| Publicity is by far one of the most effective marketing
tools at your disposal, but how do you promote yourself to the media so
that they will give your growing business the spotlight it needs?
Storytelling. That's right, because ultimately, business stories are
human interest stories and every reporter is looking for a good story.
In fact the press refers to the articles they write as stories. Here are
4 things you need to give the press to help them tell your story:
1. Personality. "A company is faceless without the
people who run it," says Joanne Cleaver, a business writer whose
work has appeared in Home Office Computing and Dividends Magazine. "In
any story, you want the personality of the people to come through.
You want to get a
sense of who they are."
2. Facts & Figures. Reporters love facts and figures;
they anchor a story in reality. However, if you prefer not to divulge
sales figures,
talk instead about your rate of growth. Say, "Our sales have doubled
in the last year," or "We've already met our sales objectives
for this year, and it's only July."
3. Anecdotes. As impressive as numbers can be, they
are not the whole story. Real-life examples of how you solved a client's
problems bring
your story to life. According to Cleaver, "Readers want to hear about
real people, they respond to that. Your story says I've been there." Tell
the stories behind the facts and embellish them with details that
would make someone want to listen (This is where drama comes in handy).
4. Details that Reveal. Reporters have their
antennae up for interesting details about the people behind the
companies. More and more,
that's the approach that reporters are taking, so you need
to be open
and to share details. Maybe the contents of your refrigerator
reveals something insightful about your marketing strategy,
or the fact
that you work best in the nude. "No business experience is
a straight line. Your motivation and vision for the business
is affected by who you are. Think about the attitudes that have
played
into your success or your experience, " says Cleaver.
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