When you are a small business owner, you are trying to do EVERYTHING yourself. So you can keep the costs down and the profits up. This can include ordering inventory, responding to customers, managing employees and just keeping things up and running. How can you get press for your small business?
So when it comes to marketing (so you can actually keep people coming through the door or buying) it often falls to the bottom of the to-do list. Hiring a PR firm just isn’t viable. Or affordable.
However, just because you are a small business, it doesn’t mean you can’t do things that WILL work to get your name out there yourself.
Here are five tried and tested strategies you can use. And they can easily be incorporated into your marketing ‘daily routine.’ The best bit? You don’t need oodles, or ANY of money to do them!
Use Relevant Breaking News To Talk About Your Business
This is a great way to ‘newsjack’ something in the media and use it to your own advantage. And of course it gets press for your small business. For example, if there was a huge storm on the way, and you make any kind of wet weather product, here is a chance to get some more interest. If a news channel is looking for a talking head, you can put yourself forward as an expert.
Don’t be afraid to think outside the box either. If you run a garden center, you can bet there will be people out there wondering how to make sure their plants are protected in the fierce weather. Or if you are a builder, a publication is sure to be looking for someone to give tips on making sure your roof and other household-related structures are on lockdown so they don’t blow away. Or you can provide tips on what to do it your house is damaged.
This is of course completely free, and means you can demonstrate your expertise and knowledge for your business.
A way to make sure you stay on top of these things is by getting signed up for Google alerts. When you see a ‘news event’ is happening where you could potentially show off your expertise, find a reporter in the field and see if they can use your comment.
Be warned, reporters are often very busy, and a lot of them can’t or won’t respond to you. I am speaking from experience. And also having been in on a deadline and had 100’s of emails to deal with. So don’t take it personally. Newsrooms are busy places! And just because they may not need you now, they could in the future.
Put Yourself As A Source On PR Newswire So You Get Press For Your Small Business
PR Newswire is a great resource for journalists to find stories and people to give them expert comments for stories. So if you put yourself on PR Newswire, then you are perfectly placed to be in their line of sight when they need someone. All they have to do is put a query into a database. And your name could pop up if you are able to wax lyrical on the topic they need help with. Make sure you respond to the queries that interest are relevant to you. This can get you some great exposure in the press and you could be quoted directly.
Get Ahead With Influencer Marketing
Like it or loathe it, social media is here to stay. But how can it help you get press for your small business? It’s a great platform to talk about your business on and promote what you do or sell.
Influencer marketing is one way you can garner a lot of great exposure. However, it’s only worth pursuing this if you know the influencer really does love your brand. Millennials can smell a fake a mile off. You also have to be mindful that a lot of Influencers what over-inflated fees for their assistance in publicizing what you do. Plus, they may have millions of followers, but are those followers actually into what YOU do?
If you want to try and get more bang for your buck, use a micro-influencer. They have smaller, more engaged followings. They won’t charge as much, and to be honest, if they are a good fit, will actually give you a much better return on promotion. Having a ton of someone’s followers see your ‘stuff’ is not necessarily going to give you more chances at getting new customers.
Use Your Social Media
Now you are generating all this lovely content, use it for your social media. If you get in an article, Tweet it out, or talk about it on Facebook. Or LinkedIn. Ask your audience questions and get them to comment on the material.
You can share other posts you find informative as well. If I see a blog or an article that I think my readers or the clients of my clients will read, I share it. You are building knowledge, offering value content, and cutting your work-levels as well. Which is handy when you are strapped for time. Plus you are boosting your credibility.
Start A Blog
Blogs are great to get your brand and company seen. They also show off your expertise.
Make sure you blog about topics that are associated with your business and what you do. That way you will be attracting the right customers. For example, if you have a beauty spa, you don’t want to be blogging about shopping. Unless it is around what might be good for people to wear to your spa. Yes, you can think outside the box, but always link it as much as you can to your business. So if you have a beauty spa, you could blog about the latest nail colors for pedicures. Tried and tested techniques for younger-looking skin, or even how to use body scrubs at home for silky smooth legs. These are all topics around the type of services you offer.
Blogging can also drive traffic to your site. And if the press read an article they may want to feature it in the news. Blogging is another task, like social media, which has to be done on a regular basis. You should be trying to blog at least once a week, twice if you can manage it if you are a new business. You can choose evergreen topics so your content is timeless, and you can always refresh it. So if you are pressed for time, you can republish. And you can always ask guest bloggers to come and create a post for your site.
So here are just five ways you can increase your reach through content. These are all tried and tested strategies which WILL work.
If you liked this post, then check out my post on how to get your business featured on TV. And always check out posts on Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram – @theorginalzoenauman.
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