What’s your point?

If you’ve been asked to make a presentation or you’re planning a pitch to a potential client, where do you start?

Start with the end in mind

What do you want your presentation or pitch to achieve?

What is that big takeaway for your audience?

Once that is crystal clear, every part of your presentation needs to keep that in mind.

Who is your audience?

The better you know your audience, the more able you will be to tailor what you say to their needs and expectations.

A professional speaker usually asks the meeting organiser for this information, to ensure their speech is on target.  If you do the same, you’ll not only deliver a better presentation, but you’ll also be remembered for your attention to detail.  That means that you’ll be asked to speak again by that meeting organiser.

What do you want to say?

You will have some key facts, ideas, information that you want to get across to your audience.  Now you need to look at each of these things and think about how each impacts your audience and make notes of that. 

What will they get or how will they benefit from each of your points?

Remember that your presentation is about the audience, not you, so you need to present each fact, idea or piece of information in a way that they can relate to.

Story structure

All good stories have a beginning, a middle and an end – and so do good presentations.

Typically a presentation has no more than 5 parts:

1.      Introduction: Setting the scene
2.    Key point 1: The first issue you want to present
3.      Key point 2: The second issue you want to explore
4.      Key point 3: The third and final issue you want to outline
5.      Summary/Conclusion/Call to action

When you’re planning your presentation, map out each of these and what you want to include.  This might include statistics, graphs, charts, stories, case studies, theory, models, etc.

The visual elements can go on a slide deck, but don’t fall into the trap of putting all your notes on the screen – then people will read rather than listen.  That’s not as effective in getting your point across.

Rehearse

You should know your stuff – or you shouldn’t be making the presentation, but there are bound to be some nerves, especially if you’re not used  to presenting.  If nothing else practise your opening.  And your closing.

There’s nothing worse than someone arriving on the platform and saying “Er, thank you for inviting me, er, I’m [your name] and I’ll be talking about [your subject] today.”  Firstly, that’s the fastest way to disengage your audience and secondly, someone else should already have introduced you.

Instead, start with a challenging question, a big fact that will make them sit up and take notice or an outrageous statement.

The same applies to your close – your job is to get them to take action and DO something, not nod and clap politely.

Finishing with “I think that’s it, then. Thank you,” is a weak close.

Tell them what you want them to remember and inspire them to action.  If you haven’t rehearsed, there’s a high chance that you’ll forget the key thing you want them to takeaway.

*****

Remember, if you’ve been asked to present or pitch, it’s because you’ve been identified as someone who has a strong message.  Don’t abuse the privilege by ‘winging it’! 

AI: Exciting or Scary?

Nobody would describe me as ‘techy’, I’m a words person, not a technology geek, but AI definitely excites me.  The potential is almost beyond belief.  For small businesses it offers opportunities to do some things that weren’t possible without expensive expert help previously, professional images for social media, well-written articles for a variety of purposes, good quality video and much more.

However, it’s also scary – how do you tell when something is real and something has been created by AI?

Is AI spoofing you?

I’ve seen ads that appear to have famous talking heads promoting the product, but I’m fairly sure that these have been created without any input (or knowledge?) from the celebrity involved.

I know it’s possible to clone a voice on ElevenLabs, and an image on Heygen to convert to video.  Put the two together with a written script and you can create a video of yourself talking to camera without actually doing it.  That means you can create a video of anyone if you have a voice file (hello YouTube!) and an image (Google images).  I’m not sure how copyright might come into play if the image is copyrighted, as you won’t be publishing it, but, in any case, I’m fairly sure that anyone who you replicate without permission, may have a viewpoint – and probably a legal case!

I’ve noticed that some ‘clones’ can be spotted by their very slow blink rate, but technology is improving daily, if not hourly, and, by the time you read this, that may have been fixed.

The latest AI spoof is the rash of new dating sites – where you’re actually talking to an AI bot, not that girl or guy in the picture.  Try suggesting meeting for coffee and you’ll get all kinds of excuses!

How can AI help you?

On the other hand, AI can save a ton of time.  I used ElevenLabs to turn 8 video modules into text – in a minute or two each.  I had to edit it (there were lots of ums and ers – and nobody speaks as grammatically fluently as they write), but it saved me hours of listening and transcribing.

I use AI to help with headlines and ideas for email campaigns, where the same information needs to be presented many times in different ways.  I always edit it into the client’s voice and style, but it saves me time (and the client money).

I find that a detailed brief and links to existing material usually gets a better result than a short overview.  It’s worth investing the time in creating that brief.

There are so many new AI tools being launched that it’s hard to keep up with them.  I came across The AI Rundown, a daily email newsletter that is really good at short overviews of the AI landscape.  If you’d like to subscribe to that – here’s the link.

Building Your Media/PR Plan: A Solopreneur's Strategic Guide

 

As a small business owner or solopreneur, you've probably wondered how to get your name out there without breaking the bank or hiring an expensive PR agency.  The truth is, you can create a highly effective media and PR strategy yourself – but it requires more than just firing off press releases and hoping for the best.

A solid media plan isn't about chasing every opportunity that comes your way.  It's about creating a strategic framework that aligns with your business goals, speaks to your ideal customers, and positions you as the go-to expert in your field.

Start with your foundation: define your 'why'

Before you even think about contacting journalists or crafting press releases, you need to get crystal clear on your core message.  What makes your business different?  What problem do you solve that others don't?  This isn't your elevator pitch – it's deeper than that.

Ask yourself: if someone could only remember one thing about your business after reading about you, what would you want it to be?  This becomes your North Star for every media interaction.

For instance, if you're a productivity coach, your core message might be ‘helping overwhelmed entrepreneurs reclaim their time without sacrificing quality’.  Everything you say to the media should reinforce this positioning.

Know Your Media Landscape

Many solopreneurs make the mistake of targeting every publication under the sun.  This scattergun approach rarely works.  Instead, create a tiered media list that reflects how your customers consume information.

Tier 1: Trade publications and niche websites where your ideal customers spend time.  If you're a sustainable fashion designer, this might be eco-lifestyle blogs, sustainable business publications, or fashion trade magazines.

Tier 2: Local media – often more accessible and surprisingly influential.  Local newspapers, radio stations, and community magazines are always looking for local business stories.

Tier 3: National media – the holy grail, but often the most competitive.  Only target these when you have a truly newsworthy story or unique angle.

Research each publication thoroughly.  What stories have they covered recently?  Who are their key journalists?  What's their typical lead time?  This intelligence will make your outreach far more effective.

Create your content calendar with media hooks

Successful PR isn't reactive – it's planned.  Create a 12-month calendar that maps out your key business activities, seasonal opportunities, and industry events.  Then identify the media hooks within each.

For example, if you're a financial advisor:

• January: New Year financial resolutions, tax planning tips
• April: Small business tax deadline stories, financial spring cleaning
• September: Back-to-school financial planning for families
• November: Year-end financial planning, small business tax tips

Each of these represents multiple story opportunities across different media outlets.  The key is to think like a journalist – what would their readers find valuable and timely?

Build relationships, not just media lists

Here's where most solopreneurs go wrong: they focus on the pitch, not the relationship.  Journalists receive dozens of irrelevant pitches daily.  The ones that get attention come from people they know and trust.

Start building relationships before you need them.  Follow relevant journalists on social media, engage thoughtfully with their content, and share their articles when they're particularly good.  When you do eventually pitch, you'll be a familiar name, not another stranger in their inbox.

Consider creating a simple CRM system to track your media contacts.  Note their interests, recent articles, and any personal details they share publicly.  This personalisation makes all the difference when you're crafting your outreach.

Diversify beyond traditional press

While newspaper and magazine coverage is valuable, today's media landscape is much broader.  Consider these often-overlooked opportunities:

Podcasts: Often easier to get on than traditional media, and perfect for detailed storytelling about your expertise.

Industry panels and webinars: Position yourself as a thought-leader while building relationships with other experts.

Guest blogging: Builds your authority and often leads to other media opportunities.

Speaking opportunities: Local business groups, industry conferences, and online events all need speakers.

Awards and recognition programmes: Many industries have awards specifically for small businesses or entrepreneurs.

Develop your story bank

You'll need different stories for different opportunities. Develop a bank of 5-7 core stories that showcase different aspects of your business:

1. Your origin story: Why you started the business, what problem you identified
2. Your biggest challenge story: A significant obstacle you overcame
3. Your client transformation story: How you helped someone achieve remarkable results
4. Your industry insight story: A trend you predicted or a shift you've observed
5. Your failure and learning story: A mistake that taught you something valuable
6. Your innovation story: How you do something differently from competitors
7. Your future vision story: Where you see the industry heading

Having these ready means you can quickly adapt to different media opportunities and always have something interesting to share.

Perfect your pitch process

When you do reach out to media contacts, your pitch needs to be concise, relevant, and immediately valuable.  Follow this structure:

Subject line: Make it specific and intriguing, not salesy

Opening: Personal connection or reference to their recent work

The story: One paragraph maximum, focus on the reader benefit

Your credentials: Brief explanation of why you're the right person to tell this story

The offer: What exactly you're offering (interview, data, photos, etc.)

Call to action: Clear next step, with your contact details

Keep the entire email under 150 words.  If you can't explain your story idea concisely, it probably isn't clear enough yet.

Measure what matters

PR success isn't just about the number of mentions you get.  Track metrics that actually impact your business:

• Reach and engagement: How many people saw your coverage, and how did they respond?
• Website traffic: Are media mentions driving visitors to your site?
• Lead generation: Are you getting enquiries following media coverage?
• Reputation building: Are you being recognised as an authority in your field?
• Relationship building: Are you developing ongoing relationships with journalists and industry contacts?

Set up Google Alerts for your name and business to monitor coverage, and use UTM codes (In Google Analytics - GA4) on any links you provide to media contacts so you can track traffic from specific articles.

The long game

Building an effective media presence takes time.  You might not see immediate results, but consistent effort pays off.  The business owner who regularly shares insights, builds media relationships, and positions themselves as an expert will eventually become the person journalists turn to when they need a quote or story idea.

Remember, you're not just trying to get your name in the paper – you're building a reputation as the go-to expert in your field.  Every media interaction, every relationship you build, and every story you share contributes to that long-term goal.

Your media and PR strategy should evolve with your business.  What works for a startup will be different from what works for an established business looking to expand into new markets.  Regularly review and refine your approach, always keeping your core message and business goals at the centre of everything you do.

The most successful solopreneurs understand that effective PR isn't about luck – it's about strategy, consistency, and relationship building.  Start with these fundamentals, and you'll be well on your way to creating a media presence that actually drives your business forward.