Publicity

For over fifteen years, I worked with entrepreneurs who were starting a business. One activity that I particularly enjoyed was interviewing them and writing a business profile to be published in the Chamber of Commerce Newsletter and local newspaper. I understood the power of those feature stories and used my creativity and expertise to weave them in such a way that customers coming to the business for the first time would easily build rapport with the owner.

The business profiles served as an introduction of the business owner, the business and the owner's family to the community. Usually, the article was clipped, framed, and proudly displayed where customers would be sure to see it. This was a wise tactic because it gave customers a frame of reference when personally meeting the owner for the first time. As an example, customers could comment on where the owner previously lived, family members, interests, etc. No matter what advertising plan we developed, nothing came close to receiving the response of that locally published article.

As co-owner of an advertising agency, my main responsibility was consulting with the clients. Together the business owner and I created ideas for publicity that would interest community members and would qualify with the local newspaper editor as a press release, or publicity clip. There are hundreds of ways for business owners to get free publicity such as:

Sponsor local sports events
Sponsor community Art contests with a theme such as “National Poetry Month”
Donate funds to a school or organization for a particular cause such as new books for a particular library section.
Support Senior Citizens events such as “seniors’ Fundraising event to be held at “The Name of the Business.”
Promote environmental clean-up drives
Hold a fund-raising event at your business for a community cause that would benefit the whole community.

Be aware of how your business ties in with local trends such as environmental issues, health trends, and fashion news and write a publicity article about it. A great reference is Chase’s Book of Events which is available at the library, newspaper offices and other media facilities. In that book, you’ll find organizations and corporations promoting just about everything, and providing press kits to those who want to promote it. I relied heavily on this book for years, especially when developing an advertising plan. As an example, if you sell honey, you could find out when National Honey Month is celebrated, and order a free press kit that your business could adapt specifically. Another benefit of ordering the press kits, is that you don’t have to invent it yourself to present it to the media.

If you do invent your own, take a look at how the professional press kits are organized. Usually there is a cover letter, stating the observance of the product or service, and why it is being observed. A logo or graphic is used that will be recognized nationally.

Product or service descriptions, how your business is involved, benefits to the community such as free samples to be provided by your business, and always submit an appropriate photo (sometimes it is accepted).

For more information, search “Press release writing” and you will find tips on writing press releases within the first few hits.

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