Rosen Group Releases Survey Findings on PR’s Value through Economic Uncertainty

Survey: 78% Of Small Businesses Lack Crisis PR Plan; Social Media, Content Marketing Cited As Most Impactful PR Initiatives 

The More Economic Uncertainty, the More Crucial Smart PR Is, Says Majority of Respondents

NEW YORK, NY (April 9, 2025)—Rosen Group, the award-winning full-service public relations firm, today released the findings of its 2025 PR Pulse for Small Business Survey. Addressing a variety of timely topics — from crisis preparation to initiative impact to budget allocation and economic uncertainty — the findings highlight the PR-related perspectives of 1,000 small business owners across the U.S. Conducted in partnership with Researchscape International, the survey was administered to a respondent pool weighted to represent the overall population by industry, census area and company age.

The survey found:

• CRISIS PREPARATION: 78% of small businesses have no formal crisis communications plan, as only 14% said they have a comprehensive crisis plan with regular updates and team training, and 8% said they have a formal crisis communication plan documented but not regularly updated.

• IMPACT: When asked to select which PR initiatives would have the greatest impact on their business over the next 12 months, social media management (56%), content marketing (49%) and media relations (31%) were most selected. Next were hosting an in-person event (25%), influencer partnerships (23%) and speaking at events/conferences (20%).

• CHALLENGES: When asked to identify the primary challenges for the PR efforts of their business, limited budget (54%) and time constraints (32%) were most selected. Next were a lack of media contacts (25%), low brand awareness (25%) and no clear PR strategy (23%).

• BUDGET: 41% said they allocate at least 20% of their annual budget to marketing and PR, while 28% said they allocate 10-19%. Further, 9% said they allocate 50% or more.

• ECONOMIC UNCERTAINTY: When presented with the following statement—The more economic uncertainty there is, the more crucial it is to have a smart PR plan—55% said it completely or mostly reflects their view, followed by 36% who said it somewhat or slightly reflects their view. 

“While tactics, technologies and the media ecosystem have certainly changed over the years, the underlying principles behind a smart, effective PR program certainly have not. In times of crisis and uncertainty, the stakes are amplified. And there’s no way around it: right now we’re in a time of economic uncertainty. This current landscape just makes us all the more focused and motivated to do good, meaningful and impactful work on behalf of our clients,” said Lori Rosen, President, Rosen Group. “We encourage all businesses, regardless of size, to have a PR plan in place—because the benefits, both short- and long-term, far outweigh the costs.”

View complete and in-depth survey results here.

Methodology:
Rosen Group commissioned Researchscape International to conduct this omnibus survey. The online survey of 1,000 U.S. small business owners was fielded from March 28 to 31, 2025. The respondent pool was weighted to be representative of the overall population by industry, census area and company age. 

About Rosen Group
Rosen Group is a full-service public relations firm headquartered in New York City. Serving a diverse client base, Rosen Group provides innovative ideas, trustworthy counsel and results-driven campaigns that encompass media relations, thought leadership, special events, social media, strategic consulting and policy advocacy. In 2024, Rosen Group celebrated its 40-year business anniversary. For more information about Rosen Group's services, visit rosengrouppr.com. 

About Researchscape International
Researchscape International is a market-research firm that specializes in custom surveys and provides automated research tools. Founded in 2012, Researchscape focuses on an agile-research methodology, offering full-service research solutions with quick turnaround times as well as the ResearchStory analytical platform. In 2024, Researchscape International surveyed over 400,000 consumers and business professionals in 60+ countries.