Keeping your business in the eye of the public can be achieved either by spending large sums of money on advertising or by getting free publicity by making your small business newsworthy. The Exposure features a list of 20 ways to make your small business newsworthy. Here is a sample of them:

1. Run a “silliest thing” or “dumb mistakes” contest with your customers. For instance, if you’re a shoe repair shop, ask your customers for the silliest things they’ve ever done with their shoes. If you’re a sport goods retailer ask your customers for the dumbest mistakes they’ve made while camping. These are great human interest stories that the press will love.

2. Do you have a customer that uses your products in an unusual way or uses your product to become a high achiever? If you run a gym, is one of your customers a bodybuilding champion? If you own a bike shop is one of your customers a champion trial racer? If you manage an electronics store do you have a customer who has invented a whiz-bang contraption?

3. Tie your business into something that took place in the past. Go to your local library and find articles from 50 or 100 years ago that may somehow tie into the product or service you provide.

Get the complete list of “20 Ways to Make Your Small Business Newsworthy!