Top Ten Public Relations Tips for Small Businesses
Time and again we’ve heard business leaders lament that they really need to spend more time on their business instead of in their business, yet the work ethic of most of these individuals is such that they will always prioritize their clients’ needs over their business’s (which definitely contributes to the sustainability of the business). Still, this action could limit the future growth of their own organization, especially if the balance is always tipped in favor of in the business.
Working on a business doesn’t always have to be hard or time-consuming, though, especially when business leaders are able to implement systems or processes that help integrate these efforts with the tasks they do every day. Take public relations, for example. By creating a company culture that constantly thinks about promoting the good news of the organization, one quickly starts to see these opportunities everywhere.
Here are 10 public relations tips to keep in mind on a daily basis:
- Announce news about your organization. Did you hire someone new? Move to a new location? Win an award? Sponsor a charitable event? All of these are newsworthy topics that not only share your news and build your visibility, but also establish a foundation of positivity.
- When appropriate, share publicity by announcing and/or including new partners, vendors, clients in your news – easily achieved with a link in a press release or a tag on social media.
- Email a reporter if you have more to add to their story. Reference their current news article, and explain your background so that the next time they’re working on a similar story, they think to call on you as a source.
- Keep your website current. An “In the News” button is a great way to achieve this, and a place where you can add press releases and links to placements.
- Share your opinion. Op-eds are a great opportunity but can sometimes be hard to secure. If that’s not feasible, post your article on LinkedIn, and start a conversation.
- Share your expertise. Again, trade publications are an excellent vehicle for these objective, informative articles, but LinkedIn is another quality (and quick) way of showing people you know what you’re talking about.
- Take photos! This is certainly true if you’re hosting event, but just as great if you’re attending one, or have a new product that just arrived, or a new employee. In addition to accompanying press releases when applicable, photos can be sent on their own with captions to local news outlets, and definitely posted on social media.
- Share links of any coverage on social media. A concise note like “thanks to @Cape & Plymouth Business for considering my article on PR tips” with a link to the article solidifies your credibility and shares some visibility with the outlet that published you as well.
- Invite reporters and/or local officials to events. Sending an invite to them is a great idea, and although they might not be able to make it, they’ll definitely remember you (and may ask for follow up information on the event to include in a news wrap-up).
- Thank a reporter or editor. After all, it’s their consideration and good work that can in turn demonstrate yours.
Follow these when you can, and soon they’ll become second nature to your employees and yourself – and you’ll have a stronger organization for it.
Nicole Joy Hales is president of PRfirst, a public relations firm that helps businesses and organizations share their stories in ways that increase their market visibility and industry credibility. She can be reached at nhales@prfirst.com.
