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Small businesses can benefit from print media public relations

By Jeff Bressler for CEOWORLD Magazine Updated:July 16, 2009

Size really doesn’t matter when it comes to public relations. Any size company can benefit from publicity, but the practice is commonly misunderstood in the business arena. Most entrepreneurs think of PR AS something that only large corporations have a budget for and don’t realize the power of publicity and what it can do to make a business grow and be recognized.

If you are invited to appear as a guest on a radio or TV show, or a story is written about your company in a newspaper or magazine, it lends credibility to you, your company or its products and services beyond anything you could gain with paid advertising.

For instance, in today’s tough real estate market you could get ahead of the other competition by offering sound advice in bylined articles. Give away information that people normally would pay you for and submit it to daily and weekly newspapers as well as other newsletters in your area, like the Chamber of Commerce and real estate magazines that have listings advertised, as well as national publications that complement the real estate industry.

You may think that giving away valuable advice will hurt you by tipping off your competition, but it is quite the contrary. It will establish you as someone who is an authority on the subject and you will find that people will start to seek you out for business. People will be more likely to hire you if they first read about you in the media being referred to as an authority.

There are many ways a people can position themselves as an expert. An easy way to start is with print. Obtaining coverage in newspapers and magazines is a key factor in creating your image as an expert in your industry.

Even with the decline of print publications, it is still where one will find a huge segment of a buying audience. With over 137 million Americans regularly reading a daily newspaper and more than 31,000 publications ranging from antiques to zoology, print media holds mass appeal as a key source of entertainment and information.

There are several ways to approach the print medium.

1) Write a “tips” or “how to” article. This is one of the best ways to get free publicity in newspapers and magazines. Offer lots of valuable advice and make sure it’s written well enough for a publication to run it without having to heavily edit. Be sure to include your credentials and other boastful information to support your position as an expert — but be careful not to make the article a promotional piece. Editors are looking for content that will be informative to their readers, not a brag piece about you or your company.

2) Write an “opinion letter. Take a stand on a controversial issue or comment on an issue in the news and sent it to the editor of your local paper, or to the opinion editor at other newspapers around the country. Don’t forget to put your credentials at the bottom of the letter.

3) Create photo opportunities. Local newspapers are always looking for interesting photos and images. Create a local event, like a fundraiser, art show or contest. Then make sure to invite the local press to attend. And even if they don’t show up, get them a photo and press release to them right after the event, while it’s still fresh news.

4) Recycle your print coverage. Turn one media hit into multiple hits by sending a reprint of a weekly newspaper story about you or your company to an editor at a daily newspaper, along with a pitch letter offering a different angle. Send reprints from dailies to national publications. Send articles in trade publications to editors anywhere. Post articles on your Web site.

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