Tip 338) PR for Small Business and Sole Traders

PR is not just for big companies. Small businesses and sole traders may not have a huge budget for a PR agency, but they can benefit from writing their own press releases.

Here's the why, when, how and where of PR for small businesses:

Why you should write a press release...

• Set yourself up as an expert.
• Back-links to your website and helps with SEO.
• Increase visibility.
• Increase web traffic.  
• Instant exposure.

​When...

• Any time you have anything newsworthy!
• A new product, new service, new team member, new office, office move, etc.
• An event.
• Entering awards, winning an award.
• Volunteering.
• Celebrating an anniversary. 
• Name change or re-brand.
• New website.
• Giving away something for free.
• New strategic alliance.

 
How...

• Make it worth reading. Have an angle. Think about what's in it for the reader. Unusual or unexpected is good (but not essential).
• Have an attention-grabbing headline. If your headline doesn't grab them, they won't read it.
• No jargon. Think about who, what, where, when, why and how. Write in the third person. One story per press release. 
• Keep it easy to read. Be concise. 2–5 paragraphs. Make the ​first paragraph a brief summary in one or two sentences. Include relevant quotes or testimonials for credibility. 
• Include a short company bio, your website and your contact details. 

​
Where...

• Free PR sites: There are lots of free press release distribution sites around. Some are better than others, so do your research. Here’s a really useful blog about the best ones to use. 
• News outlets: If you are going to send it to a journalist, make sure you have an absolute killer headline, even better first line, and that overall, your PR is newsworthy. Don't waste their time. 

What have you got to lose? 

Good luck!

Jo x