Welcome to the Black Ink PR Year End Wrap Up –
Your Guide to Winning in PR, Marketing, and Social Media
As we close out 2025, it’s time to set the stage for a standout 2026. Whether you’re a CEO, business owner, or personal brand builder, visibility is your superpower—but only if you’ve got your foundation in place.
In today’s newsletter, I’m sharing 26 actionable tips to focus on in 2026 to help you amplify your visibility through public relations, marketing, and social media. These tips are rooted in my book, Life’s a Pitch: How to Win What You Want in Business and in Life, and focus on the 3 Vs to Victory: Visuals, Values, and Verbal—the essential elements to align before turning up your visibility.
Let’s get started:
The 3 Vs to Victory: Your Visibility Foundation
- Visuals: First Impressions Matter
Your brand’s visuals are your handshake with the world. Audit your logo, website, social media profiles, and photography. Are they cohesive, professional, and aligned with your message? If not, fix them before you go big. - Values: Know What You Stand For
Visibility without values is noise. Define your core values and ensure they’re reflected in your messaging, partnerships, and actions. Authenticity wins trust. Now more than ever. Everyone wants to know what you stand for, make it clear and obvious. Your audience will thank you. - Verbal: Master Your Messaging
Can you clearly articulate who you are, what you do, and why it matters? Craft a concise elevator pitch and ensure your entire team is aligned on key messaging.
It is essential the above core items are in order before you turn up your visibility.
Public Relations: Tried, True, and New
- Pitch with Purpose
Stop sending generic pitches. Research your target media outlets and tailor your pitch to their audience. Personalization is the secret sauce. - Leverage Micro-Media
Don’t overlook niche podcasts, blogs, and local outlets. They often have highly engaged audiences and are easier to access than national media. - Create Newsworthy Moments
Launch a campaign, host an event, or release a report. Give journalists something to write about. - Build Relationships Before You Need Them
Connect with journalists, influencers, and industry leaders on LinkedIn or at events. Relationships are the currency of PR. - Repurpose Media Wins
Got a feature? Don’t let it die after publication. Share it across your channels, add it to your website, and include it in your email signature.
Marketing: What Works in 2026
- Focus on Storytelling
People remember stories, not stats. Share customer success stories, behind-the-scenes moments, and your brand’s journey. - Double Down on Email Marketing
Email is still king. Build your list, segment your audience, and deliver value-packed content. - Invest in Video Content
Video is the most engaging format. Create short-form videos for social media and longer ones for YouTube or webinars. - Experiment with AI Tools
Use AI to streamline content creation, analyze data, and personalize customer experiences. - Host Live Events
Whether virtual or in-person, live events create connection and buzz. Also, people are yearning for in-real-life connections. And human beings are hard wired to belong. Create community for your audience at every and any chance you get going into this new year. - Audit Your Marketing Channels
Are you spreading yourself too thin? Focus on the platforms where your audience is most active.
Social Media: Stand Out in the Scroll
- Be Consistent, Not Constant
Quality beats quantity. Post consistently, but only when you have something valuable to share. - Engage, Don’t Broadcast
Social media is a two-way street. Respond to comments, join conversations, and build community. - Leverage User-Generated Content
Encourage your audience to share their experiences with your brand. It’s authentic and free. Make sure to have rewards for participation, everyone loves to be recognized and appreciated. - Embrace Short-Form Video
TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts are where attention lives. Some people are doing interesting events on LinkedIn. Get creative and experiment. - Use Analytics to Guide Strategy
Stop guessing. Use platform insights to see what’s working and double down on it. - Collaborate with Micro-Influencers
They have smaller but highly engaged audiences. Partner with them for authentic reach. Embrace their enthusiasm and their creativity.
What’s a Waste of Time in 2026?
- Chasing Every Trend
Not every trend aligns with your brand. Be selective and strategic. - Buying Followers
Vanity metrics don’t pay the bills. Focus on building a real, engaged audience. Audiences are everything. - Overproducing Content
More isn’t better. Focus on quality and relevance. If it’s not relevant, and it’s not helpful/informative and/or entertaining – skip it.
Bonus Tips for CEOs and Business Owners
- Track Your Progress
You can’t improve what you don’t measure. Set KPIs for your visibility efforts and review them quarterly. - Invest in Yourself
Attend workshops, hire a publicist/team/coach, or read books to sharpen your skills. Your growth fuels your business’s growth. Stagnant is stale on all fronts – personally and professionally and you can smell it a mile away. - Celebrate Your Wins
Don’t wait for the big milestones. Celebrate the small victories to keep your team motivated and your momentum strong.
Visibility isn’t about being everywhere; it’s about being in the right places with the right message focused to the right audience. By aligning your visuals, values, and verbal communication, your visibility plan (You’ve got your 2026 plan in order – right? Reach out if you need help.) will work and you’ll set yourself up for success in 2026.
Here’s to an upcoming year of bold moves, big wins, and brilliant visibility.
P.S. Want to dive deeper into the 3 Vs to Victory? Grab a copy of Life’s a Pitch and start building your visibility foundation today
P.P.S. Need some help and don’t want to go it alone or wing it without a plan? Reach out and let’s get you to new heights together: Schedule time to connect
