Do you run a small business on the Gold Coast? You might already know how difficult it can be to stand out in a busy and competitive market.
One way to build visibility, credibility and awareness is through public relations (PR).
PR isn’t just for big brands with big budgets. A well-planned PR strategy can help small businesses build relationships with their audience, generate media coverage, establish credibility and keep their brand front of mind.
For small businesses on the Gold Coast, there are plenty of opportunities to use PR to tell your story.
Use local media to tell your story
One of the most effective PR strategies for a small business is building relationships with local media.
From newspapers and magazines to online publications and industry media, getting your business in front of the right audience can provide valuable exposure and third-party credibility.
And hello to The Bulletin!
Local journalists are always looking for interesting stories. The trick is understanding what makes your business newsworthy.
A new business opening, an interesting founder story, a significant milestone, a new product, community involvement or an expert opinion can all provide opportunities for media coverage.
Good public relations isn’t about sending a generic media release and hoping someone picks it up. It’s about finding the story and making it relevant to the audience you’re trying to reach.
Create events worth talking about
Events can be another great public relaitons opportunity for small businesses.
A grand opening, charity fundraiser, community event, business milestone or networking event can give you an opportunity to bring people together while creating a reason for the media to take notice.
Events also provide valuable opportunities to connect with your customers and local community in person.
The key is to think beyond the event itself. What is the story? Who is involved? Why does it matter? What will make people want to talk about it?
Use organic social media to support your PR
Social media can be a valuable part of your overall PR and communications strategy.
Platforms such as Facebook and Instagram provide an opportunity to communicate directly with your audience, share your news, showcase your people and participate in conversations happening within your community.
For small businesses, organic social media content can also help reinforce the stories you’re generating through PR.
Secured media coverage? Share it.
Won an award? Tell people.
Opened a new location? Take your audience behind the scenes.
Have an interesting story about your business or team? Share it.
The more consistently you communicate, the more opportunities you have to build familiarity with your audience.
Create content people actually want to read
And what about content marketing?
Content can play an important role in a small business PR strategy, particularly when it provides something useful or interesting to your audience.
Rather than creating content simply because you feel you need to post something, think about what your customers actually want to know.
Share your expertise. Answer common questions. Explain something complicated. Comment on what’s happening in your industry. Introduce your team. Tell the story behind your business.
Blog articles, newsletters, social media content, interviews and other forms of content can all help establish your business as knowledgeable and trustworthy.
Don’t forget about crisis communications
No business wants to think about something going wrong, but having a crisis communications plan is important for businesses of every size.
A crisis can happen at any time and can quickly affect your reputation.
Having a plan means you’re not trying to work out what to say when you’re already under pressure.
A crisis communications plan can include identifying potential issues, establishing who is responsible for communicating, preparing key messages and knowing how and when to communicate with your customers, employees and the media.
Being prepared can make a difficult situation much easier to manage.
PR isn’t just for big businesses
You don’t need a huge budget or a household-name brand to benefit from public relations.
For small businesses on the Gold Coast, PR can be a practical way to build awareness, establish credibility and create genuine connections with your local community.
The opportunities are often already there. It’s about knowing how to spot the story and making sure the right people hear it.
At Zakazukha, we help businesses develop PR strategies, media relations, organic social media content and communications that get their stories noticed.
Because your business has a story worth telling. We can help you tell it.