Free publicity will boost business
Copyright Roger Pierce. Used with permission.
Part of any good small business marketing strategy, generating media publicity isn't as difficult as you may think.
A media article, news story, column, mention, listing or interview can be worth thousands of dollars in exposure for your small business. With an expanding media universe, magazines, newspapers, radio stations, television channels and websites are hungry for good content.
To help get your new business on the air, in print or online, consider these suggestions:
- Be newsworthy. You must have something worthwhile to say. Create an angle by attaching your news item to a trend or recent event, such as "Recent surge of home break-ins push security alarm sales."
- Become an expert. Media often seek the opinions of 'experts' for a news story. Based on your business focus, identify your particular expertise or specialization and credit yourself accordingly in each media release. (See the end of this column for an example!)
- Never use media just to sell. Editors won't publish a story about your upcoming Holiday Sale. They'll consider that an advertisement, not news. Respect media integrity by never mixing advertising with editorial.
- Send a media release. News Editors prefer a one-page (or less) properly-written media release by fax, mail or email. Write your media release as if it has already appeared; in other words, write as a reporter. Editors are more likely to run a story that's ready to go.
- Create a media database. Use your desktop software to develop and maintain a current listing of news editors, program directors and reporters. Contact reception at each media outlet every six months to update your database.
- Follow up. While some media will contact you upon receipt of your news release, others may require follow-up. If there's no interest, ask why, learn and move on or try a different approach.