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Why You DON'T
Need National Media Attention to Grow Your Biz | |
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While it's true that national media attention can bring great rewards to any
business, it's the local media that brings in the immediate benefit. It's
where small business owners should concentrate their efforts.
by
Yuwanda Black
Contributing Author
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While it's true that national media attention can bring great rewards to any
business, it's the local media that reaps immediate benefit and where small
business owners should concentrate their efforts. Why? Three simple reasons:
(article continued below ...)
1. Hometown Favorite : Local media outlets look for local success stories.
You have a much better chance of getting coverage via the local media than
the national media. Why?
Think of your nightly news. What's covered? Local crime stories,
political races, environmental concerns, etc. Likewise, local business
owners and heroes are more likely to be given coverage than someone outside
the community.
2. Cost: This is a no-brainer. Ads in the local penny saver are more
affordable than an ad in a national magazine. For example, did you know that
many penny savers are distributed in 10, 15, 25, or more neighborhoods?
For a simple $40 classified ad, you can saturate a large area. Further,
most hometown newspapers will post your ad on the Internet at no additional
charge (or a very nominal one). It's much more affordable to run this type
of ad consistently than to place a one-time ad in a national magazine. Why
is this important?
Remember, consistency is the name of the game in advertising. According
to most experts, consumers have to see your ad between 7 and 28 times before
they will do business with you. So, if you have a choice of placing a
one-time national ad or a local one for say, six consecutive months, think
hard about the long-term.
3. Consistent Visibility is Better with Local Media: Why? Most consumers
are in constant contact with local informational sources (newspapers,
nightly news, cable channels, etc.), while many consult national sources on
an intermittent basis (eg, watching CNN on the weekends, buying The New York
Times on Sundays, etc.).
Creating a relationship with local media pays huge dividends, especially
if you are perceived as an expert in a certain area. Journalists are always
on deadline and need qualified subjects for quotes, interviews, etc.
Usually, they contact known sources instead of searching out new ones.
For example, to promote EthnicVendors.com and EthnicHomeDecor.com, I
write and distribute articles about small business. Consequently, I am
considered a small business expert and have been interviewed on radio, in
newspapers, magazines and e-zines around the country, not to mention
speaking engagements.
Closing Tip: Be professional and always be willing to lend a quote, give
an interview or appear live on a tight schedule and journalists will call on
you again and again. This builds your media portfolio and gives you FREE
advertising at the same time.
So, target your marketing efforts locally. Once you build up enough
steam, maybe the national media will be contacting you, not the other way
around!
About the Author:
Yuwanda Black is the founder of EthnicHomeDecor.com, a retailer of soft
home furnisings with ethnic themes; and its subsidary, EthnicVendors.com, a
shopping portal for vendors and consumers of ethnic products and services.
November 12, 2004
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