Are you trying to generate press for your business? It’s not as easy as it looks, is it?
Here are four tips to help you generate effective publicity:
Guest Columns
Securing a guest column in your local paper or business journal is gold. Not only does it provide the publication (whether your local paper, business journal or national publication) with timely, relevant and effective content, but it’s basically a free advertisement for you and your business.
Another great thing about guest columns is that they typically contain a source box, which includes the author’s name, title, bio, phone number, email, website, etc. Guest columns help you establish yourself as an expert in your industry and gain almost instant credibility.
Just like press releases, guest columns should have a newsworthy angle. Short, to-the-point articles (around 300 or 400 words) are typically best and most frequently read. Editors—and readers—appreciate simple pieces such as “how-to ________,” “top 5 reasons to ________,” or “3 ways to do ________ better.”
To secure a guest column, or series of guest columns, reach out to your local business editors or do a little digging. Sometimes larger online publications have an entire page designated to guest columns with guidelines for submitting.
Word of mouth marketing is great—and it’s exactly what a guest column helps you achieve.
Speaking Engagements
Speaking at an event is similar to penning a guest column—it gets your name, face, ideas and knowledge in front of a targeted audience while positioning you as a thought leader in your industry. No matter the size of the audience, speaking on a panel or at a business or industry event puts you in front of people who are interested in what you’re talking about. Great connections can be formed at events, so step out of your comfort zone and line up a speaking engagement today.
Places to look for speaking opportunities:
- Chamber of Commerce
- Rotary clubs
- Civic groups
- Local universities
- Associations
- Search LinkedIn
- Search Google, Bing, Yahoo
More on speaking opportunities:
- Free advertising for your business
- Why should I try to get speaking opportunities?
- The first steps to lining up speaking opportunities
Awards and Professional Recognition
Chances are, you and your company are doing great things, but nobody else knows about it. Research suitable awards and write compelling nominations to get the recognition you deserve. Be sure to include your accolades in your personal bio and on your website to get the proper attention they warrant. Don’t be humble; awards are also typically worthy of a press release and blog post.
An in-depth Google search on specific topics, associations, industry websites, etc. should provide you with a list of awards relevant to you. Sign up for alerts and reminders, so that when it’s time for the call for entries, you’re ready.
PR Firms
You had to wonder when I was going to mention it, right? Partnering with a PR firm helps you accomplish all of the above, and more. A good PR firm won’t wait for you to tell them what to do. It’s what we do for a living, so it’s second nature for us. We take ownership and continually suggest, create, and carry out suggestions to move the ball forward. We take the stress of finding and securing press opportunities off your shoulders so you can spend more time working ‘on’ your business, not ‘in’ it.
We build and cultivate strong relationships with the media—journalists, editors, products, etc. We know what type of content they like and how they like to be contacted. We’re happy to help you build these media relationships, too. Often times, reporters come to us looking for a source in a specific industry or on a specific topic, allowing us to position you as an expert in your field.
If you’re still feeling overwhelmed by the thought of generating relevant content for your business and positioning yourself as an industry leader, give us a call today at 615-515-4888. We’re happy to help however we can. Creating contagious conversations that build brands is what makes us tick.
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