Looking for publicity opportunities for my companies

March 3, 2006 8:24 AM

I'm looking for quality business awards or publicity opportunities - things I can apply for that might bring some more recognition to some of the businesses that I'm involved in.

I'm looking for things like awards, chances for being featured in a magazine, busisness rankings, web site awards, etc., that I can enter to bring more publicity to my company.

I'm looking for *quality* opportunities here, so things like
http://www.webbyawards.com/ and not 'Bob Rates This A Five Star Website!' :)

Other examples of what types of things/quality I'm looking for:

http://www.profitguide.com/profit100/
http://www.fastcompany.com/fast50_06/

Opportunities do not necessarily have to be Internet related, although most of the stuff I'm involved with is web related.

Oh, and one other thing - I'm based in Canada, so probably can't apply for things that are exclusively American opportunities. I'll leave it at that for details... someone here might come up with an idea I hadn't thought of...

posted by Zinger to work & money (5 answers total)

Writing for the trade press of businesses you operate can be an effective attention draw, if done well. You have to produce articles that are fact filled, current, and that are aligned with the editorial vision of whatever publication you target. You have to approach it as if you were a free lancer, but you probably won't get paid for your writing in cash, as a free lancer might. Instead, your recompense is usually of the form of a 1 or 2 column inch "bio blurb" which might include a link to your business Web site, or a contact e-mail address. And, you get the right to say subsequently that you've written for XYZ Journal or Foo Monthly or whatever. You can also order editorial reprints of articles (usually at reduced rates) for use as publicity material or handouts at marketing events.

If you are operating Web based businesses, you might look into submitting articles or white papers on a topic with which you have personal interest and familiarity, like Ruby on Rails development deployment of some application you use, to publications like Information Week, Wired, or Digital Web Magazine. If your material is well written and timely, you'll have little problem shopping it for publication, if your price is just a link and a credit.
posted by paulsc at 12:37 PM on March 3, 2006

Start local/regional. In the US, the network of Business Journals has a series of awards programs in each of their cities (really just targeted advertising opportunities, but also can be company "resume filler"): Diversity in Business, Women in Business, 40 Under 40, etc.

Also, many chambers of commerce hold annual awards for entrepreneurs, technology, business growth.

These "minor league" achievements could supplement an application for a more significant award.
posted by SashaPT at 1:07 PM on March 3, 2006

Does you local junior achievement chapter host a "Business Hall of Fame Event?"

...do you support your local junior achievement chapter? Because...you should know that's a very quick way to make some very cool friends and help kids at the same time.
posted by Baby_Balrog at 8:39 PM on March 3, 2006

You can get a lot of free press by connecting yourself with a non profit. Maybe sponsor an event or offer a workshop or start a scholarship and then send out a press release. Do it consistently and you will soon find your name/business name in the paper more often.
posted by 45moore45 at 1:58 PM on March 5, 2006

Yes. A non-profit like Junior Achievement.
posted by Baby_Balrog at 3:39 PM on March 6, 2006