What on earth is PR for small businesses?

Don’t know where to start with your PR - or how working with a PR expert works? Here's my attempt at demystifying it with a step-by-step guide to the process.

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Your local/regional paper is an excellent place to start with your PR.

🤔 How does PR work for small businesses?

PR simply means getting your business featured in articles in the media to tell people about what you do. It can be very powerful for elevating your brand.

Firstly, you don't pay the publications. That's advertising, which is totally different.

With PR, you pay the PR expert a fee, usually agreed in advance, and they use their expertise to secure press coverage for you.

The right PR can be amazing for getting you more visible.

When I worked as a local newspaper reporter, lots of businesses contacted the newsroom. If it was a decent story, it went in the paper.

👉 More DIY PR tips to gain press coverage for your small business.

But most small business owners lack the time or confidence (or both) to pitch journalists their story ideas directly. That's where a PR specialist can help.

And hiring one with a journalist's brain means you get the best of both worlds.

💡 The PR process

PR consultants act as a middle-person; picture us as being the matchmakers between you (and your business) and the media.

Here's a rough idea of what to expect when working with one:

• We learn about your business, finding the best story angles to grab journalists' attention. Do you have an upcoming event, new product or service, or can you share expert advice?

• We then research the best publications. If you run wellbeing walks or a cafe, local media will be key. If you own a branding agency then a trade magazine could be more beneficial. Aim for coverage where your target audience/ potential customers hang out

• We also identify the right journalists, turning detective to track down their contact details (so your story doesn't get lost in the general 'news@....' inbox)

• When I'm working with clients, I write a tailored email pitch at this point, plus a press release if needed

• I email this to key journalists, freeing up my clients to focus on running their business. I handle all contact with journalists, including following up, taking any calls, and replying to questions and interview requests

• My clients then sit back and read all their wonderful press coverage - while I run around my house punching the air!

⭐ Top tip: Images are very important. Make them high res if you want to get into printed newspapers and magazines.

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Local PR win!

When York audiologist Jessica Kyei-Yamoah got in touch about some PR for her fantastic business, The Hearing Place, I couldn’t wait to help.

The Hearing Place is an award-winning local, independent business, which offers professional ear and hearing care services to people in and around York. They really care about their clients and customers - and this is 100% the type of business I love to work with.

I wrote a press release about The Hearing Place, including top hearing health tips from Jess for World Hearing Day.

The story gained a full page story in two key local papers The York Press and The Gazette & Herald. It was also picked up by Yahoo! News

Jess also mentioned that a client called them the week the story was published and 'booked an appointment off the back of seeing the story in The Press’. PR doing its job!

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Homework

🎧 This podcast with PR expert Lucy Werner gives a fab insight into how entrepreneurs can use DIY PR to grow their business.

It's well worth a listen.

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Extra resources

👉 Want to contact journalists to ask them to feature your business but unsure how to structure an email to them? Steal the exact templates I use to send pitches/ideas to the media with my Cheat Sheets. More info. in this York Press article (walking my PR walk).

👉 If you'd like expert help to get featured in the media, please get in touch. I can help you make a PR plan with one Zoom call session, and I also offer a press release writing service. Visit my website to book your free 30-minute Discovery Call.

I hope you've found this advice useful... if you'd like to support my business, I've discovered this lovely way that you can buy me a tea or coffee. Thank you!

P.S. Prefer a different way to support my business? Please share this blog post with any business owners who might find it helpful.