Public Relations for Small Business - Local Newspapers
PR is not just for the big boys. Public relations for small businesses is just as important. Sure you don't have the same budget, but you don't need it either. There are many number of ways in which a small business can incorporate PR into their business activities.
Smaller local businesses should get to know their local paper. This is one of the best places to get your story out to the people that will visit your business. Besides placing ads in this paper, it would be a real boon to your business if somehow you could get a story published about you, in a positive light, of course.
Depending on the nature of your business, the 'trick' to getting a story that mentions your business name is to be creative and persistent. One of the basics of PR is a press release. Reporters are always looking for stories, so your PR task is to try to be helpful to these reporters by giving them an interesting story - about you.
First off, scout out your local papers and see what kind of stories get published. Try to think of ideas that may fit the newspaper angles that they normally write about. Secondly, get the names and contact information of who to submit your pitch, or press release to. Be professional, and either call or email the proper person. Tell them about what your story is. Like you, they are busy so be brief and to the point.
Some examples of small business stories that get published in local newspapers are a new contest that your business is holding and the proceeds going to a charity, the sponsorship of a new local sports team, or how your business helped people in need after some disaster (a family losing their home from fire, or some other local tragedy). Community and philanthropic events are often newsworthy.
Other kinds of stories that get published are longevity stories, i.e. your business has been in town since 'x' amount of years. David and Goliath stories get published frequently as well. For example, how your business is bucking the trend and holding its own against some large chain store that moved into town, etc.
Due to the recent shift in 'green' thinking, local newspapers like to pick up stories about conservationalism. Can you find a way that you can get a newsworthy story about your business switching to a new green product etc?
Timing is very important, sometimes there is a rare opportunity for you to shine through as being extra helpful in the community, or different in an unusual way that makes you stand out.
Some of these ideas will cost money, but that is the cost of advertising. With a little effort though, you can probably think of some ideas that you can incorporate into your activities without too much extra time involved as you may already have some 'stories' about your business, you just didn't realize that with a little PR, you might get your story in a local newspaper..