In this lesson, I want to talk about two of the most valuable assets for growing a business – trust and credibility.
Let me explain…
As I’m sure you know, people are sceptical these days. They are worried about being ripped off or getting poor service. This is especially true on the Internet where scams are a dime a dozen.
That’s why anything you can do to prove to strangers that you are trustworthy will definitely pay off.
Testimonials, for example, from satisfied clients are a fantastic trust builder. I teach you about how to use them in a different lesson.
But for today, I want to talk about another way to boost your credibility that many carpet cleaners are unaware of.
Newspapers.
Here’s how it works…
Using Newspapers To Grow Your Business
Even though print is dying, newspapers are still a very powerful marketing medium.
When a prospect sees your name printed in the paper, they automatically think you are ‘legitimate’ and that your company is trustworthy. It builds your credibility.
This is very important.
Once a prospect thinks that you are ‘real’, they are much more likely to choose your services over the competition.
Unfortunately, featuring in a newspaper is not something you can achieve instantly.
So in today’s task, you will just be preparing the groundwork. Then once the opportunity appears, you will be ready to seize it.
TODAY’S TASK: Hot to Appear in the Paper
- Start looking for stories in your business. From now on, whenever you make a change in your business, do something in the community like a charity function, or have a dinner for clients, you should try to get an article in the local newspaper about it.
- When you have a story, contact your local newspaper. Call their office and find out who is in charge of press releases. Then contact this person. Be enthusiastic, cheerful and confident.
- Explain to that person that you have interesting local story. Tell them who you are, what your story is and how their readers will benefit. For example, “I’m John Smith. I own XYZ Carpets. We have just introduced a new upholstery cleaning service. To celebrate we would like to offer your readers a free upholstery audit.”
- Send the press release to your contact. Make sure you mention that you talked to him or her on the phone. Include all the background information from the phone call in your email because journalists are often busy and stressed and they may not remember the phone call or who you are. Include some great images of you or your branded van if possible, as this also makes their job easier… Journos love an easy job!
- Follow up. Call your contact two days later to confirm that they received the information. Ask them when they can put it in the paper. If they say that they don’t know, call them back again a few days later.
This strategy is not as easy as some of the others. It requires persistence. But if you really want to feature in a newspaper, it’s a great way to go about doing it.
For guidance on writing a killer press release, check out the resources available from the Australian Institute of Public Relations, like this blog post on The Perfect Pitch… How to Write a Good Press Release.