You’ve expanded your range, are now offering a better service or have just hired a whizz-kid who’s going to help transform your business.

All good. But unless you tell people about the new you, how will they know about all these great things?

Your business has its own website and social media accounts? Well, that’s a big help. But how about getting to all those potential customers, suppliers and investors who aren’t already connected to you?

Working with the media to promote your business or organisation is a great way to build your profile. If you can find a way in they can offer huge, engaged audiences across platforms.

Reviewing the notes from the start of my Media Relations class last Friday it’s pretty clear there are businesses looking for guidance on how to make that connection.

And the starting point for me is to realise this is a two-way relationship with potential benefits for both parties.

Many businesses suffer from a belief they have nothing interesting to tell. Or that newspapers, websites and magazines will only take notice if they have world beating news to announce.

Not so. In these days of 24/7 media, newspapers and websites have a voracious demand for content. There’s an opportunity to fill some of that space – or airtime, the same applies for radio and TV – with your news.

Publications and programmes want to connect with businesses and individuals who have something of interest to tell their audience. The key is making your organisation stand out from the crowd. Make it as easy as possible for a journalist or contributor to make that connection.

A good story teller can derive something of wider interest from even the most technical. If that skill isn’t within your team, believe me it’s out there.

The organisations on Friday clearly see a value in better communication with the outside world. Treating communication as highly as business development, staff engagement, HR, or any other function should be a priority rather than an aspiration.

I’ll be looking at one particular aspect of raising your business profile in my next one day course.

It’ll focus on Writing for the Media, including how to get your press release chosen from the hundreds that flow into newsrooms every day. Details soon, but if anyone’s looking for a heads up on content and date etc then by all means contact me direct.