THE ENTREPRENEUR'S GUIDE TO PR - The Entourage · • The top five mistakes founders make when pitching to investors • What entrepreneurs can learn from Instagram “copying

THE ENTREPRENEUR'S

The proven formula to generate FREE PR for your business

GUIDE TO PR

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THE ENTREPRENEUR’S GUIDE TO PR

01. STARTING OUT IN PR p. 03

02. HOW TO BUILD A SUCCESSFUL MEDIA CAMPAIGN p. 04

03. CASE STUDY: JACK, GEN Y & THE MEDIA p. 05

04. HOW TO STRUCTURE AND WRITE A PRESS RELEASE p. 07

05. GET YOUR PRESS RELEASE PUBLISHED BY THE MEDIA p. 11

06. EXPERT ADVICE: JOURNALISTS TELL US WHAT MAKES A PRESS RELEASE STAND OUT p. 14

07. HOW TO BECOME A THOUGHT LEADER p. 15

08. CASE STUDY: REDBULL'S CREATION OF A SUB-CULTURE OF ADRENALINE JUNKIES p. 20

09. WHAT'S AN INFLUENCER AND WHY THEY'RE ESSENTIAL TO YOUR CAMPAIGN p. 21

10. HOW TO LAUNCH A SUCCESSFUL OUTREACH STRATEGY p. 23

11. HOW TO FIND AN INFLUENCER AND HARNESS THEIR REACH p. 24

12. INFLUENCER INTERVIEW: BRAD CAMERON, BUILD YOUR EMPIRE p. 26

13. INFLUENCER INTERVIEW: NATHAN DESLANDES, STARTUPCO p. 27

14. PR CHEAT SHEET p. 29

CONTENTS

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STARTING OUT IN PR

The key for any small business owner is to build momentum despite a lack of budget and resources. You can do this by becoming a master of leverage.

Doing more with less is the reality of the early stages of a business and it’s important that you are able to build an ever-growing following without breaking the bank.

In the beginning, your PR strategy will be a snowball effect whereby at first you will need to constantly build momentum but as you begin to position yourself as a thought leader, everyone from journalists, producers and opportunities will start to find you.

You need to commit to your message completely and utterly, constantly striving to make sure it stands out in the slew of competition. You need to learn how to speak to the hearts and minds of your audience in such a way that you create a trusting relationship between your brand and your customers.

This guide will enable you to punch above your weight by way of brand exposure and media attention, positioning you as not only the most visible, but most obvious choice in your industry.

You’ll learn how to package a story, get it in the hands of the media and bring exposure to your business. You'll cover the principles of getting noticed, the structure of a press release, gaining traction and more.

Myself, The Entourage’s students and our graduates have been using these strategies for years and through disciplined implementation we’ve been able to generate tens of millions of dollars (without exaggeration) in publicity without blowing the budget.

Today I’m called on by just about anyone who wants to discuss business and entrepreneurship from everyone to ABC News, GQ Magazine, Channel 7, Australian Financial Review, The Today Show, The Daily Telegraph. I am not writing this to boast about my accomplishments, but rather showcase what is achievable when following a framework that works. Throughout this guide, we'll outline some of the methods we regularly use to create PR momentum and that you can also use to empower you with the same strategies.

You’ll learn how to:

1. Build an effective media campaign

2. Effectively structure a press release

3. Get your story in the hands of the media

4. Position yourself as a thought leader

5. Leverage and manage a successful influencer campaign

Live On Purpose, Jack Delosa Founder & CEO of The Entourage

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HOW TO BUILD A SUCCESSFUL MEDIA CAMPAIGN

FIRSTLY, WHO IS JACK DELOSA?

Jack Delosa is the Founder and CEO of The Entourage, Australia’s largest and most effective education institution for entrepreneurs and investors.

His company is a prime example of how you can work, generate brand exposure and media attention without bankrupting your business.

When Jack first started out, all he had was a dream to enable people to live a life on purpose. He was unknown in the media and the Australian public had no idea who he was. After years of building relationships, getting media exposure and connecting with his audience, Jack is now a well-known influencer and a champion of change in the education space.

Everyone from Forbes, Sky News, The Australian Financial Review, Sunrise and The Huffington Post call him asking for his input and opinion.

BUILDING AN EFFECTIVE MEDIA CAMPAIGN

The first step to building a powerful media campaign is finding a current issue in the media and tying it back to your business.

This method instantly identifies your campaign as something relevant, setting you apart from all the other stories that are neither timely nor suitable.

Ultimately this strategy will position you as the go-to person in your field, so when the media wants to run a story they know is relevant to your industry, you’re the person they’ll call.

So what makes your press release stand out?

1. Be relevant

2. Be factual

3. Be credible

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CASE STUDY: JACK, GEN Y & THE MEDIA

BE RELEVANT

When Jack started The Entourage in 2010, the media were constantly reporting on Gen Y’s shortfalls in the workplace. Apparently they were "lazy, disloyal and near impossible to communicate with."

Each article came with a new set of stats and facts about their inefficiencies, with corporate companies and universities partnering with the government to reveal these insights.

The more Jack read these articles, the more he began to realise that these facts and figures were coming from everyone but Generation Y. Jack had found the relevant coattails he needed to ride while also identifying a point of difference.

BE FACTUAL

What followed was a partnership between The Entourage and the NSW State Government, with a series of reviews asking a variety of Gen Y-ers what they believed they needed to become more career-ready.

What we found was that university graduates were severely underprepared for the workforce. When we asked the question ‘How effective was your degree in preparing you for your career?’, regardless of the university’s location, the average mark students gave was 3/10.

We now had a stat that was drastically different from the others but was still relevant. The next step was adding a degree of authority so our claim would really get noticed.

BE CREDIBLE

That influence came in the form of the Minister for Small Business at the time, Peter Primrose. Peter was a high-profile expert who came from the ruling body of Australia, so his input gave The Entourage’s findings a lot more sway than what they would have had without him.

When you’re starting out, you don’t have the profile to go to market with just your opinion. Even now, The Entourage doesn’t always just rely on Jack’s expertise. You can’t get by just by talking about yourself because you don’t yet have the relevancy of someone like Steve Jobs, Oprah or Bill Gates. You need to be endorsed by an individual with influence to add credibility to your profile.

THE RESULT

The Entourage’s first ever PR release included a relevant issue, solid stats and the backing of a respected authority.

The combination of these three things made the media sit up and take notice, with every major news and business publication running the story.

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READER EXERCISE:

1. Find 3 to 5 recent issues that have been covered in the media and are relevant to your business or industry.

2. Choose one topic from this list that really resonates with you. 3. Do your research. Bring together relevant facts and stats that support this issue.4. Find someone who has more influence than you and get a comment or quote from them to

add credibility to your position.

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HOW TO STRUCTURE AND WRITE A PRESS RELEASE

If you want to be successful, mastering the art of a newsworthy press release is a must. In the age of digital media, journalists have tight deadlines that restrict what they do and don’t write about.

This means your press release not only needs to grab their attention, but make it as easy as possible for them to write your story. How you structure your press release has a direct impact on its likelihood of being published.

- IMPACTFUL HEADING -

PARAGRAPH 01 OUTLINE EXISTING ISSUE AND ARGUMENT

PARAGRAPH 02 INTRODUCE YOUR FACTS AND STATS

PARAGRAPH 03 EXPAND ON YOUR ARGUMENT

PARAGRAPH 04 QUOTE YOURSELF AND QUOTE A SOURCE OF PROFILE

PARAGRAPH 05 EXPAND THE RELEVANCE

CONTACT DETAILS: NAME, TITLE, COMPANY, PHONE NUMBER AND EMAIL

[NAME] IS AVAILABLE FOR COMMENT AND INTERVIEW.

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MAKE SURE IT’S AN IMPACTFUL HEADING

Start with an impactful heading. This sets the scene for what we like to refer to as a boxing match. There are two stances you can take:

"Yes, and", which adds something new to the argument.

Or

"Yes, but", which outlines a different point of view to the one that’s been run in the mainstream media.

Using the second stance, “yes but” is a surefire way to gain media attention because you are bringing something new to the argument.

The headline of The Entourage’s first press release was ‘Gen Y Fights Back’. It was punchy, interesting and explored an existing issue from a different angle. While disagreeing with a commonly held opinion is the fastest way to get the press’s attention, disagreeing for the sake of being different isn’t going to get you anywhere unless you have a valid point.

Now you’ve got your heading, it’s time to craft your story. Here’s a few examples of effective press releases to help you get going:

• Why 90% of startups fail

• New productivity app saves you 10 hours a week

• This one ritual will make you more successful

• Why you don't want to be the next Mark Zuckerberg

• The top five mistakes founders make when pitching to investors

• What entrepreneurs can learn from Instagram “copying” Snapchat

And now for the bad ones:

• Purple Hippo launches new website

• National Skills Week highlights need for alternative education models in Australia

• Become a burgeoning beauty with our brand-new and bewitching beauty range!

• This SME lender is going to offer interest-free business loans

Write three impactful press release headings – make them punchy, compelling and informative. Remember that your headlines should be about the issue at hand and not about you or your brand.

1.

2.

3.

READER EXERCISE

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SOME THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND• Your press release should be no more than ¾ of a page.

• Include your contact details (or your PR representative’s) name, title, company, phone number and email.

• Include this call to action “[Name] is available for comment and interview.”

Jack has sent this template to just about every media outlet in the country, as have The Entourage’s students and graduates. This template has generated millions of dollars in media attention as a result of this very formula.

This paragraph is designed to outline an existing issue and your argument that supports it.

PARAGRAPH

01

Expand your argument with extra details and insights to give it some more substance.

PARAGRAPH

03

Outline your stats and facts that argue against the existing issue. This is your chance to create a debate and rouse the interest of the reader. Don’t talk about your beliefs just yet - save it for paragraph three.

PARAGRAPH

02

PARAGRAPH

04This is where you want to quote yourself and an authority who has a higher profile than you. In The Entourage’s Gen Y release, Jack wrote something along the lines of ‘Entrepreneur Jack Delosa is bucking the commonly held view that Gen Y is lazy, difficult and disloyal in the workplace. Another person weighing in on this is Minister Peter Primrose. We asked Mr. Primrose…’

Broaden the relevance of your argument. Let the reader know that this issue doesn’t apply to just a small niche of people. It’s likely it will affect their family, friends, finances, and wider community. The Entourage did this by tying the issue of Gen Y being ill-prepared in the workplace to the impact it had on their parents, corporations and the future economy.

PARAGRAPH

05

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LET’S GET STARTED:

Fill out the template below to craft your press release.

IMPACTFUL HEADING

PARAGRAPH 02

PARAGRAPH 03

PARAGRAPH 04

PARAGRAPH 05

PARAGRAPH 01

CONTACT DETAILS:

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GET YOUR PRESS RELEASE PUBLISHED BY THE MEDIA

Now that you’ve got an attention-grabbing press release, you need to get it out there. As we wrote earlier, there’s a slew of competition who are also trying to get noticed, so it’s essential for you to stand out.

“THE DOS”

1. Call them! If you’re trying to contact an editor or a producer at a TV or radio outlet, you can find their details on their website. If you're looking for print exposure, you’ll find their number on about the sixth page of the publication where it lists who works there. If you’re still unsure who to contact, LinkedIn or Google are great resources for information.

2. Make sure your email is ready to go before you make the call. Personalise it for the publisher you’re contacting by condensing why your information is relevant to their publication and the research behind it in two to three sentences.

3. Your phone call shouldn’t last more than two minutes. Send them your email while you’re on the phone and ask if they’ve received it. This is a subtle way to make sure they look for your story then and there.

4. Follow up. Use the three-day rule. If you haven’t heard back from them in three days, give them a call. Ask if they have everything they need to run your story.

If they say no, this is a prime opportunity for you to ask for feedback. Ask what they’d like to see from you next time in order for your work to be published. Crafting an effective press release takes time. It’s a process of writing, refining and pitching. When you perfect this, you’ll get noticed in no time.

“THE DON'TS”

1. Don't hit the ‘submit a story’ button on a publisher’s site. Everyone does this, so it's harder to get noticed.

2. Buy a database with media contact details. Developing a meaningful relationship with four to six journalists is going to get you a lot further than a mass generic email to 100. This method helps you target journalists that write for a media outlet that’s relevant to your brand.

3. Don't talk about yourself in the beginning. Lead with the relevancy of your story and the research to back it up.

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CASE STUDY: FIRST HOME BUYER’S AUSTRALIA

Unsure about whether following this formula will work for you and your business?

Here are two case studies from The Entourage students who have put this formula into practice and have experienced phenomenal results.

What learnings did you implement specifically from The Entourage’s formula that enabled you to achieve these results?

1. Jack Delosa’s press release template

2. Taking a stand on a current topical issue

3. Contact journalists directly

4. We make journalists dealings with us as hassle free as possible

Within 15 months of joining The Entourage, Daniel and his business partner have appeared in over 70 publications, including The Sydney Morning Herald, The Daily Telegraph, Seven News, Ten News and Sky Business.

They achieved this by taking a stand against a topical issue. Recognising that housing affordability is a big problem for first home buyers, they created a petition to the government stating that more needs to be done to address this and the changes they would like to see.

The petition helped them generate 10 media opportunities, increased brand recognition and allowed customers to see they are a business that genuinely care.

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CASE STUDY: APPROVAL BUDDY

Anthony Simon has been able to generate exposure for his business, Approval Buddy, by honing in on issues with how the car industry operates and how they are changing this by allowing customers to buy a car without stepping foot in a dealership.

Approval Buddy have generated exposure from Anthill, StartUp Daily and were listed as the Gold Coast’s Start Up of the Year.

This exposure has doubled online enquiries and leads.

What learnings did you implement specifically from The Entourage’s formula that enabled you to achieve these results?

1. Enter into awards even if you don’t think you will win! You have to be in it to win it.

2. People don’t care what your business is doing, they care about why you’re doing it. Remember this when putting together press releases and approaching the media.

3. Use the press release formula - it works. If you’re not a great write yourself, hire someone else to write it for you.

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We reached out to journalists at some of Australia’s leading publications to get an insider’s perspective on what grabs their attention.

Jack Phillips Digital Commercial Editor GQ Australia

Jack suggests:

1. Choose your words carefully. Less is more, don't try and pitch your product or service using complicated jargon and every word in the dictionary. Be clear and concise. Break up the text so it is easier to read at an email glance. Assume you have 6 seconds to make an impact from the reader clicking open. If it is over 1 page - it is too long.

2. Find the hook for them. Journalists cover products and companies that have a journalistic hook; something that is timely, ingenious, relatable, scandalous, outrageous, funny (a combination). If your product solves a problem then lead with that hook and publicise that using terminology that intrigues. e.g "New Productivity App Saves You 10 Hours A Week So You Can Go To The Beach" The app may be about time management and work flow but this sort of headline makes it relatable to the reader - your audience - your customer.

3. Write their news story for them. NEWSFLASH: most journalists are lazy. Most press releases take 500 words to make a single point and use complicated "sales speak" to finally get that languished point across. Journo's get bored quickly and are increasingly overworked - you need to make their lives easy. Think about how news stories are written. Write your press release in a similar way with a punchy headline, concise one line 'sell' and top loaded pyramid main body copy. That means all the important info goes up the top, with the less important information featuring further down the release. Include quotes from your CEO, sales team, researchers or developers to add credibility - making the journalists' job ultimately as easy as possible. If they can copy and paste your release and it publish - then you have written a good release.

EXPERT ADVICE: JOURNALISTS TELL US WHAT MAKES A PRESS RELEASE STAND OUT

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THE FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLE OF ALL MEDIA AND PR IS

BE THE EXCEPTION TO THE RULE.

Sophia suggests:

1. Back up whatever you’re saying with research! Don’t quote vague facts or trends - include your evidence. 2. Include options for web ready and print ready images that can accompany your story. 3. Give us an angle. We’re time poor and extremely busy and need to have as much information as

possible up front to put together a compelling story.

Sophia Phan Social Media Editor The Sydney Morning Herald

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What types of posts are they doing?

What are they doing well?

Where are their greatest areas of improvement?

Who are the current thought leaders in your industry?

Now that you’ve created a powerful press release and have a growing relationship with the media, you need to establish yourself as a thought leader in your industry.

A thought leader is someone who’s positioned themselves as the go-to expert in their market through competency and persistence. For example, if you want a comment on Apple technology, Steve Wozniak is the ideal person you’d interview.

Thought leaders provide expert advice, are ahead of the trends and are widely known and respected in their field.

HOW TO BECOME A THOUGHT LEADER

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HOW DO YOU DO THIS?

You might now be wondering, how do I become the most visible and obvious choice for comment in my industry?

The most effective way to do this, and to get in front of as many people as possible without spending any money is all about leverage.

Create content that speaks to the hearts and minds of your audience. You can do this by thinking about what your end user wants and needs. Your goal should be to build relationships by adding value to them without expecting anything in return.

A great way to identify your audience’s pain points is by using the Wants and Dreams Model.

On the far left hand side of this model are the negative emotions that your audience wants to avoid, while on the far right hand side are the positive emotions that they want to feel. At the top of the model is what they want immediately, while at the bottom is what they want in the future.

When you use this model from all four angles you are able to really uncover your audience’s fears, frustrations, wants and dreams. These are four emotionally rich vantage points which will help you to tap into your consumer's unconscious truths. Knowing this will allow you to create content that speaks to the hearts and minds of your audience.

FRUSTRATIONS

What negative emotions do they want to avoid?

What do they want in the future?

What do they want immediately?

What positive emotions do they want to attain?

FEARS DREAMS

WANTS

WANTS AND DREAMS MODEL

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Using the template below, identify your audience’s fears, frustrations, wants and dreams.

FRUSTRATIONS

What frustrates your audience?

What do they want an immediate resolution to and how can you provide this?

What does your audience want right away?

How can your content enable them to achieve this?

What does your audience dream of becoming?

What do they dream of achieving? Why?

If these frustrations continue, what are the long term fears of your audience?

How can you help them overcome/avoid these fears?

FEARS DREAMS

WANTS

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Now that you can identify the type of content to speak to your target audience, it’s time to amplify your position as a thought leader:

Step 1. World class contentCreate world class content from the four emotionally rich vantage points that you have uncovered in the wants and dreams model.

Step 2. Own your audience. When your audience sees the valuable content you are providing them with, they will be compelled to sign up to your blog or newsletter. This is a quick and effective way to build your audience.

Step 3. Give, give, give, then ASK. Your biggest opportunity when seeking press coverage is communicating with your audience across multiple platforms in a way that gets them excited to interact with you and continue the conversation.

When a consumer makes a buying decision they usually go to who has contacted them most recently and frequently. Communicating with your consumers at the moments that matter the most is vital to kickstart the consumer decision journey.

McKinsey is a global worldwide management consulting firm that conducts qualitative and quantitative analysis to evaluate management decisions across the public and private sectors. McKinsey interviewed 20,000 consumers across five industries and three continents and found that:

“Every day, people form impressions of brands from touch points such as advertisements, news reports, conversations with family and friends, and product experiences. Unless consumers are actively shopping, much of that exposure appears wasted. But what happens when something triggers the impulse to buy? Those accumulated impressions then become crucial because they shape the initial-consideration set: the small number of brands consumers regard at the outset as potential purchasing options.” - McKinsey

When you're able to understand the journey your audience takes, you'll be able to message them at moments of maximum influence. This gives you a greater chance at reaching your target audience and align the right message with the right time and place.

Step 4. Send it to the journalists Your goal is now to get your content published on as many different platforms as possible, such as blogs, websites and news sites. Journalists are always looking for strong content that makes their lives easier. If you have built relationships with them by this point, it will help you get your blogs published in more places. Ultimately by creating impactful content that always has the consumer in mind will develop a reputation as a thought leader.

F W

DF

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CASE STUDY: REDBULL’S CREATION OF A SUB-CULTURE OF ADRENALINE JUNKIES

Redbull is the perfect example of a brand whose content speaks to the hearts and minds of their consumers. They understand their customer completely, identifying their wants and needs to create tailored content that they’re excited to receive.

Redbull is now not just a soft drink, but a community of daredevils, adrenaline junkies and thrill seekers. They’ve become the universal symbol of extreme sports thanks to their ability to accurately identify a niche market and tap into their frustrations, fears, wants and dreams.

They’ve built a base of lifelong customers and a loyal and highly engaged subculture that’s become bigger than the brand itself.

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WHAT'S AN INFLUENCER AND WHY THEY'RE ESSENTIAL TO YOUR CAMPAIGN

In the modern digital age, publishers are not the only method of generating third paty exposure. Over the last 5 years we've seen a rise in social media influencers, who offer another means of getting your brand in front of extra eye balls.

An influencer is someone who has a large following that’s inspired by and act on the material produced by the influencer. This dedicated following gives them the ability to create and sway trends, a strength that’s incredibly important for you.

They’re extremely visible, so after a bit of research into your market, you should be able to find them pretty easily on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and Twitter.

Influencers are hyper-connected to their audience. The content they create has the potential to be shared globally, giving them a huge sphere of influence. Their value is in the authentic and powerful relationship they have with their audience, who also happen to be your target market. Engaging key influencers and utilising their reach is widely accepted as an essential addition to any digital media strategy.

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Source: A recent study done by Sensis on Australian Social Media Consumption for 2016.

Facebook93%

LinkedIn28%

Instagram26%

Google+23%

Pinterest17%

Twitter17%

79%of Australians

access theinternet daily

52% more than5 times a day27% 1-4 times a day9% Most days6% A few times a week3% About once a week3% Less o�en than weekly<1% Never

SOCIAL MEDIA SITES BY POPULARITY

DAILY INTERNETACCESS

FREQUENCY OFINTERNET USE

Facebook93%

LinkedIn28%

Instagram26%

Google+23%

Pinterest17%

Twitter17%

79%of Australians

access theinternet daily

52% more than5 times a day27% 1-4 times a day9% Most days6% A few times a week3% About once a week3% Less o�en than weekly<1% Never

SOCIAL MEDIA SITES BY POPULARITY

DAILY INTERNETACCESS

FREQUENCY OFINTERNET USE

Before reaching out to influencers, first think about where your audience lives. Engaging influencers on platforms that your target consumers are actually using will be far more effective than getting exposure to audiences that have no interest in your product.

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HOW TO LAUNCH A SUCCESSFUL OUTREACH STRATEGY

Now that you know the benefits of influencer marketing, you need to learn how to harness it.

CASE STUDY: UNWRITTEN BOOK LAUNCH BY JACK DELOSA

We spoke to The Entourage’s Media and Communications expert Katie Hansen on the influencer marketing strategy she used to launch Jack’s latest book, Unwritten. Katie identified 40 key influencers in a variety of industries who aligned with the campaign’s values and built professional and mutually beneficial relationships with them. Katie’s tips for successfully building relationships with key influencers: • Think outside the box. Look for like-minded influencers in fields other than your own to maximise reach.• Make it personal. Send a personalised email or gift and think about “who, how and when” you are

sending gifts and correspondence. • Align your goals. Communicate who you are, your message and how you align. • Think global. If it works with your overall strategy, don’t be afraid to reach out to overseas influencers

for extra reach. • Always follow up. Stay top of mind and continue to build the relationship. • Find other ways to continue the conversation. Such as events or ongoing campaigns.

Jack's book Unwritten, was listed as the best selling business book in Australia in its first week of release, in part due to a wide reaching influencer strategy.

This campaign was the first step in creating ongoing and mutually beneficial relationships that have the potential to evolve into even greater collaborations.

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In a world where people have constant access to the internet and check their social media accounts more than five times a day, traditional marketing isn’t as impactful as it once was. You need to adapt your strategy to this new way of thinking, and the best way to do that is to harness social media influencers. Here’s a step-by-step guide to kick-starting your influencer digital strategy:

Step 1: Find your influencer

Review a variety of digital platforms like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to identify relevant influencers. Find someone who has at least three times the followers you do to ensure you get the reach and traction that’s required in these early stages.

Here are some dedicated sites where you can connect with influencers: • Tribe • We Connect • INTO app • Meltwater• Klout• SocialBakers• Outreach Ninja

Use these questions as a guide to engage with influencers:

Are they relevant?Does your message resonate with this influencer’s audience? List your brand’s top five values and compare them to the influencer’s to see if there’s any alignment. If they don’t complement each other then keep looking.

Are they credible? It’s not enough that an influencer is relevant, they also have to be credible. If you notice one or more of the traits below, you should rethink your potential partnership.

• Followers with no profile picture • Followers with generic names• Low or no engagement on their page• No comments or spam comments • Unprecedented spike in followers

How effective is their engagement? Assess their level of engagement by looking at how quickly they respond to their followers and the number of reposts, comments and shares per post.

HOW TO FIND AN INFLUENCER AND HARNESS THEIR REACH

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Step 2: Contact them

Once you’ve found your influencers, contact them. Think about why they’re a good fit for your brand and what you can offer them before working on establishing a rapport. Send them an email, connect with them on LinkedIn, find their details in the masthead of their publication or get a mutual friend to introduce you.

Step 3: Designing a gifting strategy

When it comes to gifting your product or service to your chosen influencer, remember the magic is in the details. Each detail, whether it’s the delivery method, personalised message, or quality of the packaging, adds something to creating the ultimate experience. Keep in mind the special features you appreciate when receiving a gift. The first thing the influencer sees is the packaging, and first impressions are always the most important.

The keys to effective gifting are: 1. Building the anticipation. By reaching out and telling them that they can expect a special delivery

sometime soon, you’re building the excitement attached to your product.2. Delivering on the excitement. Personalise the experience and package your product in a creative

and visually pleasing way. You want to make them say ‘wow!’ when they receive your delivery. 3. Getting them post to your product on their site. This might sound simple, but just ask. If you’ve

blown them away with the presentation and function of your product, it’s likely you won’t even need to. Influencers need three posts per day to keep their audience interested, so remember that they need you almost as much as you need them. If they’re still reluctant, consider paying for a few posts. Forking out $100 is relatively cheap compared to other marketing methods, but make sure you have the right influencers and that they’re posting on the best platforms for you.

4. Keeping the ball rolling. Now’s your chance to follow up, ask for feedback and hear about their experience. Maintaining a consistent dialogue with your influencer is the key to building an ongoing relationship.

We went straight to the source for this one and interviewed some of Australia’s key influencers across the food and fashion industries to get their insight into what makes a brand shine brighter than the competition.

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Brad Cameron is the 23-year-old powerhouse behind the rapidly growing Melbourne-based business, Build Your Empire. His one million strong following on Instagram account is a testament to his passion for entrepreneurship and building his brand into a global movement.

Brad Cameron@buildyourempire_www.buildyourempire.co

INFLUENCER INTERVIEW: BRAD CAMERON, BUILD YOUR EMPIRE

Is there a set list of criteria that you look for when you’re working with brands?Definitely. I reject 95% of the offers I’m asked to promote for people and brands. For me to promote something on Instagram or via my email list, it has to be something that I would use, something that is valuable on a broad scale to my entrepreneurship focused audience and comes from someone I like. I don’t work with people I don’t like, whether that’s due to an instinctual gut feeling, a bad dealing I’ve had with them or a negative reference about them from a trusted friend.

What are the biggest dos and don'ts for people and brands who approach you to collaborate? Be clear on what you want to be posted. Specify in your initial contact what sort of post you want - do you want a something with a call to action on the image and a link to my bio in the caption? Or do you want a caption shout-out on one of my photos?

You’ve achieved so much success in such a short time - what are three tips that helped you get to where you are now? 1. Give first. This is the best way to build deep relationships with influencers and successful people.

Find a way to provide value to these people, whether that’s working for them for free or finding a way to give them exposure. In return, so many opportunities will come about from these people you help.

2. Being consistent and sticking to the process. I tried lots of things off and on from the age of 15, such as flipping eBay items (I failed), building niche websites (I failed), building a mini-publishing company hiring ghostwriters to write eBooks to sell on Kindle under my own pen names (I failed). I failed with all these because I gave up whenever I came to a big obstacle. If I had stuck to the process I would’ve succeeded with any of these, or at the least pivoted from what I was working on to succeed in something similar without starting a completely new business or hustle.

3. Actually caring about people. Realising that money is just a by-product, and that real fulfillment comes from giving something of value to people while following your purpose. Obviously, revenue and profit are needed to sustain a business so money is important, but your main focus should be about customer or audience satisfaction if you want to succeed in the long term.

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Nathan Deslandes is the founder behind the forward thinking @thestartup.co on Instagram. With a focus on motivating and educating entrepreneurs, he has built his over 100k following while studying a Masters Degree, competing nationally in Athletics and building his latest startup for entrepreneurs, Humble Hustle.

Nathan [email protected]

INFLUENCER INTERVIEW: NATHAN DESLANDES, STARTUPCO

Is there a set list of criteria that you look for when you’re working with brands?1. Professionalism. When dealing with brands, I wouldn’t say I have a set criteria on what they must have

for me to deal with them. Every interaction, every brand or person you speak to is a potential opportunity so I always treat them as such. What I do look for though first and foremost is professionalism. You’d be amazed at how many people don’t say “Hi” or even introduce themselves. If you don’t know how to be polite when reaching out as a brand then generally I don’t want to deal with you.

2. Timely communication is a must. Apart from how brands interact, the speediness of when they interact is also a crucial one. Typically as an entrepreneur my time is limited and sometimes if I ask about something or ask for someone, it needs to be done promptly. Now this isn’t to say they need to get back to me that day, but within say 48 hours is acceptable. Time is money in business and quite often you can lose a deal or even lose a contact simply by being too slow. It can go both ways though; if you demand a promptly response, you must also be prompt yourself.

3. A complementary message. A brand’s message needs to resonate with my followers. At the end of the day your followers are everything, and you have no brand without them, so why not only offer them valuable content? Whether I get approached or I reach out to a brand, their value proposition needs to be inline with mine. I don’t promote get rich quick schemes or non-related products, not only because it wouldn’t work with my audience, but because I wouldn’t want to see that as a follower of my page. The minute you become something you’re not is the minute your followers lose faith, so I try to keep my brand image as consistent as possible.

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What are the biggest dos and don'ts for people and brands who approach you to collaborate? Collaborating with other brands and people is simple. At the end of the day we’re all human and you should treat them as such. So here’s my few simple dos and don’ts:

Dos:1. Be polite and professional - Greetings and sign offs are a must!2. Be clear and concise about what you’re after3. Provide enough information that I know who you are and what you stand for4. Be personable - I’m a real person too, so why not just speak to me like one? The more authentic and

personable you make your emails or messages the better. Use my name or the brand where possible.

Don’ts:1. Start with, “Give me a shoutout please”2. Sign off without a name to contact you back on3. Send an essay length4. Send the same email to multiple brands with each brands email in the TO: field, it justs not

personable and will be marked as spam

For any other tips or advice I’m always open to a chat @thestartup.co or https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathan-deslandes-a1878a8a?trk=nav_responsive_tab_profile

https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathan-deslandes-a1878a8a?trk=nav_responsive_tab_profile

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When it comes to your press release, an impactful heading sets the scene for a boxing match. Always back up what you are saying with facts, stats and quotes from a respected source to give your stance credibility.

• Be Relevant• Be Credible• Be Factual

• Keep your press release clear and concise with short paragraphs to effectively deliver your message.

• Keep in mind the dos and don'ts of getting your story out there• Build long-term and close relationships with four to six journalists

• Create compelling content• Speak to your audience's wants, fears, dreams and frustrations• Create an unconscious bond with your audience• The give, give, give, ask ratio• Quality over quantity

• Become a visible thought leader in your field• Position yourself as a go-to expert

The three fundamental principles of generating great PR are:

Congratulations on sticking with this guide right to the end! So much of what makes a successful entrepreneur is someone who can see something through to completion. Here’s a quick recap of the essential PR skills you now possess:

PR CHEAT SHEET

01

02

03

04

05

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PR CHEAT SHEET

When you create content that speaks to your audience’s fears, frustrations, wants and dreams, you'll become a thought leader in your industry.

Use these four keys to establishing an unconscious connection with your audience:

• Use the Wants and Dreams Model to create emotionally rich content that speaks to your audience's hearts and minds.

• Own your audience. Your goal is to build your own database so you can communicate directly with your consumer.

• Focus on providing your customer with something of value, rather than simply marketing your product or service. Remember, give, give, give, ASK.

• Build and nurture a few key relationships with journalists in your industry. Remember, it’s quality over quantity.

07

08

06 • Realise the importance of partnering with influencers• Find someone who's relevant to your brand• Focus on their authenticity and credibility• Look for high engagement through comments and shares• Create a thoughtful gifting strategy

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