How about a Yellow Pages advert? Pay per click? Maybe some direct mail followed up a telemarketing campaign?
Well whilst each of these are perfectly valid marketing routes and ones any forward thinking company should at least test the very best type of marketing for all types of business is the type that is FREE!
That is right Ladies and Gentlemen, if you are working with a tight marketing budget (or indeed with no set marketing budget at all) then you can now get exposure for your product, service or company in the form of PR (or Public Relations).
For large companies PR is big business. They will think nothing of employing staff with the sole intention of getting the name of their company in the media (be it written press, television, radio or online). And because the PR market is seemingly dominated by the larger companies small companies shy away from using PR in their marketing mix.
If this applies to you then good times could well be ahead as PR is a vital part of the marketing mix for smaller companies in particular as they often do not have the time or money to spend on often expensive advertising or other marketing.
Successful businesses of all sizes use PR to promote their business, build their reputation and become a recognised expert in their particular field. And the beauty of PR is that everyone is an expert in something. And by passing on your expertise in a particular subject in the right way you become newsworthy.
And that is the real secret when it comes to good PR. It has to be interesting and newsworthy. Nobody cares that you have just launched a new website or that Mrs Jones in Accounts has just become a Grandmother for the second time (both subjects I have seen in press releases and both subjects I have seen in journalists bins!). And if you have ever attempted PR only not to have it published then I would not worry too much about it as you are amongst the 99 percent of companies who send out PR that just is not newsworthy or interesting.
Here are a few words on Why PR is important.
Communication lies at the heart of todays modern society. Be it on the internet, television, pod casts or whatever medium you choose. And with so many firms competing for the same business as you, how do your customers differentiate between you and your competitors?
The answer lies not particularly in the size of your Yellow Pages advert but how you project yourself and what your firm has to offer.
PR has a huge sway in the minds of consumers as the perceived third party endorsement that comes from editorial coverage can be substantial, maybe even more so than advertising that can cost hundreds or thousands of pounds.
PR done well can result in increased exposure, increased business and increased profits. And if you want your business to be the best it can be then becoming good at PR is something you want to do.
