Here at 123Print, we love small businesses. And we know the road to success isn’t always easy. Budgets are tighter are resources are harder to come by. Getting new customers is perhaps one of the most challenging steps to building your company. So how do you get the word out about your biz without breaking the bank? Getting some positive press out there for your small business doesn’t have to be costly and time-consuming. Read on for five easy PR tips for small business!
Check out HARO. HARO, or Help a Reporter Out, is a very user-friendly platform that connects reporters and news outlets to experts. Whether you realize it or not — YOU are an expert in your field! If you’ve learned enough to create a business out of what you know, you have more than enough expertise. To sign up, go to www.helpareporter.com and register as a source. (Note there are both paid and free subscriptions). Once signed up, you can choose which categories to receive daily updates on. Each day, you’ll want to look through your updates and respond wherever appropriate, including your background info and why you should be trusted as an expert in your field.
Sign up for Google Alerts. Google Alerts are an easy way to see what others are saying about both you and your competition. Plus, it’s delivered right to your email inbox however frequently you want. Some words you may want to consider monitoring are: your company name, common misspellings of your company name (if applicable), your CEO or founder’s name, competitors’ names, etc. If you discover good publicity around your brand, you’ll want to make sure to share it! Don’t forget to give credit where credit is due. If you discover bad publicity, you’ll want to address it ASAP.
Submit press releases. Sharing new info via a press release is one of the oldest tricks in the book. Even in a rapidly growing digital word, the power of a good press release remains strong. Note that quite often, press releases cost money, so you’ll have to do some serious research beforehand to make sure you’re giving your press release the greatest chance possible to succeed.
Reach out to relevant news outlets and reporters. What articles do you read when getting the latest industry news? What are some of your favorite blogs? Next time you visit one, take a look at who is writing them. In this digital age, it is easier than ever to connect with news outlets, or better yet, reporters, via email or social media. Find out who writes about your industry, and reach out to them. Behold the power of a well-structured tweet!
Use a social relationship platform like Hootsuite. Social media is fast and ever-changing, and you should be, too. By using a social relationship platform like Hootsuite, you can set up specific keywords to follow in the social sphere. Start participating in conversations revolving around your industry and take note of who the big players are. Then, start to outwardly build relationships with them, too. This will make your relationship building more meaningful.
What other easy ways have you found to get some great PR for your small biz? Maybe you’re sending out postcards to announce a 1st-day-of-summer sale? Or you’ve submitted your business for industry and marketing awards? Whatever it is, we’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment below, or connect with us on Facebook, Twitter or Google+.