Episode 28: How to Get Your Unknown Product Into Fortune 500 Retailers, Online Magazines, and Outlets with Leeanna Gantt
How do you make sure your voice is being heard as a small business entering into a huge industry?
That’s the question that our guest, Leeanna Gantt, is helping us answer in this episode.
Leeanna created an innovative product based on her own lived experience and then got that product into magazines and onto shelves using what she learned from the PR Starter Pack.
I brought Leeanna onto the podcast because there’s so much to learn from her experience, but also because I want you to see that if she can do it, so can you.
She’s sharing what inspired her to create her product, what the evolution of press success can look like for a small business, how she pitches her product to different audiences, and more.
Leeanna Gantt is a mom, breast cancer survivor, and entrepreneur. After treatment for cancer, Leeanna was inspired to turn the helpful system she invented during chemo into a business. With tooktake, she hopes to help people of all ages get and stay well. One of Leeanna’s favorite things to do is to share what she has learned so far with the hope that it helps others who are starting on this crazy entrepreneurship journey.
Topics We Cover in This Episode:
Entering into a huge industry as a small business
Researching what you need rather than thinking too far ahead
When to get started with PR
Focusing on what you know
Getting your product into a big retailer
Why you should follow up more than once
How to get features for free
The value of making connections with people over time
How to approach sending samples to people
Tweaking your pitch to be relevant to different audiences
What’s holding you back from using PR to leverage your business? Do you feel like you don’t have the funds? Are you scared of rejection? Are you overwhelmed by where to start? If any of those apply to you, you’ll love this episode with Leeanna.
If you want to get free organic press features, get on to top podcasts, and build relationships with editors at your dream outlets, join me and hundreds of small business owners in the PR Starter Pack at www.prstarterpack.com.
Resources Mentioned:
Follow @hellotooktake on Facebook
Additional Resources:
Join the Small Biz PR Pros FB group
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Transcript
SBPR Episode 28 Final.mp3
[00:00:00] Definitely give it a try because even if you decide, you know, after doing it for a year or so, that doing your own PR isn't for you. You will understand what you're asking someone to do. And I think it's important to speak the language and know what you're asking so you can say, who are you reaching out to? Why are you reaching out to them? What are you telling them? So you make sure it aligns with your values and your company's values, too. So there's there's no downside. The worst case is you will learn a lot and know how to talk about your company even better.
[00:00:33] Hey, friends, I'm Gloria Chou, small business PR expert, award winning pitch writer and your unofficial hype woman. Nothing makes me happier than seeing people get the recognition they deserve. And that starts with feeling more confident to go bigger with your message, because let's be honest, we simply cannot make the impact. We're here to make, by hiding behind the scenes. So on this podcast, I will share with you the untraditional yet proven strategies for PR marketing and creating more opportunity in your business. If you are ready to take control of your narrative and be your most unapologetic and confident self, you're in the right place. This is the Small Business PR podcast. What's up, everyone? Welcome to another episode of the Small Business PR podcast. I'm so excited to have our one of my most favorite PR starter pack members, Leeanna Gantt. She is an incredible entrepreneur. She's a survivor woman having survived breast cancer. She is a mom. But most importantly, she will tell us all about how she has built resilience through surviving the pandemic and pitching herself when she was so, so, so shy in the beginning. So welcome, Leeanna. So happy that you're here.
[00:01:44] Thank you for having me.
[00:01:45] Now, I have to preface this by saying that I know that you've been kind of consuming my content and following me for like, I think almost a year before you kind of said yes to the starter pack. And I see now from the evolution of not only just from your press success, but how you're showing up in the world. You know, you started with very small kind of business at home. Now you're in all the retailers. Can you talk to me a little bit about kind of this evolution and kind of what it means to you and how it paints a picture of the impact that you make in this world?
[00:02:16] Yeah. I mean, I know when I first started following you on Instagram, I was like, Oh, this is so exciting. And it seems like something I could do. But then every time I almost signed up, I just got cold feet because everything about my business was new. So I was like, How many things can I take on at once and do I really have something to say yet? And so I just kind of almost did it a whole bunch of times. But then when I finally did it, I was like, Why didn't I do this sooner? It would have helped so much. Like, I'm not sure why I took so long, but yeah, I think it, it's just, it's been a crazy journey just starting from an idea to getting into CVS and Walmart. And even with that, there's still I'm learning every time I think I'm coming to not the end of the journey, but like, okay, I'm at a place where I can pause and really collect myself. I learned that there's a lot more to this journey than I haven't seen yet.
[00:03:10] Yeah, I think I think not only does your story tell us kind of the tenacity and the resilience that's required, but really the fact that anyone can make anything, you know, in their living room. So why don't you tell people a little bit about how you came about making your innovative product without any industry connections or background in product making?
[00:03:32] Yeah, I mean, it was during my breast cancer treatment, I came up with this idea and luckily my husband and I are both designers, so we were able to design what we wanted our labels to look like, but we weren't sure how to get them manufactured and packaged and all of that. So that's been a really steep learning curve because we had to learn how to do all that. And for the first I'd say like. A year and nine months. We were packing them in our house and I had like my best friend would come over and we'd have like packing day and I'd pay her by buying her lunch and like literally hand package everything. And then we discovered there's people who could do that for us. But when you're first starting out, also, even if you can find the people, it's like there's it's expensive. So you have to kind of weigh everything and there's a lot to learn.
[00:04:23] So can you tell people a little bit about kind of what your product is? Because I think it's so innovative and I cannot believe that no one's ever thought about this before.
[00:04:32] Basically, tactic is a little it's a label that you can stick on to anything you need to use or take any wellness product. So vitamins, medications, protein powder and it has little tabs on it. Our best sellers are daily one, so it has the days of the week and you just pull the tab off when you take your dose for the day. So then you know that you took it. So later on when you're like, Did I do that today or not? Like Take my vitamins this morning, you know, and you don't have to just skip it or take it twice, which can make you not feel well. So it's super simple. We got a patent which was really exciting. It seemed like there should have been something like that out there, but there apparently wasn't.
[00:05:07] So yeah, I mean, you're going into this huge trillion dollar pharmaceutical industry with giants. So how did you like play the mental game of I'm going to be this small player and I my dream is to get into the biggest retailer. How did you talk yourself? Like through all the challenges you face kind of starting out?
[00:05:28] I think part of it is I research each thing as I need it instead of trying to get way ahead of where I am so I don't get overwhelmed by it or scared off by it. So I didn't really think about I was like, Oh, this will help a lot of people. And the best place would be to be in pharmacies. And I just sort of stopped there and didn't really think, well, pharmacies are big and how do I compete? And like, I just didn't let myself go there. I was like, I have a really good idea and I think other people will think it's a good idea. So that's the story I'm going to tell is I just share my idea with people and see what happens.
[00:06:01] So I think one thing so many of us in the startup community have in common is we are really bootstrapping founders who are just rolling our sleeves up and just, you know, I mean, you and I are just cold called. And I remember you telling me this in our Facebook Live because I asked you, I said, I don't know how to get into a CVS or a Wal Mart. So how the hell did you do that?
[00:06:24] Well, Walmart had a thing called Open Call USA. So you apply if you're a US made product and then if they like your product, then they set up the meetings for you, which is huge. And I didn't realize at the time how hard it is to get a meeting with a buyer. So that was really amazing that that happened with CVS. It was a different process where we had to find the buyer and show her the product and share it with her. But then I learned that like if they like the product and they say, okay, yeah, we'll bring it into the store, I thought, Wow, I'm kind of done. Like now I just get them their product and you know, people buy it and everything is really exciting. But that's why I learned that, no, they put it on the shelf or in our case, on a little peg hook. And they expect me to do all the advertising, drive all the sales, get people interested, tell them about it, and they don't really help with that. So I learned there's a whole bunch. So I, you know, I'm glad that I already had a foundation from the PR starter pack and I could go back and say, okay, now I really need to really focus on PR and get that because advertising in a major publication is thousands and thousands of dollars. And we can't really afford that right now because like you said, we're still considered pretty bootstrapped. So, you know, it's a big learning curve to find out. It's like the thing I thought was the end goal is just the beginning.
[00:07:48] Wow. That's like the analogy or metaphor for entrepreneurship, right? Of the iceberg. I honestly had no idea until you told me that getting into stores was actually the easy part. But once you're there, they don't actually do anything to support you to actually sell it. And if I'm if correct me if I'm wrong, but you don't make money automatically by being in CVS, right? Like you actually have to sell the product.
[00:08:13] Yeah, I mean, I. Each store has a slightly different system. But yeah, I mean, if your product doesn't sell through, they can return it to you. So and they give you like every company has different requirements and things and most of them are really are trying to help small business. So I don't want to make them look like bad guys, but they're trying to help small businesses. But you do still, at the end of the day, you're taking up space in their store and they want products there that people buy. So if nobody's buying your product, they're not going to keep you there forever just to be nice because they'll try and find a product people do want.
[00:08:50] Yeah. So would you recommend for people who have a product and want to get into a retailer to start PR before they get in or after or what's the right time to start?
[00:09:01] Definitely before a lot of the work I did with you before, I think really helped because it got me onto podcasts and articles around. So when they said, What are you doing to let people know that took take exists out in the world? I could show them and say it's like, Wow, I've been on these podcasts and these talk to these different groups of people. And that's how I found out who really resonates with the product. So I think it's really important to start out with PR before so that you can answer a lot of their questions who's buying it? Where are you talking to them? And you have something to back it up, not just ideas.
[00:09:36] Yeah, that's so awesome that you kind of took it and run with it. So a lot of the people listening, they might have already, you know, are familiar with the CPR method, that which is the credibility point of view and relevance method that I teach. But since you've already used it and gone on to podcasts and other places, can you tell us how you use the CPR method? Like what was the pitch, what were the angles? So that other people can have some juicy tidbits that maybe they're like, Oh, this is the Spartan idea in my mind.
[00:10:04] I think for me, I mostly tried to focus on my story. I think that's where I got the best response when I focused on my story and what I was doing and where I was in my journey as an entrepreneur and an inventor, I think that resonated the truest with people. When I tried to get too far off, like, Oh, I want to talk to people with a specific condition or something. I'm not really an expert in those areas. Like I can talk about being a breast cancer patient because I was one, but I can't talk about other illnesses very well because I don't have them. So even though I'd say like I think my product is good for people with other conditions, if I was talking to someone about being on a podcast, they'd say, Well, tell us about how you relate to that. I'm like, Well, I don't. So I think I kind of at first I started to try every angle I could think of. I was like, Oh, every interesting thing I could think of and twist and turn. But now I realize the most successful thing has always been to focus on what I know, which is my journey and my experience.
[00:11:09] Yeah. And the fact that you are a breast cancer survivor and breast cancer is such a common type of cancer. So it has that relevance, right, like so many women, whether they're diagnosed or undiagnosed. So can you talk to me a little bit about that? Because I do teach a lot that sometimes you shouldn't focus on your story. Right. And you should kind of write it on the coattails of a bigger news story. But I feel like breast cancer is such a relevant topic. So can you give me just a quick like in a nutshell what that pitch looked like, the ones that you sent out and actually got a response?
[00:11:43] I mean, I think they did do what you said. I tried to. Connect my story to things that were going on. So how would my story as a breast cancer survivor be relevant to something current, whether it was something as simple as like, I think last month there was Female Founders Day or like Female Inventors Day or something. It's like try and connect it to something obvious like that, but also just people who were talking about things that they did during the pandemic and people who reinvented themselves. It's like we started a little before that, but we even with that, we had to turn our company completely around during the pandemic to focus on direct to consumer. So I think even staying with it was taking my story. But then what you said and it's like, well, how do I not just keep repeating the same introduction? It's like, how can I make my story relevant to what's going on right now? So it's not just another nice story.
[00:12:40] Yeah. So what did that pitch look like? Can you give us like maybe one or two little, like, bullet points of what you said?
[00:12:45] I mean, usually I, I start out with sort of what the the twist is like, how I went from the cancer chair to Wal Mart. Like when we first got into Wal Mart, that was my thing. It's like, you know, from the chemo chair to the aisles of Wal Mart. So it's like showing them really quickly. It's like, what is the connection? What what's the story I'm trying to tell? It's like, okay, I'm a breast cancer survivor and now my products in Wal Mart. So somebody can they'll either look at that and think, hey, that's that's kind of a big journey or they'll they won't be interested, but they know what it's about.
[00:13:16] Yeah, 100%. So I love that so much because you're telling people the transformation that you made. And then now in terms of the body of the pitch, I'm going to get real technical because I love I love showing people what it's like for me in in the Starter Pack. You obviously know this because you can see the pitches, but I really like bullet points and like three. So did you follow that format and like list three different attributes of either your story or the product or how did you kind of do that point of view piece?
[00:13:44] Yeah, I kind of shorten my story into three bullet points. Like the first is how I invented took take during my breast cancer treatment. So that covers the it's like, you know, how I invented it during breast cancer is one point and then how I decide to take it to market and then how I got it into a big retailer. So it's like just sort of those three steps for that particular pitch. But usually I'll start out with something about how I invented it during breast cancer treatment, because that's kind of the foundation of the whole story and where it starts. And then the other two will kind of depend on what the angle is at the beginning.
[00:14:22] Yeah. What do you say that you made like every single pitch, super personalized or you kind of worked with the CPR method and you kind of maybe just change the name of the journalist. But the pitch was overall the same because you did the work and you actually really nailed the pitch.
[00:14:37] No, I definitely use the CPR method. So like I had the pitch and I might change a few things. Like if I was targeting trying to get them to use my story for a specific day or month that was being celebrated or something I might emphasize like during Breast Cancer Awareness Month emphasized that a little heavier in it, but it was always the same foundation. And then I just sort of tweak it, not as much per journalist, but her approach like, you know, what am I trying to get them to look at me for so I get their attention for that.
[00:15:10] Yeah. And did you find that during Breast National Breast Cancer Awareness Month or Week you got more hits or more responses?
[00:15:17] I surprisingly didn't, which I was really surprised by. I get more attention about the breast cancer other times year. I think it might be because so many people are pitching for that month and there's newer stories. So like a lot of times I think they want people who are either in treatment or just out of treatment. So mine's been a few years now, so it's not as fresh but but in other like publications or podcasts that have to deal with breast cancer, it's those I usually get right on. Like if it's a.
[00:15:49] Podcast, that's amazing that all year round it works. So what about the subject line? Like, did you tweak the subject line and then how did you follow up? Did you also follow up via social media like I teach or what was that process like?
[00:16:02] Yeah, I mean, especially for podcasts, I find podcasters really do communicate a lot on social media more than like the big publications where I don't know who's manning their social media like, right? But they usually don't like interact as much with me I think because we're a small brand. But yeah, for podcasters, definitely when I've connected with them on social media and keep reaching out to them and I'll follow up with emails and use mail tracker to see like, are they even opening them? So usually if I see that someone looks like they're opening them, then I'll follow up a lot more than if it's like, okay, I don't think this person's even opening it. Like, I'll do those, you know, maybe once a month, like try and. Get back in front of them because I know people are just busy. But if it's someone who is opening, I'll be like, okay, I might be sort of on their mind. Let me keep talking to them while they're paying attention and maybe they can connect all this information together.
[00:17:01] And what's the most times that you followed up with someone? Because I think so many founders err on the side of shyness. They're like, Oh, I already followed up once and I'm always trying to tell them, I want you to err on the side of being annoying, because that's the energy that it takes to compete with these really pushy PR people. So tell people now that you've kind of done the whole pitching, gotten on, what did you learn about following up? I mean, is there is there such a thing as too much follow up?
[00:17:27] I don't think so, because the two big national magazines I've been in are Parents Magazine and Real Simple, and we were featured as products. And both of those I must have written once a week through social media, went to the editor of Parents because I was like, It's the only name I could find that seemed to consistently be associated with it. So I just kept writing to her on social media. Like, first I was like, comment on pictures and then I'd send her messages and sometimes she'd respond and I just kept, Hey, can I send this to you? Hey, I really think you'd like this. Hey, this is. Hey, you know, I just thought of another way that we're useful for parents, and I did that for probably ten months before she finally was like, okay, okay, we're going to put you in.
[00:18:11] Oh, my gosh. I hope whoever is listening and multitasking come back to us because. Okay, let's let's just do the math. Okay. I know that Parents magazine and real simple, they do pay to play and you can buy like affiliate marketing like placements for thousands of dollars. Did you pay for this feature in Parents?
[00:18:31] No, we couldn't do that at all. So I needed to just have them say like, Hey, we think you're cool and we'll put you in the magazine.
[00:18:40] So it took you, let's say, ten months, right? How many seconds or minutes do you think you spent per week, like following up or commenting on her stuff?
[00:18:48] Less than ten. I mean, probably depending like at the beginning, I think I took more time because I was really trying to get bits of my story out there and like find something that might get her attention. So it'd be like, Hey, you know, I'm a mom and a cancer survivor. And, you know, this is a really cool idea that you talked about in this month's issue of parents. And so, like, I tried to first just sort of comment and find a connection. So maybe if she did notice, hey, this person keeps writing comments and then I started to DM and just say it's like, Oh hey, I had this thought and here's how we can help. And but yeah, it didn't really take very long.
[00:19:29] So do you think it was worth the effort versus just like paying thousands of dollars and just buying a placement?
[00:19:34] Oh, definitely, because I think it was also more genuine in that she also had learned over that period of time about me and my product and what it did. So it was a genuine like, Hey, I think this would help our readers. I've learned enough about it to know that I want to share it, as opposed to me just buying a space which I couldn't afford to do anyway.
[00:19:54] So yeah, because I know that's huge. I know for real simple, they do a lot of pay to play and they even do affiliate marketing where you give them a percentage of their profit. So the fact that you got this organically is amazing. And that leads me to my next question is let's say so now you've been on podcast real simple parents mag. What are the other benefits or the dividends of what you've done with the Starter Pack? Does it keep paying off? How has it changed the way that you market yourself or message?
[00:20:23] Oh, it definitely pays off because I mean, just those things alone. Like I said, when I go to retail and they say, well, what are you doing? So people know that you exist, I could say, Well, I was in real simple. I was featured in parents, so I'm going to keep up that momentum and it lets them know that I've done it. I know how to do it and it is work, but I will keep doing the work so they know that and they know the value of like paid placement versus organic and how much more valuable that is. So I think it says a lot to people, whether you're looking for people to invest in your business or care, your product, or even just work with you, I think it gives some credibility, so it's definitely worth it. It also saved thousands and thousands of dollars that I couldn't have spent on that PR and I think using the CPR method as a foundation has been so great because I whenever I feel like I'm kind of getting off track or I'm like, I'm sending things out and no one's responding, I'll step back and go, Okay, wait, I'm not following a method. I'm just randomly shooting DMS to people and it'll bring me back to something I can look at and go, okay, am I doing these things? No. That's probably why this isn't working, because I'm just all over the place. I'm not really focusing on my message.
[00:21:36] Yeah, I think it definitely helps. And obviously the fact that there is a social media handles and the starter pack helps, but let's say someone's not in the starter pack and they're just really just bootstrapping maybe where you were. A year and a half ago. Do you have any other tips for them so that they can, you know, kind of make less mistakes than we all did in the beginning? Like anything that you've noticed from pitching?
[00:21:56] I think keep it simple. And I'd say, like I call it the low hanging fruit. Like go for the things that are so obvious for you. Like when I first started, like things in the breast cancer community and people who have podcasts or magazines, there's all kinds of people talking to other breast cancer survivors or people going through it. So it's like, that's really I haven't such an easy story for that. So like. I shouldn't aim for being in Wall Street Journal is a business when I'm selling, you know, 20 products a week or something. Like they're not going to look at that story and find it interesting. So I look at things that are appropriate and don't be afraid to go for the things that seem obvious and easy because it also gives you experience. Like my first few podcasts I did, I had no idea what I was doing and exactly what to say or I just wasn't prepared. So I think also starting with things that are smaller, there's not the pressure to, you know, it's like I'd rather be in like a little product placement thing in real simple than have some two page article because who knows what I would have said. I didn't have a lot to say that. So I think just trust the timing.
[00:23:06] I love that. I love that you literally, literally like the definition of bootstrapping. And that's what I respect about you so much, is you literally just cold calling and you didn't have, you know, all these fancy buyer contacts did the same with PR. What's another realization that that you've gained from kind of doing your own PR? Because I think a lot of people are like, you know, of course, all the limiting beliefs which we've addressed. But I think a lot of people are like, well, it's just easier to hire an agency who has a contacts and then kind of outsource it because I don't have the time. So what would you say about people who just don't think it's worthy of their time to do it themselves?
[00:23:45] Don't hire an agency part like it was. I was doing my own PR, I got the starter pack and I was like, Wow, this does take a lot of time when I really focus on it and I'm trying to like follow up with things. I was like, Oh, I'm going to reach out to this follow up with someone who reached out to me and they had something that was seemed kind of affordable and it was a disaster because they didn't really understand my product and they couldn't tell my story the way I can. They couldn't talk about my product the way I could. They couldn't come up with the connections for different, you know, different publications. You're like, Well, why would you be in there? How would we connect it? And like, I had to do even more work because then I had to teach this person everything and then they still didn't do it right. And so it ended up being very frustrating and I didn't stay with them long. It was like, You know what? I just need to do things at the speed I could do them, but know that I'm always doing a much better job and especially having the tools that you set me up with. I know I know what to do and I'm in control of like, am I writing to two people a week or 20 people a week? It's based on my time and I'm in charge of it, but at least I know it's being done right.
[00:25:00] Yeah. And you own those relationships. So that's. So another question I have, which I get asked a lot is, is it better to pitch from, Hey, I'm the founder or pretend like you're an assistant? What did you do when you pitch? Did you write from first person or from third person?
[00:25:15] I usually write from first person just as the founder. Occasionally I'm trying to think there's been a couple of times where I've done it sort of as an assistant, but it was very specific and I think it was something about I was responding to something on horror or something where it seemed like it would be better if it came from like an assistant because they had said, like if somebody has a lead or a connection to somebody. So I didn't want to just be like me, me, me.
[00:25:44] So, so first person works, right? Because I think a lot of people feel like, oh, I need a PR rep. And you're saying that's actually not true. Like, for example, for parents and the podcast and the real simple, did you did you just say did you just talk as as yourself?
[00:25:58] Right. Definitely, yeah.
[00:25:59] And another question I get asked a lot is samples and and offering free products. What has been your experience with with sending out samples?
[00:26:08] I think samples are really good. If they I get permission to send samples. So I ask them I'm lucky in that my product isn't a very expensive thing to sample. So I know some people, their product, it costs them $100 or something to make it so they can't just give them away all the time. I used to give them a way to like social media influencers. They'd be like like, Oh, do you want to try this? And they say, yes, and there was never anything that came of it. So now I don't do a lot with social media people unless I've already sort of developed some sort of relationship with them. But if a publication or if I usually offer a sample, if I'm writing to someone just because I also I want the conversation to be genuine. If I do get on a podcast or have an interview and I want them to really like the product or have experienced it. So what they're saying rings is true is what I'm saying.
[00:27:03] Yeah. So how does that closing go? I mean, obviously there's samples in the starter pack, but what would that sentence look like? Would it be like, let me know if you would like to experience the product and I'm happy to send it. Or how did you usually write that little sentence?
[00:27:16] It's usually something kind of like, I really love for you to try to take and see if it helps you. And if it does and if it if to take really adds, you know, adds to your life or helps you in some way, then I'd love to continue this conversation and see what we could do or how we could work together or sort of imply, I don't if it doesn't help them, then I don't want to continue. I don't want to be on their podcast if they don't know anything about the product because those have been like the most awkward podcast I've had. Or when the person like and they're like, Oh yeah, I don't really take anything. I guess that would help some people. And you're like, This is really hard because you don't know what it is.
[00:27:59] I like that energy of collaboration in that sentence where it's like you're asking them, but you're not forcing them. And for a lot of people who are listening, if you make something that's very expensive or is not a physical thing, then you can give them a link to maybe a video or something that gives them an experience, right? So it doesn't have to be. And I never tell anyone in the starter pack that you have to give away free product. In fact, I actually don't think you would need to. So, so that answer is that I guess my, my next question is so let's say I pitched on like a monday, right? With the CPR method, did you usually follow up at least two or three times before you heard back? And then when did you actually schedule the interview just to give people kind of a timeline of what it could look like?
[00:28:42] I think it varies when it's with like an individual doing a podcast. Usually the timeline is faster because they respond faster. So just the conversations happen more quickly with things like Real Simple or parents. I had to follow up quite a bit and they'd say, it's like, okay, we're going to feature you right when? And then it's like, Hey, I'm following up to see What do you need? Do you need photography? What, what do you need for me? And like, so I'd have to keep checking in and that probably took two or three weeks really of just sort of back and forth and staying on their radar because sometimes just because they agree that they'll put you in the publication if you don't keep following up and say, okay, you know, what do you need? What what are you looking at putting it in like what issue? So it stays top of mind because especially with took takes a small product. So I just think it's easy for them to kind of get sidetracked by something else that's bigger and fancier. So it's like, I want to stay on the radar and get get that placement in their magazine.
[00:29:38] Yes. You have to keep owning that. Power is yours. Right. And I think the more you believe in your product, the less hesitant you are to keep pushing it. Because, you know, at the end of the day, you started this product not just to make money, but really to make a difference in people's lives. I think for a lot of people in the starter pack, that's also their why. And so I really encourage anyone who is being discouraged because they sent out one email and they didn't hear back is to listen to go back and listen to what you've just said is everything that has materialized in a feature that has gotten you in front of tens of thousands of people had had to have follow up. And another follow up question is, out of all those follow ups, did anyone once get angry at you or say, oh, you're following up too much.
[00:30:19] The whole time? I think I've gotten two replies that were like, Please take me off of your list. And when I went back and looked, I wasn't really writing to the right person. It was sort of early on and I was writing to somebody who said they wrote about parenting, but what they really wrote about was like travel. And I hadn't made any connection to travel or like there was really nothing I'd written that would make them seem interested in this or be interested in it. So I realized that was my mistake, but even that, it was a simple Please take me off your list.
[00:30:50] It wasn't the world, you know.
[00:30:51] And at least I knew they read it. So I was like, the notes are just as important as the yeses.
[00:30:59] Yes, I love I love that. I think entrepreneurs is like, you know, that the it's a numbers game, like kind of like dating. It's just like the more no's you get, it's just you just need that one. Yes. Right. So now that we've been in the starter pack for a year, you've been building your business for two years. What have you learned about rejection throughout this whole thing?
[00:31:16] You can't take it personally. There's so many reasons that people don't write back or aren't interested or don't even open the email. Like it's just you just have to kind of keep going. And, you know, I think judge for yourself which things have enough value in them that it's worth putting the effort into and which things. It's like, okay, I've put a fair amount of effort. It doesn't look like this person's opening anything. So either they're not getting them or what I'm writing isn't connecting with them. And if that's the case, then that's what I'm talking about. That's my product, that's my story, that's all I got. So I think it's just learning to kind of differentiate. That's why I think the year is done is like giving me perspective to say it's like, okay, now I kind of know when to stop, like when to keep being persistent, when it's not useful anymore.
[00:32:05] Yeah. And everything you want is on the other side of the send button. Right? So and another thing I think that people get tripped up about because as entrepreneurs, as human beings, we're afraid of failure. So we put all these stumbling blocks. One of the things that people love to tell themselves to stop them from progress. Us is, well, if one publication writes about me, another publication won't be interested. Is that true in your perspective?
[00:32:28] I don't think so, because I think as long as you put a slightly different twist and show how it connects, like for real simple, it was the same. I used the same pitch, but it was about how this is a useful tool for their readers. And for parents, it was like specifically how this benefits parents, which is it's different. So I think you can keep telling the same story in slightly different ways and connecting it. You could take the same pitch and just tweak the subject, tweak a few of the bullet points a little, and it'll still be relevant to other publications. And people will want to hear that story because there are different audiences.
[00:33:03] Yeah, and let's not do the deciding for the journalist. Let's just use a pitch. And if the journalist wants to weave it into a bigger story, that's their editorial discretion. Right? So can you tell me a little bit about that, too? Because a lot of times people think the pitch is actually the story and they want to stuff everything in there. And it's like, no, the pitch is just a conversation starter.
[00:33:23] Yeah, I think it is. It's just it opens the door to have a further conversation so then they can find out what they want to know and how to feel like part of it. Because I think the best things are collaborative because if you just want to publish your story, you can self-publish on all kinds of websites. But if you really, you know, you want to be part of their publication, you have to let them into it too. And there are some that basically send a questionnaire and they're like, here, you know, here's the interview questions, write your answers and we'll write it up. But more of them, I think, really want to have a conversation first to kind of hear your story. And they like digging for more information on their own or their little nugget that nobody else has found yet.
[00:34:04] One more question that I just popped up is what about has anyone asked you to guest blog or guest posts or contribute instead of being interviewed and have them write it? But have you write it instead?
[00:34:16] Yeah, I've done several of those and those are always really fun because usually they will be like a conversation before, whether it's an email exchange or like a zoom call or something where we'll kind of hear what what their audience is looking for and what they like. I did one a few weeks ago. There was actually for a company that talks directly to pharmacists. They do like pharmacists continuing education. So they first asked me to guest blog and then asked me to be on their podcast after I wrote the blog. So like we'd like to talk to you more about this idea. So yeah, those are always really fun and you never know where they'll lead either. It's just kind of fun.
[00:34:54] When you pitch that you were pitching it like everything else in the starter pack, right? You had no idea it was going to be a guest contributor. Opportunity.
[00:35:02] No, no. I was just you know, I saw that they posted a lot and thought like, hey, this is a group of people I want to talk to is pharmacists. So but they're probably seeing all my stuff that's consumer focused and based on the customer. So I need you to kind of say like how my story is relevant to a pharmacist and put a little spin on that so that they're like, Hey, we actually that's interesting. We want to talk to you about that.
[00:35:26] That's incredible. Yeah, because I think a lot of people, when they think about PR is just only talking to your consumers. But now you've been able to leverage what you've learned in the starter pack to establish your expertize not only for consumers but for industry experts, for example, pharmacists. That's, I think, something that people don't think about when they think about the benefits of PR. And also, you know what, if you get written up in like a white paper or a research paper, right? I mean, that could be really, really interesting to. So looking ahead, I mean, the time that we're recording this is. Q One, you've already had so much success and you've been on the other side of that send button because you're no longer afraid of rejection. You've done the mental work. What do you what do you hope for the rest of this year? What do you hope to achieve with PR and your business?
[00:36:11] I really want to get like big PR. I still have like want to get on like the Today Show or one, you know. But I just keep trying different ways and different people. And when I see, you know, what they're talking about or what's going on with the people, like I follow them on social media to see it's like, okay, is there how can I connect with this? Is there something going on with them that I think I'd be a good fit for? And I think it's just being patient, which isn't always my strong suit, but like I think PR takes a lot of patience and persistence. So yeah, I think something really big is my goal for this year, like today's show or Good Morning America or something.
[00:36:51] Yeah, that's going to happen because when you started out, you were on no publication. Now you've been on all of the ones, so I'm sure that's going to be there. And the fact that you manifested it by saying it out loud, I think there's power in that. So everyone, let's give a round of applause for Leeanna. Is there anything else you want to leave our audience with? Maybe someone who is a little bit earlier stage in you or even later stage in you and still has not decided that PR is for them. What would you say to them?
[00:37:16] I think definitely give it a try, because even if you decide. After doing it for a year or so that doing your own PR isn't for you. You will understand what you're asking someone to do, and I think it's important to speak the language and know what you're asking so you can say, Who are you reaching out to? Why are you reaching out to them? What are you telling them? So you make sure it aligns with your values and your company's values, too. So I don't think there's there's any downside to signing up for the program. I wish I had done it sooner. It would have been good to have all these tools much earlier in the process. So I would tell someone, just do it, sign up, start learning, start practicing and see if it's for you. But I definitely think there's no downside. The worst case is you will learn a lot and know how to talk about your company even better.
[00:38:04] I love that. So for those of everyone who is listening, how can they learn more about your story, your inspirational story about not only building your business, but surviving breast cancer? How can people connect with you?
[00:38:15] Our website took take is the best place we have. I have a little video about how I invented took take and talks about the product. And if there's entrepreneurs that have questions or anything, you can message me through the website as well or social media took take. I'm on there a lot, so anything you write, I'll answer personally.
[00:38:34] Thank you so much for being so generous with our audience. One one lightbulb moment just popped up when you said that is what about entering yourself into some innovation awards this year using the CPR method?
[00:38:46] That's a good idea. Yeah, I haven't thought about that.
[00:38:48] Another goal that you can check off your list and I think it's really, truly possible to because what you've built with no resources or connections, it's truly inspiring. So we can definitely chat offline about that. But I definitely see that could be an opportunity for you as well.
[00:39:02] So that's awesome. Thank you.
[00:39:14] Just finished another episode of the Small Business PR podcast. I hope you loved it as much as I did. Now, if you want to get free organic press features, get onto top podcasts and build relationships with editors at your dream outlets. Join me and hundreds of small business owners in the PR starter pack. It's the world's only PR tool that combines my proprietary CPR pitching framework with updated and super detailed media lists. So you'll never need to search for an editor’s contact again or wonder exactly what to write in the pitch email from proven pitch templates to gift guides to podcast lists, and so much more. It's the PR secret weapon of small but mighty businesses who know that they're meant to go bigger with their message, even if they're just starting out. Go to prstarterpack.com and see how founders from every industry leveraged it to get on to the New York Times, Popsugar ,Vogue Shape, Wall Street Journal and so many more journalists. No PR agency retainers, no expensive contracts required. And best of all, no ads or relying on relationships or other people to vouch for you. Because the PR starter pack has everything you need to feel ready and confident to pitch like the industry expert you are. I know you're going to love it. So go to prstarterpack.com and I'll talk to you next week.