How Journalists Can Help Your Small Business
A Home Business Article Contributed by Philippe Nicolitch
Journalists on the Lookout for Article Ideas May Be Good Help to Your Small Business.
If your are in the process of making your small business known to the general public, a writer or journalist may be a good source of advertising.
Press Releases and Your Small Business
What is in a press release? A simple description of WHO you are, WHAT you do, WHERE you are, and WHEN you are in business. A press release should be very factual, as you are trying to attract the attention of a professional writer or journalist to write something about you. They need facts to be able to come up with an interesting story about you.
For example, if you just started your own business because you lost your job, or you want to stay at home with your newly-born baby, you should mention that in your press release. A journalist out there may be interested in writing a paper on people's change in career, and your small business experience may well be one of many in the article. The important thing is that readers find out about you.
You may hire a Public Relation company to write the press release for your small business, and to also handle the distribution. Depending on your budget, you may also want to write the text and distribute it yourself. Look for general guidelines on how to write a press release. Several websites list tips and most common mistakes, which should help you compose your own text. Whether you are writing about a small business or an international corporation, the guidelines are the same.
As far as distribution is concerned, you could search the internet for magazines, newspapers, websites, newsletters, etc. which talk about businesses like yours. Keep in mind that you want to let the general public know, and maybe also other businesses in your own industry. Trade magazines should therefore not be ignored.
Some Public Relations companies also handle the distribution for a minimal fee. Again, search the internet and contact the company that seems the most appropriate for your budget. Based on the submission of your press release, they will review it and decide if the news may be of interest to be posted on their website. From there on your small business gets 'out there' and potential customers can find out about you.
Journalists, Writers and Your Small Business
Once a a writer or journalist finds the press release about your small business, and it falls into a subject matter that they want to write about, they will contact you for an interview. The interview may be over the phone, or they may decide to come and meet you, talk to you and take some photos. All approaches are interesting to you because your small business gets some exposure.
Writers and journalists are essentially interested in writing a good story. Make sure you are very factual and give information that you would want the general public to know about you and your small business.
