5 Ways to Create PR Opportunities for Your Freelance Business

One of the biggest challenges for freelancers just starting out is how to get more press and publicity for their business with few funds. As a one-person shop, you can?t spend a fortune employing your own PR rep or a marketing guru.

There are several D-I-Y strategies you can implement to generate positive publicity. What are PR opportunities for your freelance business? You may think PR is only for big companies, but even small freelance shops can benefit from taking advantage of newsworthy opportunities happening in your business, market, and industry.

Here are five ways to create PR opportunities for your freelance business.

1. Send press releases to relevant media outlets.

Drafting a press release is the easy part. Read tips for crafting the perfect press release. But before you write one, consider factors such as what industry you?re in and determine what the key trade publications and media outlets are in your industry.

As an example, if you?re a photographer that specializes in weddings and family events, then you need to draft separate press releases? perhaps one for a wedding or bridal magazine, and another one for parenting magazines. You?ll need to do some research for each publication, finding the relevant news team or section editor. When you write or call them, make sure you sell your story by getting to the point of how a mention of your services in a story would be of interest to the publication?s reading audience.

2. Link your services to a current event.

The biggest question to answer when contacting media outlets is ?So, what?? Why should the editor or journalist you talk to care about your story? First of all, it has to be a story in the first place. In journalism, this is often called the ?news hook? or the lede. In these types of promotional strategies, here?s what you do: when something relevant happens in your industry that?s related to your business, try to latch on to the story.

The biggest question to answer when contacting media outlets is ?So, what?? Why should the editor or journalist you talk to care about your story?

While it certainly helps, your PR doesn?t have to be directly linked to a trend, topical issue, or event. For example, when I finished a ghostwriting project related to parenting, career, and work-life balance for working moms, the author and I came up with a press release that opened with a mention of a popular movie at the time that raised and explored very similar issues.

Adding an essential news hook, or timely quality to your story, makes it appealing for editors and journalists, who can easily include it on their roster of articles to push out. And don?t forget about writing a compelling and catchy title or headline for your PR piece.

3. Present yourself as an expert in your field.

One particular resource to try is HARO, which is a website for connecting media contacts, writers, and journalists with the general public. The idea is simple: If you?re a freelance web designer and want to find material for your design blog, you can hop on HARO and find an expert or various sources to interview for your piece.

You can also use HARO to offer yourself up as an expert in your field. Local newspapers and media outlets writing a story for a national audience will often try to pepper their stories with relevant quotes and stories that have a local angle. If you see something that?s relevant to you, contact the query?s author and let them know you?d like to be interviewed as a source.

HARO is a convenient outlet since you can receive and distribute queries online, but don?t discount just picking up the phone and calling local papers and e-mailing journalists who write stories that cover your professional interests (most writers have a byline with contact details). You can offer yourself as a case study for profiles, as well as be a source for technical information when they need it. Make yourself indispensable to your local media.

4. Develop links to local community groups and business networks.

Get involved with your community by offering to do sponsorships or volunteer work. You can also offer to give a talk about what you do. Don?t discount sites like Skillshare and Meetup, which let you organize group sessions and reach a wider audience.

Setting aside some charity work (e.g., if you?re a freelance web designer, offering to tweak a nonprofit?s website for free) can also be part of your social responsibility efforts for your business. Not only is it beneficial for your community, but also a great way to expand your portfolio and get your name out in the media.

5. Offer to write guest posts at major media outlets and comment on stories.

Writing guest articles, posts, and op-eds can be time-consuming, but it can be a wonderful way for you to reach out to the public about your expertise. Don?t mention your services or business in the story itself. Instead, focus on writing a compelling piece and presenting yourself as an authority on the topic you are writing about.

Check your facts, get your article edited, and make sure you always keep your audience in mind when you write. If it?s an op-ed, make sure you take a strong position and argue it well; media outlets asking you for an op-ed are hoping to generate discussion and debate among its readers.

The byline is where you can do a little more advertising. Make sure you include your business name, website, and other contact details (many writers leave their Twitter accounts or other social media links), and keep it short and sweet.

Photo credit: Some rights reserved by dappy.

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