When most people think of people working in PR they imagine someone with a Bluetooth device in their ear, a latte in one hand, a phone in the other, and driving downtown in the big city with music blaring. While some of that is undoubtedly true (where’s my phone and latte?), it’s not the case for a large portion of the PR world.
Businesses in small towns need the benefits of PR work as well. And while many of the tips and tricks that work in larger, more urban areas have the same effect, many must be tailored to your small town audience. Attempting to play them the same way could negatively affect your standing in the community and sales.
How to Generate Positive Publicity in Small Towns
There are a number of ways to generate positive publicity even in small town settings. Some ideas include:
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1. Issue press releases
Regularly distribute press releases about your company’s news, achievements, and initiatives to your local and where applicable, national media. This proactive approach keeps your business in the local spotlight and provides journalists with ready-to-use content. Focus on newsworthy items that have a clear angle of interest for the community. Remember to follow proper press release format and include quotes from key personnel to add a personal touch.
Example: A local organic farm issues a press release announcing their new community-supported agriculture (CSA) program. The release includes details about how the program works, its benefits for both the community and the farm, and a quote from the farm owner about their commitment to providing fresh, local produce. They distribute this to local newspapers, radio stations, and online news platforms, resulting in several feature stories and increased sign-ups for the CSA program.
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2. Community involvement
Actively participate in local events, sponsor community activities, or organize charitable initiatives. This demonstrates your commitment to the town’s well-being and helps build strong relationships with residents. Consider adopting a local cause that aligns with your company values and make it a long-term commitment. Regular involvement in community affairs can lead to increased visibility and positive associations with your brand.
Example: A local bakery initiates a “Doughnuts for Donations” program, where once a month, they donate 50% of their doughnut sales profits for the day/week to a different local charity. They promote each charity’s mission in-store and on social media, encouraging customers to participate.
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3. Employee spotlight
Highlight your employees’ achievements, both within and outside the company. This humanizes your business and shows you value your staff. Share stories about employees’ volunteer work, personal accomplishments, or innovative ideas they’ve brought to the company. By showcasing the individuals behind your business, you create a more relatable image and demonstrate that you’re an employer who appreciates and supports its workforce.
Example: A local hardware store features a different employee each month on their website and social media. They share the employee’s expertise, hobbies, and community involvement, such as one employee who volunteers at the local animal shelter and organizes an annual pet supply drive at the store.
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4. Educational content
Offer your expertise through workshops, seminars, or informative articles in local media. This positions your company as a knowledgeable industry leader and provides value to the community. Consider creating a regular column in the local newspaper or hosting a segment on the local radio station. By sharing your knowledge freely, you build trust and credibility, which can lead to increased business opportunities.
Example: A local gardening center hosts monthly workshops on topics like organic gardening, water conservation, and native plant landscaping. They also contribute a weekly gardening tips column to the town’s newspaper, establishing themselves as the go-to source for gardening knowledge.
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5. Environmental initiatives
Implement and promote eco-friendly practices. This can generate positive PR, especially in small towns where environmental impact is often a concern. Go beyond basic recycling – consider innovative ways to reduce your carbon footprint or contribute to local conservation efforts. Document and share your journey towards sustainability, inspiring other businesses and community members to follow suit.
Example: A small manufacturing company implements a zero-waste initiative, finding creative ways to reuse or recycle all their production waste. They invite local schools for educational tours about sustainable manufacturing and sponsor an annual “Green Business Challenge” for other local companies.
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6. Customer success stories
Share stories of how your products or services have positively impacted local customers. This provides social proof and demonstrates your value to the community. Ask satisfied customers if they’d be willing to be featured in case studies or testimonials. Use these stories across various platforms – your website, social media, local press releases – to showcase the real-world benefits of your offerings.
Example: A local gym regularly features transformation stories of its members. They share before-and-after photos, interview members about their fitness journeys, and highlight how the gym’s supportive community has helped them achieve their goals. These stories are shared on social media and in local publications.
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7. Milestone celebrations
Celebrate company milestones or anniversaries with the community. This can generate media coverage and reinforce your company’s longevity and stability. Use these occasions to give back to the community that has supported you over the years. Consider creating a commemorative product or service, with proceeds going to a local charity.
Example: A family-owned restaurant celebrates its 50th anniversary by creating a special menu featuring dishes from each decade of its operation. They host a week-long celebration, inviting long-time customers to share their memories, and donate 50% of the proceeds from the special menu to the local food bank.
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8. Local media relationships
Develop strong relationships with local journalists and media outlets. Regularly share newsworthy updates about your company, but also be available as an expert source for industry-related stories. Invite local media to your events or for exclusive behind-the-scenes looks at your operations. Building these relationships can lead to more frequent and favorable coverage of your business.
Example: The owner of a local tech repair shop builds a relationship with the town’s newspaper by offering to write a monthly column on tech tips for small businesses. When the newspaper needs expert commentary on tech-related stories, they often reach out to the shop owner, resulting in frequent positive mentions of the business.
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9. Social media engagement
Maintain active and engaging social media profiles that highlight your local involvement and interact with community members. Share user-generated content, respond promptly to comments and messages, and create content that encourages interaction. Use your social media platforms to amplify your other PR efforts, creating a cohesive online presence that reflects your community involvement.
Example: A local ice cream shop runs a weekly “Flavor Face-Off” on their social media where followers vote for the next week’s special flavor. They share behind-the-scenes videos of flavor creation, repost customer photos, and use their platforms to promote local events and other businesses.
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10. Open house events
Host open house events or behind-the-scenes tours to give the community a look at your operations. This can foster transparency and trust, as well as generate interest in your products or services. Use these events as an opportunity to educate the public about your industry and gather feedback from potential customers. Consider making these events regular occurrences, perhaps tied to product launches or seasonal changes in your business.
Example: A local brewery hosts monthly “Brew Day” events where community members can tour the facility, learn about the brewing process, and taste test new recipes. They use these events to gather feedback on potential new beers and to educate the community about craft brewing, fostering a sense of connection between the brewery and its customers.
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11. Local partnerships
Collaborate with other local businesses or organizations on projects that benefit the community. These partnerships can create newsworthy stories and showcase your cooperative spirit. Look for complementary businesses or non-profits where you can combine resources for greater impact. Such collaborations not only generate positive PR but also expand your network and potentially open new business opportunities.
Example: A small bookstore partners with the local coffee shop to create a monthly book club. The bookstore provides discounted books and discussion guides, while the coffee shop hosts the meetings and offers special discounts to attendees.
The Advantages of PR (Public Relations) for Companies in Small Towns
There are many advantages that come from getting positive public relations even if you are a small-town company, including
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1. Enhanced local reputation
PR efforts can significantly improve how the local community perceives your company. This enhanced reputation can lead to increased trust and credibility, making residents more likely to choose your business over competitors. A positive local image can also result in more favorable treatment from local authorities and stakeholders.
Example: A small town bakery regularly shares stories of its locally-sourced ingredients and traditional family recipes through local media. This PR effort improves its reputation, leading to increased customer trust and support from the community.
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2. Increased visibility
PR activities can quickly spread awareness about your company in a small town setting. Events, community involvement, and local media coverage can rapidly boost your company’s profile. In a close-knit community, word-of-mouth amplifies the effect of PR efforts, further increasing visibility.
Example: A local hardware store sponsors a Little League team and gets featured in the town’s newspaper. The increased visibility leads to more foot traffic and sales, as well as recognition as a community-minded business.
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3. Community engagement
PR initiatives create opportunities for meaningful interactions with local residents and organizations. These connections foster a sense of belonging and mutual support between your company and the community. Engaged companies often become integral parts of the local social fabric.
Example: A small accounting firm hosts free financial literacy workshops for high school students. This engagement helps build relationships with families and positions the firm as a valuable community resource.
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4. Cost-effective marketing
PR oftentimes generates more credible and lasting impressions than paid advertising, especially in small markets. A well-executed PR strategy can provide significant exposure at a fraction of the cost of traditional marketing campaigns. The personal nature of PR in small towns can lead to more authentic and impactful messaging.
Example: Instead of buying expensive ads, a local gym invites a reporter to cover its new senior fitness classes. The resulting feature article provides more detailed, credible information than an ad could, at no direct cost.
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5. Crisis management
Effective PR helps build goodwill and credibility, which can be crucial if your company faces challenges or controversies. In a small town where news travels quickly, having a strong PR foundation can help you address issues promptly and maintain public trust. Good PR practices can also help prevent minor issues from escalating into full-blown crises.
Example: When a local restaurant faces a food safety complaint, its history of transparent communication and community involvement helps maintain customer trust. The owner quickly addresses the issue publicly, and loyal patrons defend the business on social media.
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6. Support for local causes
PR can highlight your company’s involvement in community events, charitable activities, and local initiatives. This demonstrates your commitment to the town’s well-being and can generate positive sentiment towards your business. Supporting local causes through PR efforts can also lead to valuable partnerships and networking opportunities.
Example: A small IT company organizes an annual e-waste recycling drive, garnering positive press and demonstrating environmental responsibility. This initiative leads to partnerships with local schools and increased business from environmentally conscious clients.
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7. Attraction of talent
A strong local presence and positive reputation can make your company more attractive to potential employees in the area. This can be particularly beneficial in small towns where the talent pool might be limited. Good PR can also help retain existing employees by fostering pride in the company’s local standing.
Example: A manufacturing company’s PR efforts showcase its innovative practices and community involvement. This positive image helps attract skilled workers who might otherwise leave town for job opportunities, reducing recruitment costs and improving workforce stability.
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8. Media relationships
Developing connections with local media outlets can lead to positive coverage and increased credibility for your company. In small towns, these relationships can be especially valuable as local media often has a significant influence on public opinion. Consistent, honest communication with local media can make your company a go-to source for industry-related stories.
Example: A local real estate agency regularly provides market insights to the town’s weekly newspaper. This relationship results in frequent mentions and quotes, establishing the agency as the local authority on property matters.
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9. Differentiation from competitors
PR can help showcase what makes your company unique and valuable to the local community. This differentiation is crucial in small towns where businesses often compete for a limited customer base. Effective PR can highlight your company’s unique selling points in a more credible way than traditional advertising.
Example: A small bookstore uses PR to promote its focus on local authors and hosting of community book clubs. This unique positioning helps it compete successfully against online retailers and chain bookstores in nearby cities.
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10. Customer loyalty
By maintaining a positive local image and actively engaging with the community, PR can help build strong, lasting relationships with customers. In a small town, this loyalty can translate into long-term business success and word-of-mouth recommendations. Loyal customers in small communities often become brand advocates, further amplifying your PR efforts.
Example: A family-owned pharmacy’s PR efforts consistently highlight its personalized service and community health initiatives. As a result, customers remain loyal even when a national chain pharmacy opens nearby, and actively recommend the local pharmacy to friends and family.
Personalizing Your PR Efforts to Your Local Audience
Here are a few ideas on how to successfully adapt your message for your local audience.
Keep Your Audience in Mind
If you’ve ever lived in a small town, you know there’s a different “feeling” there. It seems like everybody knows you and your business, or they at least know your cousin or best friend. You go to the grocery store and run into at least one person you know (and wonder at the contents of their cart when you know they’re on a diet).
In any case, your audience isn’t quite the same as a broader, more widespread audience in a big city. For example, if you’re speaking to an audience in a small town for a shoe brand, you wouldn’t talk up how great it is on city streets. You would accentuate walking out in the countryside, perhaps, or something that shows how great it is at keeping feet healthy when you work a more rural job.
The “closeness” also gives a bigger incentive to focus on the “word of mouth” factor. If you tell someone you know has a lot of pull in the community or someone else who loves to talk, they will likely spread it around town for you. However, that also means if you make a mistake, it’s more likely to rocket through the community faster. This will keep you on your toes.
Focus on the Feel of the Town and Your Brand
Possibly even more than your audience, your brand is vital to your business succeeding in a small town. If you live in the town it’s generally easy to get the “feel” of the town, but you might be going after that niche while living remotely. Either way, though, the trick is to understand what makes the town tick.
For instance the shoe company might want to focus on the “small town” feel of the little community. However, they’ve never actually been there, and they don’t quite understand how the town works. They pride themselves on being “bigger than they are” and are excited about all the growth they’ve had recently.
This means any reminder that they’re a small town is a big no-no. They want to feel more metropolitan than they really are. If your shoe company keeps talking about farming and other rural matters, you could be totally losing any goodwill you gained before.
Does this fall in line with your brand? If not, and you really want that niche, you might want to rethink what your brand really is for the long run.
What’s the main difference between small town and “big city” PR?
This article is written by Mickie Kennedy, founder of eReleases (https://www.ereleases.com), the online leader in affordable press release distribution. Grab your free 160-page copy of the Big Press Release Book – Press Releases for Every Occasion and Industry here: https://www.ereleases.com/free-offer/big-press-release-samples-book/