BUSINESSES are being encouraged to boost their marketing. The Board of Industry put on a workshop to help them harness the power of the local and trade media. Some 20 delegates attended.

‘Sending out releases, both to local and to specialist off-island media, is a proven way to communicate with the people who matter,’ said Tony Brassell, the board’s business development manager.

‘The workshop showed Guernsey businesses how to exploit the opportunities of media releases more fully.’

The afternoon workshop was called DIY releases, the fast track to promoting your business, and the board allocated free places to businesses in industry and non-financial services.

Participants were given materials to produce releases relevant to their own enterprise and looked at the sorts of news that trade and regional media might find interesting.

They were also shown how pictures boost interest and the format in which to present information to journalists.

‘The take-up of places and positive feedback from attenders show how even the smallest business is becoming more aware of the opportunities to use PR,’ said the board’s Sarah Luce.

‘They tell us that this sort of workshop gives practical, relevant information that they can turn into a useful marketing tool as soon as they get back to work.’