From PR Strategies to Riot Grrrl Punk: In Conversation with Jane Imrie

Tell us a little bit about yourself & your work.

I am a freelance PR, comms and content specialist, offering PR and communications consultancy and delivery as well as long-form content writing such as blogs, case studies, articles and more.

I tend to work with two types of clients; B2B SMEs and agencies looking to increase their or their clients’ media presence, and arts & culture organisations needing comms support on specific projects and campaigns.

What has surprised you most about being self-employed?

That people are so willing to help you out and see you succeed. The sheer amount of support I’ve received since going self-employed has been incredibly touching, and it has often come from places I wouldn’t have expected.

The sense of camaraderie among freelancers and entrepreneurs completely makes sense, as running a business can be a lonely path. However, I think I underestimated the generosity of the community, particularly in the North East – we have something very special here.

If you were just starting out, what advice would you give yourself?

As I’m only in my second year of freelancing, I’m definitely still in the early days and have plenty to learn! However, I would definitely tell my new-freelancer-self not to be afraid to set boundaries and to understand the value of my expertise.

I would also tell myself to jump into being visible and not overthink things too much. Overcoming my discomfort with self-promotion has been a crucial and transformative part of my freelance journey, and pushing through is reaping rewards (even if it does still give me the ick from time to time!).

What is the soundtrack of your working day?

I always have to have some sound in the background when I’m working, it gets my brain going! Early in the day I tend to default to my all-time favourite genres: rock, riot grrrl punk, electronica and drum & bass. Later on, I sometimes switch to some trip hop or ambient sounds, or pop on a podcast.

Recently I’ve been joining virtual events such as Low Ticket Live and the Neurodiverse Entrepreneur Summit, so I’ve been listening to lots of webinars. It has been so invigorating to have these playing while I’ve been working, I’ve been full of ideas and inspiration!

What strategies do you use to find new clients?

I’ve been incredibly lucky in that because I have a strong network of contacts, most of my client work has come from recommendations and word of mouth.

However I’m careful not to take that for granted, so make sure I make plans regularly to either catch up with contacts or go to some of the great networking events we have in the region.

What do you wish clients understood better about working with freelancers?

The best clients I’ve had have treated me as an extension of their team, communicated clearly and consistently, listened to my expertise and involved me in key comms and content decisions.

When it comes to PR, freelancers are not just a ‘little black book’ of media contacts to throw a press release at. They actually offer valuable insights into what parts of your story are going to resonate with journalists and audiences and what angles are going to cut through the noise.

What are your favourite projects to work on and why?

I love to work on projects that enable me to tap into my creative side, whether that is developing a PR strategy from the ground up or working on a long-form piece of content where I have editorial autonomy.

In terms of clients, I enjoy working with cultural and arts organisations that are doing something new and exciting. I also love working with B2B SMEs that are using their innovative skills for good, whether that be boosting the local economy or creating solutions for a better world.

What’s the best way for someone to learn more about you or get in touch?

Anyone who wants to learn more about me and what I do can visit my website at www.janeimrie.co.uk, drop me an email at hello@janeimrie.co.uk, connect with me on LinkedIn or follow me on Instagram at @janeimrie_comms.

Photo by Christopher Owens Photography.