So, you have a gorgeous range of products ready to sell to discerning customers, you’ve sorted out your brand, you have a website and an online shop. Now all you have to do is let people know you’re there.

We all know how difficult it is getting into the press and getting your products out there. Well today help is at hand because top PR company, Tangerine PR, have generously agreed to share their top ten tips with us. Ready?

1. Consider why you want to do PR. What are your objectives? What do you want to achieve? What do you want to be different?

2. Consider whether you can really do this yourself or if you need external help from a freelance practitioner or consultancy. Will you really be able to dedicate the time? Have you got the expertise? Have you got the budget?

3. Identify your audiences and list them in your PR plan. Who do you want to engage and why?

4. List your key messages. What do you want to say to your key audiences and what do you want them to think about you/your business. Make sure your messages are different and focus on your USPs (unique selling points) not messages all your competition claim too.

5. Consider the routes to reaching your audiences ’ media, direct, associations, events etc. List what they read (if you don’t know then ask them), where are you likely to meet them directly? Where can you get an audience with them?

6. Start to build a relationship with the media your audiences read. Before approaching them, read a number of editions. Learn who writes what within the publication. What columns and articles do they regularly run? Where could you and your business fit? Learn their style. Once your are familiar and can hold a conversation with them, encourage a meet ’ a quick coffee can suffice. When you have a relationship, keep it going. Thank them for writing a good piece, keep them informed but don’t ’badger’.

7. Before starting to write anything (eg a press release) remember PR is not advertising. For the journalist to take your story it needs to be:

a. Something different
b. Newsworthy
c. Topical ’ current issue but not something that’s been done before unless you have a new slant
d. Relevant - of specific interest to their readers (particularly important with regional media)
e. Interesting
f. Ideally have an accompanying visual (eg photograph ’ done professionally not with the office digi camera!)
g. Have ’legs’ ’ something the journalist can add to and will go further

8. If you don’t make it into print straight away, don’t worry. PR takes tenacity and perseverance. If it didn’t work, consider why. Was it too much of an advert? Has the angle/topic already been ’done to death’? Was it not relevant or interesting?

9. Don’t rely just on media relations. Much of PR is exactly that ’public relations’ not ’press relations’. Work with your/your customers’ associations as a way of reaching them. Conferences, speaking opportunities, networking ’ it’s all PR.

10. Have fun! PR should be enjoyable. It should be about engaging people and getting a result. Yes it can be hard work and disheartening at times, but nothing beats the buzz of a great piece of media coverage or that random but crucial meeting!

Tangerine PR

Although only four years old, Tangerine have quickly carved out a strong reputation. They have been voted Number One in the North West and they have also won a European award for European award for People Policies from Manchester Enterprises.

The team is headed by managing director Sandy Lindsay. I’ve seen Sandy speak a few times at various events and she’s truly inspirational.

If you’re looking for a PR company and would like further information go to www.tangerinepr.com. Tangerine PR has a North West base but a national presence.

Following on from yesterday’s autumn theme, I noticed that De*Nada Design have introduced their Fall/Winter Collection. The inspiration for their hip, urban bags comes from the street. This season they have teamed up with local street artists to create cheeky graphics, which have been embroidered onto a palette of red, white, olive green, purple and black.

The roomy Red Vinyl Tote (above left) has quirky heart, skull and lightning bolt embellishments. And as a complete foil, I had to show you the Burgundy Tulle Evening Bag (my personal favourite). It’s kind of a cross between 80s ra ra (which I believe is making a come-back) and Moulin Rouge glamour.

And, if none of the above take your fancy, De*Nada let you design your own bag by choosing from a good range of styles, fabrics and linings.

For further details visit www.denadadesign.com.

Our office window looks out onto a large outhouse which is carpeted in ivy all year round. When I opened the blind and looked out this morning I noticed that the ivy is already changing from green to shades of brown and red. It struck me that autumn really is on its way. And of course with the changing season comes changes in trends, styles and colours and designers are busy updating lines and adding new collections.

Anais Jewellery has a lovely range in a variety of shades. The Topaz Crystal Drops (above left) in topaz Swarovski crystals and gold are dazzling. The rich colour of the topaz compliments the gold perfectly. And the ‘Blush’ ring (above right) is so pretty, with its warm pink and cherry quartz bricolettes and gold wire.

The designer behind Anais Jewellery is self-taught, Singapore-based, Marian Boon. Marian takes her inspiration from everyday life, nature, architecture and Japanese design traditions. She describes her work as reflecting ‘a mix of classic elegance, bohemian chic and playful sexiness’.

For further details visit http://anaisjewellery.50webs.com.

I love British seaside towns. Especially in the winter when the tourists have gone and the B & Bs have their ‘No Vacancies’ signs up, and you can walk down the prom in the rain, and you can’t see where the sea meets the sky because everything’s grey . . . . I’m also sometimes curiously drawn to the slightly brasher side of some of the resorts - the flashing fairgrounds, candyfloss and ‘Kiss me Quick’ hats.

So when I came across a piece of art called ‘Oh . . she’s more front than Blackpool’ , I was immediately interested. Actually, you can’t help but be drawn into to Lisa Ashcroft’s work, due to her use of non-traditional materials such as magnetic letters, plastic kitsch, toys, glitter, gloss paint, hanging air fresheners etc. She weaves objects often thought of as garish or crass into beautiful, intricate paintings.

You can enjoy each piece simply for its surface pattern - the sparkle of glitter, sumptuous textures and vivid colours - but look a little deeper and you find a hidden message. Through these camouflaging layers Lisa is mimicking certain elements of society.

‘More Front than Blackpool’ (above) is a good example. Based on childhood memories, it is flamboyant and fun but at the same time it disguises a slightly seedy underbelly.

‘Pleasure Seeker’ illustrates snippets of the artist’s life at the time of making it. There are elements of her working day, politics, philosophy, humour and the ridiculous.

You can see lots of examples of these beautiful artworks at www.lisaashcroft.com. You can also read an interview with Lisa on the Preston Today website at www.prestontoday.net.

Today we’re following Natalie Tischler of Ornamental Things through a typical day in her life. And what’s more, Natalie has been kind enough to provide a generous 15% discount for Indie Quarter readers, to be used at her online store, www.ornamentalthings.com . The promocode is indiequarter. A big thank you to Natalie!

If you would like to be featured in a ‘Day in the Life of’ article, please email me (Jenny) at info@indiequarter.com and I will send you details.

Getting Up
I start my day as early as I possibly can. On a good day that means 7 sharp! James, my husband, is also self employed so it takes a lot of discipline to drag ourselves out of bed! The first order of business is coffee and breakfast which we share while we watch the morning news. I love the pleasant ritual of coffee in the morning. I almost cried once when James suggested we give up coffee. He gets crazy ideas sometimes.

Starting Work
Some mornings I like to meet up with a girlfriend for coffee. I have several friends who are also indie designers and I take a lot of inspiration and encouragement from them. It is great to sit in a coffee house getting all buzzed on caffeine and sharing ideas about business. I always go home feeling super hyped about what I want to accomplish for the day!

Working Day
I usually have the intention of going to the gym first thing but in truth I procrastinate and end up wearing my sweatpants for the first half of the day while I check email. I enjoy getting email from customers. It is fun to keep in touch with them and hear about their lives. Next, I make a list for the day. I strongly believe in the list. I keep a running list in my email program so that I won’t forget any small task. Every morning I go through it and move the priority stuff to the top. The rest I leave for another day. I find it freeing to keep the running list because it takes away the pressure of trying to remember every small detail!

Lunch
I usually eat a quick lunch around noon. Other days I might meet up with a friend for lunch. Working from home can be very isolating so it is good to get out every once in a while. I also usually hit the gym mid-day for yoga or exercise.

Afternoon
My business is a one-woman show so I have the freedom to work without a schedule. My afternoon includes things like working on my website, accounting, producing duplicates of my designs, researching and preparing for shows, marketing, visiting with store owners, getting orders shipped out and coming up with new designs. On other days I might go a flea market or junk store to dig for vintage jewelry treasure. On two days of the week I take metal smith classes. I am working to produce a line of sterling silver jewelry in 2007. In between the business activities I catch up on housework, help my son, Forest, with his home school lessons or drop him off at the skate park, do the accounting for my husband’s company and running errands.

Coming up with a new design is always the highlight of my day. Ideas often come out of the blue. I can be in the middle of any task and suddenly think of a new way to put materials together. Sometimes I get inspiration from the strangest things, for instance the fruit scale at the supermarket or an interesting color contrast on a billboard.

The Studio
My studio is a converted garage in our house, the walls of which I painted orange. I chose the color for its aspects of invigoration, happiness, energy and creativity. I have a big window so the room is very bright. In my office I have a desk area, a workbench and a design/storage area. Soon I will have to rearrange to make room for metal smith equipment like a soldering station and a jeweler’s workbench. I enjoy listening to podcasts and music when I work.

Finishing Work
I usually start winding down around 6 pm when James gets home. I make dinner, hang out with my family, watch movies and snuggle with my dog, Zaphod, a chocolate lab. Some nights I will work in the evenings when an exciting new idea strikes me or if I have to do a show or have a lot of orders to send out. Often, I will take my sketchpad to bed with me and sketch out ideas for sterling silver pieces I want to make in the future.

Being in business for oneself definitely has its ups and downs. It takes a lot of patience, discipline and positive thinking. You have to be ready to try new things and put yourself out there. You can’t let yourself get down if you have a month of slow sales or if one of your designs doesn’t sell very well. I find it takes a lot of mental muscle!

However, being an indie designer also gives me the freedom to create my own life. It works well with my spontaneous and free spirited nature. It feels amazing to put something in the world that is beautiful. I feel super lucky to have the opportunity to do what I love.