Small Business Toolbox

A library of business management info


PR

  • Use a Gimmick to Attract Attention
    10/01/2008
    In this sluggish economy, concocting a gimmick for your business can mean the difference between no sales and new sales. Even better, gimmicks (unless you want to try to top Snapple’s efforts) don’t have to cost a lot of money to implement--which means if they don’t work, there’s no harm done. Here are three tips for creating the right gimmick for your small business:
  • Making First Contact With the Media
    08/27/2008
    One of the most important steps to success for a young entrepreneur is simply getting the word out about your business. In the pursuit of recognition, perhaps you've even taken out ads in newspapers, on Web sites or in other forms of media. But what if you could get the name of your business in the press without having to pay for it? Making contact with your local media is a great way to potentially spread the word about your company to a diverse audience. Here's how you can do it.
  • Use Your Blog as a Marketing Tool
    12/26/2007
    Do you have a blog? Ever considered starting one? According to CyberJournalist.net, as of last year, there were 50 million blogs out there in cyberspace, and blogging keeps growing as a popular method of communication, especially among young adults. As a young entrepreneur, however, you have to be more careful about how you represent yourself online than most of your fellow students do. When handled correctly, your blog could even help you increase business. Read on to find out the dos and don’ts of blogging.
  • Promoting Podcasts
    10/10/2007
    Also known as webcasts or online broadcasting, podcasts are multimedia files that can be automatically downloaded to subscribers' personal computers or played on mobile devices such as iPods. If you prefer to communicate via the spoken word, podcasts can be a viable tool for conveying information to employees, clients or prospects. However, you will have to take certain steps to help the right people find your messages.
  • Five Expert Tips for a Successful Media Kit
    07/19/2007
    Do you ever wonder how newspapers and magazines choose the sources they do for articles? And do you ever ask yourself, "Hey, why didn't they call me? I would have been a perfect source for that!" If you answered yes to both questions, you probably don't realize how important a media kit can be to your business.
  • Trade-Show Savvy
    11/10/2006
    Trade shows offer a priceless opportunity to build awareness of your company and your services and maybe even gain new customers. But whether you attend one or 20 trade shows throughout the year, if you don't take the right steps to leverage the opportunity to your benefit, it will always be a disappointment. Attending a trade show in not cheap, and the last thing you want to do is waste your time and money.
  • Publicity Part II: The Secret to Getting Publicity
    10/12/2006
    Believe it or not, there is actually one little-known secret to getting publicity. And it has nothing to do with hefty PR budgets, fancy press kits and expensive spokespersons. The secret is this: You have to think like a reporter.
  • Publicity Part I: Do You Have a Plan?
    10/11/2006
    You're running your business on limited budget. As the owner, you wear more hats than you can even remember on a given day. But we're going to ask you to put on one more, one that is often overlooked but can be the key to bringing you more customers and growing your business: publicity.
  • The Next Big Thing
    05/24/2006
    A college campus is a great place to make contacts, introduce new products and sell, sell, sell. Take advantage of the thriving marketplace you’ll call home for the next four years and make an impact on the consumers there. Here are some great ideas and resources to use to market to your peers.
  • Making a Fresh Start in the New Year
    01/05/2006
    It is always a good idea to take stock at the beginning of the year and come up with some new ways to build your business. Here are some ideas you may not have considered.
  • Word-of-Mouth Marketing
    10/25/2005
    Remember that tired cliché, talk is cheap? If you are looking for an inexpensive way to promote your business without breaking your small-business bank account, creating a buzz about your business through word-of-mouth campaigning may be the way to go.
  • Building an Online Media Room
    06/08/2005
    In today's virtually-connected world, first impressions mean everything. Whether you're creating a Web site or making e-mail contact with a potential client, the first impression you convey of your business is a lasting one.
  • Recycle Your Old Office Equipment and Make a Difference at the Same Time
    05/27/2005
    With technology changing the equipment needs of small businesses every so often, you’ll find yourself at some point with a glut of old equipment that you must dispose of. One way to get rid of that equipment, do a good deed and secure a tax write-off all at the same time is to donate that equipment to nonprofit organizations that can put it to good use.
  • Help Your Community and Market Your Business During Tough Times
    02/09/2005
    With news filling the airwaves about national and international disasters like the tsunami crisis in Asia, the California mudslides and a rising death toll in Iraq, it's hard to keep from thinking about the hundreds of thousands of people that are being impacted every day. If your small business offers time, money or services to help people in a crisis, the payoff is not only the satisfaction of giving, but a boost to your business as well.
  • Help Your Community and Your Business Through Civic Service
    12/08/2004
    If your small business has not found a way to give back to the community through community service, you're not only missing out on a chance to help others, but you're losing an opportunity to boost your business's bottom line as well.
  • Want to Get Covered on the News? This TV Reporter Shares the Secrets
    12/01/2004
    Do you have a great idea for a story but no clue how to get it in the news? Are you tired of pitching press releases the news media simply ignores?
  • 'Tis the Season: Early Planning Is Key to Holiday Gifts and Promotions
    11/01/2004
    For consumers, the holiday season is a time for gifts, food, parties and merriment. But for savvy small-business owners, the holiday season is a time to show clients and customers an appreciation for their business and further cement the professional relationship in the process.
  • The Art of the Press Release
    10/21/2004
    The press release is one of the most important documents when it comes to advertising your business and your product, but it is also one of the most challenging to create.
  • A Class Act
    05/03/2004
    Learning is a lifetime activity, and school is not just for children.
  • Write a Press Release -- Get Your Business in the News
    03/12/2004
    If you've go something happening at your company, then fire off a press release
  • Making the News
    03/12/2004
    Getting media coverage of your company is great publicity, but you can't always control what journalists will say.
  • Benefits of Volunteering
    01/31/2003
    Not only will you benefit from the positive experience of helping others, but your business will, too.
  • Simple Community Service Projects for Small Business Owners
    01/10/2003
    Many community service projects don't involve extended periods of time or great financial outlays, but are beneficial and greatly appreciated.
  • Parade of Values
    12/30/2002
    Whether the flags are flying on the 4th of July or the snow is falling in December, cities across America mark holidays with a parade.
  • Compile an Effective Press Kit
    09/30/2002
    If you haven't put one together for your business, now is a good time to consider it. Here's what to include.
  • Press Releases: New Business Banner
    04/02/2002
    Today's Workshop offers some tips for getting your new business advertised with flair--through press releases.
  • Know the Media -- Contacting the Right Person Makes a Difference
    04/02/2002
    When it comes to working with the media, a small business owner needs to talk to the appropriate media member.
  • Generate Publicity by Sponsoring an Award Competition
    04/02/2002
    A great way to get your small business noticed is to do something that creates enough community interest to warrant a full-blown newspaper article or TV news segment. Such stories always garner more attention than a press release.
  • Get Free P.R. Every Month
    03/22/2002
    A good goal for owners of small and medium-sized businesses is to try to get some free publicity every month.
  • Planning a Successful Business Lunch
    03/22/2002
    How many times have we heard about successful sales meetings taking place in the relaxed atmosphere of a business lunch?
  • Does Your Business Have a Personality?
    03/22/2002
    Most people associate the word personality with individuals. But businesses can have personalities too, and the image and feeling of a more distinctive business are likely to remain with customers.
  • Improve Your Image
    03/22/2002
    Although E-mails and brief memos have become so prevalent in business that the traditional letter has all but vanished, you can enhance your image among peers and supervisors by sending out well written, clear, and grammatically correct written material.
  • Five Tips on Outsourcing your Press Releases
    03/22/2002
    Today's Workshop explains how to choose the right PR firm for your business.
  • Tis the Season -- All Year Long
    03/22/2002
    The major U.S. holidays for which business greeting cards would be appropriate are: Thanksgiving, The Fourth of July, St. Patrick's Day, and Dr. Martin Luther King Day. Cards specific to each of these days require messages uniquely suited to the occasion.
  • Planning Your Company's First Convention Booth
    03/22/2002
    When the time comes for you to display your products and/or services at a convention, you can take specific steps to save some headaches and make sure that you have a productive time while at the convention site
  • How to Write Effective Promotional Materials
    03/14/2002
    Whether you're creating a brochure, an ad, a direct mail letter, a Web site, or any other promotional material, you'll be using words.
  • Do It for Charity
    03/14/2002
    If you would like to do something beneficial for your community -- and gain a little publicity in the process -- here's an idea that has proven successful for a wide variety of businesses.
  • Approach Charitable Giving Wisely
    03/14/2002
    In today's Workshop, Jeffrey Moses discusses donations by small companies.