The Functionality of Publicity When Funds are Tight

If your money is running low - and in this economy, who doesn't have a tight budget? - then Low Budget PR is always the way to go.

Picture this, you're sitting alone at your desk, reviewing the media kits of various publications all the while wondering if it's even worth your time to buy an over priced ad that you really don't have the money to support anyway. So what should you do? You should take the time out to do the three Ps: plan, position, positive thinking. With all of the hype surrounding the nouveau positive outlook movement, why not infuse your shoestring publicity plan with a positive outlook.

The three Ps work for virtually any business - from entertainment to entreprenuership, home-based, or e-commerce, you really can't go wrong. So let's start with a plan. Your problem is that you need to maximize your exposure but you do not have the budget to promote. If you plan out your publicity campaign effectively, you will reach your target goal of maximizing exposure while saving a ton of money. If your first instinct tells you that you need to hire a publicist to help you out, then you have another thought coming! The average 4-6 week publicity campaign can cost anywhere between $2000 - $5000 (at least that's what the rate was when I was a publicist in the entertainment industry not too long ago). Why spend that amount of money when you can do the legwork yourself - unless, of course, you have that kind of money to spend.

When you get into planning mode, you definitely need to assemble a media kit (which basically contains your biography - keep it brief though - and the basic products or services that your company offers.) Once you have your media kit on deck, then you can easily sift through the myraid of ezines, blogs and local press. There is always an eager-beaver journalist looking for great tips that you may have to offer. For the sake of illustration, let's say that you have a service that specializes in home improvements yet has a focal point of winter time pest control. You know first hand how vermon searches for a warm place to call home during the winter season. If you did a google search on home improvement/pest control ezines, you will find suitable publications that reach your niche consumer. From that point, all you have to do is contact the editor of the publication and send them your media kit. It's a cinch!

As a result of your planning efforts, you've managed to position yourself in the marketplace - which instantly boosts your credibility - and gets you a sizable amount of low budget publicity. If you think positively while continuing your publicity efforts, the sky is the limit!

Until next time...Here's to your success!