One of the best ways to boost your business is through getting local press. People often neglect local press, because they assume that their coverage doesn’t justify the amount of effort it would take to chase after them. The reality couldn’t be further from the truth.

Here are just some of the many ways that local press can help your business.

==> An Immediate Surge of Customers

The first effect of local news press coverage will be an immediate surge of customers. As people hear about your product, they’ll come to your website or visit your store.

If you know a press story is about to come out, it makes sense to prepare. Expect a surge of customers or a surge of web traffic.

If you have limits on your volume, such as limited inventory or merchant account processing limits, make sure those barriers are out of the way by the time the story hits.

==> Leads to Additional Coverage

Local coverage is a gateway to both more local coverage and national coverage.

Once a story is written about, it gets legitimacy. Often times a big story really started out as a small story that got published in a smaller paper that was later picked up by a larger paper.

Getting local press can help you in your approaches to other papers. It’s one thing to go to a bigger newspaper and ask for a story when nobody’s ever heard about you. On the other hand, if you can go to a larger newspaper and say that you’ve been written about in several smaller ones, you’ll get a lot more attention.

Local press coverage can also help you land radio and television spots. Again, having exposure through local press lends credibility and can help you in your pitch for other media spots.

==> Builds Brand, Respectability and Credibility

When you tell someone who’s never heard about you about your company, they’re naturally going to be a little skeptical. However, if they hear about you through a newspaper or magazine, they’re automatically going to assume you’re credible.

There’s a lot of credibility that comes from being in the press. People naturally assume that only companies that deserve press coverage get press coverage. That’s generally the case.

Getting in the press will help you increase your brand and prestige.

==> Find New Business Partners

Appearing in the press can bring potential partners out of the woodwork. Suppliers with great deals will hear about you, partners who want to work with you might contact you, people with platforms may ask you to speak, and top-notch talent might want to come and work for you.

These are just some of the many benefits of appearing the local press. Though local press isn’t the big time yet, it’s a big step in the right direction. It’s the best way to get your foot in the door of the media.