Many small businesses are tired of seeing little to no return on investment (ROI) using social media. They don’t know how else to attract customers and get their name out there.
If you’re in the same boat here’s an idea you might not have considered: doing your own public relations.
Why Do Small Businesses Need Public Relations?
Good question, right? Well, let’s define what exactly public relations (PR) is. PR is about building and maintaining relationships between companies and the public. It helps you reinforce a positive image and communicate with your target audience.
So, why do small businesses need PR? Here are some key reasons:
- Boosts Lead Generation
Lead generation is a critical part of any business. It’s the process of attracting potential clients, and then converting them into actual customers/clients.Using PR, your business can reach a much wider audience and generate more quality leads.
- Reinforces Branding
Branding creates a unique identity and voice for your business, setting you apart from your competitors. It’s not just about having a catchy logo or tagline—it’s about establishing a reputation and emotional connection with your customers and clients.PR creates a consistent message and image for your business. By developing a strong PR strategy, you can communicate your brand’s values, vision, and story to your target audience.
- Provides Social Proof
Social proof is king. People are more likely to trust and buy from a company others have endorsed or recommended. This is why customer reviews and testimonials are so powerful. They provide social proof that your brand is trustworthy and reliable. Customers are more likely to trust your brand if they’ve heard about you from someone else (in this case, the media). Publicity is the ultimate in the ultimate in social proof
Getting Started with Public Relations
]Now that you understand why PR is important for small businesses, let’s talk about how to get started with your own PR strategy. Here are some tips:
- Define Your Goals
Before you start any PR activities, it’s important to define your goals. What do you want to achieve with PR? Is it to generate more leads? Build brand recognition? Increase your social proof and trust? Or generate high domain authority backlinks to your website? - Identify Your Target Audience
Your target audience is the group of people you want to reach and communicate with. Who are your ideal customers/clients? What do they care about? Where do they get their information? What problems do they need solved? By understanding your target audience, you can create a PR strategy that resonates. - Develop a Message and Story
Your message and story are the foundation of your PR strategy. It’s important to develop a clear and compelling message that communicates your brand’s values, vision, and story. - Reach Out
It’s important to reach out to the right media contacts. If your company creates computer parts and you reach out to a lifestyle reporter, you won’t get any bites. Your pitch should be timely, relevant, and appropriate for the media outlet you are contacting. Ask yourself these questions when you pitch a journalist, reporter, or podcast host: Is this interesting? Helpful? Unique? Relevant? Does it provide value?
PR is for Authors, Podcasts, and Coaches, Too
Are you an author? Artist? Business coach or consultant? Do you have a podcast or YouTube channel? Media mentions can bring you more readers, find you more coaching clients, and gain you more listeners/viewers faster than social media or paid advertisements can.
Landing media features is an incredible way to skyrocket your company’s visibility and credibility. No more throwing random social media posts at the wall.
About
Helen M. Ryan is a freelance writer and PR mentor. She has been featured in Mashable, Bustle, U.S. News & World Report, Parade Magazine, Shape, VerywellFit, Huffington Post, and many more. Join her free Facebook community for PR tips and advice. Visit getfeatured.group.
