourself and the outlet with talking points to frame the conversation but be prepared for other general questions about your company/campaign
5. Ask them if they can/will post the link to their social sites or online
6. Follow up with a thank you and you may even send a hand-written note
7. You may also then use that link or footage to share with your audience through your own social networks.  Let people celebrate with you.
8. Now it’s time to focus on another outlet or avenue to touch that same community again
9. Don’t forget to keep a file available with updated photos, bios, talking points, and additional company specs on your laptop and possibly even your cell phone

Remember these things:

1. The media is not there to sell a product for you but to connect one of your stories with their audience.
2. Your website, social media platforms, and blog should be a snapshot of your brand; pretend as if people only view you through these mediums.  The media (and their audience) will get their information from these places.
3. You are your own media and should treat your company like an internal newsroom; create company newsletters or e-blasts, have a specific intranet system to share information, and encourage the team (even contractors) to blog or video themselves.
4. The media is 24/7 and at a moment’s notice your story could be cancelled or they could call you to fill in. If you are seeking media…be flexible!

While there is so much more to the PR and media relations process but this should be a good place to start.  What have you found worked when you were seeking media attention?

If this was a good start but you need more specific help we’d love to connect with you for a more customized PR Essentials program!

Kia Jarmon is a Public Relations & Brand Strategist with boutique public relations firm, The MEPR Agency (www.MEPRagency.com). She speaks, blogs, mentors, and is soon to be an author. You can find more information at her personal brand site, www.KiaJarmon.com

I love a good list! I have compiled 13 things that I believe –in some order– should be on your to-do list for the New Year.  Some of you may only need one or two while others may need the whole lot.  Take them and digest them as you need to and it is my challenge that on the other side of the year you create greatness.  Of course if you need help, I am available through the Brand Mapping program where we navigate your business or personal brand to fill any gaps, create new plans, or shift into some new territories.  I bid you a Happy New Year and hope that you find prosperity in areas beyond money!

1. Social Engagement: Yes, there are a minimum of 25 articles a week about social media; new developments within the platforms, and many experts/gurus sharing their advice/opinion on how to navigate them better.  However, through all of the muck I still believe businesses need to get back to the core basics of each platform 1) to engage 2) to listen to what customers, competitors, and general people are saying 3) to provide a snapshot of you and your business and 4) to tell your company story.  The beauty of the storytelling is that engagement can also happen offline, in social settings beyond social media.

2. Collaborations & Partner Programs: At the top of 2011 I vowed that working with others, in greater ways, was only the natural next step for my company. There is room for everyone and many times no two companies—even within the same industry—do the same thing.  I have a partner program that incorporates complementary businesses as well as those businesses who manage accounts that may need my services and I can supplement their efforts.  Create a partner program that fits your company culture, don’t be afraid to partner with larger companies that can subcontract to you OR send you business they cannot take.

3. Create products: As a business owner sometimes you can find that there is a large difference in the way people value products over services.  You may encounter a few that don’t find what you do as a service measurable or always tangible although there is limitless value.  So what is the solution? To capture a different audience, those who may not be ideal for ongoing services, create a product for them.  Consider this! You can be the product and a chunk of your time partnered with workbooks, slideshows, audio and/or video could be a product offering that many will find value in.  All you need is a shift in thinking about you as a brand.

4. Get certified with the government: In short, I am working on a project and I received an email kind of like this “…do you have any colleagues that are certified? We really want to do business with a minority/woman owned business…”  This email happens everyday across the city, state, country and many of us are not filling the gap.  My response was “I don’t believe I know anyone but will ask around.”  While the certification process can feel uneasy it is indeed quite simple.  Pick up the phone and call the supplier diversity departments, ask them everything you need to know—even the ‘dumb’ questions, and get certified.  Government checks don’t bounce and if/when they do then we are all in trouble.

5. Mind your own business:  Sounds self-explanatory but for so many it may not be.  The hardest thing to do is to look at others and wonder why you don’t have the same perceived success.  As I explain to clients we don’t know what resources (money) they are spending, how long they have been working at it, or what their objectives are.  We can go chasing after someone else’s business goals but our end result may be that we 1) never accomplish our own and 2) end up in the very place we wanted to stay away from.  The saying goes “the grass may be greener on the other side because they use a different type of manure!”  Plant and harvest your own grassy knoll and see how amazing (and much more sane) you will be.

6. Learn multiple skills within your industry: In this fast paced world you now need to know much more than how to work in your core field.  You also want to have a loose understanding and even how to implement some of the complementary skills in your industry.  As a PR professional I have made it my business to know how to operate a camera, record a voice over, some video and photo editing, slight coding, search engine optimization, and copywriting with the search engine’s in mind.  Be sure to find points in your business where you can add additional value and even where you can keep your clients in one place.

7. Write everything down: I made a huge mistake in my business last year and I failed to write down every single goal.  Of course I wrote down many of the major ones that would take several months to occur but it’s the smaller, weekly/monthly/quarterly goals that I missed.  I don’t mean your to-do list of checking emails, sending out sales material, prospect calls but I mean items that could vastly enhance your business but don’t take a whole year to complete. An example would be to record and upload an audio podcast once a month. While it is something that I may do naturally I don’t have “record 12 podcasts in 2012” written down to check it off the list.  At the end of the quarter or year it is gratifying to be able to see all that you have accomplished and celebrate it.  This will be helpful to review on the harder days of your business.  It will confirm you are doing the right thing and to keep pushing.  I now vow to write every single thought down so that I can track the progress consistently.

8. Rev up your customer service: people have many options for who they should and can do business with and the deciding factor usually lies within the customer’s experience.  Know that customer service may not be that “the customer is always right” but rather what am I going to do to make them feel better about the situation, regardless of the error.  While sometimes you can’t make someone happy there are a few steps to take before you throw in the towel.

9. Change your scenery:  Looking at the same wallpaper, photo in your desk, and arrangement of your office can be so uninspiring day in and out so I encourage you to move around a little.  That doesn’t mean that you don’t spend most of your day in your office but it might be helpful to work with a group of colleagues at a large roundtable in the conference room, meet up at the local coffee shop, or rent a desk or office for a day at the local incubator or collaborative working environment.  If you are stuck on a project or just need a different pace of working then get out of your own way and move from behind your own desk/space.

10. Network in the Right Places: many times we join organizations or attend networking events that feel comfortable to us.  We go to the meetings and speak to those we know the best and ignore everyone else.  Well, how in the world will people know that you exist and that your business is of value to them?  I went to an all female networking event and there was one man.  He and I made ourselves to each other and my first statement was “you are the smartest person in the room!” He had figured out that the business he was in primarily was a female service and that he would stand out in the room.  Find yourself being more strategic in the places you go, boards you sit on, organizations you join, and people you connect with.  I challenge you to talk to someone you don’t know, join organizations where you are the only one offering your service, and ask for personal connections from colleagues with people that you would like to do business with.

11. Peer to Peer Mentoring:  I speak to entrepreneurs, specifically women, all the time and the main concern I hear is that they have no one to truly support them.  I don’t mean a networking organization that provides blanket information or the ‘get into gear’ pep talks but the one-on-one conversations (with your personal board of directors) that can leave you close to tears.  I have been so fortunate to provide that to some colleagues but I am so grateful that I have a strong support system of women.  Get together and help each other with your pain points and dig into the crevices of the issue.  How do you know if you have the right person or group to do that with? You will probably leave your meetings overwhelmed at the work ahead of you but relieved that you have someone who supports you and shows you how to get it done.  Teach each other.

12. Systems: The constant thing about life is that it keeps going regardless of your gender, race, or socioeconomic status.  Because that is true it is important to have systems in place that allow for your business to run when life– sickness, death, divorce, school– happens. In 20 Tools for Entrepreneurs I mention Asana.com as a task management system that will allow you to outline every task that exists for your company to operate.  There are other systems like Basecamp or Zoho.com but whichever you use be sure to create the task and train others to use the system when life kicks in.

13. Give Back: Some of you may have heard me discuss “How to reach your greatest potential” and one of the first things I share is that the most successful or perceived successful people in the world care about others and give their time, talent, and resources for the benefit of others. It’s not because they have money or fame but rather because they use their influence to impact the community.  Many businesses and people who understand that being socially responsible is a part of their culture know that giving breeds getting—not of money or notoriety but getting to the core of why you were placed in the position you have been placed in.

Kia Jarmon is a Public Relations & Brand strategist with boutique public relations firm, The MEPR Agency (www.MEPRagency.com). She speaks, blogs, mentors, and is soon to be an author. You can find more information at her personal brand site, www.KiaJarmon.com

Can you imagine walking into a clothing store and the employee says “thank goodness you’ve stopped in…we are down to our last dollar and your sale will help us pay the bills this month.”  Doesn’t that sound outrageous? And a little desperate?

While that example is an extreme one it is the way I see many businesses operate; with lack of confidence, defeated, and grasping for straws.  No one wants to hear how bad you are doing, how you are barely making it, why your business isn’t succeeding, or the threat of never starting because of a lack of resources.  Our culture seems to applaud the internal beating up of ourselves and encourages us to take that approach with others also.  This very through heightens our fear of reaching for success.

Just think for a moment…When you meet people and introduce your business, what do you say?  Do you lead the conversation with hesitation; I am Kia Jarmon with MEPR Agency?  Notice the question mark?  I hear many business owners who question their very existence, which makes it difficult for the consumer to find confidence in the brand they so anxiously want to support.

Think about it like this! You set the tone for your company.  The words that come from your mouth make all the difference in a sell or being placed on a “do not call” list.  Many business owners tap into shame because they are not able to afford certain business tools or are operating within a minimum budget.  I have heard it all:

I’m trying to…I wish I could…If I had more…Soon, I’m going to…My little business…

I have concluded that most create embarrassment in their minds that inhibit them from getting off the ground or ever growing.  Why is that? Because…

1. There is fear of perceived failure or not living up to what others think
2. They consider their business a hobby or part time gig versus a business that is enhancing the scope of the local economy
3. Most are comfortable being content and not moving their business into a growth zone

So how do you overcome under confidence?

Work with what you have: When having a conversation it is so much more important to highlight to attributes or resources that you do have rather than those that are still in the cue.  You will find that the areas that you are lacking hardly ever come up in the conversation.

Know your story: Write down three one-sentence stories that explain who you are, what you do, and how you provide value to your customers/clients.  This will keep you on task and make it easier for you to remain confident.  It is my belief that if you make money based on opening your mouth then you better be prepared to share your story! I do not suggest memorizing the statements but rather allowing them to naturally integrate into your conversation.  Find your rhythm, speak consistently, and end sentences or thoughts with the correct punctuation.

Become uncomfortable: What makes you the most uncomfortable about saying I own or I consult or I am with XYZ organization and confidently selling your company?  You are your biggest fan and you will have to deal with the discomfort of that.  Most people have a difficult time with this concept but just know that it is a mindset change that can enhance your business.  I challenge you to incorporate one uncomfortable item into your business each month and document the change in the action/reaction of others.

The holiday season is filled with networking events and after work gatherings so meeting people will be at an all time high.  What changes will you make to see the glass as half full?

Kia Jarmon is a brand strategist and PR coach with boutique public relations firm, The MEPR Agency (www.MEPRagency.com). She speaks, blogs,mentors, and is soon to be an author. You can find more information at her personal brand site, www.KiaJarmon.com

1. Youtube—Have you ever noticed when you go to search something on google the video’s pop up first? Videos are ranked high on Google and can give your brand the opportunity to be seen as a thought leader on a particular subject.  Whether you are creating a painting or educating customers on the stock market video may be for you!

2. WordPress—Blogging is a great way to create great content for your brand and become Google-able, which is super important to your personal or professional brand.  Create your blog, outline the type of content you want to include on the site, create a list of key words and phrases so that you can be searched for, and don’t forget to add a catchy title.  After published it is important to share the blog among your social platforms for greater exposure.  Oh, and there are other blogging platforms…wordpress is my personal fave.

3. Google Docs/Drive—Have you ever lost hundreds of documents on your computer or on a thumb drive? Well, I have and it is not fun.  After your stomach sinks to your feet there is joy in knowing that maybe you backed up the back up.  Google docs, now known as Google drive, is a great clouding system and is great for everyone from solopreneurs to large teams who need to host and edit documents without the hassle of several emails back and forth.  It will save your business in an emergency and is a great system to back up the back up.

4. Google Voice—Efficient businesses create boundaries and balance.  An important element of your business is learning how to turn off, have business hours for customers and clients, and create a work/life balance.  One of the ways I have found to create such a life is by downloading and using a Google voice number.  It will receive its own voice messages and text.  Here is the secret: have the phone ring your number when a call comes in from that line and that way you know if it business or personal.  Your business and your life will thank you for creating a line in the sand.

5. Ipad—While this is an expense for your business sometimes you have to weigh your best options which is either lugging around a heavy laptop that could break or working from a more travel friendly device that can serve as a mobile office?  I like the luxury of taking notes, recording meetings, and using the teleprompter app when necessary, but very rarely use them while in the office.  Any tablet would probably do but I suggest researching the capabilities to make sure it meets your businesses needs.

6. Physical Calendar—When I was younger my parents, my dad in particular, told me to write everything down. Of course, I didn’t because I thought it was such a task but boy oh boy do I understand why he would lean so hard on me about that. When I went full time in my PR business it was essential for me to see every single appointment, make notes while on a call, and map out the year all in one swoop.  My notebook-sized datebook keeps me on track more than most can imagine and I have only missed one appointment in two years (yay ME)!  I suggest going offline and going low tech for the most important area of your life…your time.

7. Idea Book: Second to my physical planner is my idea book.  I scribble, draft out plans for business, and create ways to take over my part of the world.  The most successful people I know walk around with pen and paper and guess what…it leads to a more successful business and life.  Some things just can’t be typed into your phone or tablet.  Write it down and visualize it better.

8. Bookmarks: I did not quite understand how valuable internet bookmarks could be to my business and efficiency but if you are like me you just can’t read every site you come across.  When I find a site that I like and need to reference more than once I immediately bookmark it. But there is one more step that I think can help; be sure to create lists that assign the bookmark to a specific folder.  Here are some folders to get you started: For Business, Personal, Accounting, Time Saving, Balanced Business, Social Media Advice, etc.

9. Thunderbird: Have 5 different email accounts to check? Thunderbird is a great cross-platform email system that will allow you to import all of your addresses into one place.  You can easily switch back and forth between emails and keep track of everything email related in once place.  You can import your address book and there are several other plugins you can use to ensure your success within this system.

10. Wisestamp: Speaking of Thunderbird plug-in’s Wisestamp.com gives you an opportunity to streamline your email signature and include social links.  This is a super easy plugin and can be used within other platforms outside of thunderbird as well.

11. 1and1.com: Need a url and host for your website?  I own about 10 sites and they are all hosted on 1and1.  From time to time they have great deals where you can register a new site for 99 cents for the first year and it goes to about $10 bucks for the next year.  I have called and emailed the support team several times and have yet to have an issue.  Will I have an issue one day? Maybe! But for now it really works for my clients and I and I suggest at least looking into it for your sites.

12. Asana.com: Need a task manager? Of course you do! The best way to run your business is with the thought that if you are sick the business can run itself.  Well not necessarily run itself but help someone else to step in and run the business for you.  This free system can be synced with your phone and computer and creates an online timeline of every step in a task.  There are two great ways to use this system.  1) as you develop systems in  your company create a task list for it so that if you ever step out a virtual assistant, intern, or contract employee can implement.  And another great way is to 2) outline tasks for a new project so that multiple people can be working and updating at the same time.  This works great with Google Drive and items can be checked off upon completion. No matter where you are in the country you can see that business is still running smoothly.

13. Spreaker.com: People receive information on multiple platforms.  Have some great news to share and want to make it easily accessible?  Create a podcast so that those who like listen at work, in the car, or while washing dishes can tune in with minimal interruption to their work flow.  This is, again, a great way to position yourself as a thought leader; but of course the information needs to be good.

14. Slideshare.com: Yet another way to increase your expert profile is to offer your presentations on slideshare for view or download.  If you optimize them correctly (use appropriate tags and create an engaging headline) you will find that you receive many views of your presentations.  You can also use the description box to include your contact information so that you can be called on to present the presentation to other audiences outside of your network.

15. Skype: I have found that relationships work best when they are built around the trust that comes from looking into another person’s face.  While I don’t use it all the time, Skype is a great tool to access when necessary. I also have found that it works well for a group of people as well…but hey you can use a Google Hangout too.

16. Paymo Widget: Do you manage multiple projects for clients? Whether you charge by the hour or by project it is good to account for your hours to see where you are spending your time.  This widget allows you to “clock in and out” essentially and assign the time to a client and creates an invoice.  This might help you better outline your contracts and forecast future work.

17. Smartphone: Your phone is an on the go extension of your business so it needs to update along with the rest of your tools.  You can find a reasonably priced phone so that you can incorporate some helpful apps and tools to make your out of the office systems just as compatible as in the office.

18. Square: Whether you are in a product or service based industry you should be able to take money on the spot.  After all you never know when someone needs to pay you!  There are several programs that are easy to set up and efficient for business transactions.  It costs you nothing to request the square card reader, they charge a small fee on each transaction, you can give receipts for cash, and you receive your money each night.  How simple and super efficient is that?

19. Dropbox: Need to share a large document or folder?  Dropbox is the best thing since sliced bread to receive and share large files without having to host them on your own server.  I encourage you to use this site and to encourage those who you are working with to do the same. You can work directly through the site or download it to your desktop and drag and drop items for an instantaneous upload.

20. FreeConferenceCall: Need to host a one-on-one or group call and record the content?  This is great for listening back to what was shared during the meeting or to host a large group of people on a secure line versus a cell phone.

Whew! That was a lot.  While there are many more tools and apps to add to your toolbox this is a great start for you as you make your way through the end of the year.  Any tools that have worked for you?  Please share below!

Kia Jarmon is a brand strategist and PR coach with boutique public relations firm, The MEPR Agency (www.MEPRagency.com). She speaks, blogs,mentors, and is soon to be an author. You can find more information at her personal brand site, www.KiaJarmon.com

Of my years running The MEPR Agency I have had the privilege of working with some really amazing young, rising stars.  But I believe even as dynamic as anyone is there is always room for improvement.  This is a compilation of some of the areas you only learn…the hard way!

The industry is really small: I know, I know everywhere you look there are PR pros, publicists, social media gurus, and marketers and promoters impeding on the space too.  But the reality is that within your market you will find some key firms and then whittle it down to the key influencers within those companies.  Those people, the ones at the tops of firms, all speak to each other, do lunch (or tea in my case), sub-contract work with each other, and ultimately make the decisions within your city or industry.   The bottom line is that you never know what one relationship can turn into and on the flip you never know if you don’t get the job because of a previous mishap.  Keep it cool, don’t burn bridges, be thankful, and remain humble!

We do actually talk to each other: There is such a large myth that I want to dispel.  My competitors are not my enemies; we just work for different agencies.  I love working in PR in Nashville because I know some great PR folks.  While I don’t chat with them all the time I know that I am able to call on most as our schedules fit. Bottom line: read the last two sentences of #1.

You can be blacklisted: Very rarely I meet up with a colleague, have a phone chat or just run into them and I get some disturbing news.  What could it possibly be? “Have you heard XYZ is unable to find a new position?” You see every now and again there is just such a stench on a person that can’t be dusted off.  Remember, that each decision we make can directly affect the rest of our lives and our career. Don’t get stopped before you even get started by having an off the record convo with a reporter, using inappropriate or unscripted language during a crisis, or even fraternizing within the workplace.   Bottom line: be careful to stay off the ‘list’!

You are being followed: I, along with many of my colleagues, believe in virtual stalking. Before you get scared and click off let me share what that means.  Virtual Stalking is the opportunity for me as an employer to go far beyond a basic Google search and begin really digging into your online footprint for fact checking.  If this was a recording I would suggest you pause the tape (do they make those anymore) and do an intense scrubbing of your online profiles.   It’s not a matter of taking down vacation pictures but it is a chance for you to add work skills, examples, and even a resume…wow, what a thought!

Google could change your life: Ok so now you have the job and you are asked to work on some client research.  In that moment Google could become your best friend and help you navigate what competitors are saying, the tone or language that the client uses, and even any gripes that might be out there from former customers of the client.  Don’t be afraid to ask questions but by all means if it is something that you can search for then please do!

Instructions should only be given once so take notes: one of my biggest gripes with the younger generation is the thought that they can retain everything.  If you have a weekly meeting by all means please bring some paper and pen or an ipad to take notes.  The worst thing is to leave and then get bombarded with 20 questions that were all answered in the previous meeting.  Now I do believe you should be able to ask follow up questions and there is nothing wrong with being even more knowledgeable but if you ask the same question or have trouble with something covered it is a great indicator of how you will act/react when given larger responsibilities.  So, if all else fails bring your cell phone and take some quick bullet pointed notes.

This is one of the hardest industries you will encounter: I truly believe that aside from medicine, science, the military, and police, EMT, and firefighters, public relations might be among the hardest industries.  This is not frilly or Samantha Jones-esque by any stretch and you may have many days with tears, anger, or even wanting to quit.  As you are on your journey looking for an opportunity or if you are a newbie at a firm make the best of every moment, even the tough ones.  Honestly, you will have two opinions: you will understand your value OR you will run away and never look back.  It is my hope through programs like the Mentorship Project that you will stick it out and make an impact.

Thankless but rewarding! Of course I can’t leave you on a sour note because this last thought is so true.  You don’t always receive a ton of hugs and bouquets of flowers but I will say that the PR industry is extremely rewarding. I encourage you to find your specific passion and try to work in it, even on a small scale, so that you can feel the reward as you impact communities and empower people to movement. After all isn’t that why you entered this career?!

Kia Jarmon is a brand strategist and PR coach with boutique public relations firm, The MEPR Agency. She speaks, blogs,mentors, and is soon to be an author. You can find more information at her personal brand site, www.KiaJarmon.com

So, Kia, what is the point of this story?! I realized that true life falling incident was representative of my experience being in business. I realized that as an entrepreneur there will be some falls, risks, and interesting moments but they all mean something and should be measured as a part of my success!

Here were the lessons.

Don’t be afraid to fall: If you are new to business you will soon experience several types of falls. Many people who know me know that I carry around a fabulous pillow that enables me to fall, roll, and still look graceful. There is indeed an art form to falling and picking yourself back up. As my story indicates kick off your shoes and take a deep seat into your business. It will make it a little easier to catch yourself on the way down.

Believe in timing: I could not believe that when I fell I would land right in front of the very place I needed to be. If you reflect on your falls over the years running your own business do you often find that you land right where you need to? I thought it was ironic that it happened that way and then within that 2 second topple over moment I had summed up my entire entrepreneurial existence. I believe in the timing of everything. If you are in tune to yourself and your business you will too. That client you have been stalking for months or that partnership you have been wishing for…they all happen in the right timing and that one fall does not indicate a failure, just falling one inch closer.

Not easily embarrassed: You will fall, literally and figuratively, many times. You will put your foot in your mouth and you will cringe at some of the ways that you act, at every level of your business. However, the good news is that it will all mean something. I have a permanent ‘embarrassment’ brush that allows me to dust myself off pretty quickly, just like a lent brush, in those moments. You, of course, won’t (hopefully) keep making the same mistakes but they are going to happen. Allow them to happen as they may and rather than reflecting on the embarrassment, reflect on the lesson(s) learned.

Don’t look around: When babies fall the first thing they do is look around. If you baby them they immediately cry and receive the attention they deserve. If you say “you’re ok let’s get up” they don’t seem to have the same reaction. I fell, acted like it was a part of my ‘act’ and kept it pushing. I didn’t look around for responses or for anyone to feel sorry for me but instead I jumped up. In business you don’t always have the luxury of having someone kiss your boo boo’s and tell you it’s okay. Many times you have to be that for yourself. Don’t seek others attention, instead keep your eye focused on what you were looking at before you fell. You might just fall right where you should!

And here’s another lesson for good measure!

Be a risk taker: You must walk, climb, swim, and fly in areas that would terrify most. I have a huge fear of water but I have been white water rafting and even jumped out in the middle of the river. I have been indoor rock climbing because the adrenaline at 25 or so feet in the air resembles that of running a business. I have been ziplining 80 feet across and several hundred feet above and I would do it two more times. Why do I do all of these things? Because they give me the opportunity to understand gasping for air, clutching business deals, and the excitement of my successes. My day to day operations running The MEPR Agency can sometimes feel like I am in a triathlon.

Have you fallen in business, life, or your career? What did you learn from it?

Need help catching yourself on a fabulous pillow? Shoot me an email for Brand Mapping or Lunch & Learn with Kia Jarmon. You will leave confident enough to fall, just like me, and not experience embarrassment!

Kia Jarmon is a brand strategist and PR coach with boutique public relations firm, The MEPR Agency. She speaks, blogs,mentors, and is soon to be an author. You can find more information at her personal brand site, www.KiaJarmon.com

For a quick history lesson, No Such Thing as Free Lunch was coined in the late 1800’s because saloon owners would give you ‘all you can eat’ free meals as long as you continued to drink. The food was high in salt and of course made you need to drink more.  The adage proved that you can’t get something for nothing.

So let’s push to the modern day.  I am always intrigued at how, as a society and culture, we fall for the buy 1, get 1 philosophy, why we negotiate for a service but pay full price for a product, and how lay-a-way went from retailers to service based business payment models.  Running a business can be quite difficult but one area I figured out pretty quickly were my philosophies regarding money, discounts, bartering, and free that have kept me and many of my clients in business.

Anyone who knows me knows that I don’t believe in free anything.  It is really funny because many of my friends and colleagues will preface their email requests with “I know you don’t work for free but can you please look at XYZ for me really quickly?”  I oblige because 5 minutes out of the day for someone who has probably given me the same luxury is not going to hinder my day or my business.  As a matter of fact I enjoy those moments where I can give to someone else.  HOWEVER, it is the “can you set up my facebook account and train me on it” requests that always blow my mind. Because did I forget to mention that people have a unique boldness to ask for everything for free.  Here’s my first philosophy…if you spend half of the time you spend asking for free work actually on your business you could be a millionaire!

So if that wasn’t enough here are my other philosophies:

I don’t barter, except in one occasion (see point #3): I believe that 99% of the time bartering can become bad for business.  Here are my sentiments: most every person I have chatted with about bartering their services has expressed disbelief when the deal goes sour.   Most people value your time and services just not as much as a product and it never fails that our value becomes unequal from what we are receiving in return.  For some reason many have it in their head that the intangible hour that I spend researching or writing is not quite as valuable as the new fangled gadget that we pay $600 for.  My suggestion: pay for what you want and you will not question its fairness nearly as much.

Reserve sales for special occasions: I look at facebook daily and see Press Release writing and distribution for $100.  After I do a double take I question why have a sell on something that takes time and strategy to complete.  The only time I have really seen value in discounting a service is if you are offering a group class or program and can create an incentive because it is a group rather than one-on-one.  By discounting so heavily you not only risk your business seeming desperate you also hurt the industry by providing less than stellar service (because honestly who is going over and beyond for such a small amount?).  Instead, if you insist on discounting, then I suggest doing so around the company anniversary or even by sending a private note to former clients to entice them.  Just remember, slashed prices don’t always attract your ideal client.

The no no’s of Pro-bono: I am not against pro-bono work at all. As a matter of fact I think there are two really great times to offer your services at no financial cost; when you first start in business and when you have been extremely successful in business.  I do, however, have a couple of practices that make this process go a little more seamlessly.  I believe that every client you take should be well thought out and should articulate the type of client you would like to do business with or that you currently do business with.  I also believe that the only time to really barter is when working in this situation.  I would suggest having an agreement that the pro-bono client will introduce you to their network where you can pick up another paying client or two.  I also think, especially if you are new in business, they should be able to write a recommendation or personally refer your business to others.

And here is my last thought!

Remove FREE from your vocabulary:  The day of social media has completely diluted what people want to pay for, particularly in PR and marketing.  I realized that it was partly because many people reference publicity as free advertising and social media as free publicity.  The word free creates a false sense of the work that goes into these tasks.  While the platform of social media is indeed free the countless hours creating the page, drafting the editorial calendar, managing the content, engaging with people, adding, liking, commenting, monitoring, and measuring all take a great deal of time.  Remember that your value usually far outweighs the cost that you charge.  Be sure to use proper verbiage and educate clients of the process so they understand your value and why they pay the cost for it!

As a practitioner it is important to focus on value and results more than the cost.  So what are the take-aways? If you discount your prices you risk hurting your business, leave discounting for department stores, pro-bono clients should add value to your client roster, and the word free should rarely exist.  What would you add?

Kia Jarmon is a brand strategist and PR coach with boutique public relations firm, The MEPR Agency.  She speaks, blogs,mentors, and is soon to be an author.  You can find more information at her personal brand site, www.KiaJarmon.com