Are you looking for creative ways to expand your reach? Having your business featured in the news or online publications can lead to more bookings, and it feels amazing to get good publicity for your tours and activities. Not to mention the exciting opportunities this leads to.

You might be thinking you have to do something newsworthy for your business to be mentioned, but there are plenty of ways to get your name out there.

This guide will give you a few ideas to consider for your PR strategy.

1. Keep Your Audience in Mind

You may have heard the saying “all press is good press.” In many cases that is true, but good press becomes great press if it’s a story your target audience will actually read. 

That’s why it’s so important to target the right media, especially if you are planning to seek out journalists to write about your business (more on this in a moment). Make sure they would be receptive to your message based on the interests of their readers—and your audience!

Focus on publications that are relevant to you and your business, like local media outlets, lifestyle magazines, or those in your industry. 

2. Build Relationships With Journalists  

Unless something big happens to put your business in the news, you can’t take a passive approach to being featured in the media. You must reach out to publications with ideas or requests.

You don’t want to strike up a conversation out of the blue or cold pitch a writer. Work to foster a relationship with media members you admire, or whose writing you enjoy. Start by following them on social media and opening up a dialogue there. 

You can also comment on their work or send them an email telling them why you enjoyed a particular piece and what you learned from it. This way, when you’re ready to reach out with a story of your own, you will have built up a rapport with them. 

3. Come With a Newsworthy Story

It is not sufficient to tell a journalist you’d like to be featured in their magazine. If you don’t come armed with a great story, you’re just wasting their time. Have an idea of how and where you want to be featured before you strike up a conversation.

For example, if you’re inquiring about being included in a publication’s top 10 list, you should be prepared with examples of why your business belongs in the top 10. Similarly, if you have a lifestyle piece you want to share, be ready to succinctly explain your business milestone, upcoming event, or award you received. 

It’s also a good idea to highlight trends or other big events in your area and how they relate to your business. If a magazine writes about the solo travel trend, that could be a great opportunity to share your solo traveler tour specials or anecdotes about how you’ve gotten a lot of solo travelers at your business as of late. 

Pro Tip: Be on the lookout for replies! Journalists are often very busy and working on tight deadlines. If they ask for a photo or quote, try to answer their inquiry on the same day.

4. Be Aware of Dates and Deadlines

Depending on the type of content you want to promote, you’ll want to be strategic about when you approach journalists. 

For example, if you’re inquiring about being included in a magazine’s local roundup or list-style article, you should know when it has been published in previous years. If you have this information, you can plan well in advance to get your business featured. For an example like this, you’d want to reach out at least two months in advance.

If you’re sharing a more time-sensitive story, like a celebrity coming on your tour, an award your business won, or an event you’re hosting to support the local community, think about what timing would be best. This is where it’s really helpful to have already started a relationship with people at publications so you can have an open conversation about the content.

5. Maintain a Professional Online Presence 

Publicity means more eyes on your business, specifically your website and Google Business Profile. Make sure these are up to date, polished and professional. This includes having professional photos, making sure all business information is accurate, and spending time perfecting your tour descriptions and about us page. 

6. Target Listicles 

Listicles are longer resource pages that magazines and travel bloggers publish with content like “the best places to visit in Denver” or “10 family-friendly activities in New Orleans.” These are a great opportunity to get your business featured without having to do a lot of research or writing.

Search for things to do in your city on Google and make a note of the lists that stand out to you that could apply to your business. Then, approach the publication about being included. You can also offer to share the article on your website and marketing materials to increase engagement. 

7. Create Guest Content or Give Interviews

Creating content of your own is a good way to get your feet wet and start thinking about what your target audience would like to read. Writing a guest blog, giving a podcast interview, or working with niche influencers gets you free advertising and helps you strike up relationships with content creators that will benefit you down the line. 

8. Join Online Communities 

Networking and keeping open conversations are excellent ways to foster relationships and stay informed on what’s happening in the tourism industry. Consider joining online communities, like Facebook pages that are local to your area. 

Did you know FareHarbor has an Official Community Page on Facebook? Here you’ll get to interact with fellow tour/activity/attraction business owners and ask questions or share advice. Why not start a discussion about how to get your business featured in the media?

We hope these tips have given you the inspiration you need to start a relationship with journalists or explore the idea of working with the media. For more ways to boost online engagement, head over to our digital marketing guides.