How to Get Publicity for Your Business

Every business can get publicity by following three basic steps.1. Forget what you think you know about publicity.Most people think they need a "hook"-- something dazzling, exciting or unique -- to generate PR. Not true! To get publicity, simply give people information they want. For example, suppose you bought a new house and needed to landscape the yard. If you've never hired a landscaper before, how do you know what to look for? Now, suppose a landscaper in your area sent out a press release on how to pick a landscaper or how to avoid common landscaping pitfalls. Wouldn't he rise to the top of the list of landscapers you want to talk to?Similarly, suppose your current house needs a new roof and you aren't sure whether to replace the shingles or upgrade to tile. If a roofer in your area put out a press release on how to evaluate and select roofing materials, wouldn't you want to talk to that roofer before anyone else?Shingles and landscaping pitfalls are not dazzling. But people want to know about them. Bottom line: mundane works fine for PR as long as it contains information people want.2. Provide "foundation" information. Foundation information is news about your product, service or business that may not be new or interesting to you, but holds great interest to your prospects and helps them solve small problems. For example, if you run a plumbing business, consider setting up a "do it yourself" plumber's help line. Set aside an hour every Friday afternoon to take calls from people with questions about plumbing. No charge and no sales pitch on your part. Simply tell people what they want to know about their plumbing issues. Or, set up a website that shows people how to make simple repairs, such as replacing a washer, without calling a plumber.Will this cost you some small jobs? Probably. But when the people who call in have a broken pipe or need a new water heater, who do you think they will call? Some random plumber out of the phone book, or the plumber who took the time to help them fix a small problem for free?3. Give people information they need. What do people need to know? Again, it's the little things. If I have a leaky faucet should I call a plumber or try to fix it myself? If a fuse blows, is it an isolated incident or a sign of a bigger problem? These kinds of issues will almost always get some press coverage because the information helps people in times of need.Don't think you need to shock or amaze the world in order to get media coverage. Tell people what they want and need to know about your business or industry and they will think of you first when it comes time to use your product or service. For more articles like this, click here.