Have you considered hiring a publicist but their fees are way out of your price range?  Do you need a publicist but you’ve heard the horror stories of “I paid my retainers and got nothing?”

Regardless of the fact that this may all be true, at some point people need to know about your business other than by word of mouth.  Publicity has served and still today is the best avenue in getting the word out.

Yes indeed, publicity is the most respected and credible way to get your business seen, but the cost of hiring a publicist can sometimes put a real strain on a small business.  This is one of the main reasons a lot of businesses have turned to Publicity Agents rather than large PR  firms.

#1 – Customized Plan

Create your publicity plan, customized just for your business, not some template used for all other businesses. Each niche is different, each business within a niche is different, therefore, we all should have a plan customized to fit our needs and our budget.

#2 – Media Savvy

You should learn everything there is to know about the various forms of media and how to get your business noticed by them. You do not have to know everything, but, pick up on those things that you can do by yourself. By doing so, or at least knowing enough, you can more easily weed out PR people who are not right for your specific business.

#3 - Product or Service Leveraging

A good publicist will create the right (or desired) relationships that turn into your clients by leveraging your products or services. Do you know other players within your niche? Do they take you seriously? Do you know how to approach them? If not, your publicist can help you.

#4 – Media Publicity vs. Public Publicity vs. B to B Publicity

Today's internet allows us to incorporate more than traditional media publicity.  Small businesses need to be able to incorporate three forms of publicity: Media, Public, & Business to Business. A good publicity agent will never tell all their secrets…but, they will make sure you are informed and that you are meeting the right people for your business, which in turn will help you to leverage your own form of publicity. Learn how to get the most of all 3 kinds of publicity!

#5 – What Can A Publicist Do That I Can’t Do Myself?

 Often times we hear people say, that they do all their own marketing. Why do they do it all themselves? Typically the cost of hiring another person or hiring someone without the knowledge of their business are the first two reasons this question is asked. Many times a business owner will know who the other players are in their industry, and will know them well. Relationships and control are two other reasons that people think they can do it all on their own.

What some business owners may not realize is that publicists are more than newspaper advertisers or glorified secretary’s. A publicist can help raise the perceived importance others see in you and your business. A good publicist will save you time, which in essence is money.

#6 – Raise Your Street Credibility

Having a publicist who can perform specific PR or publicity functions for your business is more essential than most small companies realize. You don’t have to have a full time $5,000 a month retainer to get key components of your PR functions accomplished.

More and more, you will find publicists who have struck out on their own, who have key knowledge in certain areas of publicity. Determine the type of publicity that will best suit the needs of your company, and then build on the services you need and want from there.

#7 – Cost of Keeping a Publicist or PR Firm

This is actually the number one reason why most small businesses never hire a publicist.  What most large firms will tell you is that they are all encompassing and a small firm will not be able to service all your needs. What most businesses don’t know, is that you don’t have to start out doing everything. You can start out slow or with only the most important pieces of the puzzle.

Hiring a smaller firm or a publicist who does this on their own, can be scary, but with good references and clearly defined roles, you should have no real problems.