Greg Simpson, founder of Press For Attention PR, explains why he created an AI clone.
Apparently, someone’s tried to impersonate me on Instagram. Flattering? Maybe. Accurate? Not even close.
Here’s how you can tell a fake me from the real one: The fake one is all buzzwords, hustle, and motivational quotes. The real one talks about timing, tension, and how to actually land a story that gets published. The fake me drops emojis. The real me drops press coverage.
It did get me thinking though…if someone’s going to try and clone me — they might as well do it properly. So, I cloned myself.
No ring light. No ego. Just 20 years of PR insight crammed into a little AI called Dr Spin.
Why I did it
Because I’m fed up of watching actual experts miss out on press coverage whilst loud-but-lightweight ‘personal brands’ take up all the space.
Real founders. Real businesses. Real stories. Ignored — not because they’re not good enough…but because they’re not prepared enough.
They think PR is about being famous. Or about having a flashy logo, a big team, or a blue tick. It’s not.
Journalists want experts, not egos. They want stories, not slogans. They want relevance, not reach. And you — the business owner who’s actually doing the work — already have what they’re looking for. You just need to package it properly.
That’s what I help people do. And that’s what Dr Spin is trained to help you practice. I built him because so many of you told me the same things: “I don’t know what makes a good story.” “I don’t feel big enough for the media to care.” “I don’t know how to pitch without sounding desperate.”
So here’s what I’ve been telling them — and now, so can he:
- Start with what’s different
Not your entire origin tale. Just one clear, timely angle that solves a problem or reframes an issue.
- Show results, not reach
Followers are not the metric here. Impact is. What changed because of what you did?
- Be findable, helpful and human
Journalists don’t need perfection — they need clarity and confidence. Make it easy to say yes.
- Lead with insight, not ego
What do you know that most people don’t? That’s your story. The rest is noise.
- Make your soundbite your superpower
Practice saying smart things in short, sharp ways. That’s what gets you quoted.
Try it. Then try pitching.
Dr Spin isn’t a gimmick. He’s not a hype machine. He’s my best advice, distilled into something you can test and apply today — even if you’ve never pitched a journalist in your life.
Use him to practise your angle. Use him to check if your story’s press-worthy. Use him to feel like you’ve got this, before you hit send on a pitch.
Try it now while it’s still free: https://pressforattention.com/chat-with-dr-spin/
Because if someone’s going to clone me, it might as well be me — and it might as well help you get featured.
A former business journalist, Greg Simpson is the author of The Small Business Guide to PR and has been recognised as one of the UK’s top 5 PR consultants, having set up Press For Attention PR in 2008.
He has worked for FTSE 100 firms, charities and start-ups and conducted press conferences with Sir Richard Branson and James Caan. His background ensures a deep understanding of every facet of a successful PR campaign – from a journalist’s, client’s, and consultant’s perspective.
See this column in the October issue of East Midlands Business Link Magazine here.
