When we see an advertisement we naturally approach it with a healthy amount of scepticism. We know that the advertiser is pushing a product to make a profit and we are on our guard, not wanting to be tricked into anything.

But when we see an article in a newspaper or magazine we are much more interested. We know that you cannot believe everything you read but we want to find out more and are intrinsically inclined to accept what we are being told.

This is the secret of PR and it is something of a pact between promoters and journalists. Journalists want interesting stories and are always looking for material, and promoters can feed them with what they need.

I remember when I first moved to my current home town. One particular local firm of solicitors was really hitting the button on this. Everywhere you looked their name appeared – some of it in advertising but much more in the press. You could be forgiven for thinking that there was only one firm in the area. It must have worked because not long afterwards they moved to smart new and larger offices!

Make friends with your local journalists. Find out who writes on the various types of news, meet them and find out what they would find useful and remember that photos always help - most of us have digital cameras these days.

Look at the various other types of local publications. You probably have at least one local ‘paper so talk to them all but you may also have other publications. Here in Yorkshire, for example, we have Yorkshire Life, an upmarket magazine which carries, amongst other things, society content and advertising for expensive local fashion shops. If you want to win some high net worth family work this could be the place, so talk to them. There are no guarantees but you might find them approachable.

In fact, make this your motto: “If you want something – ask!” After all, how can you ever expect to get anything unless to do?

Feed them with news: Anything that might catch the public’s eye. One of your staff just had triplets? Send in the details. A partner appointed to a Law Society committee? Tell them. Two of your trainee solicitors just qualified – get their photos taken and send them in. Just got a great result for a client? If it’s appropriate ask whether they will agree to a press release. You are unlikely to get every story printed but you will be surprised at how much you will.

This is largely a cultural matter. All your people need to switch on to the need to generate news and your marketing co-ordinator needs constantly to be digging to see what might be useable.

Finally, do ask to see a draft of each article before it is published. You are not looking for any kind of editorial control but you do want to make sure that the facts in it are accurate and you will be surprised at how often things are written that are simply not quite right. Any decent journalist will want this input so ask for the opportunity.

Finally, if you really cannot find anyone in your firm with the time or the aptitude for this, look for a good PR consultant. You can achieve a great deal with just a couple of days a month from them and it should not cost you more than around £300 - £400 per day.