5 simple (and free) small-business PR wins

Public relations isn’t for the easily discouraged. It takes thick skin and a willingness to fail—repeatedly.

For small businesses without the resources to hire a PR agency or an in-house specialist, crafting a cohesive PR plan can seem downright impossible. For these reasons, many companies don’t even try.

That’s a shame, because PR can generate leads, authority and revenue for small businesses. Here are five simple PR tactics you can use to promote, plug and propel your company toward prosperity:

1. Templatize pitch emails.

I would never recommend pitching reporters with a generic email. Reporters can sniff out impersonal baloney a mile away. However, creating a template with evergreen elements of your pitch can save you time. This could be your product description copy or your company’s philosophy.

Personalize your pitch, but save yourself time by creating buckets of reusable copy.

2. Include your customers.

Most bloggers and reporters aren’t looking for companies to talk about; they’re looking for stories to tell. More often than not, your story won’t be of interest to them.