There are many public relations tactics YOU can employ that will help you to achieve your core business goals, develop new business and increase existing business. By consistently, inexpensively and effectively executing the tactics that complement your core business goals, you can increase your bottom line for years to come.

Possible tactics include:

Write and publish articles/e-zines/blogs. Much of today’s business comes from direct referrals. By writing articles for local newspapers, business journals, e-zines, blogs and industry publications, your peers will identify you as an expert and refer you business. When looking for article placements, be sure to research the editorial calendars of the target publications or online outlets. Also look for trends and have something fresh and new to education your publics about those trends.

Issue press releases. Announce new business wins, new products, hires, awards and promotions to local newspapers, business journals and industry publications. It is as simple as sending a press release to the right reporter. When writing the press release, focus on something exciting about the story and make sure it’s really NEWS. Then send it to the reporter who actually covers your industry or “beat.”

Create a great Web site. A great Web site can give you the look and feel of a large company with contact information at the fingertips of billions. Keep your site up-to-date, relevant and useful. Make the visitor want to come back for more.

Author Op-Eds. Opinion-Editorial articles contribute significantly to increasing visibility, name recognition and credibility. They are a cost-effective and underutilized way to reach newspaper and Web site readership, especially when raising topics that are controversial, legislatively motivated, or public policy-based. Make sure your op-ed is concise, short and to the point.

Create a series of tip sheets for your target audience. Make tip sheets available on your Web site. Send your tip sheets to customers and prospects via mail, fax or e-mail (if your customers/prospects opt-in) to keep your company’s name in their mind and to build name recognition. Then, reach out to your local news media who love “Top 10s” and other tips.

Create fact sheets. Fact sheets present information about a single topic to a variety of audiences, including the media, prospects, clients, etc. They are concise, seldom exceed one or two pages, and must answer essential questions about the topic. They must present your business well, and the writing should be objective and straight forward.

Create a media kit. A media kit can be used in two ways: (1) to inform the media about your company, principals, products and services, and (2) as a leave behind for new business prospects. Some of the items you should include in a media kit are: a backgrounder, biographies of key players in your company, frequently asked questions and answers, fact sheets, photos, recent press releases, brochures, etc. -- all depending upon the nature of the intended use.

Create a speaker’s brochure. Create a speaker’s brochure including your bio, topics of your expertise and your speaking history. Pitch those topics to appropriate venues to garner additional exposure for yourself and for your business. Present those topics at conferences, meetings, luncheons, etc., trade, business, social, philanthropic, civic, ethnic, alumni, and educational organizations.

Be a media resource. Use the information you have compiled in your speaker’s brochure to reach out to media as an expert. Let producers, editors and reporters know you are available to comment on your topics of expertise. Look for trends in the news and when there’s a good opportunity, reach out as a media resource. Make sure you understand what it means to speak to the media and if you don’t, seek a media trainer.

Create relationship programs. Partner with other organizations reaching out to the same target audience and create proactive, resourceful and educational programs that will make an impact and tell your story. Your partners should not be competitors – rather each should complement the other.

Network, network, network. You never know who you are going to meet and how your message will touch them but it’s up to you to tell your story to the right audiences. I often say, “If you don’t tell, they won’t come.”

About the author:
Gina F. Rubel owns and operates Furia Rubel Communications (www.furiarubel.com). She is a proactive communicator, public relations expert and lawyer, with more than 15 years public relations experience. Stories about her clients have been seen and heard on Good Morning America, The Today Show, 20/20 and NPR, and read in Family Circle, The Wall Street Journal, and The New York Times. Her public relations programs put clients in front of the people who matter most. For more information, go to www.furiarubel.com or call 215-340-0480.

By Gina F. Rubel, Esq.
President/CEO
Furia Rubel Communications
www.furiarubel.com