The Basics of Small Business Public Relations

As small business owners look to promote their companies and expand their market reach, public relations can help them attract coverage from media outlets and introduce them to potential customers.

Unlike advertising or social media efforts that are produced by the company, public relations involves earning mentions in traditional (or social) media without paying for that access.

The involvement of a third-party newspaper, magazine, podcast or other outlet offers an indirect endorsement of a leader’s expertise that prospects are likely to find more believable than an ad or commercial.

Effective public relations won’t replace your other marketing efforts but can supplement them and improve your company’s reputation in your market or industry.

The benefits of public relations include:

• Increased credibility stemming from the publication’s implied endorsement. People assume the publications they read are telling the truth.
• A lower cost than advertising.
• Opportunities to leverage favorable media coverage in your company’s social media posts. In addition, being featured in the media can lead to further mentions as reporters look for sources for future stories.

Attracting favorable media coverage is not always easy because you’re competing for the time and attention of busy reporters, editors and content creators, but a few basic approaches can help increase your chance of breaking through the clutter and reaching new audiences.

Getting Started

As with other promotional efforts, an important first step is analyzing your target market. In the case of public relations, this means analyzing your local or trade publications, and podcasts, to identify the outlets and reporters most likely to be interested in your news releases.

This means looking for stories that mention companies similar to yours to get a sense of what is being written, and who is writing those stories. Once you’ve identified a handful of potential reporters or podcasters to contact, follow them on social media to understand the types of stories they produce before you reach out.

It’s a good idea to start with local or smaller publications because you are likely to find less competition for attention. As a general rule, smaller outlets tend to be more receptive to local news or smaller companies, and some may publish your news release with minimal revisions.

A news release with story ideas or news about your company is a long-established tool for sharing information with media outlets for potential publication, or for being quoted in similar stories. You want to provide information about a potential story, such as describing industry trends or sharing seasonal tips, rather than merely a promotional statement about how good your company is.

Press-release distribution services such as PRWeb offer extensive information about drafting and formatting press releases to help you understand a basic approach to contacting the media.

Social Sources

Social media can be another powerful way to identify reporters and media outlets who may be suitable for your public relations efforts. As you find reporters who cover your industry or community, see if they are active on LinkedIn and Twitter. By commenting on their posts and offering insights, you may be able to build a relationship that leads to you being quoted in future stories.

Similarly, speaking at local or industry events about topics that are relevant to your customers can reinforce your personal credibility and lead to favorable mentions in any media coverage about the event.