WHITBY FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 12, 1989, PAGE 9 YOURBUSINES Cost effective public relations Pulic relations is advertising you earn yourself. Today, public relations should be an important part of your marketing strategy because it has a direct impact on how your company is perceived in the community. It is not something that kicks in when some crisis comes along. It should be working for you everyday. As David Magil of David Magil Communications points out, "For small business, the most important 'public' is their customer." So, good customer relations is the foundation of any small business public relations program. Start by looking at yourself as a customer and the commmunity mi2ht look at you. Franchisees might be seen not as a small business but as part of a large p multinational corporation; some service and product vendors are viewed as part of a particular industry. Be aware of the images Haulers FROM PAGE 8 is also a ban on white products (appliances - stoves fridges) and soon to be bans on tires, wood and drywall. Also on the increase is the cost of dumping. In May the costs will rise from $65 per tonne to $100 per tonne at transfer stations; and from $50 per tonne to $85 per tonne at landfill stations. "There'll be some teething pains for a little while. It takes a period of adjustment," says Art itch, manager of operations in the Durham , Region works department. "Society is just going to have to get used to not throwing away just anything." and preconceptions that might surround your business. And stay aware of the public issues that affect you. Always look for opportunities to- present your company or business in a favorable light. A good reputation is the best PR you can have. Says, Magil, "Be active, don't be passive." This translates into a variety of strategies involving community involvement. This might mean joining a local service club or sponsoring a sports team in your neighborhood. "Find out what the community needs," advises Magil. "If some of the local kids need a way to get to the ball gamo, organize it. The tine will come when you think you have a good story to tell. Before you contact the media, ask yourself, 'Who will be interested in this besides me?" If it's only suppliers, employees or customers, maybe a press release isn't the answer; try direct mail or an internal memo to convey the news. For Magil, the best small business approach to the media is a phone call. "In large cities, newsrooms are swamped with press releases. A personal phone call is more likely to produce , results," he says. If the editor is interested, he will arrange for an interview or request written information. When you do call the local editor or if you decide te send out a press release, remember that it is the editor's right to decide if what you have to say is newsworthy or not. It is always a big help to your case if you can demonstrate that your business is - part of a broader business trend or economic development in the province or country. Most corporate press releases about products or events can be summarized and written on one standard page, double spaced. In simple, non-technical English, answer the five "Ws" - Who, What, Where, When and Why. At the end of the release provide a contact name and phone number. And never send out a release until you want the information made public. Marketplace at Pickering Centre The Tourist Association of Durham Region will hold a public Marketplace on April 20, 21 and 22 in the Pickering Town Centre. Tourist Association members will be setting up and staffing displays designed to show area residents and visitors what there is to see and do in Durham Region. For further information contact the Tourist Association of Durham Region, 270 Simcoe St. N., Oshawa, LIG 4T5 or call (416) 579-1131. 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