Online Publicity: Economic Survival Tips You Need to Know

There is no denying that the economy is forcing people to redesign their promotional budget. The choices authors and experts have to make when it comes to PR have to be highly effective to make each dollar count. So how does an expert decide which strategy to implement when funds are scarce and sales are so crucial? Here are five tips to consider when choosing your publicity strategy.

Fine-tune your focus. Traditionally it made sense to be as aggressive as possible when promoting your products and services. However in this economy that usually is not an option. Consider online promotion as the prominent focus in your marketing efforts. Positioning yourself as an expert and reaching millions in your demographic will create a solid platform to promote all of your work, rather than just one product. You can create products and services to monetize your website and build your business for the long term and the short term. Approaching your publicity from a strategic marketing perspective will be more cost effective then a broad scale media campaign.

Create a connection with your audience. People are looking for real help from experts today, not just more advice. Creating a platform to interact and be true resource is very effective when it comes to boosting sales and building a long-term marketing strategy. Working with an online destination to make yourself accessible and involved can create more impact than simply being on a talk show discussing your book.

Eliminate the element of chance. In today’s world it is crucial to work with people who have a proven track record at making a difference in your overall objectives and who can guarantee their work. No publicist can truly guarantee the way people will react to your message. However, you can be certain that you are working with people who can prove their strategies and placements do go beyond simple and random exposure. Including a marketing component is a necessary component in any publicity outreach in today’s economy.

Use your press releases wisely. Reaching out to national media can be very expensive, so when you do this, do it effectively. Create press releases that focus on something in the news, rather than simply putting out a release about your products and services. Media are more likely to respond to something of newsworthiness, so tie your releases into current events and send them out regularly.

Be memorable. In our current economy, branding your work is more important than ever. You have to make every outreach count, so creating a branding element to your work that will have impact is crucial. There are essential elements to representing your brand effectively. Use tag lines, images and concepts that position you as a resource and solution. Avoid descriptive branding….focus on solving problems.

Promoting your brand prominently online allows you connect directly with your target demographic and create a specific pathway to your website. The key is to choose the right websites and secure major promotion on these websites. Appearing on websites that are too small or irrelevant can damage your credibility and destroy your chances for large website placements. This is one time where too much of a good thing is not necessarily a good thing. With online placement, it is all about quality, not quantity.

For a free consultation with Anne Leedom, Founder of Net Connect Publicity contact her at anne@netconnectpublicity.com or visit her website at www.netconnectpublicity.com.