Entrepreneurs and business leaders often have such traits as being motivated, creative, visionary, and highly driven. While those qualities are great and necessary in the business world, they can also be dangerous. This is because entrepreneurs are often so driven that they want to do everything on their own. It’s important for them to remember that they can help their business thrive, but they can’t do it alone. They need others to help them along the way if they really want their business to grow.
“There’s only so much one person can do in a day,” explains Cher Murphy, owner of the communications firm Cher Murphy PR. “When you try to spread yourself too thin, by doing many different things, your performance in each of those areas is likely to suffer. Plus, you will find out that you are exhausted and stressed out.”
The goal for every business leader or entrepreneur is to get the work done that they need to have done. It shouldn’t be to prove that they are the person who can do it all. Consider every company that has ever started with one person and then created a team built for growth. The only way they could do that is by those in charge being serious about not trying to do everything on their own.
Here are some of the things to keep in mind that will take your business to the next level:
- Learn what you need to about how to move forward in this post-pandemic era. The business landscapes have evolved, employees have changed, and many consumer expectations have shifted. Consider what it takes now to keep a solid team, reach your potential customers, and thrive.
- Evaluate what your business needs to do in order to grow. Many people want their business to grow, but they don’t take the time to consider exactly what will help them do it. The evaluation may need to be done once or twice a year, so you keep up with the changes and meet new milestones.
- Determine your strengths and passions, and learn to delegate or outsource the rest. As a business owner, you have particular things you are good at and want to do. Great, do those, but remember that your time is limited. Take the things that you are not a specialist in, such as your public relations work or marketing, and outsource it to someone who is a specialist.
- Build a stellar team. Every great leader strives to have the best team members possible. When you ensure you have everyone in the right position, your job will be easier, and your business will be more successful. Hire the right people, train them well, and welcome their ideas, because not all great ideas come right from the boss. Even if you don’t hire directly, you can build an awesome team by outsourcing work to those who provide their services on a freelance basis.
- Remember that time management matters in a big way. It’s one of the most important things that an entrepreneur needs to remember. By working with others, you will be better able to manage your time and ensure everything that needs to be done gets done.
- Think beyond social media. Many people believe that social media is the only way to grow their business. Social media has many great benefits, but they are typically not long lasting. Something gets posted and it’s a matter of minutes or hours before it’s buried in an ever-changing platform. PR, on the other hand, offers a long lasting digital footprint, larger audience, and more control over being seen. PR helps spread your message, build credibility, and raise awareness about your business while social media helps to amplify your message and published content as well as create dialogue. PR and social media are both powerful communications tools, but they are most effective when they are used together.
“I have helped many people over the years who thought they could handle their PR efforts,” adds Murphy. “Once they trusted me to do it for them, it created amazing changes for their business. Working with others is the only way you can get to the top.”
Many entrepreneurs are not aware of the powerful tool that PR is and how it can help them grow their business. PR is what gets businesses noticed, ensures the right messages are put out there, and makes someone an expert in their field. The right PR strategy can help get a business exposure in the top media markets and platforms.
Here are some PR tips to help every business navigate today’s scene:
- Choose a PR partner to work with who has a proven track record. This will ensure that your efforts and budget are not wasted.
- Work with a PR specialist to determine who your target audience is so that they can seek out exposure in those specific areas.
- Refine your message so that you know exactly the image you are putting out there and that it reflects your business goals.
- Be consistent in using PR, because it’s something that tends to build over time. The more you keep at it, the more effective exposure you will receive.
- Trust who you work with. Make sure the PR person you are working with has the education, experience and crisis ability to step up to the plate to help you navigate. Also, it’s important to work with someone that has creativity, reliability, and actually does what they say there are going to do. Content writing is crucial. They must have the ability to communicate and navigate any situation that arises. Trust is number one. If you don’t trust who you are working with then there is no teamwork or alignment. It’s basically throwing money away. Trust enhances decision making.
Cher Murphy PR has helped countless businesses with their PR and communication efforts nationally and internationally. The firm helps people grow their business through media relations management, including television, radio, print and online. Sectors served include business, consumer goods, fashion, government, health and wellness, military, nonprofits, medical, museums, travel, hospitality, technology, restaurants, and much more.
