Getting your name out there feels like a must, but also a mystery. You’re juggling a hundred other priorities, you don’t have a network of media contacts, and traditional PR can feel out of reach. When most people think about PR, they picture press releases and media mentions. While that’s still a part of the puzzle, public relations has evolved, especially for small to mid-size businesses.
Today, PR is just as much about community, creativity, and connection as it is about coverage.
As a marketing agency deeply rooted in the art of storytelling and PR, Green Apple Strategy has always aimed to help our clients recognize how PR fits into their overall marketing. We understand that modern PR is about building genuine connections and shaping perceptions, not just getting a headline.
In this article, we’re excited to share insights from our own Public Relations and Content Marketing Strategist, Chris Song, on some of the most effective and often overlooked approaches to PR that can help your brand cut through the noise and build lasting authority.
Rethinking PR for Today’s Small and Mid-Size Businesses
PR isn’t about blasting out a press release and crossing your fingers. A successful PR approach involves layered storytelling, credible partnerships, unexpected moments, and the guts to be interesting.
That means thinking more deeply about the voice of your brand and how you show up in tone, style, and substance. It’s about speaking in ways that feel genuine to your audience and aligning with moments that matter.
When you combine your authentic voice with content that shares your expertise, you’ve unlocked two of the most critical components of a successful PR strategy. And when you build on that foundation with creative tactics, that’s where the magic happens.
The Most Effective PR Tactics for Small & Mid-Size Businesses
If you’re a small or mid-size business trying to get more bang for your PR buck, here are four of the most effective (and often overlooked) strategies we recommend:
1. Partner with Micro or Nano Influencers
Big influencer partnerships can be expensive and often feel inauthentic. But micro- and nano-influencers (those with smaller, more engaged followings) are often more effective, especially on a local level.
These individuals often boast incredibly tight-knit, loyal communities. Their credibility stems from their perceived authenticity and relatability to their audience. Partnering with micro or nano influencers in your sphere of influence can often generate more authentic buzz and heartfelt endorsements than a highly produced, expensive sponsorship with a larger influencer that might feel forced or over-engineered.
2. Earning Exposure through Random Acts of Generosity
Sometimes, the best PR isn’t about what you say, but what you do. Engaging in random acts of brand generosity brings tremendous potential for authentic brand exposure and goodwill.
Imagine sending unexpected, personalized thank-you gifts to your smallest but loudest brand advocates: the customers who consistently sing your praises online. Or, consider surprising someone by comping their service or product for a genuinely good deed. Then, if it’s appropriate, subtly share that heartwarming story with your audience. A relatively small upfront cost can generate a ripple effect of positive sentiment, social sharing, and genuine appreciation for your brand.
3. Create a Narrative with Newsworthy Launches or Milestones
A product launch, a significant company anniversary, or a major business milestone can be a golden PR opportunity. The ultimate goal here is to strategically bolster your brand narrative—the compelling “why” behind your business.
Without an effective PR strategy, you’re essentially just dropping a new product or announcing an event in a vacuum, hoping people will magically care.
4. Become the Go-To Voice through Thought Leadership
When executed effectively, thought leadership is one of the most powerful PR tactics. It involves presenting fresh, original, and interesting ideas in ways that position your brand, or key individuals within it, as the go-to subject matter experts in your field.
People trust people more than ads, however clever or creative they may be. If you consistently become the person (or brand) people turn to for genuine insight and expertise, your pipeline naturally warms up long before you ever ask for the sale.
Measuring Modern PR Success: Beyond the Clip Count
The metrics for PR success have also evolved. While media mentions are still valuable, modern PR measurement goes deeper, focusing on impact and influence rather than just volume. Here are some key tactics to consider when evaluating your modern PR efforts:
- Share of Voice: Are you being mentioned more often, or more prominently, than your key competitors in relevant conversations and media?
- Brand Sentiment: Utilize social listening tools and media monitoring to gauge the overall tone of mentions. Is the buzz around your brand positive, negative, or neutral? This offers a qualitative understanding of perception.
- Inbound Opportunities: Look for tangible business indicators. Did you see an increase in direct web traffic after a campaign? Did you receive new speaking invitations, unexpected partnership requests, or direct media outreach? These are strong signals of increased authority and visibility.
- Community Growth: Track the growth of your owned audience channels. Are you seeing new followers across social media platforms? An increase in email sign-ups? These indicate that your PR efforts are successfully expanding your engaged community.
- Search Trends: Monitor how people search for your brand and related topics. Are you seeing an increase in branded search queries or searches for solutions where your brand’s thought leadership might appear? This points to growing brand recognition and authority.
The key is to align your PR goals with your broader business objectives. Whether you’re trying to boost credibility, reach new audiences, or build long-term brand trust, the metrics you choose should help you measure real impact.
Let’s Build Something Buzzworthy
PR isn’t just about being seen, it’s about being remembered. For small to mid-sized businesses, the most effective PR efforts often happen outside the spotlight—in the quiet brand touches, the thoughtful partnerships, the stories that spark conversation.
At Green Apple Strategy, we specialize in helping brands find those moments and bring them to life. Whether you’re launching something new, celebrating a milestone, or looking for more visibility in your market sector, we’re here to help you tell your story in a way that gets noticed.
Think you might be leaving some brand exposure on the table?
Let’s talk about how creative PR can take your visibility and credibility to the next level.