How to get local newspapers to write about your business?

[create]

Hi,

I am looking for advice from people with experience of getting local newspapers to write about your business.

We have been open for 18 months now and are a very unique local shop.

I see other local business getting mentioned, often before they open their doors to the public and even after they are open they seem to get mentioned at least every couple of months. Often for really basic things.

For example. One article was about a new cafe opening up. Another was about a new trampoline park opening and yet another was about a Friday teen night weekly event.

How should I go about getting our business covered? Any advice would help.

Thanks.

 

[Ashley_Price]

Send them a press release. But you need to make sure it's news and not just a promotional item.

So, when I bought Pavilion last year from the previous owner, I sent an article (with my photo) to both the local papers and it got printed in both about the purchase and how it was going to help keep the business local, as opposed to being sold to some national firm and customers losing the "buying from a local business" option.

Find something you can sponsor, etc. or a local cause you can get behind that will likely be reported in the paper. Get it so your business is known in the local community.

 

[Ian J]

I am looking for advice from people with experience of getting local newspapers to write about your business.

I can go one better as in a previous life I used to own a local newspaper and they are always looking for local stories. As Ashley has already mentioned you should send them a press release but geared to local interest and not full of sales talk but if your business is something really interesting why not invite one of the journalists down for coffee

 

[ethical PR]

Do your target customers read your local papers?

 

[create]

Do your target customers read your local papers?

Pretty sure some of them must. I want it to be about brand recognition rather than just sales.

How long should a press release be? What is the format? Do I include photos? Am I effectively writing the article for the journalist or just giving them something to work with.
Is there any cost involved?

 

[ethical PR]

Read the newspaper and understand what sort of stories they cover.

1. Cost is your time
2. Send news story to named journalist with direct contact details
3. If say you have a business section think about how you can add value. Can you write a best practice guide on a topic that will be of interest to business owners? Are you doing something that will help businesses save money? Are you sponsoring a local homeless charity and encouraging business owners to do a sleep out to raise funds for them?
4. 250-300 words
5. Photos of what?
6. Some local journalists will just cut and paste what you send some will use your content as a starting point for a story
7. Brand awareness In itself is pointless it needs to help your customers understand why they should buy from you.

 

[MikeJ]

You could call the newspaper and ask. They're usually delighted at having a story to tell, and particularly one with a photo. It fills space. If it's not time limited, then they may leave it to the following week.

Get your copy checked by as many people as you can before it's sent. There's no such thing as "very unique" for instance. If you can make their life easy, there's a much higher chance of it getting in the paper.

 

[owas]

also, build a relationship up with a local reporter follow them on twitter and dm with a few stories hot of the press, they will return the favour at some point

 

[ethical PR]

You can only DM a journalist if they are following you.

 

[The Byre]

I used to own a local newspaper and they are always looking for local stories.

This!

Getting stories out of local businesses is sometimes like pulling teeth! They are often sitting on some amazing local success story, such as a key joint venture with a US company, but they want to bang on about their new CNC machine.

When pitching a story, always think "What's the headline?" i.e. what is the hook?

You can ignore all this guff about building up a relationship with the reporters. These people have mortgages to pay and carry-outs from Liddls to get, they need decent stories that get past the features editor. A relationship doesn't pay the mortgage - a decent story does!

As an editor, you give stories to cover, to those reporters that have brought you good stories in the past! That means every reporter is hungry for good stories! Every good story leads to more good stories, either as follow-ups, or as commissions.

 

[Ally Maxwell]

Torturing someone and hiding the body in your business premises should do the trick.

 

[The Byre]

I believe window seats and cellars are very popular, though Breaking Bad recommends dissolving them in hydrofluoric acid.

 

[Ally Maxwell]

I believe window seats and cellars are very popular, though Breaking Bad recommends dissolving them in hydrofluoric acid.

If no one can find a body and the crime goes undetected, then it would be less likely to make the papers. Don't lose sight of the point of doing it in the first place.

 

[The Byre]

"Body found on roof of Scunthorpe cheese factory!"

 

[MyAccountantOnline]

Hi,

I am looking for advice from people with experience of getting local newspapers to write about your business.

We have been open for 18 months now and are a very unique local shop.

I see other local business getting mentioned, often before they open their doors to the public and even after they are open they seem to get mentioned at least every couple of months. Often for really basic things.

For example. One article was about a new cafe opening up. Another was about a new trampoline park opening and yet another was about a Friday teen night weekly event.

How should I go about getting our business covered? Any advice would help.

Thanks.

I used to advertise in a local freebie (it worked well) they were always happy to run a small feature with a few photos in return for a paid ad. It was a few years ago but I imagine its still much the same. Give a few local papers a call and ask.

 

[Mitch3473]

I had two 'advertorials' done, both in the M/cr Evening news. Got absolutely bu$$er all in the way of business.

 

[Annoying Donkey]

Another way is to get a regular column - more likely to generate customers as you'll be seen as an expert...

Here's an example: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/graham-mcgregor/news/headlines.cfm?a_id=803
(No affiliation)

 

[columbo]

Some great advice here but just to echo what MAO said about the need for buying an ad first. I would approach their sales team and tell them you would like an ad (series of ads) on the proviso that you get a free write-up.

Tried it to get totally free write-up before - article on local networking group with the recession (which was on at time) as the hook but got told it would "upset" their paid advertisers. They more or less hinted that "take an ad out" then we give you a free write-up.

 

[Thermodynamic Man]

The way we used to get a free write up was to talk to our suppliers and ask them if they would put a small ad in the paper advertising the fact that they were our suppliers. Such as So and So are pleased to be associated with X company. These ads would be from our suppliers and any professional services we used. This would usually take up a whole page or two with a picture and editorial on us and all paid for by our suppliers. They were only too happy to promote our business whilst getting their name out there too. And cost to us?...nowt

 

[HBC]

Great idea thermoman, thank you

 

[ethical PR]

I had two 'advertorials' done, both in the M/cr Evening news. Got absolutely bu$$er all in the way of business.

A lot of advertorials are a waste of space and money, much better to go for securing a quality news or business story in the editorial pages.

 

[ethical PR]

Some great advice here but just to echo what MAO said about the need for buying an ad first. I would approach their sales team and tell them you would like an ad (series of ads) on the proviso that you get a free write-up.

Tried it to get totally free write-up before - article on local networking group with the recession (which was on at time) as the hook but got told it would "upset" their paid advertisers. They more or less hinted that "take an ad out" then we give you a free write-up.

You aren't getting a 'free write up'. You are paying for advertising some of which is in the form of a write up.

 

[ethical PR]

The way we used to get a free write up was to talk to our suppliers and ask them if they would put a small ad in the paper advertising the fact that they were our suppliers. Such as So and So are pleased to be associated with X company. These ads would be from our suppliers and any professional services we used. This would usually take up a whole page or two with a picture and editorial on us and all paid for by our suppliers. They were only too happy to promote our business whilst getting their name out there too. And cost to us?...nowt

How much business did you get as a result of the advertorial?

 

[Thermodynamic Man]

It was a great success considering the fact we had all this exposure for no cost to us at all. We had a two page middle page spread. One side was full of our support and the other was a really good in-depth look at our business with two pics. It was then picked up by a magazine in our industry that asked if they could run it also at no cost. I would say that we realised around £40K of extra business and also had some exposure we would never have had. Happy days

 

[ethical PR]

It was a great success considering the fact we had all this exposure for no cost to us at all. We had a two page middle page spread. One side was full of our support and the other was a really good in-depth look at our business with two pics. It was then picked up by a magazine in our industry that asked if they could run it also at no cost. I would say that we realised around £40K of extra business and also had some exposure we would never have had. Happy days

Great news - well done