Unethical businesses don't win
I was hiking the Boone Fork Trail in Blowing Rock with friends. As we crossed a shallow brook, a fellow hiker shared her dismay......

Linking your firm with a local charity
Public relations is all about building relationships with the public - specifically the segment of the public that matters to you and your business......

Hit your mark with targeted PR
In today's high-tech world, it's as easy to communicate with someone on the other side of the globe as it is to converse with......

Become known as an expert
Have you ever wondered why some businesspeople are frequently quoted as experts in their fields? Perhaps you have seen a competitor quoted and wondered......

These tips can help tell your story
What's the secret recipe for positive press coverage? The answer lies in understanding what journalists want and how they want it. Easier said than......

Boost media coverage of your events
If you want to increase the probability that the news media will cover your event, keep the following in mind: What is the story......

Break bad habits to help growth
I lead a services firm. Our clients pay for our time. Since time is a limited resource, management of our time is critical to......

Effective PR can really work magic
When I say "great magician," who comes to mind? Most people respond with a single name: Harry Houdini. Houdini has had more written about......

There's no such thing as 'quick PR'
I have recently received several inquiries from business owners for some "quick PR." Because "quick" is relative, I felt compelled to probe deeper. What......

Drive sales with choice sponsorships
A sponsorship is financial or in-kind support of an activity or event. Sponsorships can enhance the image of your organization, differentiate you from competitors,......

Keeping a passion for your venture
Entrepreneurial ventures can be exciting, igniting passion in a business owner. And communications about the company and its offerings are filled with energy and......

To tell your story, learn the lingo
There are a lot of stories in the news about going "green." But do you know what it means when a story is "evergreen?"......

Use PR to influence perceptions
The purpose of public relations is to influence the perceptions and behaviors of the people you care about, including customers, potential customers and employees.......

Little things lead to big opportunities
The owner of a small business was invited to speak at a local conference, and the company issued a brief announcement about the speaking......

Nonprofits need to seek out the press
Most nonprofits rely on contributions of volunteer labor, cash or in-kind donations to survive. And positive media attention increases public awareness and entices people......

Anniversary is time to promote biz
Congratulations -- your firm has reached a milestone anniversary. Whether it is five years or 50 years in business, milestone anniversaries open up a......

Hit a home run with a great pitch
An in-depth feature or profile story showcasing your company in a positive way is like a home run in baseball. And like America's favorite......

Online info reflects your firm's image
Not too long ago, I received a phone call from a customer of a business I have not owned or operated in more than......

Less choice can mean more sales
It is not unusual for clients to pose the following question: "How can I better communicate all the various services my firm offers?" My......

Biz owner class of 2001 finds success
The fourth quarter of 2001 was a time when many people reconsidered their careers and their lives. And in their enthusiasm to bring more......

What to do when story misses you
Suppose you read an article that highlights the industry in which you do business or addresses a topic within your area of expertise. The......

Tell your story in trade pubs
It is not uncommon for small-business owners to avoid news coverage in print and broadcast media. Even positive stories pose a perceived threat to......

Holidays can provide PR opportunity
Every day, a reporter is working on deadline, a radio show producer is booking guests and a TV news assignment editor is thinking about......

Controlling your firm's Web image
When potential customers undertake an Internet search for your company name or brand, you want your Web site to be high on the list.......

E-newsletter can connect in new ways
Electronic newsletters can be great tools to help build business -- if recipients actually open and read them. So how can you increase the......

Photos can boost your PR power
You've heard it said that a picture is worth a thousand words. This adage definitely applies to media coverage for your business. A great......

Awards can put firm in the spotlight
During the next six months, business owners will have many opportunities to be considered for awards. Most awards involve a lengthy application and interview......

How you can show clients your thanks
Showing appreciation is a vital element of good public relations, and now is the time when many small-business owners begin sending holiday cards and......

A winning reputation wins clients
Clients purchase professional services from people, not companies. The reputation and credibility of the person providing the service are key factors in the decision.......

Make most from a radio interview
As a small-business owner, there are many opportunities for you to participate in radio interviews as an expert in your particular industry. Radio can......

Doing it all could hurt your image
Many small-business owners want their companies to appear bigger than they really are to enable them to secure large contracts from major corporations. And......

Expectations are crucial to effective PR
Public relations is all about establishing and promoting a positive image and is an essential part of an effective marketing process. But the truth......

Making shift from soloist to employer
Most small businesses want to project the image of being a vibrant, growing enterprise. But if you are trying to run a small business......

Nonprofits benefit from effective PR
Most nonprofit groups have at least two target audiences: the people who use their services and those whose contributions of volunteer labor, cash or......

Businesses do well by doing right
"Trust is like the air we breathe. When it's present, nobody really notices. But when it's absent, everybody notices." -- Warren Buffett Trust underlies......

Workshops will promote your brand
One of the best ways small-business owners can show their expertise to prospective customers is by conducting a workshop. When people have the opportunity......

Don't spring changes on staff, vendors
This is the time of year when I contemplate change. Strategy is refined, budgets are set and preparations are made in anticipation of improving......

Interviews on TV, radio boost image
As a small-business owner, you are faced with the ongoing challenge of establishing and promoting a positive image of your company to customers and......

Get fired up again about the business
Starting a new business is exciting. It is filled with first-time experiences and the energy generated from making dreams a reality. But as your......

Media needs appear on the calendar
Editorial calendars are schedules of what topics publications plan to cover and when those topics will appear in their publications. Television talk shows and......

Big or small, the rules are still the same
Babson College and the Kaufman Foundation has released the findings of a new study that shows entrepreneurial activity in the United States is improving......

Summer is a key time for networking
For many businesses, things slow down in the summer. That makes it an excellent time to recharge yourself and promote your business. You may......

Hard work alone won't bring sales
When you introduce yourself to potential customers, do they immediately recognize your company's name? If you are talented but no one seems to know......

Give them a reason to believe you
Good public relations is all about projecting a positive image for your business. An essential part of that image involves the marketing materials that......

Get involved but learn to tell them 'no'
Nonprofit organizations and professional associations are often governed by volunteers chosen to serve on their boards, and every year those board members rotate, allowing......

Use multiple venues to tell firm's story
Let's get right to the point: To establish and promote your expertise in the marketplace, you must display that expertise multiple times through multiple......

Don't confuse client with too many options
I recently had lunch with a friend in need of a professional services firm to assist her with her rapidly growing business. She showed......

Find mentor to provide a guiding hand
Business owners tend to be fiercely independent, operating in rapid-fire decision-making mode, using whatever information is available. As a small-business owner, you may be......

Newsletters can aid your marketing
Company newsletters are great tools to help build business. But a newsletter is good only if it is read, and it is read only......

Emotion can damage your public image
Have you ever had an irate customer call and furiously accuse you of wrongdoing? On the other hand, have you ever been so angry......

Keep growth steady via marketing
As a small-business owner, you probably have experienced a roller coaster of business activity. It is feast or famine. You either have so much......

No business is too small to seek help
As a small-business owner, you have probably felt the need to tap into the wisdom of others with more experience than you or with......

Be informed when hiring a consultant
At some point in the growth of your business, you will need help from someone with expertise that you do not possess. You may......

Local stories attract notice nationwide
Think globally; act locally. It's more than just a slogan on a bumper sticker. It is also how you should handle media coverage of......

Awards can be a boost to any business
In case you haven't noticed, there are many awards bestowed upon business owners and executives every year. There are awards for every industry and......

Touting your knowledge by the book
An effective way to establish and promote your expertise in the marketplace is to write and publish a business book. If you have always......

Networking is more than a handshake
When I say "networking," what pops into your mind? The most common mental image is of a large gathering where people are trying to......

Find a niche to grow your marketplace
It is the dawning of a new year. Many small-business owners are reviewing the results of their efforts and wondering, "How can I build......

Get focused for a better year ahead
This year began with everyone singing the refrain "it can't get much worse." And then it did. Many small businesses discovered that their big......

Big news tip: Make it easy on reporters
If you are trying to get positive media attention for your business, it is important to know what reporters want and how they want......

Speak out to market your biz expertise
Small-business owners, especially soloists, need to expose their expertise to prospective customers. One of the best ways of doing that is through public-speaking engagements.......

Gain visibility by expressing your opinion
An effective way to gain visibility for yourself and your business is to publish a letter to the editor or opinion piece in your......

Win big with aid of small contractors
Being a soloist doesn't limit your ability to handle large contracts. You can deliver on the big jobs by engaging independent contractors. Independent contractors......

Promote your business with news flashes
Want to maintain consistent exposure in print, broadcast and on the Internet? Use brief press releases or "news flashes" to establish a link between......

Keeping eye on cash flow keys growth
Your goal is to have cash flowing into your business quickly and cash flowing out of your business slowly. Think of it as opening......

Always get biggest bang for your buck
I like Rule No. 8 of Wal-Mart Stores Inc. founder Sam Walton's Rules for Success: "Control your expenses better than your competition. This is......

Keep your clients loyal by listening
Most people associate marketing with advertising and slick brochures and promotional activities. But marketing, in fact, is the total of activities involved in the......

Message is a key piece of your strategy
As a result of this column, I have been contacted by an incredible number of soloists seeking guidance in one form or another. Typically......

Plan needed to reach the right market
Marketing activities including public relations and publicity should be addressed in your marketing plan. You do have a marketing plan, don't you? Marketing is......

Expertise is your biggest selling point
During the past few years, the number of one-person consulting firms has grown dramatically, along with the business challenges they face. National and local......

Your message needs to fit the customer
I was waiting for my car to be inspected. Seated beside me was a man wearing sunglasses, and he was talking to a woman.......

Making a difference will help you find your niche
Considering all the different ways your potential customers can spend their limited supply of money, why would they choose to spend any of it......

No company's too small to focus on PR
What is the difference between marketing and public relations? Are public relations and publicity the same thing? These terms are commonly used to describe......

Follow these five steps to biz success
Ah ... if only it were that easy. Even in the late 1990s when it appeared anyone could make a million dollars with the......

One-person businesses are in excellent company
Statistics show that people who read this section of The Business Journal are typically small-business owners. If that is true for you, chances are......