Micro-Acts of PR: Small moves that build big reputations
Here are 20 small, intentional actions that keep you top of mind with the people who matter most to the success of your business.
“The podcast appearance this month might lead to your dream client… next year.”
I love that line from Ellen Donnelly, publisher of The Ask newsletter - it’s bang on!
Why? Because it perfectly sums up how visibility, trust, and reputation actually work today. To be fair, it’s the way it’s always worked, but today - with so many platforms and online interaction opportunities - it’s become even more important as a way to stand out and get noticed for the right reasons.
As Ellen says:
“Every article, talk, and meaningful conversation is a deposit in your authority bank account.”
REMEMBER: PR is all about deepening the level of connection you have with the people who matter most to the success of your business. Use this as a lens for the ideas listed below 👇
Enter … Micro-Acts of PR (MAPRs)
When it comes to PR, content, and digital communications, it’s not just about the big-ticket items - the keynote talks, the podcast interviews, the mainstream media coverage. It’s about the aggregate effect of all the things you do over time to generate awareness, build connection and foster trust.
Some of those actions might be chunky - recording a podcast, writing a long-form blog article, delivering a keynote at an industry event.
But others? They’re smaller, lighter, and easier to overlook.
And yet these are often the very actions that keep you top of mind with the people who matter most to clients, customers, influencers, partners and employees.
I call these ‘fleeting’ actions Micro-Acts of PR, or MAPRs for short.
20 Micro-Acts of PR you can start today
MAPRs are the small, intentional acts that deepen connection and build relational capital over time.
They’re not “marketing tactics” in the traditional sense. They’re human moments - often offline, off-algorithm, and low-stakes. But they move the needle in ways that matter. They’re simple things we can all do every day!
These aren’t tactics to optimise. They’re habits to cultivate. The goal isn’t to tick them off but to weave them into how you already show up professionally.
Indeed, you’re probably already doing some of these things, but can you do more - can you be more intentional about it?
Here are some MAPR ideas you can put to work today in your business:
Deepen existing relationships
Send a former client a quick note asking how a project turned out after you finished working together.
Forward a helpful article to a (former) client with “thought this might be useful” - this is a simple, low-key way to stay valuable between projects, and a reminder you’re thinking about them.
Leave a voice memo instead of a text when following up with someone you haven’t spoken to in a while.
Reply to someone’s newsletter directly (most people never get responses, and the ones who do remember it).
Reconnect with a past collaborator with no ask attached, just genuine curiosity about what they’re working on.
Elevate others publicly
Share someone else’s work on LinkedIn with a specific note about why it resonated, not just “great post.”
Recommend a peer for a speaking slot, podcast, or opportunity you’ve been offered but can’t take.
Quote someone’s insight in your own content and tag them, giving proper attribution.
Write a short, specific LinkedIn recommendation for someone whose work you respect (unprompted).
Introduce two people in your network who should know each other, with a clear reason why.
Create small moments of visibility
Comment on a peer’s social media post with a question or perspective that moves the conversation forwards.
Share a short lesson learned from a recent project, even if it feels too small to mention.
Post a genuine thank-you on LinkedIn to someone who helped you, naming what they did specifically.
Respond to industry online discussions in comments rather than just observing.
Send a brief “congratulations” message when you see someone in your network achieve something.
Build reputation through generosity
Answer a question in a professional community or forum without linking back to your own work.
Offer a quick perspective to a journalist or content creator working on something in your space.
Share a useful template, resource, or framework you’ve developed, with no gate or email capture.
Share a competitor’s content when it’s genuinely good (yes, I said “a competitor’s content” - it signals confidence and generosity, and people notice).
Offer 15 minutes to someone earlier in their journey - a quick call, a voice note with perspective, whatever feels manageable.
A note on frequency
Of course, you don’t need to do all 20 MAPRs above - they’re just ideas, and there are plenty more where they came from.
Maybe start by consciously picking two or three that feel natural and do them consistently. The compound effect comes from repetition, not volume.
Please note: MAPRs are the things people remember. They’re what build warmth, trust and goodwill, all of which show up in the way your personal brand is perceived in the marketplace.
Momentum that compounds
So remember:
That podcast you contributed to six months ago? Someone might discover it today and reach out next quarter.
That short-form post you wrote in a moment of clarity? It might still be circulating via screenshot in someone’s Slack group.
That genuine thank-you note you sent after an event? It might be the very thing that nudges a speaker to invite you into their network.
This is the compounding effect of Micro-Acts of PR.
They don’t feel urgent, but they become important.
And in an attention economy that’s increasingly fragmented and noisy, that kind of quiet, consistent presence cuts through.
For now, I’ll leave you with this:
Often, it’s the little things - the note, the nudge, the helpful share, the thoughtful comment - that carry the most weight in the long run.
Stay visible, stay generous, and let your MAPRs do the talking!
Onwards,
~ Trevor
In case we haven’t met yet …
Hi, I’m Trevor. I help genuine founders, experts and thought leaders build visibility, influence and trust - on their terms, in their voice.
Would you like to discuss how I can help you in a mentoring capacity to build your profile and reputation as a trusted and credible expert or thought leader in your industry? CLICK HERE TO BOOK A NO-OBLIGATION 20-MINUTE ZOOM CALL
As always there’s generous gold in those words Trevor. Sharing this immediately with my colleagues in an entrepreneurs collective I’m a member of.
Great article Trevor & I will respond to your email, as you’re correct, I never reply to emails from newsletters.