Establish Yourself as an Expert

We’re all looking for easy, inexpensive ways to advertise our businesses, right?  Well, forget the newspaper ads and flyers and embrace the world of public relations!  Traditional advertising does work, but it’s also very expensive and I don’t know about you, but my marketing budget isn’t 6 figures, it’s not even 5!  As small business people we need to make sure we get the most bang for our bucks or better yet, bang without bucks!

Even a strong PR campaign may not produce sales overnight, but what it can do is build a solid following of fans of your brand.  Solid public relations sends a clear, concise message of who you are and what you have to offer.  It builds trust with your customers by sharing your expertise, experience, values and beliefs – establishing you as the expert in your field.

Public relations is also very inexpensive and often times free.  It may take a little time and effort, but it’s well worth it.  Here are just a few ways to get your business some free publicity.

• Use the Media
  Now, I don’t mean taking out ads in print, radio or on TV – I’m referring to something even better!  Write an article and submit it to a local paper or an your industry publication.  Better yet, write one for a publication that your customers like to read.  You don’t need to be a journalist, just write what you know.  If you’re unsure, have someone you trust look it over or hire a ghost writer.  You can even submit a story idea to the editor and offer to give an expert interview – that way they do all the writing and you reap all the benefits! Besides traditional media, embrace social media.  I did so just recently and WOW!  I’ve connected with people from all over, thanks to my blogs, tweets and posts.  The internet gives us the opportunity to potentially reach hundreds, thousands, millions of people that we could never reach with traditional mediums.  It’s our present and our future.  I advise you to check it out or get left behind.

• Self-Publish
  Start small…a newsletter is a nice way to begin, then work your way up to perhaps an E-book and finally your first best-seller!   Keep on top of what’s going on in your industry or in the news to inspire new themes and ideas for each project.  It may seem a bit daunting to come up with new material all the time (believe me…I know), but don’t try to reinvent the wheel.  Do some research on current hot topics or revive some old, but still relevant ones and add your own spin.

• Speak Up
  Not a writer?  Maybe you’re better live.  Give workshops or presentations – at networking events, for professional associations or community groups – anywhere there are potential clients or supporters.   Sometimes you can even get paid for speaking engagements – it’s always great to get paid to market yourself!  If you’re not good in front of a live audience, consider video blogs or webinars.

• Community Service
  Volunteer for a cause near and dear to your heart.  One that compliments your business is even better.  Being a good corporate citizen speaks highly to many people.  But don’t do it from a WIIFM place – do it with the right intentions.For example, I’ve been a volunteer with Look Good, Feel Better – a program that supports women on their cancer journey.  We educate them on how to deal with the appearance-related side effects of their treatment through proper skin care, make-up techniques and choosing wigs, hats and accessories.  I’ve been a volunteer for 19 years, long before I started this business, but it’s a part of me and fits well with my goal to help empower women.  Figure out what speaks to you and give without asking anything in return.  You will be rewarded in ways you never imagined!  No time to volunteer?  Then sponsor a sports team, donate to a silent auction; organize a food or clothing drive or a walkathon.  Spread the word through the local & social media to gain awareness for your cause and get a little plug for yourself.  There’s so many more ways to get free or inexpensive publicity – join networking groups, serve on committees, have a grand opening or anniversary party – the ideas are endless.  So think outside the box, have fun and be outstanding!