Budget PR

There are opportunities throughout the year to piggyback on national calendared events for which the local media will be keen to interpret for their readership and audiences.

Tomorrow's budget is an excellent example. How does it impact on your business or on your customers?

You need to have a legitimate line on something within the budget, preferably a measure already grabbing headlines. Once you identify the angle it is time to prepare a release. It need not be anything too elaborate because space will be tight and besides, if you capture the target media's attention, they will most likely be chasing you for more information or an interview.

And remember, altruism will win you coverage faster than selfish reasons, so even if it really does impact on your bottom line, talk about the threat to jobs, the pressure it puts on your customers' wallets and so forth.

The aim is to simply raise awareness for your business in the shadow cast by the Budget and enjoy the impression this gives readers about your awareness of the market and how national events impact at the local level.

It is also a neat foundation for 2009. Weeks ahead of next year's budget make the same assessments and then contact the media who reported on you this year and invite them to engage again. Particularly with broadcast this could allow you to react live to the announcements in the House of Commons.