PR for a solopreneur is the practice of building trust and visibility with a specific audience across the channels that audience already uses. It includes media coverage, but it also includes social media, newsletters, podcast appearances, and strategic partnerships. Haley Raymond describes media coverage as one slice of a much larger umbrella, not the whole thing.
No. Haley says the "I only want someone with the best contacts" mindset is an old-school way of thinking. Relationships still help you get an email opened, but story and strategy now matter more. If someone promises you coverage in a specific outlet before they have even spoken with you about your business, treat that as a red flag.
Two things: your goals and who you are speaking to. Haley says the audience question matters most for solopreneurs because your time is limited and you need the channels that give you the most efficient return. Media consumption tends to split along generational lines, so a business targeting Gen Z will show up in very different places than one targeting baby boomers.
Not heavily, and not on camera. Haley recommends some baseline presence because people will look you up after meeting you, and you want those first search results to be positive. But you do not need to become an influencer. Posting twice a week with consistency is a reasonable goal for someone who dislikes the platform.
It depends on your audience. Haley defines legacy media as the outlets we think of before the internet, meaning newspapers, magazines, television and radio, plus modern news brands like The New York Times and CNN. For a local or brick-and-mortar business, local television and radio can still be genuinely powerful because you know exactly who you are reaching. For an online or niche business, a targeted podcast or a Substack with an engaged audience will often do more than a national mention.
PESO is a framework created by Gini Dietrich that organizes your visibility into four categories. Paid covers advertising and paid speaking. Earned covers media coverage, podcast interviews and Substack features. Shared covers social media. Owned covers your website and newsletter. Haley says most solopreneurs can skip the paid category entirely and focus on owned channels they control, one or two shared channels done well, and earned opportunities that borrow other people's audiences.
Usually because the coverage was treated as a finish line. Haley says the interview is the beginning of the work, not the end. Share it in your newsletter, post it on social, cut it into LinkedIn posts, and send it to prospects who are on the fence. Share it more than once, pulling out different ideas each time. Frame each share around what the audience can take away rather than a simple look at me announcement.
Look for movement at specific points in time. Check Google Analytics for traffic spikes after an appearance. Track newsletter signups, social growth and inbound inquiries. Create a unique link for each podcast or outlet so you know exactly where a lead originated. Haley notes that PR builds trust over time, so an upward trend across those numbers is often the earliest honest signal that it is working.
Shiny object syndrome. Haley describes the pattern of starting a TikTok because a relative suggested it, then adding Substack because someone said it was hot. Trying new things is fine, but she recommends auditing whether the time you spend on a channel is producing anything, then doubling down on what actually works for your business.
Start with podcasts your audience already listens to. Actually listen to them before you pitch, then send a short pitch rather than a full biography. Aim for a list of ten. Add local or trade media if your business has a geographic or industry hook. Start a simple monthly newsletter to stay top of mind with past clients, prospects and friends. Keep a minimal but consistent social presence on the one platform where your audience lives.
Haley's agency days produced a mantra she still uses. It's PR, not the ER. A typo, a late deliverable or an unhappy client is not a medical emergency. Perspective and a little grace go a long way when your business is also your livelihood.
Guest resources
Haley Raymond's website: haleyraymond.com
Haley on LinkedIn