free publicity for your business Archives

It really is not that difficult to get free publicity for your business. One tip I always give clients is to stay on top of current news stories, so you can find ways to add your business to the story.

SAMPLE PITCH #1

For example, if you sell online or retail, there is a lot in the news right now about inflation and people cutting back on holiday spending. So reach out to a business writer and ask if you can contribute your findings to any editorial they might be writing.

For example, “Jane Doe from XYZ Company, who sells their dog products online, has noticed that their holiday sales are on par with last year, but people are just buying earlier”.

sample pitch #2

You can do this with any type of business. If you’re selling real estate, you could ask to comment on a potential story idea such as:

“Mary Smith from MS Realty sees pent-up demand from the pandemic continuing to fuel sales despite higher interest rates and inflation on the rise.”

sample pitch #3

If you’re a travel agent, for example:

“Steve Johnson from AMC Travel offers these tips to cost-effectively avoid the Thanksgiving travel rush.”

Therefore, a take a look at today’s new headlines and see if there is any way to fit in the story.

For more inspiration, read my posts, Easy Way to Get Year End Publicity for Your Business and 9 Publicity Ideas for Your Small Biz.

my pr pitch service

If you need help coming up with a pitch for a relevant news story, my Publicity Pitch service has gotten my clients featured in Real Simple Magazine, Apartment Therapy, House Beautiful, Vanity Fair, Houzz, Martha Stewart, Glamour Magazine, LONNY, DesignMilk, Emmaline Bride,– just to name a few.

About Me

Do you need your Brand Story written or an SEO-Optimized Blog Post or a Personalized Business Consultation? As a 20+ year marketing professional and small business consultant, all of my services are super affordable.

I have consulted for thousands of small businesses since 2012, and my advice has been featured in the NY Times, Success Magazine, Yahoo Business, American Express, Big Commerce, Business2Community to name a few – so this is professional advice you can trust! Be sure to read an article on Yahoo I was recently quoted in: “4 Businesses to Start in the Fall”.

by Gail Oliver, Attention Getting Marketing

You may not have heard, but next week (May 4 to 8) is National Small Business Week (be sure to use the hash tag #DreamSmallBiz) and it is a good time to pitch a story about your business to your local press. Anything can be a possible story pitch, including if you have:

An innovative product or service idea
An eco-friendly business
Rapid growth in the last 6 months or year
New facilities or location opening
Engaged in a charitable endeavor

Now, I also came across four awesome opportunities to get free publicity for your small business.

1. Get Included in an American Family Insurance Ad

At the dentist office I was looking through a copy of People Magazine (which has a readership of 46 million), and the opening 3-page color ad was from a company called American Family Insurance, with their “Dream Fearlessly” campaign promoting the work of a photographer, a writer, and an artist who are all trying to turn their dream into a business. So, if you have pursued or fulfilled a business dream, submit it to American Family Insurance (scroll down to the form at the bottom of the page) and maybe you will be profiled in an upcoming ad.

2. Share Your Pinterest Success

I don’t know about you, but Pinterest brings a huge amount of traffic to my blog. Therefore, if you have a Pinterest success story of how it has helped your business, submit it to Pinterest and they just might profile your story in emails, on their blog and more, so other businesses can learn from your success.

3. AT&T Wants to Know Your Business Story

Telecom giant AT&T has a “Real Stories” feature that profiles business owners who have a great story to tell and insights to help other entrepreneurs. Submit your business story to AT&T and you could be featured on their blog (called The Business Circle) and their social media pages (250,000 followers) – a great way to drive more traffic to your site and gain more customers.

4. Be Part of the Globe and Mail’s TakeOff Series

If you are a Canadian small business or entrepreneur, you have from now until July to submit your story to Canada’s national newspaper, the Globe and Mail, to be profiled in their “TakeOff“ series. Essentially, they want to know what helped or hurt your business from “taking off”. You can get more details about what and where to submit here.