As a small business owner, you wear many hats: creative director, designer, operations manager, accountant and more. With so many moving parts, it can be hard to focus on public relations. That’s why we created this small business PR checklist, a detailed guide that will help you achieve PR success. Keep reading to learn how a solid strategy and an engaging brand message can garner media coverage for your small business.
1. Clear brand messaging
What do you want potential customers to know about your brand? Perhaps you have a personal story that led you to launch your business. Maybe you use a proprietary formula for your products. Or you may have seen a gap in your market and decided to fill it. Whatever your reason, make sure you have a clearly defined “why” and can communicate it.
2. Measurable goals & objectives
Think about your overall goals for public relations and the results you want to achieve. Are you trying to establish credibility in your industry? Win customer loyalty? Increase brand awareness among a specific demographic? Develop clear and realistic key performance indicators (KPIs) that you can measure at the end of your campaign. This could be a certain number of media placements, new social media engagement, number of website visitors or your SEO progress.
3. Defined target audience
This might seem like a no-brainer, but if you don’t know who you’re trying to reach, then your PR strategy will be meaningless. Figure out who it is you’re trying to influence: potential customers, others in your industry, the general public, etc. From there, you can research the specific media outlets that speak to your target audience and learn what kind of PR moments will truly engage them. Think national press coverage, brand activations, targeted influencer partnerships, etc.
4. Beautiful product images
Product photography is one of the most important investments that your brand will make. Product images are the first visual touchpoint that an editor, influencer or potential customer will have for your brand. So make sure you find a photographer who can effectively communicate your brand vision and create product shots that are polished, represent your brand well and leave a lasting impression on your target audience.
5. Active social media channels
Your digital footprint is incredibly important. From a marketing and sales standpoint, social media is one of the most effective ways to build buzz around your brand. But it’s also incredibly important for PR. Editors do their due diligence before writing about a brand, so if they can’t see engaging and informative content on your channels and get a sense of what your brand is about, then you have some work to do.
6. Polished, shoppable website
Picture the best-case scenario: you’ve pitched your new product to an editor and they decide to write about it immediately. But wait: that product isn’t up on your website yet! Do you think the editor will still include your product in the article? Not a chance. An editor isn’t going to write about a product that isn’t easily available to their readers. So make sure your website is functional, accessible and, most importantly, shoppable before you reach out to the media.
Our final thoughts
Public relations doesn’t need to be some elusive art. Even emerging brands can achieve PR success with the right strategy and marketing assets. If you have any additional questions about public relations for small businesses, we’re here for you. Book a free consultation to learn how Rani Public Relations can amplify your brand story.
About Rani Public Relations
We are Rani Public Relations, a boutique PR agency for fashion, beauty, lifestyle and interior design businesses. Powered by a decade of passionate PR experience and heart-centered storytelling, we turn startups into standout national brands.
