This article outlines why a business should pursue publicity in their local newspapers and strategies for getting into the local paper. Most people are talking about how newspapers are dead. For a few months in early 2009, it seemed like newspapers were closing every week. Some had hundreds of employees. Others had been in business for more than 100 years. It wasn’t just the loss of the business that stunned people. It was the loss of history. Others were concerned that some areas would be left with only one newspaper and point of view. All of these things are real concerns. If you are looking for free publicity, you need to remember your local newspaper.

Why would the local newspaper do a story on you? Here are just a few reasons why:
1) They are covering something you are an expert on
2) They need content
3) You are local and matter to their readers
4) You wrote a media release that made it easy for them to include
5) You are a resource to their reporters
6) You have something interesting and different to say
7) You are complete contrarian to popular thinking
You have created a new and interesting twist on the type of business you run

Another option to consider is placing an advert in the local paper. Often there are freely distributed advertising papers, which will charge you a small listing fee, and other papers will allow you to list an advert for free. Even a small advertisement can prove to be successful however, and as most local papers reach tens of thousands of potential customers. A good advert can easily reap a massive response. Ideally, such an advert should be placed every week for several weeks. The small regular advert which people see often and recognize can often prove far more effective than a one off larger one.