Carla Williams: Master of Business Publicity

Honestly, I was tired of seeing business men and women being ill advised by greedy coaches and consultants looking to make a quick buck.

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What’s your background, and what are you working on?

I am Carla Williams Johnson, The CEO’s Publicist and I’m the CEO and founder of Carli Communications. Honestly, I love that I can truly support people with promoting themselves in the right way to the right people and to make their lives better. I am a mother of two; a 22 year old and a 4 year old and I am based in Trinidad & Tobago, the southernmost country in the Caribbean.

Most recently, I’ve been awarded Female Publicist of the Year and back in 2020, I was named one of the Top Marketers to follow and was awarded Best Promotions Company – West Indies.

I just always knew that I wanted to get into the field. I think I was the only person in the world who would get excited when commercials would come on during a program or rush to get the latest magazine to see all the creative ways print ads were displayed. Even at a young age I was always in awe of creative executions and how absolutely brilliant one must be to convince someone to purchase from just a few words and an image.

As time went on, my passion grew and it landed me to work with some of the most prestigious advertising companies with global brands. It was there I learned that there was so much that went into the final product and I was finally part of the strategic process.

I realized that there was so much brainstorming and creativity that went into a single campaign and, working in media, I had the single most important job of getting that creativity out to the right people. Plus I noticed that the more innovative the approach, the more of an impact the campaign made, which resulted in increased sales.

Fast forward, now I have my own company where I help entrepreneurs and business owners increase their visibility through the creative and strategic uses of media.

With what’s happening globally, I am really focusing on helping others be a bit more strategic with their marketing plans.

Building brand awareness and standing out is the name of the game right now because it’s the businesses who are seen and heard that’ll be the ones that will undoubtedly be remembered. My goal is to show how to use the online space more effectively as well as encourage business owners to include publicity into their marketing mix to give their brand that extra edge. With everyone moving to the digital arena, getting featured will definitely add credibility to their brand and put them in front of their customers and ahead of the competition.

My vision is to help as many business owners as possible promote themselves in the right way to the right people and to make their lives better.

What motivated you to get started with Carli Communications?

Honestly, I was tired of seeing business men and women being ill advised by greedy coaches and consultants looking to make a quick buck. These ‘so called gurus’ would use the client’s lack of knowledge against them to sell them a product or service that made no sense and gave absolutely no returns on investment. That’s when my business was born.

I feel like a superhero sometimes, to be honest. Like I’m saving the day (and the dollar) of people who are in danger of wasting their money. On the surface, I help clients with promoting their business but what I really do is assist my people with finding the best and quickest ways to truly connect with their ideal clients so that they can serve them and, of course, make some money in the process.

How have you attracted customers and grown Carli Communications?

Definitely using the media has really put me in a different light. The use of publicity has worked tremendously well, as many people hopping onto the digital space has made it quite cluttered, not to mention all the fake news, covid updates, protests, politics and so many other things. Publicity helped me gain credibility and authority during this time and helped my target audience stand up and take notice.

Getting featured and interviewed really helped my business stand out while social media became more of a supportive medium where I would drive my newfound audience to find out more about me and what I do.

This strategy has worked tremendously well, as I have actually seen an increase in sales.

What do you love most about what you do?

I love the reaction of my clients when they’ve achieved something they didn’t think was possible for them. Sometimes it’s the look of clarity in their face and that ‘Ahh hah’ moment when they understand what they need to do for their business.

I’ve received so many emails, messages, phone calls with clients who literally squealed with excitement because I was able to get them published or because I help them reach their 7 figure or 8 figure goals in record time.

It really makes me feel good that I can help others build the profitable brand they’ve always envisioned because I know the people that I work with have the knowledge, expertise, passion, and desire in what they do and would like to share it with the world, but, they just need a little nudge on HOW to get it out there the right way to touch the lives of others……. that’s where I come in.

Honestly, I fulfill my dreams, helping others fulfill theirs. I love that I can truly support people who need it. My vision is to help as many business owners as possible promote themselves in the right way to the right people and to make their lives better.

What are you most proud of in your career as a marketing/communications professional?

Well, having worked with so many brands over the years it’s a bit difficult to pinpoint one but if I had to choose I would say my proudest moment was being recognized at one of the 99 Limit Breaking Female Founders as compiled by Huffington Post and Thrive Global.

The reason this is so significant is I had just stepped out on my own in business and I was working so hard to build my brand….but with very little happening, I felt like I was working in vain. Then I got this email to be added to the list and I felt like people are noticing. Since this honor I’ve been featured in Buzzfeed, Forbes and many other prestigious television, press and online forums.

How has marketing/communications helped the organisations you’ve worked for?

There are two fundamental truths about marketing

1) Without marketing no one will know who you are and how you can help therefore sales will be negatively affected

2) It’s not a one size fits all. You need to find the strategy that works best for your brand

Having worked in marketing basically my whole life, I have been able to educate my clients on what is right for them and show them how best to use online and offline strategies so they can get the best returns on their investments.

I love the reaction of my clients when they’ve achieved something they didn’t think was possible for them.

Sometimes it’s the look of clarity in their face and that ‘Ahh hah’ moment when they understand what they need to do for their business.

Truth be told, many persons have been burned before by marketing professionals, how can someone choose the right consultant or company for their business?

I would recommend to begin by considering the reason for your search; this will help you narrow your choices to determine the best fit. Are you maybe looking to scale your business or are you in need of a specific skill that no one in your current circle can provide?

Many of my clients trust me because I can offer them a different perspective on things, advising on realistic goals based on their current position and other internal and external factors. I also offer expert advice on how they can broaden their audience base if they’re interested in adding products and services to their portfolio.

Knowing exactly why you’re in need of assistance will definitely help you find the right person who can show you a better way to give you more returns on your investment. Also, if you have a specific project in mind that you would need help implementing, depending on the scope, your budget and deadline your choices may be further narrowed.

Here are five things to look for when choosing your Marketing/PR Consultant:

- It would be great if they can talk to you about previous clients that they’ve helped, sharing as many success stories as possible. Client testimonials are always great, and where possible, reach out to these clients directly asking them of their experience; you might be surprised by what you hear.

- Do they have the skill and knowledge to complete the tasks and match the needs of your business.

- Is their corporate culture in sync with yours. How do they do things or interact with others? This may be the very thing that sets one person apart from the other. Many clients tell me it’s my bubbly personality, yet no nonsense approach that draws them in and makes them feel at ease as they become clearer on their next steps. Is that something you need or maybe something a bit different? Think about what would make you feel the most comfortable.

- Be wary of negative or even non existent reviews or a lack of online presence. This can be a signal of lack of expertise or something worse. Be sure to voice your concerns

- Read the fine print and determine if the terms & conditions are clear and mutually beneficial.

What are your goals for the future?

With everything going on in the world, I am really focusing on helping others be a bit more strategic with their marketing plans.

Building brand awareness and standing out is the name of the game right now because it’s the businesses who are seen and heard that’ll be the ones that will undoubtedly be remembered. My goal is to show persons how to use the online space more effectively as well as encourage business owners to include publicity into their marketing mix to give their brand that extra edge. With everyone moving to the digital arena, getting featured will definitely add credibility to their brand and put them in front of their customers and ahead of the competition.