Advanced Small Business PR Strategies You Can DIY
If you are totally new to PR, my best tip is to just start sending pitches to the media. You don't have to worry too much about strategy, just doing something is the best way to get started and there's nothing to lose.
However, if you've taken my course or have a good amount of experience, there are always ways to advance your PR game. Ultimately, you're going to grow your business to a point where it's easy to have a big PR firm on retainer and they can do this for you.
But until then, these tips are great ways to improve your DIY PR game.
Here are three advanced PR strategies that can make a big difference.
1. Follow Up with phone calls
I'm so used to sending text messages and emails, picking up the phone is uncomfortable. The thing is, calling a media contact to see if they received your email is an incredibly effective way to get that media placement.
Sometimes, you're just a phone call away from standing out.
At the beginning of your PR journey, phone calls can be nerve-wracking because you don't know what to say or what to expect. When you do work up the courage to pick up the phone, just start by introducing yourself and asking if they got your email.
Phone calls, especially with your local media, are terrific ways to solidify a connection and get the word out there.
2. Pitch more often
One of the best things about hiring a PR firm is that they will be able to do a lot more PR for you. When you're running a business and PR is just one of your weekly tasks, well, it's just that, one weekly task.
If you want to take your small business PR strategy up one more notch, work in some extra time to send more pitches.
It's that simple.
You'll also notice that the more pitches you send out, the easier and faster it gets. Your frist pitch might take you seemingly forever, but after a few, you'll be able to whip them up in no time.
3. Get more specific
At first, it is fine to send pretty much the same pitch out to lots of different media contacts.
As you get a feel for what it's like to work with different publications and types of media, you can start to make each pitch more specific.
You'll have a better understanding of what TV stations want vs. online outlets, etc., and can tweak the pitch so you are giving them exactly what they need to hear. You’ll be able to come across more media savvy and casual at the same time.
More Small Business PR Strategy Help
The biggest challenge for a small business to do PR is simply affording it. Most options are long-term commitments and take tens of thousands of dollars a month. I won’t ever say they’re not worth it, because most of the time they are, but there are definitely ways small businesses can get great media placements without that kind of investment.
I’ve worked as a freelance publicist for a decade and share everything you need to know to start a small business PR strategy all on your own. As you can see in this post, even the advanced stuff is still pretty straight forward. It’s just a matter of learning how the media works, what they want to hear, and practicing a little finesse to make it happen.