Can’t afford Public Relations? Consider this.

A common myth and misconception about Public Relations is that it’s only for large corporations with big budgets who can pay the hefty retainers of a PR agency. This still occurs, I’m sure. But that’s an outdated model! Public Relations, or PR, is truly essential to every organization regardless of age, size, revenue, or number of employees. The exact needs and scope of PR services will vary greatly from business to business, but the value of strategic communications, reputation and brand management, and crisis planning is invaluable whether you’re a startup, nonprofit, or established corporation.

In my 13 years of providing Public Relations consulting , one of the largest roadblocks I’ve seen occur in entities of all sizes is that PR is confused for a “luxury” service reserved for big brands with big budgets. I could spend more than a few blog posts providing examples as to why that is simply not true, but instead, I want to give you some thoughts to consider. If your organization has reduced, eliminated, or never integrated Public Relations into its core strategies, here are a few questions you need to ask yourself today.

What am I spending on marketing and advertising?

So often I see businesses dedicate a healthy amount of their overall budget to marketing and advertising. Yet, when it comes to Public Relations, they have a completely different mindset as to the amount of dollars this piece of the pie deserves. There is a multitude of reasons why this happens, but it all boils down to not understanding the value of PR. When businesses claim they don’t have a budget for PR, but toss thousands of dollars at social media ads, billboards, sponsorships, and other forms of paid media, I have to laugh. A mere fraction of what they’re spending on advertising (and not likely seeing concrete, measurable results) would provide a healthy PR budget to accomplish some core initiatives that would build substantial brand value over just a few months’ time. The budget is there, the understanding and foresight is what is lacking.

What is the value of the time I’m wasting attempting to do it myself?

Another way businesses tend to cut corner on PR is to believe they can achieve the same results doing it themselves. But everyone’s time is worth something! Having someone in charge of an organization’s PR who lacks experience and expertise will result in a waste of time which is also a waste of money. A business owner who tries to “do PR” themselves is taking time away from other essential tasks that only he or she can accomplish. Instead, outsourcing PR to a profession is a wise investment that will give you back time to do the things you are inherently equipped to do well.

What is the cost of not being prepared for a crisis?

This one is a big one that is so often overlooked until it smacks you in the face. Thinking that you’re saving money by not hiring someone to prepare a crisis communications plan and conduct staff training is a big risk. Maybe you’ll go months or years without the risk coming to fruition. But it will catch up with you sooner or later. When a crisis does strike, and you have no strategic communications and Public Relations plan to guide your actions, you are likely to be derailed by (costly) chaos. Crisis PR is an insurance policy for the brand of your business. For all the energy, effort, and expense you put into building your brand, why are so many businesses reluctant to insure that equity?

What are my competitors investing in PR?

And finally, even if you’re not willing to invest in Public Relations, rest assured that other businesses out there are doing so to gain a competitive advantage over you. These are the businesses you’ll see highlighted in the media, rising in thought leadership, being sought after for speaking engagements and awards, and more. If this frustrates you, don’t waste your time wondering what they did that’s so special. It’s Public Relations. And you can have that same competitive advantage, you just have to choose to prioritize PR and give it an equitable share of your business’s development budget!

As you think through each of these questions, try to put concrete numbers on paper so you can truly visualize the risk versus the reward of investing in Public Relations. Moreover, consider the value of being proactive with your PR. This isn’t something you can fire up overnight and expect great results. PR takes time, consistency, and expertise. The investments you make early will have a compounding effect on your organization. Just as you invest in any other aspect of your business, why are you selling yourself short on PR?

I’d love to hear what thoughts these questions stir up for you! Let’s discuss in the comments.

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