Generating Powerful Publicity For Small Business

- Don't be afraid to be honest, even brutally honest, about your own failings and how you overcame them. Most people tend to want to sweep their problems under the rug, feeling that the reporter won't see them as a credible source unless they are a soaring success in their business.

In fact, journalists see it exactly the opposite.

First, they can usually tell when you're hiding something from them.

Second, a story of a mistake or a hard time and how you recovered (or are recovering) from it makes much better news than "oh, everything's going great."

Third, when you admit your failures, you immediately deepen your trust level with the reporter (and the readers, by the way) - they feel that if you'll be honest with something that's potentially embarrassing, that you're being honest in other statements you're making.

Fourth, recovery stories give great information that helps readers, making you, and the reporter, a hero in the reader's eyes.

In fact, Jeff contends, the more complete and direct you are in answering the reporter's questions, the more likely it is that you and your company will be the featured element in the eventual article. This is especially true in today's popular "these are tough times" articles.

Of special note, one of the favorite question of many business reporters is "what was your biggest mistake, and what did you learn from it."

So be prepared, going into any media interview, to be able to easily and honestly answer the most embarrassing question you can think of about your business.

- Go after national publicity even if you sell only locally. A story in USA Today or the Wall Street Journal has immense credibility. And these national media are not as hardened against local business stories as you might think - they want news, and if you're newsworthy, you've got a good chance of making it even in the big leagues.

- Create your own holiday and submit it to Chase's Calendar of Events, a resource directory used by many media people.

- Sponsor fun contests.

- Offer reporters names and phone numbers of other small-business people who can be interviewed for the same story where your quotes will appear. This positions you as a valuable source and might get you good placement in the story.

Are you concerned that this CD may not be appropriate for you because you're not small enough? Jeff's answer: "this tele-seminar is for you if your business is small enough that you know the names of all your employees, and you have the entrepreneurial spirit."

Get your copy of this brand new CD here:
How to Publicize your Small Business

Tags: Small Business