I keep a notebook with marketing and PR questions prospects, clients, and colleagues ask. It has a ton of doodles because I love to draw, and it’s loaded with valuable information. It’s what my community wants to learn, understand, and master.

Not every marketing and public relations consultant will carry a $1.00 orange notebook in their backpack, but I do. It’s interesting to see the same questions pop up over time; I also enjoy a mix of techy questions about marketing AI tools and apps, which prompts me to test-drive products like this; it’s called Orai. I’m excited to try it because it gives you feedback to improve your delivery. (Better to hear it first from an app than from the audience).

Small business owners, experts and consultants all want marketing that works; they don’t usually have a huge team or resources, which is why I focus on keeping marketing simple. Basically, I want to know if you have a marketing plan or if you’re throwing darts at a wall.

8 Common Marketing and Public Relations Questions and Answers

• Do you have a marketing and PR plan template?
• What’s the difference between a business plan vs marketing plan?
• Do you offer affordable PR for small businesses?
• What’s a perfect 30 day marketing plan?
• Can you give me a book marketing plan example?
• Do you teach how to do your own PR?
• What’s the best day of the week to send a press release?
• Are there any small business grants that pay for your services?

Do you have a marketing and PR plan template?

Yes, we write customized marketing and PR plans and use our own template, one that’s worked for all types of clients and industries. That marketing template can change a bit; we add and edit sections, depending on the goals of a business. Every marketing and PR plan includes tons of research, the latest industry trends, competitive analysis, social media and branding intel, outreach, places to network, speak, podcast, guest blog, and more.

What’s the difference between a business plan vs marketing plan?

A business plan and a marketing plan are both important for your business. The major difference is the span of what they cover. Typically, a business plans gets into the nitty gritty of a business – operations, staffing, materials, costs – and includes a smaller, less detailed section on marketing.

A marketing plan covers not just what you’re doing now, but where you want to go, and gives you a comprehensive roadmap on how to get there. You’ll also gain research on your industry, trends, competition, and most importantly – who your target market is, where they hang out, and how to reach them. An outside perspective is sometimes surprising. 

Do you offer affordable PR for small businesses?

PR is an art and a science. And it’s changed since I studied at Boston University College of Communication. One of our services is comprehensive PR training for small businesses and how to create a 12-month PR calendar. The course teaches you everything you need to know and do to get free publicity and earned mention. Basically, it’s like picking my brain and what I’ve learned over the last 20 years. In Massachusetts, the training is available as an Express grant if your company is eligible (most are). 

What’s a perfect 30 day marketing plan?

That’s a loaded question because there is no perfect marketing plan! My recommendation is to create an annual marketing plan and put it into 12-week marketing years. That means, to do what’s most important first. When we create a marketing plan, we also write a separate action plan with tactics on what to do every day, week, month, quarter, and so on. To meet specific goals, I recommend breaking down the plan into phases, or follow the 12-week marketing year formula.  

Can you give me a book marketing plan example?

Besides Karen C., Google is my best friend. You can find almost any information there, but we can’t give you a copy of our book marketing plans; first because they’re confidential, second is because they’re our secret sauce! Our book marketing plans follow a similar path, except that they’re focused on maximizing PR and publicity, earned media, social media, blogging tours, selling books to associations, libraries, speaking to the right target markets, cause-related activities and more. They’re customized and comprehensive – with creative ideas you may not come up with on your own.

Do you teach how to do your own PR?

Absolutely. Our PR and publicity training is a 12-week course, and it’s hands on with me as your trainer, mentor, and guide. We have a curriculum built on what small business owners need to know, and how to get the most from free PR. Once a marketer or business owners learns these skills, they can save upwards of $3,000 a month on what a publicist charges. Plus, when you know what you’re doing, PR helps you outshine your competitors — and it’s the perfect SEO juice.

What’s the best day of the week to send a press release?

This is an often-debated question, but my advice is to not send a press release on Monday or Friday. Tuesday may be better than Wednesday, but Wednesday works. Thursday is ok. Be strategic. I also don’t recommend sending a press release on a holiday week. The good news is you can send a press release about what’s going on in your business, data, new hires, and more. If your release doesn’t get picked up by every outlet you want, don’t worry. They still serve an important purpose. Oh, don’t forget to add video links!

Are there any small business grants that pay for your services?

I love working with small business grants! It’s one of my favorite new ways to help businesses increase sales and visibility. I’ve been fortunate to get a number of grants that have helped accelerate my business and am grateful for the opportunity.

As a marketing and public relations provider with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Express grant program, if your business qualifies, you can work with me and get 100% reimbursement for marketing and PR training and services. Here’s some recent press about the program.

Bottom line: Each of these marketing and public relations FAQs could be an entire blog or article. My goal is to answer these questions simply, but there’s always more than a “paragraph in my head.” Every b2b digital marketing consultant might reply differently.

I’m not a social media ad specialist or a SEO marketing guru. I’m a small business marketing and PR expert that works with you to solve your greatest challenges and help you bring in the business you deserve. I’m so happy when you succeed.