The morning Thandi decided to hand out free vetkoek to school children on her corner in Sophiatown, she wasn’t thinking about publicity. She was thinking about those little faces, breath visible in the winter air, walking past her bakery on empty stomachs.
But when one grateful parent snapped a photo of children gathered around Thandi’s warm storefront, clutching golden vetkoek in their small hands, something magical happened. The image found its way online, caught the attention of a Radio 2000 producer, and suddenly Thandi was on air, sharing her story with thousands of listeners.
She didn’t pay for a single advertisement. She didn’t hire a public relations firm. She simply did what felt right, and the world noticed.
This is the power of authentic publicity for small businesses – not the manufactured buzz of corporate campaigns, but the genuine stories that emerge when businesses become part of their communities.
Why Small Businesses Need Smart Publicity Strategies
Most small business owners believe publicity is reserved for big brands with deep pockets. They imagine it requires expensive agencies and complicated strategies. In reality, effective publicity is simply about creating stories worth telling, then putting those stories in front of the right people.
The foundation of successful publicity lies in understanding that local journalists are perpetually hungry for authentic community stories. While business owners assume reporters won’t care about their small ventures, the truth is quite different. Local media outlets desperately need content, and they lack the resources to discover every compelling story happening in their coverage areas.
Building Genuine Media Relationships for Better Publicity
The key is approaching media relationships like friendships rather than transactions. Instead of that dreaded cold email blast, successful small business publicity begins with genuine engagement. Follow local reporters on social media. Share their articles. Comment thoughtfully on their work. Build recognition before you ever need anything.
When you do reach out, your message should feel human, not corporate. Consider how Nomsa from Thoko’s Bakery approached The Citizen: she didn’t lead with business credentials or awards. Instead, she shared her “Feed the Future” project – weekend bread and soup for children in Hillbrow’s park. Her email was conversational, community-focused, and completely free of sales language. The journalist called back within three hours.
Finding Free Publicity Through Newsjacking
The most powerful publicity stories often emerge from simply paying attention to what’s already happening around you. When Johannesburg sweltered through an intense heatwave, a local pool cleaning company didn’t launch an expensive campaign. They shared “5 signs your pool is stressed from the heat” on social media, tagged local news outlets, and found themselves featured on Joburg Pulse. No cost, perfect timing, genuine value.
This approach, called newsjacking, works because it makes your business part of larger conversations. During back-to-school season, offer free safety checks for children’s backpacks. When storms hit, share leak prevention tips. When holidays approach, discuss small business gift ideas. The goal isn’t to sell directly but to demonstrate expertise while serving your community.
Real-World Publicity Success Stories
One Durban electrician has mastered this technique by sending winter safety tips to local reporters every year. His insights about overloaded outlets, faulty geysers, and dangerous wiring have earned him three feature articles, positioning him as the area’s go-to electrical expert. He’s never spent money on advertising, but his phone rings constantly – the result of consistent, valuable publicity efforts.
Similarly, a Bloemfontein barber noticed teenagers skipping school in his neighborhood. Rather than simply complaining, he created a solution: free Saturday haircuts for any student who brought a report card. When he shared this story with a local blogger, it resonated far beyond his expectations. OFM radio picked it up, then eNCA television. Suddenly, parents were booking appointments months in advance, not just for the free cuts, but because they wanted to support someone who genuinely cared about their children’s education.
The Secret to Sustainable Publicity
These success stories share common elements: they begin with genuine community involvement, they solve real problems, and they’re shared strategically but authentically. None required expensive campaigns or professional publicity agencies.
Every small business possesses untold stories waiting to be shared. Perhaps it’s how you started with just R500 in capital, why you specifically hire people from local shelters, or the story of your oldest loyal customer. These narratives matter because they reveal the human heart beating within commercial enterprise.
The path forward is simpler than most imagine. Write one genuine email to a local journalist this week. Document one act of community kindness. Offer one piece of helpful expertise during a relevant news cycle.
True publicity isn’t about shouting louder than competitors. It’s about standing up in the right room, at the right moment, with something worth saying. And sometimes, like Thandi discovered, the most powerful publicity comes from simply doing good and trusting that good stories find their way into the world.
Learn More: Public Relations for Local Small Businesses: How to Get Featured in the News