BLUE LIZARD MARKETING

It's a question that a lot of business owners ask, especially in start-up or small businesses. While it's possible to operate a business with little or no PR spend, it's unlikely that the company will ever gain traction in their key markets without it. On the other hand, small businesses that actively engage in integrated PR and marketing tactics are more likely to capture the attention of their potential customers and achieve the kind of business results that create long-ter

If I could have a £1 for every time someone says to me that he or she 'used to do PR, but did not get much out of it', I would be a very happy bunny! It comes soon after they ask what I do and of course, I respond, 'I work in PR and I work with small businesses and start-ups'. It is also very true that most business owners I have met and who are responsible for their company’s internal and external communications strategy are still not sure why they need PR and what they get

I think as PR bods we are all probably aware of this but here are the top three PR activities which don’t work anymore – and send us all into that 'head banging' moment! As small businesses using PR to help promote their business, these three are certainly worth keeping in mind. - sending out a mass press release If you had a news story in the past you were very likely to write it up as a press release and send it out to journalists as a mass e-mail. This traditional method

Good communication will let people know that your company, your brand and your products or services exist. Strong messaging helps turn your one-time customer into a loyal and returning fan. When you have a small business, you are always going to be limited on time and most likely resources, so ensuring your PR activity is timely and consistent is not always going to be top of your list. So how can a PR freelancer help? I run Blue Lizard Marketing as a freelancer working sol

As many agencies, and indeed freelancers, are becoming increasingly discerning about the pitches they respond to or take part in, developing your brief is key to attracting the best. Pitches are expensive business for both agencies and freelancers. They take time and money to pull together and without a good brief, potential clients can often find they are not in a position at the end of the exercise to compare apples with apples. Firstly, do your research. Do you want to wor

Most small businesses will want to use both bloggers and journalists to help promote their business. To be fair, the lines between the two are pretty blurred and are becoming increasingly more so, so why should a business consider both bloggers and journalists to help them gain coverage? Connection Social media is the quickest and simplest way of connecting instantly with journalists and bloggers. Twitter is a favourite platform and the use of hashtags such as #journorequest,

You’ve gained coverage for your business! Fantastic: now what should you do to maximise it? At Blue Lizard Marketing, we suggest you make the most of it by doing some or all of the following! Use it to influence and drive leads to your website If you already have a customer newsletter or are working with prospective clients, make sure you share your coverage with them by sharing a link to the coverage. Doing so creates third-party credibility and helps generate further int