Easy ways to grow your visibility as a small business

Small biz babes, PR doesn't have to be stuffy and corporate anymore. 🌠

As a small business in 2020, traditional public relations methods like trying to get newspaper mentions and sending out press releases aren't the most efficient way to get in front of your target audience.

PR is still important for you though, because it builds visibility and trust for your brand. You'll just have to get creative and find ways to meet your target audience where they already hang out online.

For your small business, that might mean things like:

• Getting on podcasts your target audience likes

• Doing an Instagram Live collaboration with another business owner whose target audience overlaps with yours

• Using your content to spark conversation rather than just publishing it and forgetting about it

• Networking! Facebook groups related to your industry or your target audience are a great place to do this.

As a small business in 2020, you can leave these outdated beliefs about PR behind:

• The myth: A news article about my biz is only valuable if they link to my website.

• The truth: The quality of the article is more important. Search engines today are better at connecting those mentions to YOU with or without links.

• The myth: I can't see how many sales I get from PR, so it's a waste of my time.

• The truth: The name recognition, trust, and new connections you'll make from PR are valuable, and can lead to both sales and word-of-mouth promotion even if it's harder to track these results.

• The myth: PR is just for big corporate companies. I don't need it.

• The truth: PR can be manageable, affordable, and profitable for businesses of any size.

A few final tips:

• I use Facebook groups to find podcast guest opportunities. Just search Facebook for "podcast," and filter for groups. You'll find plenty of groups dedicated to finding guests!

• For networking, don't feel like you have to stick to LinkedIn. Use your favorite social media! I use Instagram and FB groups, but you can do this anywhere. Just reach out, offer a genuine compliment, and get active in their community.

• If you're trying to get a website to write about your biz, ask yourself why your story will matter to THEIR readers. That's the journalist's priority. They aren't there to promote you.

• If you want help creating a PR strategy that works for you, Grab yourself a spot on my calendar and let’s talk through it together.

What's your favorite way to promote your business?