Public Relations: what it is and how to use it
“The best thing you can do is learn the basics, know that your intention is to connect, and to just show up exactly as you are.” — Cher Hale
Curious about what “PR” or public relations is and how it can help your yoga business?
While it can seem overwhelming to get publicity for your yoga business, it can really be as simple as guest blogging or being on a podcast.
My guest this week Cher Hale founded Ginkgo Public Relations. Ginkgo PR is a boutique agency that believes in using public relations to amplify the voices of underrepresented and marginalized groups.
The way I connected with Cher is that she pitched my podcast for one of her clients. Let me tell you, I usually don’t prefer a pitch that comes from an agency, because it can feel very disconnected. But Cher’s pitch was very different. It made me feel like she really did listen to my podcast and she cared about my audience: You!
You’re going to learn so much from Cher. She’s sharing all the details today on how PR can help you in your yoga business. Let’s dive in!
What is Public Relations — and How Can it Help Your Yoga Business?
“Public relations is media that you earn.” — Cher Hale
When you think of PR, what first comes to mind? For most people it’s the news. That can be really scary, but it doesn’t have to be!
The very basics of PR is getting people to talk about your business and your story. This can be on a podcast, a blog, an Instagram or Facebook Live video, a magazine article, or yes, the news.
Someone (a journalist, producer, or podcast host) has decided that what you have to say is valuable. They have given you the green light and an invitation to step up and be heard. They’ve given you an extra dose of credibility or clout.
That person is saying “I trust this person’s expertise and you should, too.” The people that tune in are therefore going to view you as the expert and perhaps then solicit your services.
That is the basis of what makes PR useful and effective for a business owner, and can definitely work for yoga teachers.
**This was also a podcast episode (episode #87). Use the player below if you’d prefer to listen to this message.
Preparing to Pitch — Keep it Simple!
PR can feel like a mystery and can feel really overwhelming.
But here’s the thing: You don’t have to pitch yourself in a polished, buttoned-up way, and you don’t have to hire an expensive publicist to do it for you.
1. If you’re starting at ground zero, consider the people that you already know.
Pitching is simply asking somebody: “Hey, this is what I have to say. Do you think your audience would be interested?” If you have a friend who has a podcast or a following on a social media platform, you could ask to do a 30-minute Facebook or Instagram live about a topic. For example, “Hey, how about you and I do a Facebook live for 30 minutes about this topic? Here are the talking points that I could cover. Here is how you could benefit from my audience, and I would love for my audience to learn about you. What do you think?”
2. Then consider: Who is your ideal student?
Get really clear on your ideal student. Where do they hang out? Who are their friends? Where do they live?
Which shows would your ideal student listen to? What blogs do they read? The more specific, the better. Know them intimately. Then use that as a filter to decide which shows make sense to you.
A few other places you can look for ideas:
- Follow #womenpodcasters on Instagram and scroll to see if anything stands out to you that you’d be a good fit for.
- Think of colleagues in your industry who are complementary to the work you do. For example, you teach yoga and maybe your colleague does Reiki. Search their name in Apple podcasts, see which podcasts they have been on previously, and then consider if you’d be a good fit for that podcast as well.
How to Pitch Yourself For a Podcast As a Yoga Teacher
“So many of yoga’s principles have informed how I pitch and how I view public relations.” — Cher Hale
It can be nerve-wracking to write a cold pitch. It takes a lot of courage to send unsolicited email and know that most of them will likely be rejected.
1. When pitching, set an intention to serve and connect.
It’s all about connection. Reach out to people with the thought of “I’m here to connect, and everything else I can let go.” Putting yourself out there can be super scary and relies on you being resilient enough to handle the potential rejection. Luckily, we have the tools of meditation and yoga to be able to sit with the rejection and be with those feelings.
“Remember that a ‘no’ to a pitch never means ‘no’ to a relationship.” — Cher Hale
2. Have confidence in your ability as a yoga teacher, but always respect the fact that you are using someone else’s platform.
Pitch with humility and confidence and leave all arrogance out of it. Consider ‘How can I best serve this person’s audience?’ Present your pitch with the intention to serve and connect.
“Be as intentional, as genuine, and as open to rejection as possible. We know that we don’t deserve that limelight, but we also know that’s our duty to present ourselves and ask if it’s possible to collaborate.” — Cher Hale
3. Follow the instructions!
While researching who you’re pitching, check three main places on their website first before emailing:
- Contact page
- Fact page
- Podcast shownotes page
One of these three locations might have a link to a form that has a specific submission process. If they have that, you want to respect that and use it instead of emailing directly.
“The best thing you can do is learn the basics, know that your intention is to connect, and to just show up exactly as you are.” — Cher Hale
Your next step
Your next step is to make a list of places you want to connect with — whether it’s a podcast, a magazine, a facebook group, whatever it is, make a list and start to pitch yourself.
Cher gave us tons of insight on how to do this in a way that feels good and she’s letting you see the email that got my attention (scroll down a little further to see it).
Until next time give yourself permission to pitch yourself and grace along the way!
About Cher
Cher Hale is the founder and director of Ginkgo PR, a boutique agency that believes in using public relations to amplify the voices of underrepresented and marginalized groups.
As a Taiwanese-Black American woman, Cher is passionate about leveraging the power of media to tell diverse stories through online, print, TV, radio, and podcast mediums so she can play a role in reshaping how our society views social justice, give-back initiatives, feminism, and multiculturalism.
Cher’s Email — The Podcast Pitch That Had Me So Excited!!!
Cher was gracious enough to allow me to share her original amazing email where she pitched her client to me. Feel free to use this as a template for your own pitch!
“Hi Amanda! I listened to your conversation with RKA, and it gave me one major solution for a problem that I had been having with delegating IG content to my assistant. THANK YOU. That interview also made me think of a potential guest that specializes in helping female business owners reinvent themselves, be brave with their voices, and learn the skills necessary to be prepared for entrepreneurial uncertainty (which we have plenty of these days, haha). Before I send a full pitch, I wanted to check in and ask: are you considering guests? If so, I can send over brief background info and a few talking points so you can better vet her. Any guidance is appreciated. Thanks for your time!”
Cher’s Links
Plus examples of good podcast pitch criteria on a website:
- Website — https://ginkgopr.com/
- Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/ginkgopublicrelations/
- https://daveyandkrista.com/podcast-application/
- https://www.juliesolomon.net/contact
- https://www.goodlifeproject.com/contact/ — Check the VIEW GUIDELINES box
The Pitch List — Instant access to Cher’s directory of up-to-date shows and magazines that are open to pitches.
For more stories like this, listen to the Marketing Yoga with Confidence Podcast.
About Amanda McKinney (Marketing Coach for Yoga Teachers)
Amanda McKinney is a Marketing Coach with a passion for helping yoga teachers find the tools and the confidence within themselves to build the yoga business of their dreams. She does this through her podcast: Marketing Yoga With Confidence and online offerings. All of which focuses on building confidence and community with an extra dose of encouragement every step of the way.
