Lessons from a beauty PR pro: How to get your business noticed

Alex Silver, founder of beauty PR agency, Alex Silver PR, has been working in public relations for 25 years. She has helped brands including Beauty Blender, Caudalie, KISS Nails & Lashes and Fake Bake make their mark and is renowned for high-profile campaigns, charity events, celebrity ambassadorships and red-carpet parties.

Here, she reveals how to cut through the noise and get your brand noticed…

Getting your brand or business noticed in the beauty landscape is essential to differentiate yourself from the competition, gain recognition in the industry, drive new business leads and build up a loyal fan base. PR is an integral cog in your business wheel which, when executed correctly, can propel a small start-up into an award-winning business.

How can a consumer purchase the product or service if they do not know it exists? And how does the consumer trust what is offered if they have never heard of it? That is exactly where PR comes in.

The benefits of being in the public eye are endless and there are a multitude of ways in which this can be done.

Finding the right ‘fit’

Just like nail polish formulas, PR and marketing agencies are all unique, so it’s important to hire the team that is the best fit for your business. Think about the type of service you want to receive – do you prefer corporate or boutique? Does the agency provide the expertise you’re looking for; traditional and digital?

To begin your search it’s always good to look at a prospective company’s website and read reviews and testimonials. Check the social pages as this often shows off the company’s personality. Take recommendations. Look at how established they are as this is often an indication of how longstanding their connections will be.

Once you’ve got a list of who you want to approach, it’s always good to start with a fact-finding call. This will give you the opportunity to ask any initial questions and share your brief. Your brief should include key information on your business, what you’re looking to achieve via a PR campaign, details of any previous PR activity and what you may have found works well.

Nailing it with Alex Silver PR

This year, my agency is 25 years old – our very own silver anniversary! As you can imagine, over the years we’ve worked with a wide array of businesses, and I’m delighted to say we’re no stranger to nail-focused PR campaigns…

When I first met Leighton Denny, he was working as a fork lift truck operator. Fast forward to today and he credits us with launching his career with the use of a little PR magic! It was a fun and creative journey which involved introducing REAL diamonds into his manicures with David Morris Jewellers. That little addition was transformative in the early stages of the campaign as it helped him stand out from the competition.

Other headline moments included wedding day nails for Dame Joan Collins, accompanying the Spice Girls on tour and of course the launch of his much-anticipated eponymous range.

Alex with Dame Joan Collins

At the other end of the spectrum, we worked with international company KISS Nails for eight years. In fact, you probably read some of our celebrity interviews in Scratch magazine, with Nicole Scherzinger, Leona Lewis, Jess Wright, Pixie Lott and Billie Faiers.

When I first started working with KISS, the brand was new to the UK and had a tiny SKU. Over the years, the product line expanded at an exponential rate and we were able to spearhead the expansion from a PR prospective, helping to secure key stockists with major retailers in the UK. The KISS PR strategy was a 360-degree approach covering traditional press, influencer gifting, celebrity endorsement, television and radio features. Plus, that all important nail tech/manicurist outreach- an essential as well as a huge array of PR events.

Changing times

It’s always important to be ready for change! When I set up my agency, we used to print and frank out press releases. Today we’re overseeing everything from reels on Instagram and keeping ahead with TikTok content. The industry has changed beyond recognition and the most successful companies are the ones who have adapted with the times.

www.alexsilver.co.uk