Would you love to be featured on TV or radio, or in newspapers or magazines but feel intimated by the thought of contacting the media?

You’re not alone. In fact, the number one reason most small and home business owners do not use public relations (PR) for marketing and promotion is because they feel intimated by the media.

As a former journalist and public relations executive with my own PR consultancy, I’m here to tell you that getting free publicity is not difficult, complicated or expensive as PR people might have you believe. You can do it yourself, you can attract many new clients in the process, and you can still be true to yourself.

Most people are intimidated by the media. Yet there’s nothing special about a journalist. You must get past the intimidation factor and you do this by establishing relationships in the media. Once you get to know a journalist you’ll realise they are just average people with a job that’s more public than most.

Most people think PR is just the domain of big businesses and government. The only difference between you and the companies you see profiled in the media is that they have contacted the media and told them something about their business, and you haven’t – yet.

Most people fear negative publicity. Unless you’ve done something bad like stealing money from the elderly, or been involved in a scam, then you won’t see a negative story. A journalist wants to make the story the best it can be because they want to entertain and interest their audience.

Many people fear success. That might sound strange – we all want success, right? But what if deep down you hold a fear of success and all that it might mean?

What would your friends and family say if you were featured in the media? Would they be supportive, excited and happy for you; or jealous, envious and point out the negatives?

Do you worry that you don’t deserve to be featured in the media and be very successful? Is there something you’ve done in your life that you’re ashamed of and that you believe makes you undeserving?

Do you worry that if you have a great media profile and are super successful it will mean a change in the way you live your life and so impact on your partner and family?

These are common worries and the self-talk around these issues holds the majority of people back. Here’s how to overcome your fears:

Recognise your fear. If you feel yourself resisting something you know would help grow your business, you need to examine the reasons why. Once you recognise your fears, you can work towards defeating them.

Recognise what fear is. Fear is the result of uncertainty about a situation and the outcome. Fear relating to achieving publicity is the result of not knowing how to deal with the media.

Overcoming fear: The quickest way to overcome fear is to simply figure out what to do in the situation. The next step is to take action in the direction of your goal. Take action to learn the necessary skills and your fear will dissipate

Being a star in the media does not mean pretending to be someone you’re not. To have real impact and cut-through to connect with the audience means being your true self and tapping into your infinite power. A compelling story has the ability to touch lives and create a lasting emotional attachment between the audience and your business.