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Would Bill Gates ever be down to his last million dollars, let alone a single George Washington? No, the fact remains that it's a powerful endorsement of the power of PR.

The economy is tight and corporations tighten their belts down to that last notch, unfortunately PR is usually one of the first few items on the budget that's frozen or cut completely. If your marketing is tracked correctly, you will see the impact to your company. Companies consider it difficult to quantify PR expenditures. Great marketing departments and their attention to detail show great company profits.

The usual result of a cut in PR is a drop in sales and sales leads which can make a company practically invisible to consumers and business-to-business customers. These PR efforts give your company a bigger name and the opportunity for everyone to know your name. Free press gives your company a wide audience. When you make cuts in the PR, you hurt your companies' profits.

In lean times, public relations still provides the highest value and greater return on investment than any other marketing tactic, including promotions and advertising. To increase that value, there are a number of 'performance-based' PR agencies that mitigate the risk of their clients and only get paid when they deliver solid placements. Retainer-based firms operate on the principle of making their 'best efforts' to get your company press. With retainer-based firms, you're paying more for their time than for the press you were looking for. Your invested money gets the exposure results you're looking for. Performance-based PR firms deliver for you, or they don't get paid.

Part of the issue facing corporations is the lack of understanding of the difference between PR and advertising. The heart of PR is that clients will likely pay one-tenth or less of the cost of an advertising campaign.

Your name can be printed free in national magazines, you can be interviewed on radio or appear on national TV. Are you a financial guru? Appear on a national TV interview. An outlet like Fox News carries credibility. The book you wrote and the speaking of your ideas are special and can be heard by millions.

Gates was one of the few software geniuses of his era who also understood the differences between advertising and public relations, and was able to maximize both to his company's favor. Bill Gates acquired success by paying attention to his PR. Great performance-based firms give you the opportunity to perform in front of a national and worldwide audience which will result in your success.

At the end of the day, companies can't survive the lean times without a steady stream of customers coming to their doorsteps, and PR can deliver them without busting the bank.