With tough times likely to be with us for some time, we thought we’d start a new section of the RL&A blog – Talking PR – “down and dirty” talk that helps shed some light on how PR can realistically help extend tight marketing budgets.

Okay, so it’s a well known fact that PR delivers a better CPM and ROI than other types of marketing, such as advertising. Here are some practical tips to help you get started once you decide to dip your feet into the PR pond:

• Get more “bang for your buck” with smaller agencies: Smaller firms are usually better equipped to handle smaller budgets, since they often have less overhead, are used to working with smaller/tighter budgets, yet can still give clients individualized attention.  For example, at RL&A, we have a relatively small, select group of clients that we typically work with for several years — as opposed to the revolving client roster that many of the large Manhattan agencies have. Since we regularly work with smaller budgets, we pride ourselves on maximizing the effectiveness of each dollar spent, and getting our clients a strong return on their investment, all while making them feel like they are getting the service of a larger agency.

• Buyer beware — find an agency with a specialty/expertise to best meet your needs: Having an expertise in a business category is particularly important in PR, since it means that the agency knows this industry well and should have relationships with the trade as well as with the media who report on these types of brands. Having an agency that specializes means that your budget will go toward getting results versus educating the agency on your industry. And just specializing in “healthcare” isn’t always enough – is your brand an Rx, OTC, nutritional supplement, medical device, drugstore beauty brand? With budgets being so tight right now, this is key to selecting the right agency for you. We often turn away business if it doesn’t meet our expertise, but in this economy, other agencies may not be so forthcoming.

• Focus on social media as well as traditional media outlets: These days, PR specialists need to be especially creative when putting together PR campaigns, since the competition for editorial space is at a premium, with all the national news on the economy and related stories filling most of the news hole. The strategy now needs to include social media as well as traditional, since social media reaches target consumers right where they are talking about your category, your brand or your topic. A well-planned social media outreach will pinpoint the places where key conversations about your products are happening online to get your brand into the discussion, without spending a lot of dollars to do so. Ask an agency how long they’ve been doing social media and to see examples of their work in the digital arena.

• Go to online media: While the economy has been deteriorating, media outlets have also been affected. While many magazines have been folding, other magazines and newspapers have been shutting down their print editions and focusing solely on online editions. With more and more people turning to the Internet for their news, and, with the rise in social/digital media, a good PR campaign should also focus on the .com media, not solely the bloggers, to communicate a brand’s messages.

• Research cost-effective tactics: Being able to cost-effectively reach a variety of mediums on small budgets can be a challenge, which is why an agency that specializes is so important. Whether you’re looking to reach mommy bloggers or garner TV coverage in local markets, there are tools and tactics, including co-ops, that allow you to split the costs with other non-competitive brands making them more affordable for all involved during these difficult financial times. Your agency should be always on the lookout for these cost-effective tactics that can be shared with other companies or internally with its own clients.

We would never say that PR will ever completely replace advertising, but PR can be a great, cost-effective alternative during a tough economy, as well as a great complement to any marketing plan during good economic times. To find out how PR can extend your marketing dollars to help you reach target audiences more cost effectively, visit www.robinleedyassociates.com or contact Robin Russo at (914) 241-0086, ext 16, for a complimentary media audit.