Small business owners face many challenges, but the biggest one is limited time. As a small business, you simply don’t have the resources or budget to do everything yourself, especially on a high-quality level.
The largest driver of small business growth is obtaining a solid flow of new customers, which is why it’s vital to have a marketing strategy in place. However, one aspect of marketing that many owners neglect is public relations or PR.
PR differs from marketing in that it focuses on the relationships between your business and potential customers. It’s about getting people’s attention, earning their trust, and forming long-term, mutually beneficial relationships.
You may think that a good PR strategy is only worthwhile for large, multinational corporations, but the truth is that small business PR can do you a lot of good. As the way that customers interact with companies continues to change, investing in PR can help grow your business and take it to the next level.
Reasons to Consider Small Business PR
More Effective than Advertising
Traditional advertising relies on you paying someone to say something good about you. Modern customers are wary of trusting advertising, as many have been burnt by false claims before. Earned publicity avoids that problem by presenting your company in a good light, without seeming fake.
According to a recent study, PR is significantly more effective than traditional advertising in influencing people’s opinions of a brand. Since PR relies on word-of-mouth and customer testimonials, it feels much more genuine and trustworthy than paid advertisements.
More Bang for Your Buck
You may expect that small business PR is costly, but the truth is that you’ll probably spend as much as you would on traditional marketing budgets. However, the results of a good PR strategy are significantly longer-lived than ordinary marketing campaigns.
Good small business PR produces a long-term impression of your brand as trustworthy, reliable, and credible. Even when you stop actively managing your PR, that impression will last. Even better, the influence will continue to spread, as word-of-mouth will create new customers, who will then want to talk about their experiences.
For a relatively small initial investment, you can rely on PR to grow your business well into the future.
PR and Marketing are Complementary Activities
PR combines very well with marketing activities like search engine optimization and social media marketing. Many modern marketing strategies rely on creating a good brand image, which is where small business PR truly excels.
By combining your PR and marketing budgets, you can reap the rewards of a strong marketing campaign that will feed into more word-of-mouth and trustworthy advertising instead of simply relying on paid advertisements, gaining rankings in search engines, or even interacting with customers on social media.
The Benefits of Small Business PR
Get a Great Reputation
Small business PR manages the relationship between your company and the public at large. The main benefit of doing so is building a strong brand image and excellent reputation.
However, the benefits of a good PR strategy don’t just affect how customers see you – they also impact how potential employees and business partners see your company as well. In addition to getting a head start on client growth, you can also more easily get the best talent simply due to having a good reputation.
Increase Productivity
By outsourcing your small business PR, you can free up a lot of time for you and your marketing team. Small business owners already have a lot on their plate, so it can be a relief to focus on something closer to the core business of your company.
Small businesses often have the challenge of limited resources and time. Even if you eventually want a dedicated in-house PR team, it can take years to fully train a team that meets your needs. Meanwhile, hiring a PR firm means that you get high-quality talent instantly, and you can rely on their expertise from the first day.
Attract Investors
Most businesses rely on external funding and investors to get through the first couple of years. Small business PR can make your company look significantly more appealing. You’ll still have to back up your reputation with solid financials and a strong goal, but it can make the initial attention-grabbing phase much easier.
Working with a dedicated PR firm can help you grow your business and take it to the next level. Solomon/Turner Multimedia PR is the top small business PR firm in St. Louis, and we’ve helped hundreds of businesses take their big step into the larger world. We provide a comprehensive set of strategies customized to your business and your vision. Our team has all the contacts necessary to ensure that you get high-quality, measurable results.
If you want to enhance your brand reputation and complement your marketing strategy, give Solomon/Turner Multimedia PR a call at 314-668-1950 today, and you’ll quickly see why we’re the best in the business.