Rod's advice for small businesses to raise their profile through PR is very sound, although as an international PR practitioner for many years, I’d advise against businesses taking a DIY approach to PR. In most cases, business owners don’t have great instincts for what the media wants, or how to position themselves in the media. In most cases, business owners don’t have the time or the understanding of how issues ebb and flow and to be able to put together an effective, long-term media strategy. They don’t have the time to build up the all-important personal relationships with journalists and editors, or to monitor the strands of discussion that might yield opportunities for them. They might be able to score a few hits, but those are a waste of time and money if not part of an ongoing project with clearly defined goals. In addition, most time and resource-strapped most media prefer working with PR companies because they speak the same language and know get what each other wants quickly and cleanly. Businesses trying to muddle through their own PR often aren’t taken seriously. In this market, there is PR advice available to suit all budgets, and most PR people are happy to cut a good deal to companies with growth potential. This allows business owners to focus on what they’re good at – running their businesses, and leaving PR to those who are best at that. sheila@villagemedia.org