Promotional Stories

The right promotional stories can generate tremendous exposure, opportunity and yes, profits! Here’s how to begin…

The real trick to writing a great story is having something newsworthy to write about. This often takes creativity, inspiration and a bit of innovation. Here are some ideas to get the wheels spinning:

• Calendar events. Events are a great way to get your business in the headlines. Whether you host a seminar or conference or you are sponsoring a local team, events are newsworthy. To emphasize the newsworthiness of the event be sure to point out whom it helps or how it solves a problem. For example, a seminar on how to sell your yacht/boat in a down economy benefits the very large “For Sale by Owner” segment of the Marine Industry.
• Letter to the Editors. Marinewebclub.com can be a tremendous way to get the ball rolling or get attention for issues that are important to your business in the industry. As a business owner, when you take steps to bring issues to the forefront it demonstrates your passion for your field and your customers. It also demonstrates that you are a take charge, action oriented business. The letter itself can be used to generate a press release stating a business’s involvement or solution to an industry problem.
• Problem-solving tips and articles. A story that demonstrates how to resolve a common problem can be a great way to generate interest in your company’s products or services. The information can be made relevant and newsworthy by simply stating a statistic related to your area of expertise. A statistic helps make the content newsworthy while the remainder of the article helps to make the content useful to your consumers.
• Local human interest story. Human interest stories, as they relate to your business, are a great way to generate publicity and press. Think about how many human interest stories make it to your local news. Both the morning and the evening broadcasts often highlight local businesses and how they’re benefiting the community. What is unique about your business, your customers, and your staff?
• Query letters. This will generate press and publicity by getting your prospects, customers, and industry involved in a topic or an issue. Stick with topics that are current and you’re sure to generate some interesting conversation. Showcasing your staff’s expertise is a great way to build credibility for your business. Small feature stories are another excellent tool to demonstrate the knowledge and expertise your company has to offer.
• New products and services. This type of information is generally what stimulates a company to issue a great story however the release of a product or introduction of a new service in and of itself isn’t newsworthy. In order to make sure your story gets the attention it deserves, be sure to tie it to a problem or issue that needs to be resolved. Then show how your product or service solves the problem.
• Large feature stories. Feature stories, large or small, are designed to take a look at a subject in depth. An example of a large feature story might be how retailers can take advantage of impulse shopping. The article could highlight several retailers and their philosophy or approach to impulse shoppers, how to maximize it, and then highlight it accordingly.

Press and publicity is a great way to keep your business fresh in the minds of prospects and to reach new prospects around the world. A little creativity and innovation can go a long way toward generating valuable recognition!