Just because you’re a small business doesn’t mean your public relations strategy has to be limited.  It just means that it has to be incredibly focused with specific goals in mind.

As a small business owner, you need to focus your PR around thought leadership as this is where you can have the most impact.

What does this mean in terms of actionable steps for a small business owner?

1. Carve out at least one hour every day to focus on thought leadership. Ask yourself what—specifically—you offer, which none of your competitors can offer?
2. Ask your customers/clients what media (traditional and social) they are influenced by and focus on a handful of these key media.  By targeting a more niche list, you’re more likely to see desired results as opposed to a massive email blast.
3. Know what your customers/clients main pain points/challenges are and write a clear, concise story around them.
4. Tailor that story to specific media by doing your homework – relevance is key.
5. Get in touch with the media and tell that story (use social media to reach them if appropriate) and continue to build a dialogue and relationship until they bite.
6. Social media is here to stay – its ease and accessibility make it virtually unlimited for PR and marketing opportunities. For a small business, it’s a low-cost way to build a large-looking presence.  And social media is democratic, in a way; smart messaging stands out, regardless of the size of the company.

As cost-effective (and simply effective) as these methods are, small businesses don’t take full advantage. According to a recent study, only 28 percent of SMBs use Twitter, compared to 46 percent mid to large businesses.  Fortunately, your company doesn’t have to be the size of Starbucks or Apple to successfully promote on social networks.  By following these suggestions, your small business will flourish as you generate awareness within the sector-specific key media, both traditional and social. In short, a good PR strategy for an SMB needs to be focused, and include social media tools, such as Twitter and YouTube.

Editor’s Note: Cheryl Gale, managing partner and co-founder of March Communications, has nearly 20 years of experience driving and executing global B2B and B2C public relations campaigns.

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