Most small business owners think of public relations as something that their business does not require or farfetched from their current budget. A mom and pops store would often opt for a newspaper ad or hand out promotional flyers. Few think about creating a press release around their store opening or new product/ service offerings. The reason small business owners choose advertising over PR is simply their lack of understanding of what a public relations plan truly is. The definition provided by the Public Relations Society of America produced the following: Public relations is a strategic communication process that builds mutually beneficial relationships between organizations and their publics.”
Depending on the size and type of product or service your business offers, having a trade show presence is imperative. This allows business owners to become more familiar with their customer base and industry competitors. Having a trade show booth does not have to break the bank with expensive exhibit designs, or creating promotional handouts. Having a press release is also a great way to increase your business’s community awareness. A strategically placed press release will positively affect your website’s traffic rankings. According to an article on PR Newswire, “a news release distributed by PR Newswire is delivered to more than 5,500 Web sites and online services such as Yahoo!, AOL and MSN.com, and the release can be further optimized for search engine visibility utilizing keywords.” One of the first things new customers do is search about the business reputation online to match the quality they are looking for.

Joining a local business commerce or group is an excellent way to generate positive public relations. Meeting with other business owners allows for cross promotional marketing opportunities and potential partnerships. Small businesses should also take advantage of free services such as Twitter, Yelp, and Facebook business pages. Social media is an excellent medium to connect with new customers and keep current ones up to date with the latest and greatest about your company. Let us know how we can help you craft your next press release and in the meantime, keep your company messaging on target with a strategic communications plan. Download your free copy by entering your information on the page.