Phone: 450.370.8357

Fax: 450.264.8284

E-mail: april@albapr.ca

Alba Public Relations

P.O. Box 1983

Huntingdon, Quebec

J0S 1H0

HOW PUBLIC RELATIONS CAN ADD VALUE TO YOUR

BUSINESS IN A DOWN ECONOMY

There are few things that business

owners feel their company can do

without: management, accounting,

human resources. The first department

most often downsized in a softening

economy is the marketing department

with the company opting to skate on

current or previous marketing cam-

paigns until things pick up.

While it is true that it’s difficult to op-

erate a company without management

and accountants, it is likewise fool-

hardy to think that you do not need to

consistently communicate with your

target audiences—your buyers.

Public relations involve on-going activi-

ties to ensure that a company main-

tains a strong and positive image. PR is

designed with target publics in mind,

helping them understand the com-

pany, services and products.

While the ideal situation is to integrate

advertising (marketing) and public rela-

tions strategies, public relations alone

can bring great value to the table:

• In an uncertain economy con-

sumers’ reluctance to purchase

products and services means

your company will benefit from

providing more in-depth infor-

mation by using media rela-

tions, articles, social media

opportunities and even promo-

tional events and campaigns.

• There’s a reason ’tradition’ has

become tradition: it works. This

means that traditional media

(ie: newspapers, magazines)

remain tried and true, cost-

effective methods to keep in

touch with your target clientele.

News releases, op-ed pieces,

and bylined articles are some of

the PR tools that can be em-

ployed to get your company in

the news.

• Public relations efforts can

quickly seize upon an opportu-

nity—crucial in a competitive

business environment. News

releases can be drafted within

hours and podcasts can be pro-

duced practically overnight.

• PR can build mass media and/or

marketing campaigns that per-

meate multiple channels in this

age of digital media prolifera-

tion simultaneously ensuring

the information presented to

consumers is transparent,

timely and informative.

• You can still save money as you

look to cut corners: hire a PR

freelancer! Experienced copy-

writers, designers or consult-

ants can be outsourced.

Business owners will further

benefit from PR practitioners’

existing relationships with

media, government, special

interest groups or other influ-

ential sources.

• PR practitioners are re-

nowned for their creative

approach. They can also lev-

erage your company’s inter-

nal creativity into something

tangible with their experi-

enced project ’tweaking’.

• PR activities are measurable,

contrary to popular belief.

Media Relations Points

(MPR) and media monitoring

software are two popular

options.

• Perhaps the greatest value

public relations can offer is

that PR campaigns can be

developed and used over the

long-term or be imple-

mented on and off at key

times.

By strategically using public rela-

tions methods and tools you can

continue to deliver your key mes-

sages to your target audiences even

when your budget is restricted.

© 2009—Alba Public Relations