Gear Up for the New Year With Free Publicity
So you've decided that getting your name out there is going to
be one of your major goals for the New Year. But how do you do
that on a limited budget?
That's where publicity comes in. And you can do it. It just
takes time - and a plan. Here are the seven basic steps to
creating a plan:
1) Decide who your target market(s) is. There may be more than
one, but your target market is not everyone. A good way to find
out is look at who currently buys your product or service and
create a profile of them.
2)Write down three strategies you will use for each market. They
can include: Speaking/workshops Press releases Articles Ezines
or print newsletter Letters to the editor Postcards Networking
events Blogging Podcasting
3) Set a measurable goal for each strategy. How many speaking
engagements do you want each quarter? How many releases will you
send out each month?
4)Write down several topics or themes. Create at least one for
every goal you set.
5) Learn how to do each of the strategies by researching. There
are hundreds of articles and tips on each PR strategy on the
web. All will help you implement your plan better.
6) Schedule time each week to work on your goals and strategies.
Research shows that a small business needs to spend about 20% of
its time marketing. And if you're a new business it's more like
50%.
7) Evaluate every 3 months to see how you're doing. You may find
that some strategies aren't working well, and others are really
paying off. This way you can discard what ineffective and change
your focus, if you need to.
Businesses that want a leg up on their competition need to focus
on boosting their public relations efforts. This keeps them from
going under when the economy is weak, and gets them ahead of
their competitors when sales start picking up. With a New Year
approaching, now is the perfect time to get a fresh start on
your PR planning.