| A great small business marketing strategy includes a | | | | PR Strengths: |
| mix of tactics. Advertising and PR are two very | | | | -It's FREE! OK, you might incur a very small charge if |
| important tools that all small business owners need to | | | | you hire someone to write and distribute a press |
| be using regularly. Many small businesses I talk to do | | | | release for you, but this is minimal. I think the reason |
| one of the other, but don't commit to doing both. Each | | | | why most small businesses don't do PR is that they |
| has its strengths and weaknesses and are | | | | don't know how it's done. Again, get some coaching, or |
| complimentary to each other. | | | | pay someone to do it for you. |
| Small Business Advertising Strengths: | | | | -Press is trusted more than advertising. If you read a |
| -The biggest advantage with small business advertising | | | | review that says that a new restaurant is the best |
| is your complete control over the message. You get | | | | thing in town, there's some credibility there. We tend to |
| to focus on whatever you want, write the text, and | | | | assume that a person who is writing an article is an |
| choose the visuals. You ensure that your marketing | | | | expert, and that they are an uninterested third party. |
| message is delivered. | | | | -You can distribute PR globally. As long as what you |
| -You control placement. You choose the exact timing | | | | are doing is actually interesting globally, you can |
| and media in which your advertising is placed. This is a | | | | distribute your press releases globally. This isn't |
| huge advantage because naturally you are going to | | | | necessarily as targeted as your advertising needs to |
| choose to place your ads where your target market is | | | | be, but you're not paying for editorial. By the way, |
| most likely to see them. | | | | never pay for editorial, and don't advertise with media |
| -You can repeat your messages over and over again. | | | | that promises to give you editorial as long as you |
| Effective small business marketing incorporates a high | | | | advertise. This is unethical and transparent - and the |
| degree of repetition and consistency. Advertising can | | | | credibility of the media will always be in question. |
| and should be run on regular schedules. | | | | PR Weaknesses: |
| -With advertising, you (and your budget) control your | | | | -You have no control over what the press is actually |
| marketing saturation. You can run the same ad across | | | | going to write or say about you. They may spell your |
| different publications serving the same market, run | | | | name wrong, they may get some details wrong, they |
| matching Internet advertising, put an ad on the radio, do | | | | may choose to focus on something you don't want to |
| cable TV, do outdoor advertising, etc. Ideally you need | | | | highlight. In general this isn't a big issue, as long as they |
| to be reaching your target market at least 4 different | | | | are saying good things about you. |
| ways for them to respond. | | | | -PR tends to be single exposure. Unless |
| Advertising Weaknesses | | | | circumstances are really unusual, the press is not going |
| -Advertising generally costs money. Most small | | | | to run the same story over and over again. I have |
| businesses don't have a huge budget for marketing. | | | | been involved with an exception to that. I was doing |
| Sometimes being creative can help defray costs. | | | | something that corresponded with a current event and |
| Sometimes you can trade for advertising space. You | | | | the press came to me again and again over 4 weeks |
| may be able to do co-op advertising. | | | | for TV interviews. This was pure timing. It's difficult to |
| -Small business advertising needs to be very targeted | | | | engineer press like that without seeming mercenary. |
| to be effective. Sometimes the only choices you have | | | | -There is no guarantee that you're even going to get |
| in your community are mass-market like newspapers. | | | | coverage. I was called to do a TV interview once and |
| You still need to advertise, but some of your marketing | | | | rushed into the city to meet the reporter and |
| dollars will be spent to advertise to people who don't | | | | photographer. On my way in ,the reporter called me on |
| want or need what you're selling. | | | | my cell phone to tell me they were pulling the story |
| -Most small business advertising stinks. I hate to say it, | | | | because there was breaking news that they had to |
| but it's true. Many do-it-yourself advertisers don't | | | | go cover. Depending on what's going on you may get |
| understand that there are advertising fundamentals | | | | tons of press or none at all. |
| that work. A good ad will always out-pull a bad one. | | | | You see that small business advertising and PR are |
| Here's my plug: If you can't invest the time and money | | | | different things. You need them both, and you need to |
| to learn how advertising REALLY works, get yourself | | | | work at both of them consistently. They are two |
| a small business marketing coach to help you build | | | | important tools in your small business marketing |
| more effective campaigns. It will be money well | | | | toolbox. |
| invested. | | | | |