Public relations - Copywriter Angela Booth

Build your business: use the power of free publicity

Public relations (PR) activities seem to be out of fashion for small businesses. That’s unfortunate, because you’re missing out on the benefits of achieving free publicity.

What if the top publication in your industry featured a story about you? Would the resulting publicity help you to win recognition and ultimately make sales?

Press releases and publicity: an inexpensive marketing method to build your business

A little PR always helps your business.

The SEO (search engine optimization) benefits alone can be worth thousands of dollars over the next year or two. In addition, PR helps your advertising, no matter what kind of advertising your company does, whether it’s direct advertising or content marketing.

You know your business: use public relations to tell your story. If you haven’t sent out a news release for your business news in the past month, you’re missing out.

Public relations (PR) then and now: from press release to news release

I started my writing career as novelist. When I wrote marketing materials for small businesses as a favor to friends, I had no idea I was “copywriting”. Writing copy equalled words and emotion—just like fiction—so I adored it.

To my surprise, one of my first press releases got huge media attention for a business owner. He appeared on TV shows and featured in stories in newspapers and magazines. His business took off.

That opened my eyes to the power of public relations, as exemplified in the humble news release.

BTW, I prefer “news” release to “press” release today because rather than the media, today’s releases are written directly for a business’s target audience. As a marketing tool, they’re direct. You eliminate the middle man. Of course, you’ll continue to forward a version of a news release to your local media.

Vital marketing tip: add a newsroom to your website.

Public relations tip: build a press room on your website

Add each press release (at least one a month) to a “press room” or “media” section on your website. Here’s mine.

Whether you have an itty bitty site or a large one, an on-site news/ press room has benefits for:

Tracking promotions year by year;
SEO. Use your promotions, including advertising, as content;
Information for visitors: they get a better view of who you are and what you do.

Wondering whether PR could help your business? If you’re looking for help with your PR, here’s what I offer.

Public relations offerings: from press releases to newsrooms

Contact me for PR help. My offerings include:

Press/ media kits, including background materials, personal biographies and business histories, images and more, offered as downloads on your website.
News releases, either in conventional press release format, or in a non-traditional format combining traditional elements and marketing.
An onsite news room, which will contain similar materials to your press/ media kit, as well as your news releases going forward.
Educational white papers and reports/ downloadable ebooks. These are useful to provide additional information about your products and services to help your buyers.
Pitch presentations/ case studies. These materials support your sales copy and advertising; they’re an excellent resource for your customers.