I subscribe to SpeakerNetNews, and while I’m by no means a seasoned speaker like my clients, I do want to keep on top of the happenings in the industry. I also need to pick up tips for the speaking engagements I have on the horizon. In one issue I saw a question posed by a speaker, Annie Jennings, and I emailed her off-list with a possible solution. While I unfortunately didn’t solve her problem, She did send me a prompt, courteous reply.
Yesterday when I retrieved my snail mail, I got a nice packet from Annie Jennings PR with some promotional flyers, a business card, a handwritten note from her and a free audio CD on how to build a platform. What a nice gesture.
I have to say I loved the CD and I definitely plan to put my new knowledge to use. I recommend checking out her site. She has a newsletter, and also has a number of public relations resources for free or purchase.
I can not stress enough the importance of public relations. To me, it’s not about inflating your resume and being dishonest, it’s leveraging your talents and experience to gain you more exposure. It’s all about being the “expert” in your field, and as I expand my business, that is my goal–not just to be a “good” VA, but to be “the best.”