By L. Drew Gerber

As we recover from the recent economic crisis, more than ever, entrepreneurs, authors and business owners are turning to the power of PR as a cost-effective way to boost business and profits.

I can tell you — you don’t have sign on with a full-service PR firm to achieve results. You can do it yourself.

As an owner of a full-service PR firm and creator of a successful PR training program, I’ve seen firsthand how PR can . There are an amazing amount of resources at your disposal, and with a little bit of time and effort you’ll see tremendous results.

Here are some tips and tools I recommend using to maximize your economic recovery in 2010.

Brand Yourself: Your interests, talents, skills, education, hobbies and perspectives are unique so use the Web to share your expertise. The ever-expanding reach of the Internet and social networking gives you new opportunities to reach new customers and clients.

Research what Resonates: Watch, listen to and read your favorite media sources to find out what’s in the news and what conversations are dominating the media. Ask yourself, “What unique perspective can I add to the story?” Prepare a pitch and offer it up to media outlets. You can get free tips online at sites like http://www.PublicityResults.com.

Connect with Media for Free: Free services such as http://www.PitchRate.com can help you to get valuable exposure in the media. Sign up and you will receive free daily opportunities via email to speak with the media about topics and trends in the news.

Make Time for PR each day: Schedule a time daily to look over and respond to media inquiries. Setting aside a little time each day to do this will help keep you focused on what the media wants and maximize your opportunities to respond. Set up a Google Alerts account so you’ll catch all the breaking news relevant to your business and expertise.

Make it Useful: Give journalists tips and insights from your expertise that will be useful for their audience. Some media outlets may use your tips and give you credit without having to conduct an interview.

Prepare Key Messages: Write up a sample Q&A based on questions you would want to be asked in an interview. This will make for a stronger interview and great sound bites, and keep you prepared for future publicity opportunities that come your way.

Create Seasonal Angles: Do you have a product that is perfect for holiday gift guides or seasonal safety tips? Create a calendar and identify short- and long-term opportunities, realizing that many glossy magazines work up to six months ahead on seasonal issues.

Make a Media Wish List: Research journalists and their work and prepare a list of journalists’ emails and contact information. Decide which publications or media outlets best fit your expertise. If at first they aren’t interested in what you have to offer, don’t give up. Build relationships and they will call you when the time comes.

Respond When the Media calls — Always & Immediately: When you are presented with an opportunity, take it. Declining interviews or worse, being a no show, will result in non-repairable relationships. Remember, you are the one asking for the media’s attention. Make it easy for them to contact you 24/7 and always return their calls and emails.

If you take time every day to focus on your PR goals, it won’t take long before you see results that you wouldn’t have dreamed. Take advantage of the New Year and the PR tactics mentioned above. Before you know it, you’ll have the media knocking on your door, and the exposure and sales to boot.

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About the Author: L. Drew Gerber is CEO of PublicityResults.com and creator of PitchRate.com, a free media tool that connects journalists and the highest rated experts. PR Week, Good Morning America and the Christian Science Monitor have revered Gerber’s business practices and staffing innovations. His companies handle international PR campaigns and his staff develops online press kits for authors, speakers and companies with Online PressKit 24/7, a technology he developed (PressKit247.com). Contact him at: AskDrew@PublicityResults.com or call him at 828-749-3182.

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Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010, 7:46 am   |   General Marketing, Public Relations  |  RSS feed |  Respond  |  Trackback