Today, online strategies like content marketing and social media can be tailored to support traditional PR tactics that extend into the local community. Small businesses should look for PR opportunities that align with their broader objectives and are manageable with existing resources.
Networking. Yikes! If you do most of your marketing from behind a computer, the thought of going out to try to smile and make friends may give you flashbacks of high school. Take the pain out of professional networking by skipping the general mixers and honing in on trade organizations or niche groups that are within your own industry or the industries you serve. You’ll find more immediate value by interacting with people who you know are within your target market or by extracting some professional development out of the event.
Be sure to pull new offline contacts into your online strategy. By connecting through social media or inviting them to follow your blog or sign-up for your email newsletter, you can extend your online reach to a more local level.
Non-profits. Charitable initiatives don’t have to be limited to just large corporate sponsorships. Small businesses can support local nonprofits by volunteering at events, joining planning committees, or forming teams to raise funds. Explore opportunities to provide in-kind donations to groups that may need web, graphic, or other no-cost marketing services.
Form online connections by interacting with the nonprofit and other local supporters, helping to spread the word through social media mentions, and covering the event in your own blog or newsletter.
Community Events. Local festivals, workshops, and other non-charitable events may also offer ways to support your community while promoting your business. The range of relevant events for your business may be quite extensive. Examples from my personal experience include hosting a booth at a Christmas festival, participating in a B2B athletic competition (I think the participating chiropractor made the most business connections that day), and attending many client-company employee fairs and even one company’s casino night.
Link the offline to your online world by using the same strategies here as you would for networking and/or non-profit events.
Get Creative! Think outside of the box for additional ways to boost your localized public relations efforts. The most creative ideas may be tactics inherent to a particular industry, e.g., banking…financial literacy classes. The Darden restaurant group, for example, has asystematic process of donating food to one of its local communities. If you provide social media or marketing services, your PR strategy may include hosting workshops for other small business owners. A real estate professional could teach a home-buying workshop to consumer groups. Consider partnering with professionals in related industries to organize a larger event and increase the value to your target audiences.
When you create your own event, lead the online conversation by engaging target audiences, providing details and regular updates, forming original hashtags, and generating buzz leading up to and following the event.
Get Covered! Finally, look for the best opportunities to issue press releases to generate media coverage and general awareness for your business and PR efforts. Especially for small businesses, the most newsworthy events are those that offer some benefit or informative value to audiences.
What Public Relations strategies or tactics do you have planned for your business this year?
Credit to the Writer -
