Think you deserve more press? Of course you do! So, what are you doing about it? What are you doing to promote yourself?
PR, press, publicity – whatever you call it – takes hard work and is a niche marketing specialty. Few are good at it because it takes time and focused attention.
Good press doesn’t just happen. Have you seen logos on company websites that say “As seen in Forbes Magazine?” Did you know you can actually pay to get magazine articles like that? How about “Fastest Growing Internet Company of the Year?” We were solicited for that particular “award,” if we had paid the fee, we too could’ve used the quaint little badge on our website and marketed the heck out of it.
If you want people to know who you are and what your company does, you can’t simply expect people to promote you. Sure, it will happen in some industries, but mostly as small businesses, it’s up to us to tell the world what we do and why we are so good at what we do.
One of the easiest ways to promote your small business is by posting events and news on local news sources. If you belong to a Chamber of Commerce, they probably have an area on their website where you can post news, press releases, and events.
Find local online newspapers that allow you to post events and news for free.
Write a press release for bigger news like grand openings, awards, and product launches and submit it to your local news sources. (Do a little research to identify the editor or necessary contact).
Take the time to evaluate your brand’s media exposure. If you aren’t happy with the exposure you’re receiving, take a hard, honest look at your social media, your physical presence at influential events, sponsorship commitments, your activity in your Chamber of Commerce, and your participation in other local associations. Chances are you have plenty of things you can do to increase your visibility and awareness about who you are.
Add a few tactical press opportunities to your marketing plan to increase your attention (and, ultimately, sales).