15/04/2026
From our wonderful member Roseleigh Media 🫶
"You are the selling point of your business - don't underestimate that."
That's what someone said to me at the session this morning. And she's so right, we often forget that we sell a service, but the reason people want to work with us is because of who we are.
This is something I talk about A LOT when it comes to PR. You are your business, and there is only one of you. You might do the same thing as other people in your industry, but you and your story are what makes you stand out.
I've had some amazing experiences networking, that said, there are a few things that give me the ick, and with my PR head on, they can really damage your reputation.
Things like;
- Getting a delegate list and adding them to your mailing list.
- Sending a generic LinkedIn request or going straight in with a sales pitch
- Clearly not listening
Let me give you an example.
I spoke at an IWD last month and I always talk about PR, but also use my story as my own PR case study. If you've heard me speak, you'll know I bare my soul and am not afraid of sharing who I am and my struggles. Following the event I got a copy and paste email from one of the attendees and they made three mistakes. They called me by the wrong name. They said that they really enjoyed talking to me (we never spoke) and that they wish they could have told me more about what they do - and headed into a completely dry pitch.
But the one that got me the most was, they said "Weren't the speakers at the event great?" Well.... we can't have been that great because you're messaging me and you haven't clocked that I was one of them. If this person had thought just a little about who they were contacting and why, it could have been really productive. But the interaction left me feeling cold.
Your reputation hangs on how you behave, not only online, or with clients - but in these networking moments too. Networking might feel informal, but it’s still part of your PR. People remember how you show up - whether that’s thoughtful, considered and genuine… or rushed, impersonal and transactional.
And it’s those small moments that shape how people talk about you when you’re not in the room. And that’s PR.
