Big PR Wins on a Small Budget
Posted on Apr. 13, 2025 / Media Relations / Subscribe 0
By Ashley Patton
Public relations professionals know the tale as old as time: Your leadership or client asks you for a new PR campaign and shares all of the relevant details—with one minor exception—the budget. Or should I say… the lack of a budget.
While we know PR practitioners are indeed amazing and can certainly earn coverage without a budget, depending on the project, even a small allotment can multiply our effectiveness, streamline our processes and augment our resources. But when you’re tasked with something that seems insurmountable, like a zero-to-low-budget campaign, here are some tips and tricks to make the magic happen.
As the treasurer of Phoenix PRSA and deputy communications director with the city of Phoenix, I’ve been there. Between navigating our chapter’s nonprofit budget and always ensuring a responsible use of taxpayer funds, I am all too familiar with searching for pennies in couch cushions to execute effective campaigns.
Narrow your objective
PR pros may appear like we have magic wands, but we don’t—and even if we did, they’d be much more effective if we used them to cast spells that were pointed and specific rather than broad and generalizing.
Setting and defining a very clear objective, including a specifically targeted audience, will help streamline your efforts.
Ask your leadership or client for specific goals or key performance metrics so that you can focus your efforts specifically on those audiences.
Hitch your wagon to helpful topics, trends or events
We know a strong media pitch often has a peg—hashtag holidays, major events, cultural moments and more can be inspiration for your campaign.
You may not have a budget, but a trending topic will organically help your cause.
Look at your campaign’s schedule and ask yourself: Are there any major events happening during the deployment dates that we could take advantage of? For example, a big movie premiere, an awards show or a sporting event?
Is there a “hashtag holiday” you can celebrate? If your client is a donut shop, when is National Donut Day?
These free events can help garner attention with reporters and online.
Leverage free (or pre-existing) resources
From CapCut to Canva to ChatGPT, whatever your campaign needs, there is a free (or almost free) app to help.
Take an inventory of what tools you may already have through your organization as well. Whether you have access to Microsoft 365, Adobe Creative Cloud or other tools, a no-budget campaign is the perfect excuse to look at what’s available in-house to support your work.
And lastly, remember, you’re not alone. PRSA, including the Phoenix chapter, has excellent resources for PR professionals ranging from online forums to professional events to simply networking. All of these tools can be helpful for a low-budget campaign. Tap into your professional network, ask a fellow pro or peruse resources at phoenixprsa.org.
Ashley Patton currently serves as the Deputy Communications Director for the City of Phoenix, AZ. She began at the organization in 2019 as a Public Information Officer (PIO) and has held positions including Senior PIO and Special Projects Administrator as well, leveraging her talents in public and community relations, social and digital media, and more to maximize resident and media engagement on important municipal initiatives.
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