PR Yourself with Leah Frazier: PR Strategies for Small Businesses and Entrepreneurs

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Follower count used to be the shortcut for judging influence, pricing brand deals, and deciding who “matters” online. That shortcut is breaking fast, and the fallout is showing up everywhere from bot-inflated accounts to messy brand events that creators drag in real time. We unpack a viral example: an “exclusive” Good American pop up invite that left influencers waiting in huge public lines, getting turned away, and then posting the whole experience on TikTok. The bigger story is not the drama, it is what it reveals about where influencer marketing and PR are headed.

We walk through the real influencer tiers that exists today, including nano influencers, and why smaller creators often deliver higher engagement rates, stronger trust, and better conversion for small businesses. If you are spending marketing dollars, we talk ROI, community fit, and why “big audience” does not automatically mean “buying audience.” We also call out the incentives that pushed creators to chase followers in the first place, including how follower-based pricing and bought followers warped the market.

Then we get practical: the shift from social media to what marketing guru Gary Vee has coined as "interest media" means platforms now push content based on what people want, not who they follow. That changes everything for content creation strategy, niche selection, and monetization, especially with TikTok, Facebook and Instagram. If you are a creator, we challenge you to stop waiting for a massive audience and start building consistent, niche content the algorithm can distribute. If you are a brand, we challenge you to stop overlooking smaller creators who can move product.

Subscribe, share this with a business owner or creator friend, and leave a review so more people can stop chasing follower counts and start building real visibility.

To dive deeper into the shift in influencer marketer, watch my TEDx Talk here. 

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Schedule Your PR Power Hour with Leah TODAY: https://thinkthreemediabooking.as.me/PRPowerHour

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Follow Leah Frazier on Instagram @TheLeahFrazier.

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Be sure to get your podcast going and take advantage of our offer with Kitcaster by heading to: kitcaster.com/pryourself.

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*Please forgive the low-res audio recording; however, the message is still just as powerful.*

A single on-air word mix-up shouldn’t be a business lesson, but the way QVC handled a viral wig blooper by Toni Brattin, turns it into a sharp, modern PR playbook. We talk through why the recovery worked: the hosts stayed human, the brand didn’t panic, and they collaborated with the internet’s creator energy instead of trying to shut it down. If you care about public relations, personal branding, and protecting trust when things get awkward in public, you’ll take notes.

Then we shift from pop culture PR to real-world visibility and business growth in Dallas, Texas, where Leah attends an NCTRCA gala focused on small business recognition, supplier diversity, and the power of being in the right rooms with the right message. The highlight is an excerpt from the legendary Mikki Taylor, Editor-At-Large at Essence Magazine and a longtime authority in beauty, style, and communications, sharing what she calls the seven laws of emergence.

Her blueprint is practical: diversify your revenue, become indispensable, build relationship capital, define a brand people can’t ignore, master tomorrow’s tools today, earn authority in the attention economy, and build systems so your purpose scales beyond your presence. If you’ve been feeling stretched, unseen, or overly dependent on one pipeline, this will reset how you think about resilience, visibility, and leadership.

If it resonates, subscribe, share this with an entrepreneur who needs the boost, and leave a rating and review so more entrepreneurs can find us.

Support the show

Schedule Your PR Power Hour with Leah TODAY: https://thinkthreemediabooking.as.me/PRPowerHour

Follow PR Yourself on Instagram @PRYourselfPodcast.

Follow Leah Frazier on Instagram @TheLeahFrazier.

Subscribe to PR Yourself with Leah Frazier on Substack: https://substack.com/@theleahfrazier

Be sure to get your podcast going and take advantage of our offer with Kitcaster by heading to: kitcaster.com/pryourself.

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TikTok Shop and TikTok Live isn’t just another social app feature. It’s a full-on social commerce engine that’s changing how small businesses launch products, how creators earn commissions, and how customers discover what they’ll buy next. 

I went to a TikTok creator event in Dallas expecting to “learn a little,” and left realizing a major shift is happening in plain sight: brands are building sales through everyday people making UGC, not just huge influencers with glossy feeds.

One this episode, I sit down with Karie Bonner from You Glow Girl, a fragrance and body care brand built on TikTok Live and TikTok Shop creators. Carrie shares the real story, from losing jobs at the start of the pandemic, to getting rejected as a TikTok seller multiple times, to finally getting approved and turning live streams into consistent orders. We talk about what happened when her packaging failed and she chose refunds and reships anyway, and how that customer service decision helped build trust, word of mouth, and even led to an influencer relationship that drove six figures in sales.

We also break down the strategy behind her creator-powered ecosystem: recruiting affiliates from real customers, focusing on niche community over follower counts, running simple incentives, and keeping content authentic instead of over-scripted. 

If you’re a product-based business, a creator curious about TikTok Shop, or a founder trying to understand where marketing is headed, this conversation will give you a clear, practical framework to test.

Subscribe to PR Yourself with Leah Frazier, share this with a business friend, and leave a rating and review so I can keep bringing you the guests and strategies that actually move the needle.

Support the show

Schedule Your PR Power Hour with Leah TODAY: https://thinkthreemediabooking.as.me/PRPowerHour

Follow PR Yourself on Instagram @PRYourselfPodcast.

Follow Leah Frazier on Instagram @TheLeahFrazier.

Subscribe to PR Yourself with Leah Frazier on Substack: https://substack.com/@theleahfrazier

Be sure to get your podcast going and take advantage of our offer with Kitcaster by heading to: kitcaster.com/pryourself.

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PR often gets branded as “media outreach,” but that narrow definition leaves a lot of brand visibility and public relations opportunities on the table. In this episode of PR Yourself with Leah Frazier, we pull back the curtain on a more modern PR strategy for small businesses and entrepreneurs: event activations that build community, strengthen trust, and generate content, press, and brand awareness—without relying solely on the traditional pitch-to-producer loop.

Leah shares a real-life Dallas PR case study involving the highly anticipated Michael movie, where a lawyer wanted to host an exclusive screening on behalf of his law firm with very little lead time. We break down the two paths most brands face when planning a movie screening event activation: securing an advanced screening funded by the film team versus paying for a private theater buyout. Leah also shares the exact outreach strategy that led to a “yes,” including how she identified the right PR firm, positioned the pitch around community engagement and visibility, and negotiated based on what sponsors truly need: promotion, influencer attendance, and a full house.

Then we get tactical. Leah walks through how to plan ROI for event activations before guests even arrive—including target audience alignment, on-site activation with QR codes, branded photo moments, social media-driven giveaways, email capture, and simple branded swag that keeps your business top-of-mind long after the event ends. We also cover one of the most overlooked parts of event marketing and experiential marketing: the follow-up. A successful event is just the beginning if you don’t send the thank-you, reinforce your call to action, and extend the visibility with photos, recap content, and a post-event press release.

If you’re looking for smarter brand visibility, stronger community-based PR, and a practical DIY public relations strategy that works both offline and online, this episode is for you. Hit play, subscribe, share with a fellow entrepreneur, and leave a review so more small business owners can discover how to PR themselves through strategic event activations like the Michael movie screening.

Support the show

Schedule Your PR Power Hour with Leah TODAY: https://thinkthreemediabooking.as.me/PRPowerHour

Follow PR Yourself on Instagram @PRYourselfPodcast.

Follow Leah Frazier on Instagram @TheLeahFrazier.

Subscribe to PR Yourself with Leah Frazier on Substack: https://substack.com/@theleahfrazier

Be sure to get your podcast going and take advantage of our offer with Kitcaster by heading to: kitcaster.com/pryourself.

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Your pitch might be “fine” and still be the exact reason a journalist never opens your email again. We’re pulling back the curtain on fresh research from the BCPR Group, a survey of 100+ journalists and media pros that spells out what actually drives replies and what quietly gets you deleted.

But before we hope in, we start with a real, behind-the-scenes PR story from the beauty world: trade shows, tight timelines, and the kind of scrappy relationship building that turns a simple LinkedIn comment into a DM, an on-camera interview, and serious brand validation. If you’re an entrepreneur, creator, or small business owner trying to earn media coverage, this is your reminder that visibility rarely comes from luck. It comes from doing the unglamorous work consistently and knowing how to put the right story in front of the right person.

Then we get practical with the survey’s biggest takeaways for PR outreach and media relations: why personalization beats mass pitching, why relevance matters more than a big agency name, and why responsiveness is a trust signal journalists track. We also talk about the growing backlash to AI pitches and template-style emails, including why “polished” can read as fake, repetitive, and not newsworthy when everyone is using the same tools.

Listen for clear do’s and don’ts you can apply to your next pitch, press release, or podcast request. If it helps, subscribe, share it with a founder who needs press, and leave a quick review so more people learn how to PR themselves the right way.

Support the show

Schedule Your PR Power Hour with Leah TODAY: https://thinkthreemediabooking.as.me/PRPowerHour

Follow PR Yourself on Instagram @PRYourselfPodcast.

Follow Leah Frazier on Instagram @TheLeahFrazier.

Subscribe to PR Yourself with Leah Frazier on Substack: https://substack.com/@theleahfrazier

Be sure to get your podcast going and take advantage of our offer with Kitcaster by heading to: kitcaster.com/pryourself.

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The future of search and marketing is AI—and small businesses need to adapt fast. In this episode, marketing strategist Len Ward of Commexis dives deep into AIO (AI Optimization) and shares how small business owners can leverage AI to increase visibility (especially in AI searches), attract customers, and stay ahead of the competition.

Len explains how AI is transforming the way people search, discover brands, and make buying decisions—and why traditional SEO alone is no longer enough. He breaks down the practical steps businesses can take today to appear in AI-powered search results, boost their online presence, and position their brand for long-term success.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How AIO (AI Optimization) differs from traditional SEO and why it matters
• How AI search engines decide which businesses to recommend or rank
• Key strategies to future-proof your small business in an AI-driven world
• How to structure your content, website, and digital footprint for AI visibility
• Practical tips to establish authority, trust, and brand relevance for AI audiences

Whether you’re a small business owner, entrepreneur, or marketer, this episode is a roadmap to thriving in an AI-powered business landscape.

Support the show

Schedule Your PR Power Hour with Leah TODAY: https://thinkthreemediabooking.as.me/PRPowerHour

Follow PR Yourself on Instagram @PRYourselfPodcast.

Follow Leah Frazier on Instagram @TheLeahFrazier.

Subscribe to PR Yourself with Leah Frazier on Substack: https://substack.com/@theleahfrazier

Be sure to get your podcast going and take advantage of our offer with Kitcaster by heading to: kitcaster.com/pryourself.

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Is SEO really dying?

In this episode of PR Yourself with Leah Frazier, marketing strategist Len Ward of Commexis breaks down why traditional SEO strategies are losing ground—and what small business owners must do now to stay visible in an AI-driven search world.

With the rise of ChatGPT, Google’s AI-powered search results, and generative search engines, the rules of online visibility are changing fast. Len introduces AIO (AI Optimization) and explains how businesses can show up in AI search results instead of getting buried.

In this conversation, you’ll learn:

• Why experts are saying “SEO is dying”
• The difference between traditional SEO and AI search optimization
• Practical AIO strategies small businesses can implement now
• Why authority, clarity, and brand positioning matter more than ever

If you're a small business owner, entrepreneur, or marketing professional wondering how to rank in AI search and future-proof your digital presence, this episode is your roadmap.

The future of search isn’t just Google rankings—it’s being referenced, cited, and recommended by AI. And the businesses that adapt first will win.

Listen now to learn how to move from SEO to AIO—and stay ahead in the age of AI-powered search.

Support the show

Schedule Your PR Power Hour with Leah TODAY: https://thinkthreemediabooking.as.me/PRPowerHour

Follow PR Yourself on Instagram @PRYourselfPodcast.

Follow Leah Frazier on Instagram @TheLeahFrazier.

Subscribe to PR Yourself with Leah Frazier on Substack: https://substack.com/@theleahfrazier

Be sure to get your podcast going and take advantage of our offer with Kitcaster by heading to: kitcaster.com/pryourself.

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Searching for the real BravoCon experience? Want insider tips, ticket hacks, or a BravoCon recap? Look no further.

In this episode of PR Yourself with Leah Frazier, host Leah Frazier brings on Bravo superfan Phillip White to spill BravoCon secrets, break down the Real Housewives moments everyone is talking about, and reveal what it’s really like to attend Bravo’s biggest fan event of the year.

You’ll learn:

• How to score BravoCon tickets before they sell out
• What to expect from the BravoCon fan experience
• Exclusive BravoCon gossip heard on-site
• The must-see Real Housewives encounters
• Why Bravo TV’s fandom is a marketing machine
• How BravoCon boosts the network’s stars, brands, and shows

Whether you're planning to attend BravoCon, want insider info from someone who was there, or just need a real, unfiltered BravoCon recap, this episode delivers everything fans are searching for.

Support the show

Schedule Your PR Power Hour with Leah TODAY: https://thinkthreemediabooking.as.me/PRPowerHour

Follow PR Yourself on Instagram @PRYourselfPodcast.

Follow Leah Frazier on Instagram @TheLeahFrazier.

Subscribe to PR Yourself with Leah Frazier on Substack: https://substack.com/@theleahfrazier

Be sure to get your podcast going and take advantage of our offer with Kitcaster by heading to: kitcaster.com/pryourself.

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In this debut episode of our brand-new segment, Inside the Press Room, Leah pulls back the curtain on what journalists and editors really say once the cameras stop rolling and the pitches hit their inboxes. After weeks in and out of newsrooms, Leah has collected the top five, recent, real-life “overheards” — the comments, complaints, and cringe-worthy moments that reveal where businesses and brands consistently miss the mark.

From sloppy pitching to interviewees who freeze under the spotlight, Leah breaks down each overheard moment with actionable tips to help you step up your PR game. If you want to show up polished, prepared, and press-worthy, this episode is your wake-up call.

Support the show

Schedule Your PR Power Hour with Leah TODAY: https://thinkthreemediabooking.as.me/PRPowerHour

Follow PR Yourself on Instagram @PRYourselfPodcast.

Follow Leah Frazier on Instagram @TheLeahFrazier.

Subscribe to PR Yourself with Leah Frazier on Substack: https://substack.com/@theleahfrazier

Be sure to get your podcast going and take advantage of our offer with Kitcaster by heading to: kitcaster.com/pryourself.

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Recorded live at the Shef Food + Wine Festival, this special episode of PR Yourself with Leah Frazier features an intimate, powerful conversation between guest host Lady Jade and Fawn Weaver, the visionary CEO behind Uncle Nearest Whiskey.

Fawn opens up about the real challenges she has faced while building one of the world’s most celebrated spirits brands and one of the top distilleries in the world — from navigating cultural legacy to weathering industry pressure. She speaks candidly about how faith has remained her guiding force, sustaining her through seasons of adversity, and how her husband, Keith Weaver, has been a constant pillar of strength and partnership behind the scenes.

This episode is a masterclass in:

• Building with conviction and purpose
• Protecting legacy with integrity
• Leading under pressure
• And sustaining purpose through spiritual grounding and love

Whether you’re launching a brand, scaling a business, or just trying to stay encouraged through your own valleys and victories — this conversation will feed your spirit and sharpen your focus.

Support the show

Schedule Your PR Power Hour with Leah TODAY: https://thinkthreemediabooking.as.me/PRPowerHour

Follow PR Yourself on Instagram @PRYourselfPodcast.

Follow Leah Frazier on Instagram @TheLeahFrazier.

Subscribe to PR Yourself with Leah Frazier on Substack: https://substack.com/@theleahfrazier

Be sure to get your podcast going and take advantage of our offer with Kitcaster by heading to: kitcaster.com/pryourself.