It's always best to figure out what your goals are first. Do you want to increase revenues? By how much? Increase brand awareness? What's your time frame for these goals? Public relations is communication with your target audience - who are your customers? How engaged are they with your brand? Do you receive word-of-mouth referrals from them? Measuring ROI always comes back to your goals and whether you're meeting those goals...and of course sales are the ultimate benchmark. A few more tips to keep your MarComm budget in line: - Leverage your partnerships - social media reach and awareness campaigns - Grow through alliances with vendors - Tie into a rising trend to generate media buzz and mentions - Keep a sharp eye on your reputation. Is your customer service something that customers rave about? If not, then correct that. Good luck! Lisa Avedon