The news media are a powerful tool for promoting your business and building a reputation for your company. Getting published in a newspaper or featured on the TV news greatly improves your chances of finding clients. This is especially useful for small and startup businesses, because it allows them to promote without sacrificing limited resources. With a well-planned PR program, you can use the news media to your advantage and gain publicity for a fraction of the price you would normally spend on advertising. Here are some ways you can use the news media for effective, low-cost publicity.
Write press releases
Press releases are your primary means of communication with the news media. These are short articles written like news or features, but containing mostly information about your company or product. Most publications will run your article for free or for a small fee. This is cheaper than running print ads because production and printing costs are lower, and you are using editorial space instead of ad space.
To publish a press release, send out your material to different publications along with your business name and contact information. Clearly indicate that it’s a press release, and tell them when you want it to be published. Follow the news article format when writing the article to avoid sounding like an ad. Not all publications will run your press release, especially if it’s your first time, but keep sending material and updating your material.
Types of press release
Not all press releases have to be in news format – in fact, some styles may work better for your product. Here are some common types:
- How-to articles. These are the most likely to get published, since newspapers are always looking for interesting features. This presents your company as an authority on the subject, which means users are more likely to trust you and try your product.
- New product releases. This is the most direct way to announce a new product, but it’s also the least credible and least likely to get approved by editors. When writing this type of press release, avoid hype adjectives like “amazing” and “revolutionary” — simply introduce your product, say what it does, and provide contact and purchasing information.
- Executive announcements. Many large companies announce a change of management or personnel in the news, both to inform the public (especially its clients) and to gain publicity. Some newspapers will charge to publish such announcements, while others will run it for free.
- Commentaries and letters to the editor. companies usually write this type of release when a news development has an impact on its reputation. For example, a fast food chain may respond to a health alert by writing in to announce that it is shifting to healthier alternatives. You can also use commentaries to speak as an expert – when people know that you work in the field, they are more likely to take your word seriously.
- Online PR. You can also write online press releases and submit them to Internet news wires, which will then distribute your material to different media outlets. Most of them will let you choose where to distribute your article, although some may charge you for large submissions. You can also try the free versions of some news wires – this is useful if you don’t need large-scale publicity or if you want to try the service before using the paid version.
Conclusion
There are many news media channel available – take full advantage of them to build your company’s good reputation. Identify which media is most effective in disseminating the kinds of messages you want to impart, and then concentrate on it. Do not put all your eggs in one basket though – try a little of everything until you proven which one (or two) works best.