Simple Steps to Capture the Media Spotlight
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Size really doesn't matter when it comes to public relations. Any size company can benefit from publicity, but the practice is commonly misunderstood in the business arena. Most entrepreneurs think of it as something that only large corporations have a budget for and don't realize the power of publicity and what it can do to blow a business through the roof.
When you're invited to appear as a guest on a radio or TV show, or a story is written about your company in a newspaper or magazine, it lends credibility to you, your business or its products and services beyond anything you could attain with advertising.
Marsha Friedman, CEO of EMSI, Inc., a publicity firm that represents a diverse group of experts and corporations in many different fields, says that utilizing PR positions a person as an expert in his or her particular field.
For instance, in today's real estate market you could get ahead of the competition by offering sound advice in bylined articles. Give away information that people normally would pay you for and submit it to daily and weekly newspapers as well as other newsletters in your area, like the Chamber of Commerce and real estate magazines that have listings advertised, as well as national publications that complement the real estate industry.
You may think that giving away valuable advice will hurt you by tipping off your competition, but it is quite the contrary. It will establish you as someone who is an authority on the subject and you will find that people will start to seek you out for business. People will be more likely to hire you if they first read about you in the media being referred to as an authority.
There are many ways a person can position him/herself as an expert. An easy way to start is with print. Obtaining coverage in newspapers and magazines is a key factor in creating your image as an expert in your industry. "Anything written is perceived to be true," Friedman advises, "therefore articles you've written or articles where you're quoted give you immediate positioning as a 'go-to guy' in your field."
