PR Tips and Ideas
Any successful business owner knows the importance of great PR, but not every business owner understands what makes great PR. Here are some ideas of PR opportunities which may be suitable for promoting your business.
Hold an Event
If you hold a launch event, you can invite all the key movers and shakers in your industry, as well as inviting people who would be interested in your new product. Inviting journalists to cover your event as well can also give you a big PR boost. Think about how the event will look to journalists and try to create something which will make an excellent photo opportunity. Although events can be a lot of fun, they can take a lot of time and energy to organize; so many people like to contact a specialist event’s organizer.
Social Media Marketing
Get to grips with social media sites like Facebook, Twitter and online blogging sites, and start to use them to your advantage. Tweet about business activities, collect Facebook followers, and blog interesting content to make the most out of this free PR tool.
Use the Local Media
Invite local journalist to your big events and think about how the event will look to these journalists. Try to create something which will make an excellent photo in the local paper. Contact the paper or send them a press release if you have a story with a local spin to it. You can even contact them about your small personal business victories, such as scoring your 1000th business client. If the local paper will publish a story about your business, it can help to bring your business to the attention of thousands of locals for free!
Network
Go to networking events and use networking tools such as LinkedIn to increase your wider business network. Make the most of your connections by offering special discounts to these people and they will be more likely to help you out or recommend you to other people in their network.
Enter business competitions
Entering business competitions is a good way to make sure that your business is up to scratch, as you often have to make sure that your business fits certain criteria. If you are fortunate enough to make the shortlist, your business name will appear in lots of promotional material. If you win, then that is even better! Winning an award means you can proudly display that award in your business, and on all your social media sites. You can even mention it in all your press releases!
Show off your knowledge
Writing articles for an internet site or start a column in the local paper which offers free advice or tips to readers on your area of expertise can help you to establish yourself as an expert in your field. This will help to increase your credibility whilst also promoting your business. Many consumers want to do business with an expert, and establishing yourself as an expert will help to get you lots of positive publicity.
