I'm in my third week of my FINAL (and hopefully last) Public Relations course here at GC&SU. Public Relations Campaigns is a more hands-on do it yourself class that really pushes us to see what we are capable of on our own. Digital Bridges is a new non-profit organization located in downtown Milledgeville and is our client for the semester. This organization hopes to redefine Milledgeville by bringing a wave of technology and innovative thinking to the small business's and entrepreneurs.
This organization has a very big target audience in Milledgeville which can make it challenging to spread awareness. My group consists of Cara Wilmer and Brooke Brookins and we are excited for all the ideas we have to make this organization a success. Our main target audience are the small business's and entrepreneurs who would be more successful if they knew how to utilize technology and social media. With this said.....how to we acheive this?
I did some research on selecting a PR program that fits your need. I found an article that is very helpful and wanted to share it.
http://www.allbusiness.com/marketing/public-relations/803-1.html
Selecting a PR Program
To determine the types of public relations programs that are right for your business, there are several considerations to keep in mind.
Your company’s goals and budget will determine which public relations programs will be most suited to your company. Do your homework first! Always know what your working with before you dive in!
- Evaluate your business goals: Are you a local, regional, national, or international business?
- Determine a timetable: How fast do you need to build awareness?
- Make a budget that's in line with your working capital and your goals.
- Create an action plan of programs and personnel to reach your goals — whether in-house or outsourced.
Then take a look at what your industry is doing and see what works for your competitors. Look to other industries for some innovative schemes.
Keep your PR function in-house and even do it yourself. Media types love entrepreneurs', energy and enthusiasm for a new business. Learn how to write effective press releases. Create reportable events and excitement about your business so that the press wants to give you publicity.
If you have national ambitions and sufficient capital to fund a powerful PR campaign, hire the experts. This is what they do for a living, so they are focused, knowledgeable, and results-driven. On the other hand, your business presents you with constant challenges — product development, building a work force, securing funding for expansion, etc. Without a dedicated team of experts, public relations are often left out, mismanaged, or forgotten.
