ADUTAINMENT: Advertising as Entertainment
JellyBasket.com - JELLY by the CASE or as a GIFT BASKET.

SimpleSecureBackup.com a Leader in Remote Backup Solutions Offers an Affordable Solution for Small Business Owners
Limited resources force small business owners to overlook the dangers of data loss and corruption.

Building an Online Business Website - What Are Your Options?
Depending on your skill level, the amount of time you're willing to spend, and the amount of money you have available, building an online business website can be quick and easy process. On the other hand building a website can be very time consuming and expensive. There are pros and cons to consider whether you decide to build the site yourself or you decide to outsource the work to have it done for you. This article will look at 4 options that are available to you.

Online Reputation Management is No Monkey Business
Search engine optimization company, Adviatech Corp., launched their reputation management subsidiary this week after eighteen months of planning. The service helps repair individual's and company's negative press, online.

How To Make Your Customers Rave About Your Business
When it comes to business there is nothing more important and cost effective than a word of mouth referral from a happy customer.If someone is happy with your product or service they'll tell five people but if they are unhappy with your service or product they'll tell twenty five people.

MLM Network Marketing Training - Are You Fooling Yourself Out of MLM and Network Marketing?
Are you fooling yourself into believing that you actually are working this business?Many distributors practice what I call "Pretend Power". That is where you are actually "empowered" by pretending you are doing this business.

Postcard Marketing Ideas
Postcard Marketing Ideas

Premier Assistive Technology Announces the New Video Books for the 21st Century
Premier VideoCast Studio is a breakthrough in assistive technology. It is the first technology on the market that creates a Video Podcast of electronic books and documents. These video files can be loaded onto portable media devices, allowing individuals for the first time to see their books on video and take it with them wherever they go.

Radio Advertising - Is it for Your Business? - More Small Business Power Tools
If you're a typical small business, you've probably been approached by at least several different radio station sales representatives. In most cases, he or she comes armed with all the latest rating information demonstrating, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that his or her station is number one among just the kind of people who would buy your products or services.

Zafel LLC. Expands Company's Internet Marketing Services
Zafel LLC. expands its Internet marketing services to help small to medium size businesses learn how to attract online customers throughout the Central Valley.

Shore Trips Gets Help from Small Business Magazine to Help Expand Business
Shore Trips, a tour business group that leads land excursions for cruise and plane travelers in exotic places, was recently featured and helped by Small Business Magazine to increase its sales, fix its website and maintain high quality employees.

How Retired Folks can Build a Web Business
Many retired folks consider part-time work to make extra money. Though few consider the internet, nevertheless the technology has become simpler in recent times and the learning curve is not so steep.

Internet Marketing Tools - Increasing Free Web Site Traffic
There are plenty of ways to get free web site traffic, and you'll want to use those ways most often. Free web site traffic is out there for the taking --all you have to do is know how to lure it to your site. However, there are other ways to increase site traffic if your efforts to get free web site traffic are not meeting your expectations or if you simply don't have time to jump through all the hoops.

Boost Up Your Business with Commercial Loans
There are various loan options that can be obtained within a few days and if your requirement is urgent, which is normally the case in business financing, such loans would be highly utile. One of the greatest challenges before any business is to keep pace with their fiscal needs.

Four Tips on Knowing When Video Games are a Problem
Several tips are provided to help know when video games are influencing a person's life too much. The release quotes noted Chicago child and adult psychiatrist, Kourosh Dini, MD.

Best Computer Retailer Web site of 2008 to be Named by Web Marketing Association in Annual WebAward Competition
The Web Marketing Association announces the call for entries for its 12th annual international WebAward Competition for Web site development at www.webaward08.org. The Web Marketing Association will once again name the Best Computer Retailer Web site of 2008.

PR: The Wildcard Marketing Strategy

What is the true purpose of public relations and how can it really help impact the growth of your small business? In order for the media to succeed, they need information that is both useful and entertaining for their readers. This is where you, the business owner or marketing executive, come in.

When thinking of public relations, many things may come to mind, like: Sweaty palms as you pick up the phone to try and convince a reporter how great your business is; getting writers block while trying to write a press release about your company; countless hours of faxing your story to hundreds editors just to find out that your piece did not make it to print.

However, public relations does not have to be such a daunting effort. If done right, public relations can also bring rewarding thoughts to your mind, like: The constant ringing of phones in your office of people interested in your products or services; gaining credibility and becoming a leading expert in your industry; or thousands of people learning about your company in a matter of days without costing you a dime!

This is the type of public relations that every business owner should strive for. First of all, let's analyze the true meaning of public relations. The Webster dictionary defines public relations as "Communication with various sectors of the public to influence their attitudes and opinions in the interest of promoting a person, product, or idea." Sounds easy enough, right? Well, if that's the case then why do so many companies struggle with implementing effective PR campaigns?

Most small business owners think that public relations is too time consuming of an effort. This may be true in cases where small businesses have very limited resources (i.e. staff, budget), but this should not discourage you from doing it. It is just a matter of prioritizing your goals and leveraging the resources that you do have available to take advantage of what is an invaluable marketing tactic. Now that we have established the importance of PR for your business, here are a few tips to get you started in the right direction:

1. Create several creative story pitches. The way to get into the hearts and minds of the media is through a great story pitch. Shamelessly promoting your business or its products is not going to do you much good. Not only that, but editors may classify you as that annoying self-promoter that won't stop pitching their product line, and then refer you to the advertising department. When developing story pitches you should ask yourself the following questions:

What makes this story different from the hundreds of other stories being submitted? Will this benefit readers financially, professionally, emotionally, or even spiritually in any way? Is this really entertaining or fun to read? If the answer to any of these questions is "No", then it is time to adjust your story until the answer is "Yes".

2. Match your target audience with the right media channels. If your company's main customer base is women in their 30s, then you probably don't want to focus on media channels that target a demographic of men in their 50s. Really understanding your target audience will help you in the next step of your PR plan - targeting the right media channels.

Even if you were to get exposure in these "A List" publications, it doesn't necessarily mean that you will get the same results than if you had a write-up in a more targeted publication that focuses specifically on Human Resource issues.

After getting your initial list of potential media targets together, rate each one on how good it fits with your target markets, and go after the ones that fit best first, regardless of the circulation or popularity of the source.

3. Have a spokesperson or PR firm represent your company. So let's assume that you have executed your calling campaign and have sparked interest with an editor or reporter looking to secure an interview with someone at your firm. They contact your office but no one is available to take their call. One thing that journalists and editors lack is patience, and rightfully so - they have deadlines to fulfill! The last thing you want is to be unavailable when an editor or reporter wants more information about your company or products.

4. Take advantage of your opportunities when they present themselves. PR results do not happen overnight. You must be patient and persistent. However, when activity comes up, you must ensure that the company is rewarded for the hard work put in! So do not forget to include your company information including a 1-3 line sentence describing your company, author byline (if applicable), and a URL of your web site. Media professionals will sometimes forget to include this information so it is your job to include it in your press release, articles, or interview. If you have a welcoming relationship with your media contact, see if you can check the article before it goes to print. If you are doing a talk show, make sure they mention your company name and/or web site on the bottom of the television screen.

5. Follow up with your contacts. Now that you have received press, do not forget to thank the reporter or editor who wrote it. Maintaining solid relationships is essential to the success of your PR campaign. Taking a reporter out to lunch or dropping them a kind note every now and then doesn't hurt either.

In sum, PR is a wildcard marketing strategy that can yield tremendous results if implemented correctly. Companies need to have either an in-house or third party person dedicated to PR, at least on a part-time basis. This person needs to be the champion of the company, products or services, in a tireless fashion. Don't forget that your number one goal is to get in front of your target audience. In your next marketing plan review or initial development of one, make sure to give PR serious attention and the resources necessary to implement a long-term PR strategy.

About The Author

Dali Singh is the Managing Director for Blueliner Marketing, a full-service marketing and communications firm based in New York City. Visit her website at www.bluelinermarketing.com or contact her dali@bluelinermarketing.com.