Ruth Furman shares valuable PR and networking tips on the Business Matters podcast
If you ever want to get to know Ruth Furman, listen to her when she appears on a podcast. The media pro always shares a few marketing and PR pointers, along with many fun and candid stories about her personal and professional journeys.
Furman recently appeared on the Business Matters podcast, hosted by See Us Now Staffing President Laura Nowlan.
Nowlan replaced Furman years ago for an opportunity offered by a joint client and the two reconnected years later.
Here are a few tips Furman shared for business owners looking for media coverage and even some candid insights about her, personally.
Being a ‘chameleon’
Furman is a dynamic business professional who is not short on energy. Operating in the media requires her to adjust to constant change and she often works with short, even unrealistic, timelines. It takes a special person (and one with a lot of drive) to find clients media opportunities, then help them follow through on those opportunities.
However, through experience, Furman has also learned that others may not always be receptive to high-energy personalities like hers, particularly in networking situations. It’s important to “read the room,” as she often likes to say, and maybe try a slower approach at times.
“I do believe in being very real, but I also learned from a friend years ago that it’s important in business to be a chameleon and sort of match your energy to the people in the room,” Furman said. “I’m very intense, naturally. So I kind of have to really put myself in the client’s shoes.”
Getting messages out, even if they’re not perfect
Furman’s personal philosophy in business is to be relentlessly helpful to others, knowing that eventually the dollars will come. For her, doing the right thing takes priority over profit. Furman, who is very connected in local and national media, is known for finding media opportunities for people who may not even be her clients. This often results in referrals for leads who become actual clients.
This thinking also applies to advice for business owners looking to get media exposure. Be bold, she says. Don’t be afraid to go out and get exposure by sharing your story and knowledge with others. The opportunity may even be completely unrelated to your business. In these situations, you are helping a journalist share valuable information with their audience. You never know what that could yield.
“Take advantage of every opportunity to put yourself out there,” Furman added. “Don’t wait for the perfect opportunity, especially if you’re invited to be on the news to talk about anything. It might not even be your core business, but its’ really great exposure. It’s the perfect kind of thing to put on your website, to repurpose as a blog, to put on your social media.”
Believing in the importance of your story
If you’re a business owner, you may struggle to understand the value of your message. But it’s important to remember that you, like everyone else, have a story to tell. Don’t be bashful about it; tell it to others, both close and far.
“There is definitely something about you that other people need to know about,” she added. “I feel very strongly about this. It’s not only our external clients and our customers but it’s our internal public and people within our realm that need to know about all the amazing things we’re doing.”
Being thrifty
In business and life, we all love to get the best bang for our buck. That’s why thrifting has surged in popularity in the past decade. On a lighter note, Furman is a known thrift shop explorer. To her, a new thrift store represents a creative journey and opportunity for discovery, but also a chance to support a great cause.
“Here in Las Vegas, right at the moment one of my favorites is the Faith Lutheran Thrift Store,” Furman told Nowlan. “I get clothing there, I get little items for my home. I love coffee mugs, I get records there and I love it because it supports scholarships for students to go to that amazing school.”
