PR firm launches one-day course teaching small businesses how to get publicity

A PR firm has created a one-day course to help small businesses struggling with exposure gain publicity in their region.

The course, run by Campfire Communications, will teach business owners how to do their own PR in just one day so that they start to be seen.

‘Many micro businesses battle to compete with larger competitors as they simply don’t have the marketing budget,’ said Melissa Talago, founder of Campfire Communications.

‘But this invisibility goes beyond a lack of marketing budget. Many aren’t even recognised by the government as existing.’

There are an estimated 45,000 ‘invisible’ micro businesses in the Leeds, North Yorkshire and East Riding. These are businesses not registered for VAT, aren’t limited companies and don’t employ staff directly, which means they’re not counted by the government in the small business tally.

Yet each of these businesses is generating an income for at least one person and possibly financially benefitting others through outsourcing.

Melissa wants to help these micro businesses get the recognition they deserve, and generate growth as a result, by teaching them how to market themselves without spending a fortune.

‘Some of the business owners I work with have a huge amount of potential and fantastic stories worth sharing with the public, but they can’t afford the services of a PR company and don’t know how to do it themselves. I aim to fix that,’ she said.

The first Learn to do PR in a Day course will be held on 22 April at Middleton’s Hotel in York. The price is £199 and includes 11 modules of course content, a press release template, press list template and PR plan template.

York is just two hours by train from London and 30 minutes from Leeds. Full details can be found here http://www.campfirecommunications.co.uk/events.html

Campfire Communications was set up by Melissa Talago, a PR expert with 20 years experience. She helps small businesses figure out their story, write their story and share their story through message & marketing strategy, copywriting and PR tools and coaching.

She previously set up, ran and sold a PR business specialising in the parenting sector for which she won several PR awards including a CIPR Gold Award. She has been featured in ‘Kitchen Table Tycoon’ by Anita Naik and ‘Mum Ulrapreneur’ by Susan Odev.