SmallBusinessNewz

A few days ago I saw a query on PR Newswire (see my article how to gain more visibility in the mainstream media) from a reporter asking for some ideas about how small companies can gain more visibility in the new online world, the universe of social networks. The world you're immersed in at this moment if you're reading my weblog or RSS feed.

I gave him a pithy answer and thought it'd be interesting to also post it here and see if we can garner some additional thoughts and ideas about how entrepreneurs, startups and small companies can get some (positive) notoriety online.

Here's what I said to him in my email:

I think that I can offer you some help with your upcoming article. I actually work with small companies all the time to help them create buzz and visibility in their marketplaces, and my general response is:

do something goofy but interesting and of relevance to your market

For example, a gas station might run a promo where people submit their funniest stories about meeting people at the pump, and every week a winner gets a free fillup. Or they could be videos posted on YouTube, etc.

The point is to be a bit out of the box: small businesses that use traditional mainstream PR are competing with big corporations using the exact same channels, and will inevitably have poor results. It's hard to shine when you're in the shadow of someone much, much bigger.

So what do you think, dear reader?

What smart ways would you utilize to help your company - or client's company - gain visibility and buzz?

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