Publicity expert shares tips on PR for National Be Heard Day

Many small business owners and entrepreneurs think marketing and publicity is out of their reach, especially when they feel they can’t compete budget-wise with big corporations.

But I disagree. With the right amount of exposure in the right places, any small business can flourish and succeed. National Be Heard Day is on March 7^th and small businesses can celebrate their own unique marketing efforts.

Established in 2004, National Be Heard Day calls attention to the 145+ million people who own small business or is an independent professional or entrepreneur in the United States. They’re the owners of the local grocery store and advertising consultants, piano teachers and plumbers, business analysts and bakers, attorneys and artisans. The day urges these professionals to find their voice, tell their story and be heard through marketing and publicity.

Marketing is a key element in any small business, but it doesn’t need to break the bank.

Small businesses typically have a limited marketing budget if any at all,. Does that mean you can’t succeed like the big guys? Absolutely not. It just means you have to think a little more creatively. And that’s what National Be Heard Day celebrates: creative tactics that helps the little guy grow and thrive.

To help small businesses owners, here are some tactics to help small businesses to be heard on National Be Heard Day:

1. Write articles: Articles don’t have to be long; they just need to be informative. Writing articles gives you instant credibility, too. Submitting online, as well as offline, provides another good chance to get your name in print at no cost. Be sure to put your contact information in a contact resource box at the end of the article.
2. Use your business cards: Think of your business card as a small billboard and start handing them out everywhere. Include them in all your correspondence – even in your bills!
3. Public speaking: Speaking in front of an audience usually makes you an expert. People like to buy from experts. If they’re in your audience, then they’ll remember your expertise and come to you when they need your product or service. Speaking is free, and it’s just like making a sales call to many people at one time.
4. Free reports: Offering a free report online is a good way to get an e-mail from prospects so you may market to them later. This is the whole basis of permission-based marketing, or opt-in lists. You can do the same thing offline.
5. Build strategic alliances: Introduce yourself to other businesspeople who don’t compete with you but sell products or services to the same target audience. Offer to promote them if they promote you. Make sure they’re people you like and trust.

As part of the celebration, I’ll be featuring interviews with leading marketers on Startup Spark. They will lead up to a wonderful Be Heard Day Giveaway, where you can download free gifts (without any sleezy sales) to help you to ‘be heard!’