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The press doesn't have it in for you. Reporters will tell you that they're always looking for snappy feature ideas (an investigative story every six months is dandy, but their editors want something every day or two). If you build a better mousetrap and publicize it the right way, the press really can make the world beat a path to your door.
Some smart entrepreneurs have gotten away with using publicity in the press as the core of their marketing campaign; some wiseguys in marketing departments have even taken to referring to articles about their clients as "free media." If you choose to focus your efforts on getting free publicity, however, remember that reporters must have a story to tell. That generally means that you will have to come up with "an angle"- a facet of your company's story that distinguishes you from the crowd. And repeat it ad infinitum.
Remember that the press travels in packs. If your company is involved in a "hot" field-technology, genetic engineering - then your chances of getting exposure increase exponentially. And a few initial articles form the core of a press packet that will make other reporters more comfortable covering your story. (If somebody else has already done a story on it, then it's got to be worth another, no?)
Should you hire a professional PR firm? Many reporters and press savvy entrepreneurs advise that you should. "Though generally I'm skeptical of publicists, you're better off with a PR firm," counsels Michael Burgi, a business reporter at New York-based Mediaweek magazine. "The main reason PR firms exist is to help business owners deal with the press." Smart business owners, however, use their public relations agencies to guide them through the details of running a publicity campaign, not shield them from the press. That means that while the publicist sets the stage, the main voice heard in articles about your business should be your own.
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