One of the most cost-effective ways for a new business to get noticed and to promote its product or service is through public relations. Public relations refer to efforts to establish and maintain a positive image for a company with the public.

The major difference between public relations and advertising is that public relations efforts are not paid for—directly. The cost of public relations to a business is whatever it takes to network with journalists and other people to try to interest them in saying and writing good things about a company and its products. While there is nothing inherently wrong with advertising and similar forms of promotion, people know that ads and promotions are paid for, so they discount them to a certain degree. It’s normally more persuasive when an unbiased third party talks about the merits of your product or service.^[1] The key to getting good public relations, such as a newspaper or magazine article written about your company, is to create a human interest story that’s associated with your business. It also helps to be proactive in regard to speaking out on behalf of your industry and talking to trade groups and civic groups about your area of expertise.

The key to getting good public relations, such as a newspaper or magazine article written about your company, is to create a human interest story that’s associated with your business.

There are other ways in which a business can enhance its chances of getting public relationship via the press. One technique is to prepare a press kit, which is a folder that contains background information about the company and includes a list of its most recent accomplishments. The kit is normally distributed to journalists and is placed on the business’s Web site. In fact, if you’ve ever picked up a national magazine and read an article about a business in a small town and wondered how the magazine knew about the business, it’s typically because the business sent the magazine a press kit and the business’s story (or product or service) fit the article the magazine was interested in writing about.

Another way to generate public relations is to win an award or be recognized in some positive manner. For example, in 2007, WhiteWave’s Silk Soymilk won the American Culinary ChefsBest Award for the Best Taste. WhiteWave can now refer to the award in its promotions and has earned the right to display the ChefsBest seal of approval on its products.^[2] Businesses also generate public relations by attending trade shows and similar events. For example, the largest trade show for consumer electronics is International CES, which is held in Las Vegas every January. Many new technology firms use this show to present their products to the public for the first time. They do this in part because they have a captive media audience that is eager to find interesting stories to write about.

Another way to generate public relations is to win an award or be recognized in some positive manner.

There are also community- and industry-related activities that a business owner can engage in to generate positive public relations for the firm. Examples include writing a column in a local newspaper, publishing a company newsletter, and speaking to civic groups. These activities cost little or no money but can enhance the image of a business.

A representative list of public relations activities include