With today's depressed economy putting a serious hurt on marketing budgets, now is a great time for Green Industry companies to focus on Public Relations (PR).

So, let's put your PR hat on and go get some free publicity!

Chances are an opportunity for this valuable PR is right in front of you. You just need to seize it!

If you do charitable work within your community, you can leverage this goodwill to increase your company's visibility, in turn, leading to more business.

To get the most from your community involvement will require an actual PR strategy. Don't leave your hopes of free publicity to chance--it won't happen without conscious effort on your part.

This article will cover seven specific ways to get the good word out to your sphere of influence as well as to your local media.

Writing a press release

If you are doing good deeds in your community then you need to let your local media know about it. Editors and writers are always looking for unique, community-focused stories--so give them your story!

The most effective way to deliver your story to the media is by writing a press release.

Depending on what you are doing in your community, sending a press release before and after your involvement may have the most impact.

A Yard and A Half Landscaping in Waltham, Massachusetts was featured in The Daily News Tribune for their volunteer work for The Childrens Room in Arlington, Massachusetts. This was a great publicity opportunity for the company. You can do the same thing by writing a press release.

If you are not sure how to write a press release, download my sample press release as an example.

Sending an e-newsletter

It's important to let your sphere of influence know what you are doing to benefit the community. Your family, friends, clients and other business associates will be thrilled to hear about your involvement and commitment to the community.

A simple and effective way to deliver your message is by sending an e-newsletter. If you publish an e-newsletter then an announcement regarding your community service should be included.

A Yard and A Half Landscaping did just this. They included a short write-up in their e-newsletter with a link to the online article. They also went a step further by linking to a time-lapsed video which featured their volunteer landscape work.

Blogging about your community involvement

Blogging is a great way to chronicle your community involvement. Blogging is an effective tool because you are able to communicate your experience in real-time. This is much more powerful than a single press release or e-newsletter.

You can also include images and video in your blog which makes your writing more compelling.

If you are not currently blogging you may consider starting a blog solely to write about a community event you're involved with. New Jersey landscape designer Susan Cohan APLD, a very prominent blogger, created a separate blog to cover her unique event, "A Garden Gives Back".

Posterous is the blogging platform I recommend for setting up a simple, short-term blog.

Sharing on your online social networks

If you are active in online social networks like Facebook and Twitter, you have the same real-time opportunity to update your followers regarding your community involvement.

A company Facebook Page is a great way to share your experiences and, as with a blog, you are able to share images and video on your Page.

Susan Cohan not only blogs about "A Garden Gives Back", but she also posts all of her blog updates to her Facebook Page to gain even more exposure (knowing Susan, the Facebook updates no doubt go to her twitter stream as well).

Archiving your community involvement on your website

While blogging and "tweeting" about your community work is the best way to update people in real-time, I also suggest archiving all of your community involvement. The best way to do this is by adding a "Community" page to your company website.

On this page you can organize all of your activities within the community such as charitable donations, sponsorships, committees you may serve on, events you're involved with, etc.

Let visitors to your website see what a community-oriented company you are. This will raise your credibility as well as differentiate you from your competition (you know they don't have a "Community" page like you do :-)

Documenting your goodwill in your portfolio

Just as you would add a "Community" page to your company website, I suggest adding a similar feature to your portfolio. Again, the idea is to document and archive all the work you do in your community.

Wherever your portfolio goes, evidence of your goodwill follows.

This is a great opportunity to include "Thank You" notes you have received as well as press clippings from newspapers and magazines featuring your community involvement.

Inviting your clients to community events

Many of the organizations you may already lend a hand to host annual events such as silent auctions. In my area, the March of Dimes hosts an annual fund raising dinner and silent auction which they call the Signature Chefs Auction. Beyond just donating my services to the silent auction, this is a great opportunity for me to purchase a table and invite clients to the event.

Inviting clients and others to special community events will help the organization first and foremost. And, at the same time, your clients will have a greater awareness and appreciation for what you do in the community because they see it in person.

Increasing your company's visibility and earning more business from your involvement in the community requires a focused Public Relations strategy. So, grab your PR hat and let the world know about your good deeds!