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You found the Live Local Marketing Podcast, where business owners share their knowledge about what's working in the market today.
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No fluff, just their experiences and stories from people who are making it happen.
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And if authentic practical marketing resonates with you, be sure to visit Livelocal Warm Marketing.com and learn to grow your business on Warm Marketing Referrals.
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Now, on to the show.
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Welcome.
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Thanks for joining us, Live Local Marketing Podcast.
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Today we're miss Miss Lelinda.
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How are you feeling today?
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I'm good.
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I'm cold, but I'm alive, and that's all that matters, I guess.
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We got hit up a little bit of snow.
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North Carolina's not great with the snow, are they?
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No.
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No, we're all we're stuck inside, and I hate it because I am, I don't like that.
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No worries.
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All right, so we're gonna do a little bit of background and then we'll get right into the questions.
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So uh Melinda spent uh years inside at top PR agencies managing campaigns for musicians, celebrities, brands across America, businesses, lifestyle industries.
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But over time she realized that clients deserve better.
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Too many agencies were offering high retainers and empty promises and zero results.
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So she saw firsthand how clients were overpaying for PR strategies that didn't move the needle, and she knew that she had to do things differently.
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So she launched Melinda Jackson Public Relations shortly after moving back to Raleigh, North Carolina, with the one goal to help clients grow their business by being an extension of their team.
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Melinda, are you ready for the questions?
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I'm ready.
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Let's go.
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Talk to us about a time that you had a loss, and it turned out to be a win.
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Oh my gosh.
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That's that's PR in a nutshell.
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I mean, there's there's so many losses.
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Um, I'd say the biggest one for me was um I got a job at my dream PR agency in Los Angeles, and I was so excited.
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It's what I had worked for for so many years, and it was the worst experience of my life.
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I was working 24-7, um, not making a lot of money.
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I had a very, very toxic boss, and I just went into full-on burnout.
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And because of that, all the work I was doing was wrong.
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Um, I was making mistakes every single day, and I just could not get myself out of that hole because my nervous system was so shot.
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Um, I couldn't keep food down, I couldn't sleep.
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Um, and I realized the that when I was sitting in a car wash and I had my car see all the way back and I was trying to work on my laptop, that there's an issue here.
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Like I can't even take five minutes to feel disconnected.
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There's an issue.
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So I kept going to HR, kept reporting my boss, kept reporting the conditions, and they said finally August 1st, 2016, she hates you, she doesn't want you to work here anymore.
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We're gonna try to find another department for you to go into, but there's no budget right now.
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So you have to wait until the next quarter.
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And I was like, I'm good.
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I'm moving to North Carolina, I'm done.
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So this dream that I'd been working for uh towards for seven years, it all fell apart in in one day, essentially.
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So I took the month, I sold everything I could, I freelanced for a couple of people.
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And um on Labor Day 2016, I moved back to North Carolina.
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I drove, packed up my car and drove all the way across the country from Los Angeles and uh immediately got hired at an agency, hated that.
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Two years later, I started my company and and here we are.
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So um I think even though that's not a work, you know, winner or lose, that's that's a career win.
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Well, it is a work one because I mean you took on your own job and it inspired you to start your own business.
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So it really was.
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Yeah, absolutely.
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So, all right, so talk to us about how you set goals.
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You seem very driven.
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Um, how do you set up your goals?
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How do you follow through with them?
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What does that process look like?
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So I used to set really audacious goals for myself, and I feel like maybe I'm probably a little bit jaded right now.
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So I'm trying to get back to that.
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But I just try to think, okay, what is what is what would the biggest win look like?
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And I'm a big manifestate manifestation girl.
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I love to manifest things, and um, and that's really just goals at the end of the day.
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So I'll I will say, I don't know how I'm gonna get there.
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We will figure it out, we will work towards it every single day.
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But example, like this is a silly one I always use.
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I in during COVID, I said, I'm gonna work for Harry Styles.
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I am going to work for Harry Styles to the point where people literally thought I worked for him, and I was like, absolutely not.
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I wish I do not work for Harry Styles.
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But through that, I started getting back into music PR.
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And some of his team started following me, some of his team started noticing me.
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I started connecting some of his team with other people.
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And so just by by making having that big, crazy, audacious goal that was probably never gonna work, I hit so many, you know, marks along the way.
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So I say, make that huge big goal that maybe is scary and absolutely does not seem like it's ever gonna happen because you will hit some things along the way that will absolutely change the game for you, and they'll still be big wins, you know.
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That that saying where they're like, you know, shoot for the moon, you'll fall amongst the stars, or whatever that that cheesy thing is.
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It's it's true.
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So so I love to make really big, crazy goals um and just see where it takes me because forward movement is better than nothing at the end of the day.
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So if you make the one big goal, does that mean you chunk the steps that would require you to get that one big goal?
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Is that how you do it?
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I don't, um, because I will hyperfixate on it.
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So I am just like, we'll figure it out.
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We will figure it out along the way, and and you kind of tweak as you go.
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Okay, that makes sense too.
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That's good.
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So setting up the one big goal and just following through with it and just shooting the moon.
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Yeah, I because I will hyperfixate and I will just get in my head, and it it was is not good for me mentally.
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I'm too type A for that, which I realize that's very not type A for me to just be like, we'll figure it out.
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But especially in PR when it changes every single day and you're meeting different people every single day, you'll start to see where you're chipping away at it without realizing it.
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Got it.
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That makes complete sense.
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All right, so let's let's talk about some of the cold marketing strategies you're using right now that are working, and some warm marketing strategies right now that you're you're using that are working.
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A quick break before we get to that next answer because I know that answer is going to be brilliant, which is why I chose this moment to interrupt.
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If you love what you're seeing and you want to run your business off of warm marketing and referrals, visit our website, live local warmmarketing.com.
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It's got valuable resources, office hours, memberships, the book, an array of resources to help you get rid of cold calls, cold leads, door knocking, and run a business you can be proud of through referrals and warm marketing.
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Now, back to the show.
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Okay, so cold cold and warm is hard for me because um I have no idea where I get my clients from, truly, um, in terms of growing my business.
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They just find me.
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Uh I don't know.
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Nice.
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I don't, I don't know.
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Um, I get I I never do cold outreach when it comes to growing my business.
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I obviously have to do that when it comes to PR for other people's business.
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So the state, the state of PR right now um is horrible because the state of traditional media is horrible.
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Our the writers that used to work somewhere are no longer employed.
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They're creating podcasts or they're writing Substacks, so you have to pivot.
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Um, so I would say like 90% of my PR outreach is cold and it does work.
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Um, because if you have a story and you have a message and you know you're being a resource, then they will use you.
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Um, and then a lot of times in PR, my warm bleeds just don't don't have anything that's a good fit for my client at that time.
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So that's when you got to pivot to the cold and you just figure it out from there.
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Um and just truly with PR the way things are, you have to you have to be on your toes every day and not get discouraged because every no is getting you closer to a yes, and it's truly a numbers game.
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Um, I know a lot of publicists will say, do not reach out to a cold lead, try to make everything warm.
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Who cares?
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Like like everybody's trying at the end of the day.
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If you have something good, it will resonate and it'll be all right.
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But and then and then on the business side, go ahead.
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I'm sorry.
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No, no, on the business side.
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Yeah, on the business side, I get warm leads all day, every day.
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That's that's mostly where I I would say my clients come from.
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That was gonna be my question.
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So you see people gravitate to you, you just get your clients.
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Do you do anything special?
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Like, do you have a certain presence online?
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Do you have networking meetings?
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Like, what do you do?
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You what do you have to do?
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Something um my social media presence is horrible in terms of business because I don't I I'm too close to it.
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I don't know what people care about, and I don't want to be that cheesy publicist that's like I can get you into Forbes because you can't, like it's you can't promise anyone that.
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Um so I just I see what I hate and I don't want to do it.
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So that makes me almost like completely go the opposite direction.
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Um, I just I get a lot of a lot of warm leads just from being out in life.
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I feel like I'm kind of omnipresent, I'm at everything and um I'm everywhere all the time.
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I also host um a female founder networking group here in Raleigh once a month.
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Um, and I haven't really gotten any clients from that yet, but I mean, we have 400 women that have attended, so they all know I exist at this point.
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Holy smoke.
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Well, I mean, they may not be buying stuff, but they're friends and friends and friends, like every person knows.
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If you have 400 people showing up, you know 800 people.
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Yep, exactly.
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So that's why my friends always say, You're omnipresent, you're literally everywhere.
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I'm like Jesus at this point.
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But people find me and people refer me, or they'll say, Hey, Amanda, refer me.
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I don't know who Amanda is, but let's go.
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I like I'll help you, girl.
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Yeah, that is awesome.
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All right, so talk to us about a strategy since you do mostly worm and you have a few things going on.
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What strategy with your clients do you not do anymore?
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Like, this is ROI's crap.
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Don't bother.
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Oh my gosh.
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A freaking putting a press release on a news wire.
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Like sometimes I have to do that.
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Um, because I do have biotech clients and they kind of require that.
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Um, their shareholders want to see that it's been on a wire and and been on AP and all these things, and it's it's that quick gratification.
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But a wire costs$3,000, and yes, you're gonna get four to five hundred backlinks for it, but no one's ever gonna see that.
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So I would much rather um someone pay me$3,000 and I do outreach, and we get them 10 to 12 really solid, organic, long-form content articles and get them on a couple of podcasts, maybe get them a speaking engagement.
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That is gonna move the needle more so than a flash in the pan press release that no one's ever gonna see.
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Um, I hate that there are publicists out there that just live and die by a press release.
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Uh, most of the time you don't need it.
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And I refuse to do it for clients.
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A lot of times when they say, I think I need a press release, I say, absolutely you do not.
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Like we can figure this out another way.
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I press, I don't even know if I've ever seen a press release.
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I've never been, I'm I'm involved.
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I don't know if I've ever so when he a press release, what is it?
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What do they put it in newspaper?
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They put it online, like a press release is that thing where it has like the headline and it says like probably North Carolina, January 31st, you know, whatever.
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And it's like today, Melinda Jackson announces and then it has a quote, and then it's got all this stuff.
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It's so formal, and you do not need it anymore.
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Writers do not want it.
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When people think public relations, they think equals press release.
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You do not need it anymore.
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It's 2026.
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You can send someone an email and get just as much coverage, if not more, that has four sentences that says, Hey, I'm Melinda, this is what I'm doing.
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I would love to chat with you about it.
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Done.
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Do you do a lot of emails?
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That's 90% of it.
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I don't know why I'm saying 90, it's 100% of what I do.
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I tell people I just send emails all day.
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That's what I do.
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I mean, it's gotta be you, yeah, it's gotta be the wording's gotta be perfect because so many people now are just using AI to write their emails and it's not landing with everybody.
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I know.
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And and like there is a time and a place for AI, and I do use it a lot, but I will fuss at my chat GPT all day long.
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But I I also will build my own GBTs that has all of my knowledge in it and everything that I want in it, and I'll build it specifically for the client.
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So then I'll go through, say I'm doing podcast pitching and I'm just stumped on one, I'll put it in a chat GPT for that client and I'll just ask, is this a good fit?
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And if so, would would these topics work to pitch to them?
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And it'll say yes or no.
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And sometimes they're like, Look, that is such a stretch, don't even try.
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That's when I use it, but I don't use it just to write every single thing that I do because people can tell.
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And also you're gonna lose a lot of the nuance in it.
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So let's, Larry.
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So now that you talked about your business and you talked about the emailing, let's let's how do you get the branding from that company to know what you're putting those emails before you even give it to Chat GPT for ideas?
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Yeah.
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So when I'm onboarding a client, we will always have a call just like this where we just chat and uh we talk crap to each other and just try to figure out what are some nuggets that I can pull out of them?
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Because people are so close to their brand that they shoot themselves in the foot a lot.
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And I'm sure you understand this, where they'll say, okay, this is my target audience and this is what they want, and um, this is what they're doing.
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And half the time they don't even have their target target audience down pat and they don't understand them.
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Um, I know especially a lot of the female founders that I work with, they they're like, no one's gonna care.
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No one's gonna care about this.
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Yes, they will care about it.
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Um, are you a military spouse?
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Are you a working mother?
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Um, those are the stories that people want to see.
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Are you a person of color?
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People, people want to talk to you.
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Um, so I try to dig out those things where they just think no one's gonna care, and that's what we run with.
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And a lot of times that's what we see works the best.
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Do you have like a formal like handout you do, or you like everything else, you just kind of jump in there and wing it?
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Yeah.
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So I do have I do have a handout that I'll do when I'm doing presentations, but otherwise I'm such a wing it person.
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I I do a lot of stuff intuitively, and I know this sounds crazy, but I know I mean I've been I've been in PR for 16 years.
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I can clock it.
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Um, but I do have a handout, and one of the questions on there is to is if your company were to die today, what would the obituary say?
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And that I stole that from an agency I worked at, but that really helps you figure out am I actually doing what I think I'm doing?
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And most of the time it's no.
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And does my messaging reflect what I want to be?
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If you want to be known for like wonderful customer service and like warm, just cozy feelings from your clients, you have to make sure all of your branding matches that and all of your your messaging does too.
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How do you know when to push back and when to just let it ride?
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And that's their brand.
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Um, I think you can tell pretty quickly if somebody just is so adamant on not changing things.
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Um, and I've had to do that before, and I've definitely had some clients where I'm like, screw it, I'm just gonna show them.
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And literally, I I have that.
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I have that later.
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Um, I have a call with a client later.
00:14:58.480 --> 00:14:59.840
We've been working together for a month.
00:14:59.919 --> 00:15:01.039
It's not working.
00:15:01.200 --> 00:15:05.200
The messaging they want is not working, the target media they want is not working.
00:15:05.360 --> 00:15:12.799
And so, look, I try in the first month, and then we get on a call and I'm like, okay, we gotta figure this out.
00:15:13.039 --> 00:15:17.440
Either you let me run with this, or we're just not gonna work together anymore.
00:15:17.519 --> 00:15:18.480
No harm, no foul.
00:15:18.720 --> 00:15:23.120
But I can't keep, you know, pushing up against a brick wall.
00:15:23.200 --> 00:15:24.879
It's it's nothing's gonna happen.
00:15:25.120 --> 00:15:27.360
Yeah, what they probably need is a press release.
00:15:27.600 --> 00:15:29.120
That'd be the absolutely.
00:15:29.279 --> 00:15:30.720
That will fix it.
00:15:31.919 --> 00:15:32.559
Fix everything.
00:15:32.720 --> 00:15:33.279
All right, cool.
00:15:33.360 --> 00:15:39.120
So, from all the different places you've worked and all the different experiences, what is the best marketing advice you've received?
00:15:39.440 --> 00:15:40.720
Oh my gosh.
00:15:41.039 --> 00:15:44.480
I mean, I know the worst, but um Let's do the worst then.
00:15:44.559 --> 00:15:45.600
Let's do worst than best.
00:15:46.080 --> 00:15:53.840
Well, okay, it's not even marketing, it's just um I was told by a mentor who I paid uh thousands of dollars to that I should probably just get a job.
00:15:54.080 --> 00:16:00.399
Um, I was also told uh by another agency when I was leaving and I was gonna quit and start my own company.
00:16:00.480 --> 00:16:02.720
They said, no one's ever gonna want to work with you.
00:16:02.960 --> 00:16:07.679
And I've consistently had more clients and they do, so that's really fun for me.
00:16:08.000 --> 00:16:20.480
Um that's really hard because I think I've just gotten so much bad advice along the way that I've just figured out what actually works.
00:16:20.720 --> 00:16:28.159
And I think the the best advice I could give, and I've kind of been shown, is you have to be light on your feet.
00:16:28.320 --> 00:16:38.240
If something's not working, you have to pivot quickly, or else you're just gonna end up down this road and it's gonna be hard to get out of, and you're gonna waste a lot of time and a lot of money um and a lot of sleep over it.
00:16:38.480 --> 00:16:43.360
So yeah, just be a being able to pivot if something's not working.
00:16:43.679 --> 00:16:46.559
Um also don't just try to go viral.
00:16:46.799 --> 00:16:51.840
Just like everybody just wants to go viral, and that's ridiculous.
00:16:52.159 --> 00:17:02.559
It'll go viral if it needs to, but um, there's there's there's a lot of easier ways to get your message out there than just hoping and praying that somebody's gonna see it on TikTok.
00:17:02.720 --> 00:17:04.000
Um yeah.
00:17:04.720 --> 00:17:06.400
So what metrics are you using though?
00:17:06.480 --> 00:17:11.039
Because if it's not going viral, which I agree with you, and open rates is always the cliche one.
00:17:11.119 --> 00:17:16.240
What what open rates are you or what what metrics are you using to show if it's successful or not?
00:17:16.799 --> 00:17:24.160
Yeah, so for me, it's obviously analytics for you know, a website, a podcast, that kind of thing.
00:17:24.400 --> 00:17:27.519
Um, and just how many pickups we get for a client.
00:17:27.599 --> 00:17:30.319
So how many mentions when we do get the mentions?
00:17:30.480 --> 00:17:33.839
Um, what are the analytics for that that outlet?
00:17:34.079 --> 00:17:38.880
And then also, you know, I have to tell clients sometimes for me, it is open rates.
00:17:38.960 --> 00:17:42.480
Um, I I will track my open rates for my pitches.
00:17:42.640 --> 00:17:48.000
And if something's getting 30 to 40 percent open rates, I'm like, look, people's eyes are on it.
00:17:48.079 --> 00:17:49.359
And here's here's what I know.
00:17:49.519 --> 00:17:51.599
They're flagging it, they're clicking on it.
00:17:51.680 --> 00:17:57.359
I can see that they're clicking on it, they're just gonna flag it and they're gonna come back to us in six months, and that happens all the time.
00:17:57.599 --> 00:18:08.960
Um, yeah, that's why PR is is truly like a long-term investment because I can send things in the first month and the journalist doesn't respond until the third month, and they want to get an interview.
00:18:09.039 --> 00:18:12.319
And if I'm not working with that person anymore, I can't facilitate it.
00:18:14.480 --> 00:18:15.359
That's some good advice.
00:18:15.519 --> 00:18:21.839
All right, so we're gonna move into confidence, and then after confidence, we're gonna talk, let you do the outro where you talk about your business and how to get a hold of you.
00:18:22.000 --> 00:18:30.000
So let's talk to the people who also want to start their business and they're that that same doubt in your head that you were given when you were trying to step out.
00:18:30.160 --> 00:18:36.000
What things would you tell them to help them build the confidence they need to take the step for themselves?
00:18:36.319 --> 00:18:39.119
Uh, the best thing I can tell you is no one actually knows what they're doing.
00:18:39.200 --> 00:18:40.799
So just remind yourself of that.
00:18:41.039 --> 00:18:44.559
Um at the end of the day, we're all just doing the best we can.
00:18:44.720 --> 00:18:47.279
Nobody knows what they're doing, so calm down.
00:18:47.519 --> 00:18:57.759
Um, the things I always tell people is especially if you're in a position like me where you're you had a job and you wanted to go out on your own, try to find some freelance clients first.
00:18:57.920 --> 00:18:58.880
That's what I did.
00:18:58.960 --> 00:19:06.960
And I was able to find two freelance clients that covered my rent, and that made me secure enough that I knew no matter what I could get my rent paid.
00:19:07.119 --> 00:19:19.200
So then I um made a deal with the agency that I worked at that I could freelance for them and I would not come in the office and I would only do one call a week with them until they found a replacement for me.
00:19:19.359 --> 00:19:24.000
And then mentally it was really just until I could replace that money.
00:19:24.240 --> 00:19:34.400
Um, so within it only took me two months freelancing for them, and I was able to replace my full salary um with them and then was able to actually double it by the end of the year.
00:19:34.559 --> 00:19:37.839
So yeah, just network as much as possible.
00:19:38.079 --> 00:19:40.000
Remind yourself nobody knows what they're doing.
00:19:40.160 --> 00:19:42.559
We're all struggling, we're all just doing the best we can.
00:19:42.720 --> 00:19:50.880
Try to find a few clients that give you that confidence to go out on your own, and then you just have to keep hustling.
00:19:51.200 --> 00:19:53.759
Um, and you will have good years and bad years.
00:19:53.839 --> 00:19:55.839
You will have you will have good weeks and bad weeks.
00:19:56.000 --> 00:20:03.839
Um, I had a mentor tell me that, you know, in their business they had two down years, and then the next year they made more money than they ever had made.
00:20:03.920 --> 00:20:07.839
And that gave me a lot of confidence because the economy sucks right now.
00:20:08.000 --> 00:20:10.240
Um, and we're all struggling.
00:20:10.400 --> 00:20:15.200
So just know it will get better, but you just have to keep that forward movement going.
00:20:15.359 --> 00:20:20.480
And find find a group of friends that are also entrepreneurs that you can just vent to and and chat with.
00:20:21.680 --> 00:20:25.599
I mean, you like Facebook groups or it doesn't matter, like in your community, anywhere else, or anyone.
00:20:25.759 --> 00:20:26.559
Yeah, anything.
00:20:27.279 --> 00:20:28.640
Yeah, there you go.
00:20:29.279 --> 00:20:31.519
Listen to podcasts, find those books.
00:20:31.680 --> 00:20:39.200
Um, but but also when you're listening to them, don't beat yourself up over hearing all these things and thinking you have to check every single box.
00:20:39.359 --> 00:20:45.440
There's still so many things seven years in that I don't do, and I I'm like, whatever, it's things are working fine.
00:20:45.680 --> 00:20:49.519
Um, I have a great group of women that I chat with.
00:20:49.599 --> 00:20:52.799
I started my own community because I was just alone.
00:20:53.119 --> 00:20:54.480
Do that if you need.
00:20:54.720 --> 00:20:56.640
Um, find a mentor.
00:20:56.880 --> 00:21:00.079
If you if joining a mastermind feels good for you, do that.
00:21:00.240 --> 00:21:03.440
I have joined two of them and I hated them and I spent too much money on it.
00:21:03.599 --> 00:21:04.720
They're not for me.
00:21:04.960 --> 00:21:07.680
Um, if you want to invest in a coach, do that.
00:21:07.920 --> 00:21:10.960
Coaches are not for me, but that's okay.
00:21:11.519 --> 00:21:12.559
That is wonderful.
00:21:12.720 --> 00:21:18.079
So the moral of the story here today, just go out and do it, just go out and hustle and do it, and you will find your way.
00:21:18.240 --> 00:21:24.799
Set your one goal and just do the things that are you need to do to fit that one goal and just do whatever you have to do.
00:21:25.119 --> 00:21:25.519
Exactly.
00:21:25.759 --> 00:21:26.640
Is that kind of a moral?
00:21:26.960 --> 00:21:27.279
Awesome.
00:21:27.519 --> 00:21:35.039
Yeah, and and I realize I I probably people are probably listening and they're just like, Oh my god, she is unhinged, she is all over the place.
00:21:35.200 --> 00:21:38.960
Yes, and it's okay and it works, but I'm in PR and I have to be.
00:21:39.039 --> 00:21:44.240
I have I have to just yeah, be going all the time because that's how the media works.
00:21:44.400 --> 00:21:47.279
Um, and you know, it's working out so far.
00:21:47.759 --> 00:21:48.480
That's awesome.
00:21:48.559 --> 00:21:52.880
All right, so we're having you do the outro, talk about your business and where people can get a hold of you.
00:21:53.200 --> 00:21:53.519
Okay.
00:21:53.680 --> 00:21:57.839
Um, I'm all over the internet, Melinda Jackson PR, melindajacksonpr.com.
00:21:57.920 --> 00:22:03.039
I also have a podcast called Unhinged Founder where I chat with female founders and we just complain a lot.
00:22:03.200 --> 00:22:06.319
So if if that's the energy you want to bring into your life, feel free.
00:22:06.480 --> 00:22:08.640
Um, but yeah, find me online.
00:22:08.880 --> 00:22:17.920
Um, I offer obviously traditional PR, podcast booking, podcast pitching, um, VIP days for for those who maybe don't have the budget for a retainer.
00:22:18.160 --> 00:22:25.839
And we just hop on Zoom all day and uh I help you figure out all of your branding, your messaging, uh, your talking points, and I write pitches with you.
00:22:26.079 --> 00:22:29.119
So then you can just run with it and pitch yourself.
00:22:29.359 --> 00:22:32.720
So melindajacksonpr.com at Melinda Jackson.
00:22:33.039 --> 00:22:34.480
I'm all over the place.
00:22:34.720 --> 00:22:36.079
I did see those VIP days.
00:22:36.160 --> 00:22:36.640
Those are pretty cool.
00:22:36.720 --> 00:22:37.759
That was pretty creative of you.
00:22:37.839 --> 00:22:43.200
So, like that at the very least, you should go if you're having issues, do a VIP day and hang out with Melinda for the day.
00:22:43.519 --> 00:22:54.640
Yeah, I think they're really great for people who, like I said, don't have that traditional PR uh budget or or maybe just don't need it yet and can DIY some things themselves.
00:22:54.720 --> 00:22:58.559
So I'll really sit down all day and I teach people everything that they need.
00:22:58.720 --> 00:23:00.880
And uh yeah, we we go from there.
00:23:01.039 --> 00:23:06.880
And that just reminds me, I have to email someone back that did a VIP day with me because they now want to be my client.
00:23:07.039 --> 00:23:08.799
So that's also a thing that happens.
00:23:09.039 --> 00:23:13.920
So they realize that uh they can't do it themselves and they want me to do it.
00:23:14.160 --> 00:23:16.000
So that is awesome.
00:23:16.079 --> 00:23:18.400
All right, we appreciate your help and your guidance today.
00:23:18.559 --> 00:23:22.000
Be sure you go to the website, check her out, listen to a couple of the podcasts as well.
00:23:22.160 --> 00:23:24.880
We thank you and appreciate all the time you spent with us.
00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:04.400
You found the Live Local Marketing Podcast, where business owners share their knowledge about what's working in the market today.
00:00:04.559 --> 00:00:08.160
No fluff, just their experiences and stories from people who are making it happen.
00:00:08.320 --> 00:00:16.719
And if authentic practical marketing resonates with you, be sure to visit Livelocal Warm Marketing.com and learn to grow your business on Warm Marketing Referrals.
00:00:16.879 --> 00:00:18.000
Now, on to the show.
00:00:18.239 --> 00:00:18.559
Welcome.
00:00:18.640 --> 00:00:20.640
Thanks for joining us, Live Local Marketing Podcast.
00:00:20.800 --> 00:00:22.320
Today we're miss Miss Lelinda.
00:00:22.559 --> 00:00:23.600
How are you feeling today?
00:00:23.920 --> 00:00:24.480
I'm good.
00:00:24.559 --> 00:00:27.920
I'm cold, but I'm alive, and that's all that matters, I guess.
00:00:28.239 --> 00:00:29.679
We got hit up a little bit of snow.
00:00:29.839 --> 00:00:31.920
North Carolina's not great with the snow, are they?
00:00:32.079 --> 00:00:32.320
No.
00:00:32.479 --> 00:00:37.679
No, we're all we're stuck inside, and I hate it because I am, I don't like that.
00:00:38.880 --> 00:00:39.520
No worries.
00:00:39.679 --> 00:00:42.560
All right, so we're gonna do a little bit of background and then we'll get right into the questions.
00:00:42.719 --> 00:00:51.920
So uh Melinda spent uh years inside at top PR agencies managing campaigns for musicians, celebrities, brands across America, businesses, lifestyle industries.
00:00:52.079 --> 00:00:54.320
But over time she realized that clients deserve better.
00:00:54.479 --> 00:00:58.240
Too many agencies were offering high retainers and empty promises and zero results.
00:00:58.320 --> 00:01:04.719
So she saw firsthand how clients were overpaying for PR strategies that didn't move the needle, and she knew that she had to do things differently.
00:01:04.799 --> 00:01:15.200
So she launched Melinda Jackson Public Relations shortly after moving back to Raleigh, North Carolina, with the one goal to help clients grow their business by being an extension of their team.
00:01:15.519 --> 00:01:17.359
Melinda, are you ready for the questions?
00:01:17.680 --> 00:01:18.319
I'm ready.
00:01:18.400 --> 00:01:19.280
Let's go.
00:01:19.680 --> 00:01:23.760
Talk to us about a time that you had a loss, and it turned out to be a win.
00:01:24.159 --> 00:01:25.120
Oh my gosh.
00:01:25.439 --> 00:01:27.599
That's that's PR in a nutshell.
00:01:27.680 --> 00:01:29.280
I mean, there's there's so many losses.
00:01:29.439 --> 00:01:38.400
Um, I'd say the biggest one for me was um I got a job at my dream PR agency in Los Angeles, and I was so excited.
00:01:38.480 --> 00:01:42.879
It's what I had worked for for so many years, and it was the worst experience of my life.
00:01:43.040 --> 00:01:46.879
I was working 24-7, um, not making a lot of money.
00:01:47.040 --> 00:01:51.680
I had a very, very toxic boss, and I just went into full-on burnout.
00:01:51.920 --> 00:01:56.159
And because of that, all the work I was doing was wrong.
00:01:56.319 --> 00:02:02.319
Um, I was making mistakes every single day, and I just could not get myself out of that hole because my nervous system was so shot.
00:02:02.480 --> 00:02:04.719
Um, I couldn't keep food down, I couldn't sleep.
00:02:04.799 --> 00:02:14.719
Um, and I realized the that when I was sitting in a car wash and I had my car see all the way back and I was trying to work on my laptop, that there's an issue here.
00:02:14.879 --> 00:02:17.520
Like I can't even take five minutes to feel disconnected.
00:02:17.680 --> 00:02:18.319
There's an issue.
00:02:18.479 --> 00:02:29.439
So I kept going to HR, kept reporting my boss, kept reporting the conditions, and they said finally August 1st, 2016, she hates you, she doesn't want you to work here anymore.
00:02:29.680 --> 00:02:34.000
We're gonna try to find another department for you to go into, but there's no budget right now.
00:02:34.080 --> 00:02:36.240
So you have to wait until the next quarter.
00:02:36.560 --> 00:02:38.080
And I was like, I'm good.
00:02:38.159 --> 00:02:39.919
I'm moving to North Carolina, I'm done.
00:02:40.080 --> 00:02:46.800
So this dream that I'd been working for uh towards for seven years, it all fell apart in in one day, essentially.
00:02:46.879 --> 00:02:51.919
So I took the month, I sold everything I could, I freelanced for a couple of people.
00:02:52.240 --> 00:02:57.280
And um on Labor Day 2016, I moved back to North Carolina.
00:02:57.360 --> 00:03:05.280
I drove, packed up my car and drove all the way across the country from Los Angeles and uh immediately got hired at an agency, hated that.
00:03:05.439 --> 00:03:08.400
Two years later, I started my company and and here we are.
00:03:08.560 --> 00:03:15.120
So um I think even though that's not a work, you know, winner or lose, that's that's a career win.
00:03:15.439 --> 00:03:20.719
Well, it is a work one because I mean you took on your own job and it inspired you to start your own business.
00:03:20.800 --> 00:03:21.919
So it really was.
00:03:22.240 --> 00:03:23.919
Yeah, absolutely.
00:03:24.639 --> 00:03:27.120
So, all right, so talk to us about how you set goals.
00:03:27.199 --> 00:03:28.319
You seem very driven.
00:03:28.479 --> 00:03:30.240
Um, how do you set up your goals?
00:03:30.319 --> 00:03:31.280
How do you follow through with them?
00:03:31.439 --> 00:03:33.039
What does that process look like?
00:03:33.599 --> 00:03:39.039
So I used to set really audacious goals for myself, and I feel like maybe I'm probably a little bit jaded right now.
00:03:39.120 --> 00:03:40.960
So I'm trying to get back to that.
00:03:41.280 --> 00:03:46.639
But I just try to think, okay, what is what is what would the biggest win look like?
00:03:46.800 --> 00:03:49.599
And I'm a big manifestate manifestation girl.
00:03:49.680 --> 00:03:53.919
I love to manifest things, and um, and that's really just goals at the end of the day.
00:03:54.080 --> 00:03:57.039
So I'll I will say, I don't know how I'm gonna get there.
00:03:57.199 --> 00:04:00.319
We will figure it out, we will work towards it every single day.
00:04:00.560 --> 00:04:03.280
But example, like this is a silly one I always use.
00:04:03.439 --> 00:04:06.639
I in during COVID, I said, I'm gonna work for Harry Styles.
00:04:06.800 --> 00:04:12.000
I am going to work for Harry Styles to the point where people literally thought I worked for him, and I was like, absolutely not.
00:04:12.080 --> 00:04:13.919
I wish I do not work for Harry Styles.
00:04:14.240 --> 00:04:18.319
But through that, I started getting back into music PR.
00:04:18.480 --> 00:04:21.920
And some of his team started following me, some of his team started noticing me.
00:04:22.000 --> 00:04:24.639
I started connecting some of his team with other people.
00:04:24.879 --> 00:04:34.560
And so just by by making having that big, crazy, audacious goal that was probably never gonna work, I hit so many, you know, marks along the way.
00:04:34.720 --> 00:04:49.839
So I say, make that huge big goal that maybe is scary and absolutely does not seem like it's ever gonna happen because you will hit some things along the way that will absolutely change the game for you, and they'll still be big wins, you know.
00:04:49.920 --> 00:04:55.839
That that saying where they're like, you know, shoot for the moon, you'll fall amongst the stars, or whatever that that cheesy thing is.
00:04:56.000 --> 00:04:57.040
It's it's true.
00:04:57.199 --> 00:05:07.839
So so I love to make really big, crazy goals um and just see where it takes me because forward movement is better than nothing at the end of the day.
00:05:08.160 --> 00:05:13.600
So if you make the one big goal, does that mean you chunk the steps that would require you to get that one big goal?
00:05:13.680 --> 00:05:14.720
Is that how you do it?
00:05:15.040 --> 00:05:18.000
I don't, um, because I will hyperfixate on it.
00:05:18.160 --> 00:05:20.079
So I am just like, we'll figure it out.
00:05:20.240 --> 00:05:24.720
We will figure it out along the way, and and you kind of tweak as you go.
00:05:25.199 --> 00:05:26.560
Okay, that makes sense too.
00:05:26.639 --> 00:05:26.959
That's good.
00:05:27.040 --> 00:05:30.240
So setting up the one big goal and just following through with it and just shooting the moon.
00:05:30.560 --> 00:05:36.959
Yeah, I because I will hyperfixate and I will just get in my head, and it it was is not good for me mentally.
00:05:37.040 --> 00:05:42.639
I'm too type A for that, which I realize that's very not type A for me to just be like, we'll figure it out.
00:05:42.879 --> 00:05:52.399
But especially in PR when it changes every single day and you're meeting different people every single day, you'll start to see where you're chipping away at it without realizing it.
00:05:52.720 --> 00:05:53.199
Got it.
00:05:53.279 --> 00:05:54.240
That makes complete sense.
00:05:54.399 --> 00:06:02.959
All right, so let's let's talk about some of the cold marketing strategies you're using right now that are working, and some warm marketing strategies right now that you're you're using that are working.
00:06:03.199 --> 00:06:09.360
A quick break before we get to that next answer because I know that answer is going to be brilliant, which is why I chose this moment to interrupt.
00:06:09.600 --> 00:06:16.720
If you love what you're seeing and you want to run your business off of warm marketing and referrals, visit our website, live local warmmarketing.com.
00:06:16.879 --> 00:06:30.879
It's got valuable resources, office hours, memberships, the book, an array of resources to help you get rid of cold calls, cold leads, door knocking, and run a business you can be proud of through referrals and warm marketing.
00:06:31.040 --> 00:06:32.800
Now, back to the show.
00:06:33.199 --> 00:06:42.959
Okay, so cold cold and warm is hard for me because um I have no idea where I get my clients from, truly, um, in terms of growing my business.
00:06:43.040 --> 00:06:43.920
They just find me.
00:06:44.079 --> 00:06:44.720
Uh I don't know.
00:06:44.959 --> 00:06:45.120
Nice.
00:06:45.279 --> 00:06:46.319
I don't, I don't know.
00:06:46.480 --> 00:06:50.879
Um, I get I I never do cold outreach when it comes to growing my business.
00:06:51.120 --> 00:06:55.279
I obviously have to do that when it comes to PR for other people's business.
00:06:55.439 --> 00:07:04.079
So the state, the state of PR right now um is horrible because the state of traditional media is horrible.
00:07:04.319 --> 00:07:08.319
Our the writers that used to work somewhere are no longer employed.
00:07:08.480 --> 00:07:12.319
They're creating podcasts or they're writing Substacks, so you have to pivot.
00:07:12.480 --> 00:07:17.120
Um, so I would say like 90% of my PR outreach is cold and it does work.
00:07:17.279 --> 00:07:24.079
Um, because if you have a story and you have a message and you know you're being a resource, then they will use you.
00:07:24.240 --> 00:07:31.199
Um, and then a lot of times in PR, my warm bleeds just don't don't have anything that's a good fit for my client at that time.
00:07:31.360 --> 00:07:35.279
So that's when you got to pivot to the cold and you just figure it out from there.
00:07:35.519 --> 00:07:47.839
Um and just truly with PR the way things are, you have to you have to be on your toes every day and not get discouraged because every no is getting you closer to a yes, and it's truly a numbers game.
00:07:48.000 --> 00:07:53.439
Um, I know a lot of publicists will say, do not reach out to a cold lead, try to make everything warm.
00:07:53.600 --> 00:07:54.240
Who cares?
00:07:54.399 --> 00:07:57.439
Like like everybody's trying at the end of the day.
00:07:57.519 --> 00:08:00.639
If you have something good, it will resonate and it'll be all right.
00:08:00.959 --> 00:08:03.920
But and then and then on the business side, go ahead.
00:08:04.000 --> 00:08:04.480
I'm sorry.
00:08:04.720 --> 00:08:06.160
No, no, on the business side.
00:08:06.319 --> 00:08:09.680
Yeah, on the business side, I get warm leads all day, every day.
00:08:09.759 --> 00:08:13.120
That's that's mostly where I I would say my clients come from.
00:08:13.439 --> 00:08:14.720
That was gonna be my question.
00:08:14.800 --> 00:08:17.600
So you see people gravitate to you, you just get your clients.
00:08:17.759 --> 00:08:18.879
Do you do anything special?
00:08:18.959 --> 00:08:20.560
Like, do you have a certain presence online?
00:08:20.720 --> 00:08:22.319
Do you have networking meetings?
00:08:22.399 --> 00:08:22.879
Like, what do you do?
00:08:22.959 --> 00:08:23.680
You what do you have to do?
00:08:23.759 --> 00:08:31.600
Something um my social media presence is horrible in terms of business because I don't I I'm too close to it.
00:08:31.680 --> 00:08:40.720
I don't know what people care about, and I don't want to be that cheesy publicist that's like I can get you into Forbes because you can't, like it's you can't promise anyone that.
00:08:40.960 --> 00:08:44.879
Um so I just I see what I hate and I don't want to do it.
00:08:44.960 --> 00:08:48.879
So that makes me almost like completely go the opposite direction.
00:08:49.120 --> 00:08:53.679
Um, I just I get a lot of a lot of warm leads just from being out in life.
00:08:53.759 --> 00:08:58.080
I feel like I'm kind of omnipresent, I'm at everything and um I'm everywhere all the time.
00:08:58.240 --> 00:09:02.799
I also host um a female founder networking group here in Raleigh once a month.
00:09:03.279 --> 00:09:11.200
Um, and I haven't really gotten any clients from that yet, but I mean, we have 400 women that have attended, so they all know I exist at this point.
00:09:11.919 --> 00:09:12.799
Holy smoke.
00:09:12.879 --> 00:09:16.240
Well, I mean, they may not be buying stuff, but they're friends and friends and friends, like every person knows.
00:09:17.919 --> 00:09:20.559
If you have 400 people showing up, you know 800 people.
00:09:20.799 --> 00:09:21.919
Yep, exactly.
00:09:22.000 --> 00:09:25.519
So that's why my friends always say, You're omnipresent, you're literally everywhere.
00:09:25.679 --> 00:09:27.200
I'm like Jesus at this point.
00:09:27.360 --> 00:09:32.000
But people find me and people refer me, or they'll say, Hey, Amanda, refer me.
00:09:32.080 --> 00:09:34.159
I don't know who Amanda is, but let's go.
00:09:34.240 --> 00:09:35.919
I like I'll help you, girl.
00:09:36.159 --> 00:09:37.919
Yeah, that is awesome.
00:09:38.000 --> 00:09:42.320
All right, so talk to us about a strategy since you do mostly worm and you have a few things going on.
00:09:42.399 --> 00:09:44.799
What strategy with your clients do you not do anymore?
00:09:44.960 --> 00:09:46.480
Like, this is ROI's crap.
00:09:46.559 --> 00:09:47.039
Don't bother.
00:09:47.200 --> 00:09:48.080
Oh my gosh.
00:09:48.320 --> 00:09:51.519
A freaking putting a press release on a news wire.
00:09:51.600 --> 00:09:53.360
Like sometimes I have to do that.
00:09:53.600 --> 00:09:57.840
Um, because I do have biotech clients and they kind of require that.
00:09:58.080 --> 00:10:05.360
Um, their shareholders want to see that it's been on a wire and and been on AP and all these things, and it's it's that quick gratification.
00:10:05.679 --> 00:10:13.759
But a wire costs$3,000, and yes, you're gonna get four to five hundred backlinks for it, but no one's ever gonna see that.
00:10:14.080 --> 00:10:29.679
So I would much rather um someone pay me$3,000 and I do outreach, and we get them 10 to 12 really solid, organic, long-form content articles and get them on a couple of podcasts, maybe get them a speaking engagement.
00:10:29.840 --> 00:10:35.360
That is gonna move the needle more so than a flash in the pan press release that no one's ever gonna see.
00:10:35.600 --> 00:10:40.080
Um, I hate that there are publicists out there that just live and die by a press release.
00:10:40.240 --> 00:10:41.840
Uh, most of the time you don't need it.
00:10:41.919 --> 00:10:43.360
And I refuse to do it for clients.
00:10:43.440 --> 00:10:47.039
A lot of times when they say, I think I need a press release, I say, absolutely you do not.
00:10:47.200 --> 00:10:49.519
Like we can figure this out another way.
00:10:50.159 --> 00:10:53.120
I press, I don't even know if I've ever seen a press release.
00:10:53.759 --> 00:10:55.039
I've never been, I'm I'm involved.
00:10:55.120 --> 00:10:57.519
I don't know if I've ever so when he a press release, what is it?
00:10:57.600 --> 00:10:58.559
What do they put it in newspaper?
00:10:58.720 --> 00:11:07.759
They put it online, like a press release is that thing where it has like the headline and it says like probably North Carolina, January 31st, you know, whatever.
00:11:07.840 --> 00:11:12.799
And it's like today, Melinda Jackson announces and then it has a quote, and then it's got all this stuff.
00:11:12.879 --> 00:11:15.360
It's so formal, and you do not need it anymore.
00:11:15.519 --> 00:11:16.879
Writers do not want it.
00:11:17.039 --> 00:11:20.799
When people think public relations, they think equals press release.
00:11:20.960 --> 00:11:22.000
You do not need it anymore.
00:11:22.080 --> 00:11:23.120
It's 2026.
00:11:23.279 --> 00:11:30.799
You can send someone an email and get just as much coverage, if not more, that has four sentences that says, Hey, I'm Melinda, this is what I'm doing.
00:11:30.879 --> 00:11:32.399
I would love to chat with you about it.
00:11:32.720 --> 00:11:33.360
Done.
00:11:34.159 --> 00:11:36.080
Do you do a lot of emails?
00:11:36.799 --> 00:11:38.159
That's 90% of it.
00:11:38.480 --> 00:11:40.799
I don't know why I'm saying 90, it's 100% of what I do.
00:11:41.039 --> 00:11:43.279
I tell people I just send emails all day.
00:11:43.679 --> 00:11:45.039
That's what I do.
00:11:45.840 --> 00:11:53.440
I mean, it's gotta be you, yeah, it's gotta be the wording's gotta be perfect because so many people now are just using AI to write their emails and it's not landing with everybody.
00:11:54.080 --> 00:11:54.559
I know.
00:11:54.799 --> 00:12:02.879
And and like there is a time and a place for AI, and I do use it a lot, but I will fuss at my chat GPT all day long.
00:12:03.120 --> 00:12:10.960
But I I also will build my own GBTs that has all of my knowledge in it and everything that I want in it, and I'll build it specifically for the client.
00:12:11.120 --> 00:12:21.039
So then I'll go through, say I'm doing podcast pitching and I'm just stumped on one, I'll put it in a chat GPT for that client and I'll just ask, is this a good fit?
00:12:21.120 --> 00:12:24.320
And if so, would would these topics work to pitch to them?
00:12:24.399 --> 00:12:25.360
And it'll say yes or no.
00:12:25.440 --> 00:12:28.639
And sometimes they're like, Look, that is such a stretch, don't even try.
00:12:28.879 --> 00:12:34.240
That's when I use it, but I don't use it just to write every single thing that I do because people can tell.
00:12:34.480 --> 00:12:37.840
And also you're gonna lose a lot of the nuance in it.
00:12:38.320 --> 00:12:39.360
So let's, Larry.
00:12:39.440 --> 00:12:50.320
So now that you talked about your business and you talked about the emailing, let's let's how do you get the branding from that company to know what you're putting those emails before you even give it to Chat GPT for ideas?
00:12:50.639 --> 00:12:51.039
Yeah.
00:12:51.200 --> 00:13:01.759
So when I'm onboarding a client, we will always have a call just like this where we just chat and uh we talk crap to each other and just try to figure out what are some nuggets that I can pull out of them?
00:13:01.919 --> 00:13:06.080
Because people are so close to their brand that they shoot themselves in the foot a lot.
00:13:06.159 --> 00:13:13.440
And I'm sure you understand this, where they'll say, okay, this is my target audience and this is what they want, and um, this is what they're doing.
00:13:13.600 --> 00:13:19.600
And half the time they don't even have their target target audience down pat and they don't understand them.
00:13:20.000 --> 00:13:26.000
Um, I know especially a lot of the female founders that I work with, they they're like, no one's gonna care.
00:13:26.159 --> 00:13:27.120
No one's gonna care about this.
00:13:27.279 --> 00:13:28.559
Yes, they will care about it.
00:13:28.720 --> 00:13:30.240
Um, are you a military spouse?
00:13:30.399 --> 00:13:31.600
Are you a working mother?
00:13:31.759 --> 00:13:34.080
Um, those are the stories that people want to see.
00:13:34.240 --> 00:13:35.279
Are you a person of color?
00:13:35.440 --> 00:13:37.200
People, people want to talk to you.
00:13:37.440 --> 00:13:44.159
Um, so I try to dig out those things where they just think no one's gonna care, and that's what we run with.
00:13:44.240 --> 00:13:46.799
And a lot of times that's what we see works the best.
00:13:47.360 --> 00:13:52.480
Do you have like a formal like handout you do, or you like everything else, you just kind of jump in there and wing it?
00:13:52.720 --> 00:13:53.039
Yeah.
00:13:53.120 --> 00:13:58.639
So I do have I do have a handout that I'll do when I'm doing presentations, but otherwise I'm such a wing it person.
00:13:58.720 --> 00:14:04.080
I I do a lot of stuff intuitively, and I know this sounds crazy, but I know I mean I've been I've been in PR for 16 years.
00:14:04.240 --> 00:14:05.519
I can clock it.
00:14:05.679 --> 00:14:12.639
Um, but I do have a handout, and one of the questions on there is to is if your company were to die today, what would the obituary say?
00:14:12.799 --> 00:14:18.960
And that I stole that from an agency I worked at, but that really helps you figure out am I actually doing what I think I'm doing?
00:14:19.039 --> 00:14:20.320
And most of the time it's no.
00:14:20.480 --> 00:14:23.440
And does my messaging reflect what I want to be?
00:14:23.679 --> 00:14:35.679
If you want to be known for like wonderful customer service and like warm, just cozy feelings from your clients, you have to make sure all of your branding matches that and all of your your messaging does too.
00:14:36.000 --> 00:14:39.679
How do you know when to push back and when to just let it ride?
00:14:39.759 --> 00:14:41.600
And that's their brand.
00:14:42.639 --> 00:14:47.840
Um, I think you can tell pretty quickly if somebody just is so adamant on not changing things.
00:14:47.919 --> 00:14:53.039
Um, and I've had to do that before, and I've definitely had some clients where I'm like, screw it, I'm just gonna show them.
00:14:53.200 --> 00:14:55.120
And literally, I I have that.
00:14:55.279 --> 00:14:56.399
I have that later.
00:14:56.480 --> 00:14:58.399
Um, I have a call with a client later.
00:14:58.480 --> 00:14:59.840
We've been working together for a month.
00:14:59.919 --> 00:15:01.039
It's not working.
00:15:01.200 --> 00:15:05.200
The messaging they want is not working, the target media they want is not working.
00:15:05.360 --> 00:15:12.799
And so, look, I try in the first month, and then we get on a call and I'm like, okay, we gotta figure this out.
00:15:13.039 --> 00:15:17.440
Either you let me run with this, or we're just not gonna work together anymore.
00:15:17.519 --> 00:15:18.480
No harm, no foul.
00:15:18.720 --> 00:15:23.120
But I can't keep, you know, pushing up against a brick wall.
00:15:23.200 --> 00:15:24.879
It's it's nothing's gonna happen.
00:15:25.120 --> 00:15:27.360
Yeah, what they probably need is a press release.
00:15:27.600 --> 00:15:29.120
That'd be the absolutely.
00:15:29.279 --> 00:15:30.720
That will fix it.
00:15:31.919 --> 00:15:32.559
Fix everything.
00:15:32.720 --> 00:15:33.279
All right, cool.
00:15:33.360 --> 00:15:39.120
So, from all the different places you've worked and all the different experiences, what is the best marketing advice you've received?
00:15:39.440 --> 00:15:40.720
Oh my gosh.
00:15:41.039 --> 00:15:44.480
I mean, I know the worst, but um Let's do the worst then.
00:15:44.559 --> 00:15:45.600
Let's do worst than best.
00:15:46.080 --> 00:15:53.840
Well, okay, it's not even marketing, it's just um I was told by a mentor who I paid uh thousands of dollars to that I should probably just get a job.
00:15:54.080 --> 00:16:00.399
Um, I was also told uh by another agency when I was leaving and I was gonna quit and start my own company.
00:16:00.480 --> 00:16:02.720
They said, no one's ever gonna want to work with you.
00:16:02.960 --> 00:16:07.679
And I've consistently had more clients and they do, so that's really fun for me.
00:16:08.000 --> 00:16:20.480
Um that's really hard because I think I've just gotten so much bad advice along the way that I've just figured out what actually works.
00:16:20.720 --> 00:16:28.159
And I think the the best advice I could give, and I've kind of been shown, is you have to be light on your feet.
00:16:28.320 --> 00:16:38.240
If something's not working, you have to pivot quickly, or else you're just gonna end up down this road and it's gonna be hard to get out of, and you're gonna waste a lot of time and a lot of money um and a lot of sleep over it.
00:16:38.480 --> 00:16:43.360
So yeah, just be a being able to pivot if something's not working.
00:16:43.679 --> 00:16:46.559
Um also don't just try to go viral.
00:16:46.799 --> 00:16:51.840
Just like everybody just wants to go viral, and that's ridiculous.
00:16:52.159 --> 00:17:02.559
It'll go viral if it needs to, but um, there's there's there's a lot of easier ways to get your message out there than just hoping and praying that somebody's gonna see it on TikTok.
00:17:02.720 --> 00:17:04.000
Um yeah.
00:17:04.720 --> 00:17:06.400
So what metrics are you using though?
00:17:06.480 --> 00:17:11.039
Because if it's not going viral, which I agree with you, and open rates is always the cliche one.
00:17:11.119 --> 00:17:16.240
What what open rates are you or what what metrics are you using to show if it's successful or not?
00:17:16.799 --> 00:17:24.160
Yeah, so for me, it's obviously analytics for you know, a website, a podcast, that kind of thing.
00:17:24.400 --> 00:17:27.519
Um, and just how many pickups we get for a client.
00:17:27.599 --> 00:17:30.319
So how many mentions when we do get the mentions?
00:17:30.480 --> 00:17:33.839
Um, what are the analytics for that that outlet?
00:17:34.079 --> 00:17:38.880
And then also, you know, I have to tell clients sometimes for me, it is open rates.
00:17:38.960 --> 00:17:42.480
Um, I I will track my open rates for my pitches.
00:17:42.640 --> 00:17:48.000
And if something's getting 30 to 40 percent open rates, I'm like, look, people's eyes are on it.
00:17:48.079 --> 00:17:49.359
And here's here's what I know.
00:17:49.519 --> 00:17:51.599
They're flagging it, they're clicking on it.
00:17:51.680 --> 00:17:57.359
I can see that they're clicking on it, they're just gonna flag it and they're gonna come back to us in six months, and that happens all the time.
00:17:57.599 --> 00:18:08.960
Um, yeah, that's why PR is is truly like a long-term investment because I can send things in the first month and the journalist doesn't respond until the third month, and they want to get an interview.
00:18:09.039 --> 00:18:12.319
And if I'm not working with that person anymore, I can't facilitate it.
00:18:14.480 --> 00:18:15.359
That's some good advice.
00:18:15.519 --> 00:18:21.839
All right, so we're gonna move into confidence, and then after confidence, we're gonna talk, let you do the outro where you talk about your business and how to get a hold of you.
00:18:22.000 --> 00:18:30.000
So let's talk to the people who also want to start their business and they're that that same doubt in your head that you were given when you were trying to step out.
00:18:30.160 --> 00:18:36.000
What things would you tell them to help them build the confidence they need to take the step for themselves?
00:18:36.319 --> 00:18:39.119
Uh, the best thing I can tell you is no one actually knows what they're doing.
00:18:39.200 --> 00:18:40.799
So just remind yourself of that.
00:18:41.039 --> 00:18:44.559
Um at the end of the day, we're all just doing the best we can.
00:18:44.720 --> 00:18:47.279
Nobody knows what they're doing, so calm down.
00:18:47.519 --> 00:18:57.759
Um, the things I always tell people is especially if you're in a position like me where you're you had a job and you wanted to go out on your own, try to find some freelance clients first.
00:18:57.920 --> 00:18:58.880
That's what I did.
00:18:58.960 --> 00:19:06.960
And I was able to find two freelance clients that covered my rent, and that made me secure enough that I knew no matter what I could get my rent paid.
00:19:07.119 --> 00:19:19.200
So then I um made a deal with the agency that I worked at that I could freelance for them and I would not come in the office and I would only do one call a week with them until they found a replacement for me.
00:19:19.359 --> 00:19:24.000
And then mentally it was really just until I could replace that money.
00:19:24.240 --> 00:19:34.400
Um, so within it only took me two months freelancing for them, and I was able to replace my full salary um with them and then was able to actually double it by the end of the year.
00:19:34.559 --> 00:19:37.839
So yeah, just network as much as possible.
00:19:38.079 --> 00:19:40.000
Remind yourself nobody knows what they're doing.
00:19:40.160 --> 00:19:42.559
We're all struggling, we're all just doing the best we can.
00:19:42.720 --> 00:19:50.880
Try to find a few clients that give you that confidence to go out on your own, and then you just have to keep hustling.
00:19:51.200 --> 00:19:53.759
Um, and you will have good years and bad years.
00:19:53.839 --> 00:19:55.839
You will have you will have good weeks and bad weeks.
00:19:56.000 --> 00:20:03.839
Um, I had a mentor tell me that, you know, in their business they had two down years, and then the next year they made more money than they ever had made.
00:20:03.920 --> 00:20:07.839
And that gave me a lot of confidence because the economy sucks right now.
00:20:08.000 --> 00:20:10.240
Um, and we're all struggling.
00:20:10.400 --> 00:20:15.200
So just know it will get better, but you just have to keep that forward movement going.
00:20:15.359 --> 00:20:20.480
And find find a group of friends that are also entrepreneurs that you can just vent to and and chat with.
00:20:21.680 --> 00:20:25.599
I mean, you like Facebook groups or it doesn't matter, like in your community, anywhere else, or anyone.
00:20:25.759 --> 00:20:26.559
Yeah, anything.
00:20:27.279 --> 00:20:28.640
Yeah, there you go.
00:20:29.279 --> 00:20:31.519
Listen to podcasts, find those books.
00:20:31.680 --> 00:20:39.200
Um, but but also when you're listening to them, don't beat yourself up over hearing all these things and thinking you have to check every single box.
00:20:39.359 --> 00:20:45.440
There's still so many things seven years in that I don't do, and I I'm like, whatever, it's things are working fine.
00:20:45.680 --> 00:20:49.519
Um, I have a great group of women that I chat with.
00:20:49.599 --> 00:20:52.799
I started my own community because I was just alone.
00:20:53.119 --> 00:20:54.480
Do that if you need.
00:20:54.720 --> 00:20:56.640
Um, find a mentor.
00:20:56.880 --> 00:21:00.079
If you if joining a mastermind feels good for you, do that.
00:21:00.240 --> 00:21:03.440
I have joined two of them and I hated them and I spent too much money on it.
00:21:03.599 --> 00:21:04.720
They're not for me.
00:21:04.960 --> 00:21:07.680
Um, if you want to invest in a coach, do that.
00:21:07.920 --> 00:21:10.960
Coaches are not for me, but that's okay.
00:21:11.519 --> 00:21:12.559
That is wonderful.
00:21:12.720 --> 00:21:18.079
So the moral of the story here today, just go out and do it, just go out and hustle and do it, and you will find your way.
00:21:18.240 --> 00:21:24.799
Set your one goal and just do the things that are you need to do to fit that one goal and just do whatever you have to do.
00:21:25.119 --> 00:21:25.519
Exactly.
00:21:25.759 --> 00:21:26.640
Is that kind of a moral?
00:21:26.960 --> 00:21:27.279
Awesome.
00:21:27.519 --> 00:21:35.039
Yeah, and and I realize I I probably people are probably listening and they're just like, Oh my god, she is unhinged, she is all over the place.
00:21:35.200 --> 00:21:38.960
Yes, and it's okay and it works, but I'm in PR and I have to be.
00:21:39.039 --> 00:21:44.240
I have I have to just yeah, be going all the time because that's how the media works.
00:21:44.400 --> 00:21:47.279
Um, and you know, it's working out so far.
00:21:47.759 --> 00:21:48.480
That's awesome.
00:21:48.559 --> 00:21:52.880
All right, so we're having you do the outro, talk about your business and where people can get a hold of you.
00:21:53.200 --> 00:21:53.519
Okay.
00:21:53.680 --> 00:21:57.839
Um, I'm all over the internet, Melinda Jackson PR, melindajacksonpr.com.
00:21:57.920 --> 00:22:03.039
I also have a podcast called Unhinged Founder where I chat with female founders and we just complain a lot.
00:22:03.200 --> 00:22:06.319
So if if that's the energy you want to bring into your life, feel free.
00:22:06.480 --> 00:22:08.640
Um, but yeah, find me online.
00:22:08.880 --> 00:22:17.920
Um, I offer obviously traditional PR, podcast booking, podcast pitching, um, VIP days for for those who maybe don't have the budget for a retainer.
00:22:18.160 --> 00:22:25.839
And we just hop on Zoom all day and uh I help you figure out all of your branding, your messaging, uh, your talking points, and I write pitches with you.
00:22:26.079 --> 00:22:29.119
So then you can just run with it and pitch yourself.
00:22:29.359 --> 00:22:32.720
So melindajacksonpr.com at Melinda Jackson.
00:22:33.039 --> 00:22:34.480
I'm all over the place.
00:22:34.720 --> 00:22:36.079
I did see those VIP days.
00:22:36.160 --> 00:22:36.640
Those are pretty cool.
00:22:36.720 --> 00:22:37.759
That was pretty creative of you.
00:22:37.839 --> 00:22:43.200
So, like that at the very least, you should go if you're having issues, do a VIP day and hang out with Melinda for the day.
00:22:43.519 --> 00:22:54.640
Yeah, I think they're really great for people who, like I said, don't have that traditional PR uh budget or or maybe just don't need it yet and can DIY some things themselves.
00:22:54.720 --> 00:22:58.559
So I'll really sit down all day and I teach people everything that they need.
00:22:58.720 --> 00:23:00.880
And uh yeah, we we go from there.
00:23:01.039 --> 00:23:06.880
And that just reminds me, I have to email someone back that did a VIP day with me because they now want to be my client.
00:23:07.039 --> 00:23:08.799
So that's also a thing that happens.
00:23:09.039 --> 00:23:13.920
So they realize that uh they can't do it themselves and they want me to do it.
00:23:14.160 --> 00:23:16.000
So that is awesome.
00:23:16.079 --> 00:23:18.400
All right, we appreciate your help and your guidance today.
00:23:18.559 --> 00:23:22.000
Be sure you go to the website, check her out, listen to a couple of the podcasts as well.
00:23:22.160 --> 00:23:24.880
We thank you and appreciate all the time you spent with us.
