One of the advantages of having a small business in Napa County is our size. The county is small enough that local businesses and community events are featured, yet we are big enough to have our own, local print media.

Getting your business featured in the local media can obviously boost sales, but it can also provide you more credibility with vendors, bankers and the community at large. Media attention can be very important, but it is only a small part of your overall promotion strategy.

Newspaper reporters and editors are always looking for good stories. The Napa Register’s Business Buzz section is an excellent example of highlighting local business happenings. It’s not difficult to get publicity, but there are a few practices to consider.

First of all, know who the local business reporters are and make contact with them. Be aware that they have deadlines and respect their time. Offer to serve as a resource or contact for your business or industry. If you serve a certain market, or offer a special product, you can help them by being a contact, providing story ideas or feeding them timely information.

If you have a story to pitch, remember it must appeal to the community. A grand opening, a recent award, an anniversary, new hires, or an innovative product or service make a good story. Ask yourself the question, “How does this story appeal to the community?” Write a press release with the following in mind: Brevity, timing, contact information and most importantly, the “W’s:” what, where, when, why and who. 

E-mail your press release at least two weeks in advance for daily papers and longer for weekly or monthly publications. Don’t forget to follow-up with the business editor. Photos of your product or employees should be sent in readable files.  Make sure the designated contact in the press release is available and accessible. If your story receives coverage, follow up with a thank you note and post the story in your place of business. One article will often generate additional media attention.

As the business owner, think how you can be more visible in the community. That visibility will better position you for a possible story. Some ideas are donating to local charities and fundraisers, contributing stories to trade publications, teaching a class in your trade or offering your place of business to local non-profits for meetings and fund raisers. Serving as a volunteer, and enabling your employees to do so, generates goodwill and possibly new customers. Napa County is loyal to small businesses — let your customers know that you return that loyalty.

Napa Valley College Small Business Development Center will provide solutions to get your business noticed in two upcoming workshops: “Maximizing Your Marketing” on Feb. 10, 6:30-9 p.m. and “The Biz of PR” on Feb. 18,  6:30- 9 p.m. Both workshops will be at the Napa Chamber of Commerce and cost $40.

For more ideas on creative marketing and other business management issues, call the SBDC for free of charge business advising at 253-3210.