Episode 8: From Unknown to Unstoppable: PR Hacks for Entrepreneurs with Sarah Ramsey
Show Notes:
Pull up a chair as Dani chats with PR powerhouse Sarah Ramsey of Pitch PR about how service-based entrepreneurs and founders can harness public relations—no gatekeepers, no prerequisites required. Sarah gets real about the myths of PR, why you’re probably already doing it (surprise!), and simple, strategic ways to build name recognition and trust whether you’re just starting out or scaling up. Expect insightful frameworks, actionable tips, and a fresh boost of permission to boldly own your expertise.
Listen if you’ve been:
Wondering why social media engagement is tanking and what actually moves the needle for service-based businesses these days.
Feeling stuck in the fog of “do I need PR yet?” or “am I even allowed to pitch myself?”—and craving some strategic clarity and gentle permission.
Tired of chasing viral moments and “tier one” press only to realize that what actually matters is building authentic local and industry authority.
Scared to sell yourself because you’re too close to your own story and don’t know what’s truly newsworthy—or how to show up like a pro in interviews and features.
Ready for visibility that feels strategic, approachable, and yes, a little bit fun—without needing a massive ad budget or exhausting hustle.
Key Takeaways:
PR is Permissionless and Accessible: You don’t need gatekeepers or fancy prerequisites—if you’re talking to people (online, in person, or at events), you’re already doing PR and building visibility for your business.
Focus Local and Niche Before Going National: National features sound flashy, but local press, industry podcasts, and niche newsletters actually build trust and drive action with your ideal clients far more effectively—especially in early stages.
“Pay-to-Play” Isn’t Always Required: Sponsored content in local publications can help, but most real coverage and authority come from organic, newsworthy stories that matter to your community or sector.
Outside Perspective and Media Training Matter: DIY PR is possible for founders, but having a strategic advisor or expert in your corner (even for a short time) can reveal the stories you’re too close to see and ensure you show up confidently and authentically for media opportunitiese of outside perspective and media training.
About Sarah:
Sarah Ramsey is the founder of Pitch PR, where she helps authors, thought leaders, and entrepreneurs build lasting name recognition and engaged audiences. With over 15 years in newsrooms and extensive communications leadership for government and nonprofits, she specializes in turning bright ideas—and the people behind them—into household names. Sarah’s approach is practical, authentic, and relentlessly supportive, making PR accessible for businesses at any stage.
Website: www.sarahramsey.com
Instagram: @PRPinchHitter
Email: sarah@sarahramsey.com
In This Episode:
PR isn’t reserved for “big names”—every entrepreneur benefits from visibility strategies that feel authentic and sustainable.
Sarah demystifies the difference between marketing, PR, and brand—and how their overlap fuels audience trust and growth.
Why local, niche, or industry-specific media coverage almost always beats chasing national features (especially early on).
Hot take: Attending events, commenting online, and connecting with your audience is already PR.
Pay-to-play vs. organic coverage—how to decide what actually moves the needle for your client base.
Permission: “Nobody needs to grant you permission to do PR”—practically, emotionally, and tactically.
When to DIY, when to get expert support, and the real value of outside perspective and media training.
Want the dish on her dish?
Drop me a DM on @MiseenPlan and we'll be happy to share her recipe for her macaroni & cheese!
See you next time, I’ll save you a seat!
Transcript:
Dani | The Table Podcast (00:01.208)
Welcome back to the table, the podcast where we dive into the real stories and strategies behind building a brand and doing it on your own terms. I'm your host and strategic marketing advisor, Dani, here with a very special guest, Sarah Ramsey of Pitch PR, to answer some of your burning questions around marketing, around strategy, around entrepreneurship, and about PR. Hey, Sarah, welcome.
Sarah Ramsey (00:25.745)
Hi, Dani, I am so happy to be here.
Dani | The Table Podcast (00:28.976)
I'm so excited to have you, because let me tell you how excited I am to have this episode, because this topic has really been very top of mind for me and for a lot of my clients over the last few months when it comes to PR and public relations, because honestly, with social media taking such a big hit when it comes to getting organic reach, which is just...at first I thought it was me, but it's pretty ubiquitous. It's pretty everywhere.
Being able to think about other ways of getting in front of your ideal audience on a more, on a big scale like you used to be able to do with social media. getting into articles, both on paper or online, or getting other people to talk about you is a really attractive alternative option. And of course, that's not even all that PR is. There's so much more to it. And that's exactly what you do.
Sarah Ramsey (01:25.801)
That is what I do.
Dani | The Table Podcast (01:28.298)
my gosh, so to introduce Sarah, Sarah is a public relations expert and she helps authors and thought leaders increase their name recognition and build that engaged audience. As a strategic communications leader working for the federal government and for nonprofits, she's been able to turn senior execs into household names, superstar. And not only that, she also spent 15 years working in newsrooms, both as an in-house public affairs officer
and as a staff writer for media outlets. Now, as the founder of Pitch PR, she advises authors, thought leaders, and entrepreneurs on how to grow that name recognition that we're all desperately seeking, get more media coverage, and build an engaged audience. So basically, you're a superstar for anything you would need PR related. Now, Sarah and I are long-time coffee pals and our conversations.
often center around the realities and hardships of being solo founders, sometimes tears are shed into our lattes, but we often devolve into food. In fact, as I was getting ready for this, I had a memory of the day that you and I first met. I think we were at that event and you and I met because we were standing on this side reviewing the pizza options that were available.
and talking about which ones we liked best.
Sarah Ramsey (02:57.683)
Yes, yes, that is exactly.
Dani | The Table Podcast (03:01.838)
And then we clicked and then we got coffee and know, Bob's your uncle. Here we are now.
Sarah Ramsey (03:06.921)
Because at a business networking event, the food is important, so...
Dani | The Table Podcast (03:12.334)
It's really important and it's just such a great icebreaker and you can really tell a lot about a person by what they pick from the buffet line. Well, this is the table and this is the audio dinner party for entrepreneurs, founders and the like. And so I want to know that question that I ask everybody, what are you bringing?
Sarah Ramsey (03:21.833)
very much so yes.
Sarah Ramsey (03:37.585)
Okay, mac and cheese, but not just any mac and cheese. The way I do my mac and cheese is I do caramelized onions, which I do myself. And I do baked mac and cheese, caramelized onions, and then top it with fried onions. So and sometimes like sage if I'm feeling fancy and occasionally I'll throw in like butternut squash and do like a
whole, I mean that makes it healthy, right? If you put a vegetable in there, it has to be healthy.
Dani | The Table Podcast (04:11.949)
I mean, you had me at onions, but yes, keep putting in more veggies. It's absolutely healthy. Now, when you make your mac and cheese, do you do it with like a milk sauce or are you more of a like?
Sarah Ramsey (04:22.909)
Yeah, do. Whole nine yards. I do a bechamel and then melt the cheese in there and then toss the whole thing together and put it in the oven and then add more cheese on top and then add the fried onions on top and then, yeah.
Dani | The Table Podcast (04:39.437)
Speaking my language. Okay, you're invited when this happens for real. I saw I cannot wait. That sounds so good. All right, I guess we have to talk about PR or talk about marketing. And so I guess that actually is a really good place to start, which is, I get a lot of people asking me questions about what is the difference between public relations, PR, and marketing? How do you explain the difference between those? How are they the same?
Sarah Ramsey (04:51.817)
Yeah.
Dani | The Table Podcast (05:08.909)
How are they different?
Sarah Ramsey (05:10.067)
Yeah, because I think it is, sometimes it feels confusing because the same activities can be one or the other. They can be both. My definition is marketing is about selling a product. PR is about selling you, your ideas, your thoughts. It is the long game. Marketing tends to be a much shorter game.
Dani | The Table Podcast (05:32.108)
Hmm.
Sarah Ramsey (05:39.719)
you run a social media ad, you get a customer, you get a client. While PR can have that result, it is a much longer game. PR is really about building name recognition and trust with your audience. So even if it does have an immediate payoff,
Dani | The Table Podcast (05:45.1)
Mm-hmm.
Sarah Ramsey (06:07.783)
The true payoff is a much longer game. And it really is, it is less about selling a thing and more about your personal brand, even in your professional identity, but what you are thinking.
Dani | The Table Podcast (06:24.833)
that is actually a really great way of looking at it, especially for entrepreneurs, especially for founders who so many of us are our own brand. Even if we have a different brand name, people are essentially buying from us. They need the trust, they need the awareness, and they need the affinity for the person for whom they're trusting behind the brand.
Sarah Ramsey (06:52.071)
Because people don't buy, I mean, people do buy products, but they really buy who you are, especially when you're in a service-based industry. When you want somebody to trust, when you want somebody to give you a lot of money and trust you enough to help them, to support them, do whatever it is that they do, they have
Dani | The Table Podcast (07:00.983)
Mm-hmm.
Sarah Ramsey (07:21.285)
to they have to feel comfortable with you. They have to know who you are. and I do think this works, you know, even with product based brands, know, Kellogg's, Nike, you know, people buy from them because they because they feel something and oftentimes they feel, you know, that they know
Dani | The Table Podcast (07:43.117)
Mm-hmm.
Sarah Ramsey (07:50.587)
In this day and age, yeah, I'm sorry, I'm gonna get on my soapbox here. In this day and age, we all have parasocial relationships with brand names, whether it is a brand or a person. And we get that because we're all looking for community, we are all looking for connection, we are all looking to trust people and form relationships with people.
And sometimes that relationship happens to be with a pair of sneakers or a bag. I have a Kate Spade bag that I freaking adore. And so now I'm predisposed to like anything, any bags that Kate Spade puts out because I have this one that not only do I love, but every time I take it out, I get a compliment on it.
And that makes me feel good. I trust the brand. And so that generates even more trust. So I think it works the same way with entrepreneurs. We want people to like us and trust us so they will buy from us. And that means letting people know us.
Dani | The Table Podcast (09:09.514)
Absolutely.
Sarah Ramsey (09:10.441)
I feel like we went in a really big circle.
Dani | The Table Podcast (09:13.749)
No, it's, think it's an important thing because all of, I have the same conversation when it comes to what is marketing versus brand, right? Because they are same, same, they are very different. And I think PR also fits there. If you think of it as being like a three-wheeled Venn diagram where not all marketing is PR, not all PR is necessarily marketing, not all brand is marketing and not all
Sarah Ramsey (09:34.621)
Yes. Yeah.
Dani | The Table Podcast (09:42.007)
brand work is necessarily PR, but there is places where all three of those connect and there's something times when those three are all exactly the same thing.
Sarah Ramsey (09:52.157)
and you have to do all three. I think it's really important to, if you just try to focus on one, you're gonna get somewhere, but you're gonna miss a lot of opportunities.
Dani | The Table Podcast (10:04.525)
Hmm. And so when it comes to PR, I know that for a lot of especially newer entrepreneurs or newer people, especially out of corporate who are not accustomed to having to develop their own personal brand, who do you, when do people need PR? Because a lot of people are like, I'm not ready for it. I'm not big enough for it. I don't even know how to do it. So like, who, when are people
When should people be thinking about PR for themselves and as founders? And who is it actually for?
Sarah Ramsey (10:41.693)
Yeah. So I, it sounds flippant when I say start now, but I really do seriously mean start now. and it sounds a lot bigger than it actually is. think founders, especially founders, especially new entrepreneurs who are just starting out, you're already doing PR.
You may not realize it yet, but you are already doing PR. If you attend a networking event, you're doing PR.
If you are... social media has some aspects of PR, you if you're trying to grow your audience and get a message out there. So if you're doing that, if you're writing a post on LinkedIn or commenting on someone else's post, that is PR. If you are attending an event where you have a table or you're handing out brochures, you're doing PR. So I don't want people...
especially new entrepreneurs to think that it is like that there is a starting line and you have to meet a bunch of prerequisites before you are allowed to start. If you are talking to people, if you're talking to anybody, you are doing PR. So it is you don't have to wait for somebody to give you permission. You don't have to write a PR strategy before you start. If you are out there engaging with your audience,
you are doing PR.
Dani | The Table Podcast (12:22.029)
I love that and I think that is so powerful because so often when I start the conversation with my clients, I'm a strategic marketing advisor. Talking about how to leverage channels like that and whether or not that's a fit for them is always a part of the conversation. And I can't tell you how often that conversation is like, well, PR is getting into the Washington Post or getting into
HBR and there's so many more layers to that and also like we're not just gonna immediately land in the Washington Post or the HBR and so let's talk about the different tiers of that because there is a national component, there's a local component, there's a one-to-one component of PR which you just mentioned so I'm curious to get your perspective on that as well.
Sarah Ramsey (13:15.593)
Yeah. So what I tell my clients is if you don't have name recognition right now, but if you're just starting out, if your name lands in the Wall Street Journal, it is probably not for a good reason.
Dani | The Table Podcast (13:37.559)
Good PR in that PR.
Sarah Ramsey (13:37.917)
Just saying. Just saying. Like, you know, unless you are the scion of some family, you know, like unless your, unless your name has already received recognition, if your name shows up, you know, if my name shows up in the Washington Post tomorrow, again, it is probably not for a, as the, like as the subject of the article, it is probably not for a good reason. So.
I, most of my, most people.
looking for tier one and tier one is that national coverage that the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the big names. Going after that first is not actually going to have the result that you want, because even if you do get your name in your story. And it's possible there are ways to do that, but even if you do get your name in there. It is.
It is so broad that it's just like going viral on social media. Going viral, getting 100,000 views for something doesn't mean that that's gonna convert into customers or clients. Getting a story in the Washington Post doesn't necessarily mean that it's going to convert to customers or clients for you right away. Sometime down the road, after you've done the work to
build and have an infrastructure to take advantage of that coverage? Absolutely. starting right off the bat, is like, unless you just have a unique story that truly has national legs, is really, it's difficult to get, but also it is.
Sarah Ramsey (15:42.405)
it's not the best use of resources because the result from it probably isn't going to get you what you need to get out of that early coverage. So going local, going regional, and that's geographical and that's also in your industry. So almost every industry has some kind of trade magazine, podcast, blog, newsletter. I mean,
Everybody has a newsletter now, right? It used to be everybody had a blog. Now everybody has a newsletter or a YouTube channel or a podcast. The media landscape is so distributed. You can find somebody talking about your subject that you can use to get to the audience that is most likely to listen to you and act and then use that to build.
Dani | The Table Podcast (16:34.071)
Mm-hmm.
Dani | The Table Podcast (16:37.399)
I love that because I think we all need to adjust our expectations for what that looks like. And I think that also comes down to really understanding the broad scope and what you're trying to do. And that's a huge part of every conversation I have. So what are you trying to do and who are you trying to talk to? Because if you show up somewhere, I mean, sure, being able to put on your website that you were featured in the Washington Post is really cool.
It's good. But at the same time, at the end of the day, is that really getting you where you, in front of whom you need in order to generate business, in order to build that know, like, and trust relationship, which you've already mentioned is such a core part of the PR cycle?
Sarah Ramsey (17:30.087)
Yeah, yeah. If you are a brick and mortar business in Alexandria, getting coverage in USA Today isn't, you know, it is not necessarily going to bring it'll bring you attention, but it's not going to have the same impact on your business as, say, getting coverage in the zebra or Alex now, which are local, you know, local outlets, because those are like people who live here.
are going to read that and go, there is a new coffee shop, salon, restaurant, whatever, open. I want to go try them out, where somebody is reading that in, know, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, and they live in Seattle or Chicago. They're like, that's interesting. That's a cool story. And that's as far as it goes.
Dani | The Table Podcast (18:22.605)
Absolutely. And so with some of these more local publications, I've come across a lot of
pay to play situations and I'm curious to get your thought on is it worth it to pay a couple hundred dollars for a couple months of guaranteed features in a more local syndicated mag zine or is it better to really do your best to make it organic?
Sarah Ramsey (18:59.305)
So I think the definitive answer to that is it depends. There's context that goes into that.
Dani | The Table Podcast (19:06.413)
Mm.
Sarah Ramsey (19:12.275)
Talking about, I know a lot of people look at especially local coverage and they automatically assume that it's pay to play.
A thing I want to address is that...
Local media outlets are absolutely vital to our landscape. this, again, my soapbox here, this is a much bigger picture, a much bigger issue. Independent local media is absolutely critical.
Sarah Ramsey (19:49.693)
But they can only exist if they can pay their, like all of us, they can only exist if they can pay their bills. And advertising has been like the, used to be newspapers, radio stations, TV stations, they made their bread and butter was ads. And that's before you could skip and streaming. That's before everything went digital. And so print ads don't, may not mean as much anymore.
So advertising, traditional Mad Men style advertising doesn't have the same.
So media outlets have had to find other ways to incorporate, to get that advertising budget. And so the sponsored content, the pay to play is something that local papers are having to turn to, I said to pay the bills, to keep the lights on, pay their staff, which is incredibly important. So I think...
I don't think there's anything wrong with pay to play.
caveating that everybody's upfront about that, you know, it's sponsored content. But I don't think you have to do that. If your story is relevant, newsworthy, then you have a good chance of getting that coverage that you don't have to pay for it. But I will, and this is
Sarah Ramsey (21:28.945)
what I tell all of my clients. And this is not a being counting thing. This is not a I scratch your back, you scratch my back sort of thing. But I think part of being a good business owner in a community is supporting other businesses and supporting your local media outlets is an important part of that. So if you need to advertise something, buy an ad.
Dani | The Table Podcast (21:38.433)
Hmm.
Dani | The Table Podcast (21:58.712)
Mm-hmm.
Sarah Ramsey (21:59.785)
And I'm not saying do that so that they will print your press release or they will attend your grand opening or they will write a story about you because that is really not how it works. You don't have to do that. But if you want a vibrant, independent media outlet in your community that functions and can write stories about you, when you have the means, buy an ad from them.
It helps them, it helps you, it helps everybody. And you help build a relationship with them, which is an important part, I think, of then getting your news covered.
Dani | The Table Podcast (22:41.441)
love that answer because it is very nuanced and always definitely does depend. And of course you want to make sure that that publication actually reaches the people you want it to reach. That's important to you. That's, think, the most important thing because it is advertising at that point. Like it's not organic and not all marketing is always going to be organic. But you just want to make sure you're paying for the right eyeballs and not the wrong ones.
Sarah Ramsey (23:06.075)
Exactly, exactly, yeah.
Dani | The Table Podcast (23:08.511)
And so as you're
you know, going in and you're like, okay, you know what? I'm inspired. I want to do create a PR strategy. What does that look like when it comes, I know this is a little question we could probably be here all day about it, but at a really high level, like what are some of the top things that you should be thinking about when it comes to thinking about how to incorporate PR realistically into your business development, if you will.
Sarah Ramsey (23:38.409)
Yeah.
works on a micro and a macro level. But I think the first question to ask is, who are you trying to reach? And then what do you want them to do?
Dani | The Table Podcast (23:45.249)
No.
Sarah Ramsey (23:56.137)
And that is, I think, critical for figuring out which PR activities you engage in. You're not going to pitch 20 different media outlets the same, and certainly not the same way. So where is your audience? Are they reading a paper?
Are they reading newsletters and which newsletters? they only on social media? Are they at events? Do you have to get to them in person? So I think knowing who you're trying to reach and then knowing what you want them to do. If you need them to click a button, then a print ad, and I know that's marketing, but even like a news release, that's...
not going to drive the action you want.
Sarah Ramsey (24:57.333)
So I think you really have to start with the foundations of who do you want to reach and what do you want them to do. And then keep that in mind as you're creating the PR content, as you're writing your press release, as you are pitching an article, as you're deciding what events to do. And at that event, are you handing out a thing? Are you just doing a sign? Do you have a QR code? All of that.
all of your strategy comes down to who are you trying to reach and what do you want them to do with that information? So once you have that, think the...
the easiest things to do are... A press release is actually easy. Pitching is... Okay. I feel like a bunch of people just went for no reason, not knowing why, just rolled their eyes and went, wait, wait, wait, wait, a press release is easy? Uh-uh, no, come on, Sarah, no. It's...
Dani | The Table Podcast (26:02.19)
Yeah.
Sarah Ramsey (26:08.969)
I should say there's not a magic formula for a press release and a pitch story. If it is relevant and newsworthy and you time it right and you have a relationship or the reporter can see that you didn't just like go and
Dani | The Table Podcast (26:11.789)
Okay.
Sarah Ramsey (26:34.035)
pick a name out somewhere and randomly send it to them. there is a reason you are sending it to them. And there's a reason you're telling the story. You can get coverage that way.
Dani | The Table Podcast (26:41.41)
information.
Right.
Sarah Ramsey (26:46.855)
So yes, so press releases and story pitches are a great way. And I do think they are low hanging fruit. Although again, I feel like a lot of people out there are going.
Dani | The Table Podcast (26:59.341)
That's hard.
Sarah Ramsey (27:02.067)
Yeah, yeah. In-person events though, I think is maybe that is the easiest place to start. Dip your toe in, talk to people. Like I said, that is PR. Talking to people is PR. And so going to in-person events lets you refine your pitch, who you are, your brand message, how you talk to people, how people hear you.
because you get automatic, immediate feedback from that conversation. So you know how is your message landing. Because you know as well as I do that sometimes what you say isn't what your audience hears.
Dani | The Table Podcast (27:48.813)
Mm-hmm.
Sarah Ramsey (27:50.003)
So having that immediate feedback I think is helpful. So in-person events, press release.
Dani | The Table Podcast (27:57.454)
I love that and I love the idea of those in-person events because it's also like even if you have a story idea, it's a great way to gauge whether or not other people think it's as interesting as you do very quickly. And I mean, going to in-person events is also the number one homework assignment I give every single one of my clients because we spend a lot of time working on their pitches, figuring out their messaging, who they're talking to, what they need to say and how they can resonate and the only way
Sarah Ramsey (28:10.685)
Yes. Yep.
Dani | The Table Podcast (28:26.781)
get used to it is to go out and say it. And to your point, getting that, getting yourself out there and talking is public relations. You need to build the relations with the public. And exactly to your point, that's a great way of getting started. And it is very intimidating as somebody who is trying to figure out their own PR journey for themselves and on, you know, like
How do I get myself out there more? It's scary. We're all too close sometimes to our own stuff to understand what part of our story is really interesting. And I'm sure we will get to this in a little bit as to the value of having someone else help you out there, because I think that's part of what we both play in a lot of people's businesses. But how do you know? Aside from looking for people's reactions, how do you know if something is newsworthy? You can always...
be pitching yourself, you can be pitching your business, but as like, talk about me, but also just pitching topics that might, that are tangential to you, but where you're not the core star. And so I'm curious to get like, how do you think about something that's newsworthy, that's worth trying to put in front of someone?
Sarah Ramsey (29:42.771)
Yeah.
It's so, tell a little war story from this. Like at NASA, we would often create media opportunities. And I will preface this by saying we had it easy because we had NASA TV. We had, if you're NASA, you call somebody and like, hey, we like to talk about this. And they're like, tell me more. So it was,
Dani | The Table Podcast (30:01.878)
Mm-hmm.
Sarah Ramsey (30:15.645)
definitely easy, but my point there is that you we were making the news ourselves. We weren't waiting for someone to grant us permission to make news on a subject and often we would put content out. like we would send, you know, from now side quarters, we would send anywhere from one to like four.
press releases and media advisories on any given day. We would also put out feature stories on the nasa.gov website. And we would put a bunch of those out every day. And there are times when the feature stories would end up getting more media attention and coverage than the press releases because
somebody would pick it up, somebody would post it, somebody would tweet about it, somebody would put it on social media, and people would respond, and there would be a little moment around it, and then a journalist would go, people are talking about this. I need to be talking about this too. So you can drive the media conversation that way.
And how you know that it is newsworthy is you have to be able to answer why is this a story right now? Like why is this story important at this moment in time? And why are you the right person to tell it?
Sarah Ramsey (32:09.531)
And some of that is looking for trends in the media and knowing when to jump in because you don't, sometimes you don't want to be the first person to bring a topic up, but you also don't want to be the 15th.
Dani | The Table Podcast (32:16.695)
Mm-hmm.
Dani | The Table Podcast (32:26.413)
Hmm.
Sarah Ramsey (32:30.729)
you want to let like, you want a little momentum to build for a topic. And then you come in and say, well, actually, you know, and you bring your part of the conversation to the front.
Sarah Ramsey (32:51.313)
If you wait too long, everybody's over it, everybody's moved on. If you get in too early, you might start something, but you also might start something and then somebody comes in and takes all of the attention away from you. So it is really, the thing I tell people who want to do their own PR is you have to know the news you're going after.
Dani | The Table Podcast (33:01.773)
Hmm.
Sarah Ramsey (33:20.519)
You don't necessarily have to read everything, but you know, if you want to get in the New York Times, you need to be reading the New York Times. If you want it to get into Wired, you need to be reading Wired every day. What are they talking about? What are they? What are the breaking news stories? A lot of, well, OK, like magazines like Wired, they have issues, even if they're digital.
You know, they will have an editorial calendar usually online or you can ask. You can send them an email and ask. And you know, they will have themed issues. You know, this, this month, this issue, we're talking about this subject. And so sometimes you can wait and you know that, okay, the publication I want to get into is going to be talking about this subject during this month. Here's my piece of it.
So I'm going to pitch them a story that is relevant to what they're talking about. I think, so a thing I want to emphasize, because I think part of the figuring out isn't newsworthy equation is we.
And we have to be a little bit as entrepreneurs, have to be a little bit self-centered, right? Like we have to think, you know, our brand, what are we talking about pushing our message out? But when we're pitching a story to media outlets, we also have to consider what does their audience care about? And it's not even so much the media outlet themselves, it is their audience, because you're not taught, the reporter is the medium.
Like the reporter is the pass-through. Their audience, their reader, their listener, their viewer is who you are talking to. So what does that person care about? So for your reporter to convince a reporter to run with your story, you have to show them why their audience cares about what you are saying at that time.
Dani | The Table Podcast (35:35.574)
I love that. But I mean, it is, it is a lot. There is a lot to it. But at the same time, it very much feels like knowing when something is newsworthy is one of those things, or just knowing what to pitch, when to pitch it, when it makes sense for you, building that on your own strategy is something that, yes, it feels a little scary.
Sarah Ramsey (35:35.699)
That was a lot of information.
Dani | The Table Podcast (36:05.373)
at first, as does starting a business, as does everything else that you're doing, but it's something that you can learn and it's something that you can do. So I'd love to hear from you because that's something that I know that you do every single day is that you sit down with people and help them figure out what PR looks like for them, but also helping coach them on
finding how to do this either themselves or you know working with you but so tell me a little bit more about like doing it yourself versus learning how to do it versus you know trusting someone else to take this off your plate because I can't tell you how many times my clients are like look Dani great strategy I love this who can I talk to to help me do this and so I connect them to people like you
And so how can, anyways, lots of questions in there, but mostly like, tell me more about doing it yourself versus having someone help you at least learn how.
Sarah Ramsey (37:17.117)
Bye.
There is nothing magic about the process of PR. It is something you can learn.
It is something anybody can do.
Sarah Ramsey (37:34.481)
And I know that sounds like I'm talking myself out of work, but I truly believe that...
Sarah Ramsey (37:46.533)
entrepreneurs, especially solopreneurs, don't do PR because they think they're not allowed to. I actually work with a client who like the look on her face when she's like, but I'm allowed to do this. wasn't even a wasn't even a ability. It was allowed. It was permission. And you don't nobody needs to grant you permission to do this.
Sarah Ramsey (38:19.069)
Where I think it helps to have a pro come in is that we are all, we're out here doing the work and a lot of us are doing the work on our own, you know? And it's a lot. And especially when you get to that point where you are growing and maybe like everything you're doing is paying off.
which is fantastic. And then you realize that everything you're doing is paying off. And all of the sudden, you're like, you're like, okay, wait, what? do I, you know, this is great, but I don't have enough time to do everything.
You got into your business for a reason. You are good, you are brilliant at your business. Do your business. I think this matters for bookkeeping, tax preparation, PR, some admin work. If you enjoy that sort of thing, if you want to be the type of business owner who does all of that, more power to you.
Dani | The Table Podcast (39:33.261)
Hmm.
Sarah Ramsey (39:35.309)
if you want to be the type of business owner that does the stuff that you are brilliant at and focuses on that.
bringing in the pros, like bringing in a PR pro is a great way to take that off your mind. And I do think there are, know, I am hopefully clearly passionate about making PR accessible. Like it does not have to be the $10,000 a month contract. you do not, you know, let's make it fit your resources.
Dani | The Table Podcast (39:50.683)
and
Sarah Ramsey (40:15.529)
And I do think PR coaching is helpful if you, you know, especially if you're just starting out and you don't have a lot of resources, getting somebody to give you that little bit of guidance on, yes, pitch this, let me edit your press release, let me help you write a pitch, let me give you some expert on, advice on like why this and not this. That I think can be super beneficial as a, as a sort of a starting point.
to get you going and then let you grow into something bigger. But two important points there. Yes, anybody can do PR. But the other important point is if you have the resources to let someone take that off your plate, let someone take that off your plate.
Dani | The Table Podcast (41:12.045)
I couldn't agree more. And I'll add one more thing, which is, yes, you can do it yourself, but especially when it comes to something like PR, when you gotta sell yourself, then a lot of us are very uncomfortable doing that to your point, am I allowed to do it? We're all too close to our own stuff. The number of times I've had conversations like that is a really cool point. Why aren't you talking about that? Like, that's not interesting. I'm like,
Sarah Ramsey (41:14.793)
you
Dani | The Table Podcast (41:37.754)
That is very interesting and I guarantee you if you told anyone that you were doing that they would pick it up. It would be very cool. And so to have someone like you to be able to offer that outside perspective that we're all sometimes too close to is in itself just priceless.
Sarah Ramsey (42:03.165)
Yes. Yeah. And I think there are.
Sarah Ramsey (42:14.441)
Talking to the media is a skill. I will say that. You don't need permission to do it, but talking to the media is a skill. And even if the only thing you did is a couple of hours of media training,
That is so beneficial because the last thing you want is to have some PR work pay off in coverage, in interviews, and talking to a reporter, and then feel awful about it because you didn't say what you want to say, or you felt like you stumbled over your words, or it wasn't the hit that you wanted it to be.
I think getting...
So I think a lot of people look at PR professionals and they think, the spin room. You spin the news. And so it's kind of maybe fake is too harsh, but it's a little mercenary. It's a little not authentic.
I don't want to say that's not out there, but to me, that is not what PR is about. PR is about making sure that your message and your personality shows the way you want it to. That people don't get lost in, know, the things like, when I do media training for clients,
Dani | The Table Podcast (43:24.557)
Mm-hmm.
Sarah Ramsey (43:51.047)
we'll talk about how to answer a question, but we'll also talk about what to wear. Because like not everybody knows that if you wear white, like a just white on a camera, it washes you out or sometimes makes you glow. If you wear patterns, it can look really weird if you're on camera. If you are, know,
Dani | The Table Podcast (43:55.639)
Yeah.
Dani | The Table Podcast (44:06.861)
you
Sarah Ramsey (44:17.265)
The last question, how to answer the last question that almost every reporter is going to ask you, which is a gold mine for your messaging. Things like that. It is so helpful to get a little bit of extra support like that so you show up like you want to, authentically.
Dani | The Table Podcast (44:38.209)
That's beautiful. I love that. And I think that that is, it's hard as an entrepreneur, as a founder, as a solopreneur, as just somebody who's leading a business, who no longer in a corporate environment to feel the permission to be your authentic self and use that and that, and know that that can be a really powerful way of growing your business. Like you are your best.
Sarah Ramsey (44:47.251)
Thank you.
Dani | The Table Podcast (45:08.427)
marketing, PR, brand, you name it, it is you. And so having the ability to have opportunities to show up and do that is just unbelievable. So I wanna know, and I'm sure everyone listening wants to know, how can they get in touch with you? How can they learn more about working with you? Tell us everything.
Sarah Ramsey (45:33.885)
So easiest way to find me, my website is easy. just my name. So www.sarahwithanhsarahramsey.com. And you can also, you I am on Instagram as PRPinchHitter. Yes, I like sports ball. So I talk in a lot of sports metaphors. Sports and pop culture, that's my thing. But you can also reach me by email at sarah.
sarahramsey.com and I love to talk to people. I said I am really committed to making PR accessible because all of us entrepreneurs are out here and it feels really lonely sometimes. I think we...
I want to make sure that everybody succeeds. Like other small businesses, it's important that we all succeed. And I think PR is an important part of that. like, want to, I'm happy to answer questions, happy to chat with people. Clearly I like to talk.
Dani | The Table Podcast (46:42.861)
We will.
Sarah Ramsey (46:43.261)
I suppose that's a good thing to a good quality in a PR person.
Dani | The Table Podcast (46:48.141)
It is indeed. I am and I'll put all of that in the show notes. If you're interested, feel free to go in and you can click and easy to get in touch with Sarah. But join me in thanking Sarah for joining me today for sharing all of your unbelievable knowledge because PR is a kind of scary unknown world. But, you know, having someone like you help make it feel a little bit more accessible and giving us the permission that we don't need, but we feel like we want.
to go out, explore, and see how that can be a part of growing this, these businesses, these things that we've decided for some reason to start, but love every minute of it, of this roller coaster that we're all on. So thank you, Sarah, for being here today. Can't wait for our next coffee date. We'll talk more about croissants and pizza.
Sarah Ramsey (47:43.515)
This has been a delight. I hope it's helped a lot of people and thank you.
Dani | The Table Podcast (47:49.109)
Yeah, well thank you so much to everyone listening for joining us on the at the table today. I hope this conversation gave you some really great fresh insight, at least a boost of inspiration about how you own your brand, how you own yourself, and how you show up. And so if you enjoyed this episode, make sure to follow or subscribe so you don't miss any other conversations. And if you want to keep the conversation going,
I would love to connect on Instagram at Mise en Plan or on LinkedIn and those will always be in the show notes. So see you next time. As always, I'll save you a seat. See you soon.
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