Public Relations (PR) is a fantastic way to get the word out about your brand. In her new book, 8-Second PR: Energize Your Story for Ultimate Media Success (January 2019), Liz H. Kelly takes readers through an eight-step process for promoting your business that is perfect for anyone with a book, product or service. The content is based on booking thousands of media interviews for small businesses and managing marketing campaigns for major brands (Toyota, University of Phoenix and Nike) over the past 15 years.

I recently took the opportunity to interview Kelly, Goody PR Founder, Author, Red Carpet Reporter, and Speaker, about her new book. I’m sure you’ll find some tidbits that will help you energize your story.

Carma Spence: Why do people have such a hard time telling their brand story?

Liz Kelly: After working with small business CEOs on their marketing, PR and social media, the common theme is that most founders are geniuses, who cannot tell their story in a clear, concise and compelling way. If they are a tech CEO, the founder usually built the app and their genius is in engineering. If they are a real estate investor, their genius is finding good deals and attracting investors. However, if you ask them, what are the 3-5 Unique Selling Points for your product, they struggle for the right words. Product storytelling is an art that is a must for any company’s success, which is why this book has a lot of examples and suggestions for telling a Wow Story.

CS: How can you tell a powerful story in 8 seconds using photos, videos, and emphasis statements?

LK: Because the average attention span of an adult is eight seconds, you must be able to tell a powerful story that immediately connects with your audience. For example, the fastest way to tell a story in eight seconds is through a photograph, which is why Instagram is so popular. For videos, you actually have an average of 15 seconds before the viewer decides whether to drop off. And on TV, and really for any media, the best way to get someone’s attention is to use what we call “emphasis statements”. Try saying; “The most important thing is…” in the first eight seconds to emphasize that what you are going to say is worth listening too.

CS: What are the top 3 digital marketing secrets for word-of-mouth marketing?

LK: The top three secrets to digital marketing success include

• have a powerful story that breaks through the noise,
• create content with emotion that makes people cry, scream, smile, cheer or tell a friend and
• have a consistent SEO (Search Engine Optimization) strategy by using the same key words across all digital platforms (websites, videos, photographs, social media and more).

For example, think about which Super Bowl 2019 commercial do you remember the most and why? I like the Venus Williams’ Bumble commercial that says this powerful message in the first 15 seconds; “the world tells you to wait, that waiting is polite, and good things will just come, but if I waited to be invited in, I would never have stood out.”

CS: How can you inspire raving fans like the San Diego Comic-Con International fans who go to great lengths to see their favorite superhero?

LK: To attract loyal fans, your story must be much bigger than your “cool company”. Your mission must be to change the world with a clear call to action and explains how everyone can get involved. For example, one of our Goody PR clients is named Warriors Heart. Their “Vision” is to bring 1 million “warriors” (military, veterans and first responders) home, who are struggling with addiction, PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), mild TBI (traumatic brain injury) and recurring issues. This is our “goosebumps” client, and anyone can help by contributing to Warriors Heart Foundation.

CS: How can the 8 New PR Superpowers in 8-Second PR help magnify your brand?

LK: Together, the eight PR Superpowers in 8-Second PR can make your brand unstoppable! Each chapter has a PR Superpower and action items to move your product, brand or service forward. Authors, experts, and publicists can gain from the Media Vision Superpower, Digital PR Superpower, Story Reinvention Superpower and more. And because PR is a marathon versus a sprint, the Story Reinvention Power is a must. After booking over 500 media interviews (TV, radio and print) for our first book, Smart Man Hunting, over five years, we decided to use this PR Superpower to do marketing and PR full-time for others in 2009.

CS: Where can people find 8-Second PR?

LK: You can find 8-Second PR on Amazon as a paperback and eBook, visit 8SecondPR.com or follow us @8SecondPR. With the right knowledge and Wow Story, anyone can make their brand a household name! You’ve got this!