How to Make the Most of a Small Public Relations Budget

Working on a small public relations budget is difficult for many reasons, but some of the most successful campaigns I’ve worked on were executed with a small budget. Below are some pointers to help you when working on a smaller PR budget.

Determine the client’s goals

Most clients understand how precious time is when working within a strict budget so determining the goals should be the first priority for both the team and client. Are they launching a new product, trying to reach a different market or audience, or do they simply just need more coverage? Whatever the goal is, make sure you are both on the same page before developing a campaign for success.

Get creative

Working with a smaller PR budget doesn’t mean you can’t still get creative. We pride ourselves in being a creative firm so don’t forget about that because your client can’t execute the craziest PR stunts. Offering creative story angles, unique mailers, or an exclusive interview are still a few ways to be creative on a tight budget.

If you aren’t getting results, pivot!

Working on a smaller budget means you don’t have a lot of time for errors. Your smallest client has the least amount of hours in your day and it’s up to you to make them valuable. If you aren’t reaching the team’s goals or you are currently hitting road blocks, pivot to a new direction—fast. Your client will be happy you didn’t blow the budget on a campaign that wasn’t working.

Ditch the time sucking tasks like reporting

Using your time wisely goes without saying when working on a small budget, and reporting is usually the task that takes the most amount of time each month. For a lot of our clients, we’ve moved away from daily news monitors, weekly reporting, and monthly coverage reports to focus more of our time on the important tasks, like getting coverage! We typically send over coverage when we see it and track it in one master document the client has access to at any time. Be realistic with your client from the very beginning about reporting – it will save time and energy for everyone.

Showcase your successes

Whether it’s a short project or a long-term PR campaign, make sure you highlight all your hard work! Working with a smaller PR budget is no easy task so when you reach goals, showcase them to the client immediately.

Some of our favorite and most successful campaigns were executed with a smaller PR budget. By sticking to the PR goals at hand and being efficient with your time, you can still achieve award winning results!