July 31, 2021 3 minutes readEntrepreneur contributors do not necessarily agree with the opinions expressed.Are you looking to start a business or grow an existing one? It's important to understand how to collaborate with both traditional and online media outlets to increase coverage. While there are some basic PR strategies that you should know, it is important to look beyond the box to create buzz about a brand.What is the purpose of publicity for small businesses?PR strategies can be used to generate exposure. PR strategies can increase name recognition, reach targeted audiences, and help boost revenue. It is often free, which is a great advantage for people with limited marketing budgets.What publicity opportunities should companies look for?One-on-one publicity is a great way of building trust and credibility with media. You can share your brand's story and unique messaging if you are featured in a newspaper, magazine, or online. This helps you to stand out from your competitors. You can also get quoted in a story or article. Although it is not as well-known as a feature profile, it can still be a great way to get exposure and lead to greater opportunities with publications, especially if your contribution was helpful.Similar: Pitching 101: Reaching out to the Media and Getting them to BiteContact editors and other journalists to begin the process. Google Alerts is a great tool to find people who are interested in your story. However, make sure that the reporters you choose cover your company's niche. You can also pitch reporters to publications that serve your ideal customer base. If you have a beauty brand, magazines such as Allure or NewBeauty can be great avenues for your business. This allows you to reach beauty-loving people who are more likely to be interested in your products.Strategies for PR that are outside the boxMedia attention is attracted to anything that stands out. Here's an example of a unique strategy that my parents used. They own a company called Dandy Productions that features patriotic characters for children. My parents gave US Savings Bonds as a gift to all babies born at the same hospital that day. The local newspaper published a timely story about Independence Day, which earned them positive publicity and recognition.Related: How to use authenticity to build customer loyaltyA fun and unique way to get your company noticed is to sponsor an event or contest. If you have a food brand, you might consider holding a photo shoot where models dress up as chefs to photograph your products. Or, host a product sampling event for people who want to taste your food and answer publicity questions about the company.All this publicity is not meant to be a marketing tool, but to attract new customers and sales.
