As a small business owner, you take on many roles. But are you forgetting the role of publicist?
Learning how to get press coverage for your small business can feel a bit unnatural or uncomfortable. But it’s an essential part of growing a business, and as the owner of your business, you’re in a great position to tell your business’s story. Publicity is a great way to grow awareness, and ultimately sales, for your company.
Affordable PR is possible for small businesses. While having a big public relations team might be out of reach for many small businesses, getting the word out about your company doesn’t require a big budget. And it doesn’t require changing how you do business. You may already be working on projects and small business marketing initiatives that are perfect for publicity.
What’s Worthy of Publicity?
A new opening, a special offering, a collaboration, an award (given or received), a social media win. All of these moments can be opportunities when learning how to get press coverage for your small business.
Getting publicity doesn’t mean overhauling the way you do business. Instead, review your current business plans and mine them for publicity opportunities. Is there a new project in the works or a discount you’ve been considering? Are you in discussions for a partnership with an organization or another business, or has your company recently received an honor or recognition? If you’re having trouble unearthing topics for publicity, imagine a friend asking you what’s new at your business. What would you say? It can be challenging to discern what’s newsworthy about your business from the inside, so ask for outside help. Describe a few business projects to a friend or family member outside of the business and see what resonates.
PR industry veteran Nicole Myden and author of You Are Worthy of Publicity told podcaster Sharon Bondurant that she finds small business owners often think press is “only for big brands or celebrities.” She works to convince them otherwise.
The most important thing to remember is that your business has publicity-worthy moments all the time. Gaining publicity for your business is often about raising awareness for events and initiatives that are already in the works.
Unlock Publicity Through a Press Release
A press release is a key tool when figuring out how to get press coverage for your small business, as it informs journalists and content creators about your company, its sales, promotions, projects, or events. Press releases can take on a narrative form and include quotes from stakeholders, like this press release from Golden Waffles, which ties in news of a new headquarters and innovation center with National Waffle Day. Press releases can also be written more directly and include bullet points highlighting key pieces of information, like this press release from San Diego’s Bay City Brewing announcing an anniversary party. Consider the most newsworthy part of the story you want to tell and include that in the introduction. Be concise. Imagine a busy journalist or creator having just a few seconds to read the release.
Remember to include a headline, dateline, and contact information, including emails, website links, social handles, and phone numbers. It might be helpful to include a boilerplate paragraph about your company, too. Pictures and video can also be included in your press releases. If your business creates visually exciting products, like the Crazy Mason Milkshake Bar, a photo might help your press release get more attention.
Small business owners can get inspired by looking through published press releases from other businesses in their field or companies they admire. Sites like PR Newswire and Businesswire include searchable databases of press releases from small and large businesses. These sites are also where small businesses can submit their own press release.
Tailor Your Message
While a press release can relay general information to a mass audience, consider pitching your story directly to a journalist or content creator. When considering where to pitch, Myden reminds small business owners to look beyond big TV shows and national newspapers, to local publications. For small businesses targeting a national consumer base, consider niche and B2B publications, too. Remember “publications” no longer just includes papers and magazines. Blogs, websites, newsletters, podcasts, TV stations, and social media influencers can be a great source of publicity for your small business.
Reach out to journalists and other content creators via email or even on social media. If you’re having trouble finding contact info, websites like Muck Rack and Critical Mention offer databases of journalist contact info.
When you reach out, keep your messages short. Add context where you can, including how your story pitch is similar to another story in the publication. Some publications announce their upcoming plans with an editorial calendar. When possible, tailor your pitch to fit into upcoming coverage plans.
Note if your pitch could fit into seasonal coverage. If a new product launch makes a perfect stocking stuffer, suggest it for a publication’s gift guide, for example. “Holiday and gift guides are kind of like the Super Bowl of PR,” Jessy Fofana, the founder and CEO of LaRue PR, told Marketing Brew. “There’s a lot of focus and a lot of attention because it’s a time when the consumer is buying, and they’re looking for ideas.”
Build Relationships and Tell Your Story
Building relationships with journalists and content creators is a crucial part of how to get press coverage for your small business. When you reach out, include an invite to your office or an offer to try your products with your pitch. If it’s applicable for your business, set up an event specifically for journalists and content creators who cover your industry or local area.
Consider ways to make journalists and content creators’ lives easier. Respond promptly to media inquiries. Journalists are often on tight deadlines. If a writer always includes a photo with their event listing, remember to send one when you pitch your event. Journalists are always working on stories and may ask if you’d be interested in being a source for a different story. Be open to inclusion if it’s relevant to your business.
If you can share your expertise on topics related to your business, journalists are often looking for sources for stories they’re working on. Sites like Qwoted and HARO (Help A Reporter Out) connect experts to journalists.
If you’re asked to answer questions by a journalist or creator, prepare beforehand. It never hurts to have a few stats or figures available if they’ll lend authority to your answers. But be yourself! You’re the best person to tell your business’s story.
GLORIA DAWSON is a copywriter, journalist, and editor with over 14 years of experience. She covers the retail, restaurant, and tech industries, and her writing has appeared in Business Insider, Nation’s Restaurant News, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Eater, Entrepreneur, and many other publications.
