How to do PR right while on a budget

What is Public Relations? PRSA (Public Relations Society of America) initiated a crowdsourcing campaign and public vote that produced the following definition:“Public relations is a strategic communication process that builds mutually beneficial relationships between organizations and their publics.

”Small Business Owner translation: the promotion of your business, products or services. Public Relations help tell your brand’s story to an audience you might not have access to. For many of you on a budget, hiring a PR agency for your business is out of the question. But here are some budget friendly PR tips you can use until you can afford to hire one!

Think “Local”. Check out the local publications in your area, start by building relationships with journalists, bloggers, content writers. Offer yourself as an “expert” on any subjects they may be covering.

Guest Blogging: I’m pretty sure you’ve seen various accounts on social media or even on your favorite online publications where “guest bloggers” are featured. Find a brand who’s message, audience, products and services are in alignment with your brand. Ask if you can offer advice on their blog. You’ve accomplished reaching a larger audience, marketing your level of expertise and possibly gained new followers.

Sign up for HARO: HARO is also known as Help a Reporter Out. It’s a service used by journalists and reporters. How it works is, you subscribe to the site, HARO sends out a number of emails and you reply with your content. If the publication picks up your story, they’ll feature your content or source information for whatever publication they’re writing for. HARO works with media outlets such as The Chicago Tribune, Fox News, and the New York Times.

Twitter: Forget the algorithm challenges! With Twitter you can find Live conversations for just about ANY topic. Offer your advice on a Twitter feed such as a “Live Chat” with a brand that has your target audience and voila! Free PR at no cost to you!

Think target audience, marketing strategy, and your brand's message to tell your company's story.