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What could you learn from Bill Gates about PR?

PR equals sales and companies must use their resources to gain profits. Tracking PR for accounting purposes is a science. Companies consider it difficult to quantify PR expenditures. Be smart with your marketing and PR to document the strategies and profitable impact to the company.

Companies need to pay attention to how these cuts hurt sales and sales leads. Add to that the fact that the print and broadcast coverage almost always comes with an online media counterpart re-purposing their stories. PR delivers the double-whammy of free press and search engine fodder. When you cut the PR budget along with the advertising budget, it's like tossing the baby, the bathwater and the bathtub.

Company public relations means connecting with the community and potential sales worldwide. To increase that value, there are a number of 'performance-based' PR agencies that mitigate the risk of their clients and only get paid when they deliver solid placements. Retainer-based firms operate on the principle of making their 'best efforts' to get your company press. With retainer-based firms, you're paying more for their time than for the press you were looking for. With performance-based agencies, you actually pay only for press, not for intangibles like time and effort. Performance-based PR firms deliver for you, or they don't get paid.

Public Relations offer the client the exposure and networking to get the publicity they deserve. The heart of PR is that clients will likely pay one-tenth or less of the cost of an advertising campaign.

The PR delivers a larger punch because it focuses on the placement of articles and broadcast spots in free media. Are you a financial guru? Appear on a national TV interview. An outlet like Fox News carries credibility. If the editors of these outlets deem the company or client worthy of news coverage, then there must be something special about them.

Gates was one of the few software geniuses of his era who also understood the differences between advertising and public relations, and was able to maximize both to his company's favor. Bill Gates acquired success by paying attention to his PR. Great performance-based firms give you the opportunity to perform in front of a national and worldwide audience which will result in your success.

At the end of the day, companies can't survive the lean times without a steady stream of customers coming to their doorsteps, and PR can deliver them without busting the bank.