A leading reason why so many small businesses decide not to attempt to get publicity for their company is because they feel they’re too small to participate in a news story. Most small business owners feel there is no reason why a reporter would be interested in speaking to them. It’s good to have some sort of publicity plan, even if it’s a few small ideas for a publicity stunt.

The truth is, reporters are always looking for someone to quote for a story. Even if the story is about a large company like Microsoft, there are different angles inside the story where a smaller business could offer input, insight or statistics. They key is finding these angles and letting the reporter know you’re available to talk about it.

How many times have you read a big story in the paper and then turned to one of your associates or employees and offered an opinion on how/why that story would affect your business? Well, call up a reporter and tell them! They want to hear from you. If you aren’t sure how to identify a reporter or how to get them on the phone, here is an excellent resource that’s a good PR Toolkit. And use HARO to find stories reporters are already working on.

Even though a publicity campaign can be easy to achieve (when you work at getting it), the perception exists that it’s nearly impossible to get into a news story and be quoted by a reporter. Because of this, when you do get quoted, the rest of the world reading the story wants to know who you are. They want to know what it is about you and your company that made the reporter want to talk to you. They will immediately visit your Web site. They may even call you up on the phone. But most importantly, they will learn who you are and that can lead to increased business.

Don’t think of yourself as a small business in terms of PR. Instead, think of yourself as a business owner that can offer lots of valuable insight to a reporter that is working on a story about your industry or location. After all, no one knows that information better than you.

What kinds of reasons prompted you to call a reporter and offer your opinion or information for a story recently?