Have the frigid temperatures and mountains of snow across so much of the country made you a shut-in? Are you itching to escape your home office and meet clients and prospects?
If that's the case — and since February is likely to bring even more snow and cold — why not use the time you're spending in front of your home computer to raise your visibility and credibility through some easy-to-do PR? Here are seven steps you can take to market your business while you're stuck at home:
1. Are you or your advisory firm celebrating a major anniversary? If so, don't let the anniversary pass without letting your local media know about it. Write and distribute a news release within an e-mail and attach a photo of you or the company building. Put the anniversary in context and give some history and commentary. How has the advice business in your area changed over the years? How has investing and
financial planning changed? Give readers some perspective.
2. Are the new financial regulations confusing your clients and their friends? Be proactive and voice your opinion by writing a letter to the editor of the publications and websites read by your clients. What's good and bad about the legislation? What don't you agree with? By including suggestions on how it can be improved, you position yourself as a thought leader and build your credibility with your target audience.
3. If a letter to the editor does not give you enough room to voice your opinion on a given topic of importance to you, e-mail the editor proposing a guest column that you would write on the topic. Opinion columns, or Op-Eds, typically run about 800 words. Be sure to provide a high-resolution photo with your column. Your e-mail should include your credentials and brief bullet points of what topics the article will cover. Be sure to spell-check and proofread your column before sending it to the editor.
4. If you don't have the time or inclination to write a letter or column but feel strongly about an issue in the news, offer yourself to a reporter as an expert who is willing to be quoted in a news story. Again, give your background, website and bio to the reporter or editor and send along some bullet points outlining where you stand on a given event or issue. I've been successful in arranging for clients to appear on financial TV shows to comment on news items — sometimes taking a contrary point of view.
5. Once you've been quoted or your letter or column has appeared in print, it's time to merchandise your material. Order reprints and send them to clients for their use as referral tools, and don't forget your prospect list. Also order reprint rights so you can post the electronic versions to your website. Using reprints is a great way to stay in touch without asking for anything. Your material positions you as an expert on whom the media will want to call.
6. Since television tends to follow print coverage, use your articles and press mentions as a way to interest television producers. If you have never been a guest on TV, your print clips demonstrate that you are an expert and understand what the media want. A front-page story in today's newspaper is likely to be covered tonight on television — and TV needs experts to talk about and explain the news. Why not you? CNBC and other business channels have arrangements with local studios to handle remote interviews, which means that you don't have to travel to New York to be a guest.
7. Holidays throughout the year can become launchpads for media exposure. Valentine's Day provides many publicity opportunities. Will Americans ever love the stock market again? If you have an opinion on that or any other love-related financial matter (prenuptial agreements, anyone?).
The next time a blizzard keeps you home, don't just stare out the window at the snowflakes. Hop on your computer and find the publications that reach your target clients and use these public-relations ideas to garner some media exposure for you and your business.
Bill Bongiorno is president of Blue Chip Public Relations Inc., which specializes in media exposure for the financial services industry. He can be reached at [email protected].
