The best publicity for your company is a press release from a great PR company, but it can also be the most expensive investment to your business. For many small businesses just starting off, it can be tough to afford these type of communications from experts.
However there are plenty of ways to get your business noticed such as these 5 Budget-Friendly PR Tactics.
1. Be a Thought-Leader in Your Industry
If your small business has a website, which it should, you should already have a blog in place to share your business’ news and insights.
Marcus Sheridan saw first hand how simply answering questions on his blog lead to positive PR and company growth.
Sheridan, the owner of River Pools and Spas, was hocking a luxury item in 2009 during one of the worst economic recessions. Rehauling his marketing plan, he focused on answering basic questions his potential customers would type into a search engine. By simply answering his clients’ questions, his blog posts were ranking organically on search engines, showing authority in the pool and spa industry, bolstering sales, and leveraging his media story. Many press stories later his successes were featured in the New York Times.
Sheridan’s example of blogging shows just how influential his content is to the industry and those thoughts are often quoted and referenced by the media so make sure you can be a thought-leader in your industry.
2. Work with a College or University Near You
Another great way to spread the word about your small business is to work with a local college or university to appeal to students for internships. Students taking classes in public relations can be a great resource for your small business to utilize while getting some PR efforts for a cheaper price.
3. Connect with Media Services
Services such as, PR Newswire’s ProfNet is a great media outlet to connect people and businesses looking for publicity. Queries are free of charge to send and you can even sign up to receive queries from writers.
4. Share Your Customer or Clients’ Success
If your small business is successful, then it should show through your client’s testimonials and success. The best way to showcase your client’s success is to pull a case study together that shows how your client was able to utilize your small business to succeed in their industry. This is a win-win for both you and your client.
5. Provide Valuable Statistics
Conducting short surveys on trending topics in your industry is a press-worthy opportunity that not only proves your small business as a thought-leader, but provides press-worthy material for PR companies to publish.
For more information on how to effectively use PR for small business, go to SmallBusinessPR.com. If you’re looking to learn more small business tips and news, make sure to register for our Small Business Watch eNews here.