PR Budgets and Reality in Today's Economy

What a topic: PR budget's in today's economy. This is first in an occasional  series 

• Clients are slashing budgets. But want SOW to remain the same. 
  
• Agency's are trying to push back. 
  
• New Business Prospects are retainer-weary, most want short-term projects.
  

What's an agency to do?

At AJR & Partners, we have looked at this very carefully and have designed several programs to help clients and prospects navigate today's economic waters and still continue their marketing efforts.

in a down economy when your competitors  are cutting back on their marketing, you have a chance to grab marketshare and build brand for the future, when the economy is sure to bounce back.  let's take a look at some options we are providing for our clients and that are working in this economic environment: 

QuickStart Plans 

AJR’s QuickStart program enables us to meet quick tactical PR and marketing needs while simultaneously creating a long-term strategic plan. In Today's economy, this agile approach saves time, money and drives results, especially for start-ups.  

Well-defined Projects

 

Some of our clients are only seeking short term sales goals, and here is where flexibility of a small shop rules.  Without high overhead, we can perform near miracles in 30-days or on specific projects like PR for a tradeshow.  

the key for success is to have a well-defined scope of work for the project and to prevent "mission creep" by the client, who is seeking more than a the project's parameters.  (of course some over-servicing is OK and expected to show that you are investing in the client, but there needs to be balance) 

Public Relations  Seminars 

Some clients are just Looking to enhance their  in-house PR capabilities or give their staff  an added edge in a challenging economy.  This is where we provide training without the strings of a retainer.

Our full-day PR seminars are custom designed to meet  specific client  needs and have the client's in-house  PR team working and thinking like an award winning agency.
 

Clients love seminars as it's a way of enhancing their team without the cost or commitment of an agency (can't believe I wrote that) 

Social Media 

Social Media and Web 2.0 refers to a second generation of web-based social-networking sites like YouTube, Facebook and Twitter as well as other online communities that cater to unique and diverse groups.

Many  brands are now engaging their customers directly through Social Media. AJR has created web 2.0 and social media programs for a variety of clients, ranging from start-ups to major consumer brands. 

While many of the tools of Social Media  are free, a skilled agency or in-house team member must devote time and resources in order to use these tools to their fullest extent possible.

We have built and managed communities for diverse groups such as Gamers, Toyota drivers, HDTV fans, audiophiles and many others.  

Finally,  whatever you do in this economy, don't stop marketing or you will lose momentum when the economy comes back to life.