Staying visible in today’s marketplace is often critical to staying alive. That’s why it’s necessary to aggressively market your business.
Marketing and public relations are perhaps the most vital tools for selling your company’s products and services to potential and existing clients. Without putting a face on your company, customers will not really know what your business is all about.
The media is an outlet that is often underutilized. Here are some easy steps to get started.
Press kits as sales tools
So you’ve put out news releases and and had numerous articles written about your company. What do you do with them now? Don’t just toss them in a file. They are one of the best sales tools you have.
When speaking with potential new clients or customer, always give them a press kit. Press kits can include newspaper or magazine articles, news releases, brochures and flyers about your company. A press kit with news clips proves your company is good enough to be recognized by the media.
Consistency is key to remembrance
Keep a consistent, positive image in the press. Even if a newspaper article or a clip on television does not garner you new business immediately, it may jog your customers’ memories down the road.
The idea is to keep your name in front of your audience so people will remember it. Then, when they need your services, they’ll remember that article and think, "Hey, I remember that company. Why not give it a try?"
The good guy always wins
Bringing to light your charitable acts is another way to keep customers and potential customers thinking of you when it comes time to buy .
A story about the donation of money or computers to a school, or your firm’s volunteer efforts with charitable groups is good public relations. Most news organizations like to do stories that show local businesses doing good for the community.
And, if your competitor is out there getting recognition, who do you think your customer is going to want to do business with — Mr. Good Guy or Mr. Apathetic Guy? I’d buy the product of the business that is trying to make a difference somewhere, in someone’s life.
So don’t be afraid to get involved, and don’t feel guilty for trying to publicize those efforts. You should be proud of what you’re doing and in the end, it may motivate other businesses to follow suit.
Mary C. Gannon is public relations coordinator for Rejoice Communications Inc., a Mentor-based full-service public relations firm which specializes in promoting positive messages about positive businesses and people in the community. She can be reached at (440) 205-2600.
