10 Strategies to Increase Positive Publicity for Your New Business

One of the biggest challenges in starting a new business is gaining traction in your target market. Raising awareness requires an effective public relations strategy that can create a steady stream of positive news about your business.

When you have a small start-up budget, you may not have the immediate resources to hire a PR agency. Fortunately, there are simple strategies you can use to advertise yourself.

Here are 10 ways to encourage positive press for your business, as recommended by members of the Young Entrepreneur Council.

1. Encourage reviews

Few things are better at driving publicity than word of mouth from real customers. The value of positive customer feedback cannot be overstated. For new businesses that may not yet have these tools, influencer marketing can also be a powerful tool when used correctly. Unlike engaged celebrities and scripted spokespersons, influencers can be particularly effective at touting your product's benefits and telling your brand's story in an authentic and believable way. An influencer who can deliver your message in a way that resonates with their followers is essentially providing you with a targeted marketing campaign. But it's essential to use influencers with a highly engaged audience. Audience size doesn't really matter if subscribers aren't interested in the content. - Samuel Saxton, ConsumerRating.org

2. Focus on your local market

Without a doubt, the best way to increase publicity for a new business is to focus on the local market. While any business looking to grow will eventually want to engage in regional or national PR and marketing strategies, at the start of the curve, local markets dominate. This strategy has an impact because many local markets have local televisions, radio stations and even Internet-based media companies based nearby. Engaging with these outlets will allow for strong local impact to boost viral appeal, and will also open up the new business to potential syndication opportunities, which could impact awareness at scale and boost the reach of the new company's website. . -Ryan Bradley, Koester & Bradley, LLP

3. Take advantage of user-generated content

There is no shortage of marketing strategies, but one that can be particularly effective for new businesses is leveraging user-generated content. This can be in the form of reviews, testimonials, or even just social media posts about your business. The reason this is so effective is that it adds a level of authenticity and reliability to your brand. When potential customers see that other people have had positive experiences with your business, they are much more likely to try you out themselves. So if you're looking for a way to generate buzz for your new business, consider harnessing the power of user-generated content. It might be just the boost you need to get things off the ground. -Pratik Chaskar,