Gaining good PR can be a godsend to Brand owners. As a relatively inexpensive means of expanding your coverage within a market, it provides an inexpensive alternative to building a brand’s presence through tradional ATL techniques. Of course, once you start the key is in being able to control, or a t least steer, the end result towards your goals.
For many small businesses the first question is often ‘where do I start?,’ a question which is often closely followed by ’what do I talk about?’. I was recently asked to suggest a few topics to a small business owner to help them increase their press coverage. Of course, there are any number of angles that can be taken in optimising your PR and largely it depends on what your objectives are. With that in mind, I’ve put together 10 general concepts for releases that should be easily implemented.
1. Be the first, the newest, the oldest, the biggest, the smallest. Establish how you’re different and tell people about it.
2. Introduce something new or improved: It could be service or product based, if it’s changed it might be newsworthy.
3. Mark the passage of time: Celebrate the anniverary of something significant. It could be the anniversary of your new office, your first investment product sale or even the length of time a team member has been in the business!
4. Announce new staff members: It doesn’t have to be anyone senior, even junior staff can make the business pages. During recessionary times this also can suggest success and stability to readers.
5. React to something current: Give your opinion on something that is currently newsworthy that’s relevant to your business
6. Announce other publicity you’ve had: If you’ve been featured in your trade magazine, tell your local paper. And vice-versa
7. Re-launch your website: This gives you an opportunity to tell journalists, and their readers, what’s good about your website, and why.
8. Offer to write a series of articles: Sharing your expertise with apublication can help them fill column inches with interesting relevant content. Come up with a theme that’s topical and approach relevant publications with the concept.
9. Be charitable: Company donations aren’t generally newsworthy unless they’re very large. Consider giving your time to get involved with a charity. Getting involved with a local project could be an excellent way of getting coverage.
10. Spot trends early: If you spot a trend within the industry turn yourself into a commentator on it. It could be an industry problem or simply a common trait that others haven’t picked up on.
