Use public relations to create buzz.
If your budget looks like mine, you’re probably cutting back on advertising and ramping up your PR efforts. A common misconception is that advertising and public relations are the same. Let me clarify. Advertising is paid placement; PR is third-party coverage, as in a reporter included you or your business in an article. This can be much more credible than advertising, but you lose the control you have when you place an ad. Keep in mind the pros and cons of both. A good PR campaign can have lasting effects, creating buzz and driving sales. For one entrepreneur, doing her own public relations paid off—big time. Sara Blakely, the creator of Spanx—footless pantyhose—debated whether to use a big PR agency or do her own publicity work in-house. “I believed so much in my dream that the idea of someone pitching it who maybe hadn’t even [...]