Quick Assessment for Entrepreneurs

This is great! If you're an entrepreneur you should definitely take this quick assessment to calibrate where you are in the business-building process. Thanks to One Million by One Million for alerting us!

http://1m1m.sramanamitra.com/free-public-roundtables/the-1m1m-self-assessment/

Mega Media Week

It's been one of those few weeks where we've been doing a lot of pitching, and I mean A LOT. We've had some terrific stories run for our clients. Check them out and see what we can do for you! A special thanks to others we achieved as well but did not include here.

Real Naked Food - Chicago Tribune

City may put a lid on latest eco-trend
Chicago health officials frown on consumers reusing containers at stores and restaurants, citing contamination concerns

• 

(José M. Osorio/Chicago Tribune)

June 12, 2011|By Monica Eng, Tribune reporter

Just as Chicago consumers get the hang of reusable grocery bags, a new movement has sprouted to make local grocery shopping even greener: reusable containers.

Called BYOC — bring your own container — by its fans, the process involves carrying glass jars and bottles, plastic tubs, and even cloth bags to the market to fill with bulk foods. To eco-conscious consumers, who can already shop this way elsewhere in the U.S., the practice reduces waste, avoids advertising, reuses resources, facilitates the purchase of whole foods and saves money.

Read more...

Controversy Over Chicago Store That Asks Customers to Bring Your Own Container: MyFoxCHICAGO.com

Humble Pie Films' "Fancypants" - New York Times (Chicago)

From Behind Bars to Before a Camera
By BRIDGET O’SHEA
Published: June 18, 2011

For Patrick Gleason, starring in a film about a professional wrestler who finds unlikely redemption at the end of his career was not just a new experience but a metaphor for his own life story.

Just a few years ago, Mr. Gleason, 43, sat in a prison cell, serving a 15-year sentence for the attempted murder of a police officer at a Maywood nightclub in 1989. Then a childhood friend in the movie business contacted the tall, tattooed Mr. Gleason after he had been released to serve the last three years of his sentence under house arrest.

Read more...
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/19/us/19cncmovies.html?_r=1

Cascade Celebrates 10 Years

In 2001, I got a lot of advice about opening Cascade Communications and I was fully prepared for the hard work, determination, frustration, patience and planning it would require. However, the one thing no one told me about going into business was that time will fly!

Like every business there are the ups and downs, but even despite the economy, things feel different for us. It's almost as if we're entering a new phase and what it has in store none of us really know, but...it kind of feels like a beginning.

Over the last 10 years, we've done some pretty cool stuff and helped raise the profiles and sales of many small business brands. We've even run celebrity red carpet events and managed more than 60 local media for one of the biggest political party campaigns embracing the next generation of voters. We've seen small companies grow into million dollar businesses in just a few years or quadruple their current business in 18 months. It's crazy and exciting. While it can be frustrating to never get your client on the phone, we also know that they are busy growing and loving it.

And, we have had those that didn't fare so well. It happens. One's batting average can't always be .500 and the ones we haven't won for have mostly been an issue of bad timing. That's the trick. While we understand what media is looking for sometimes they just aren't ready for us, or someone else beat us to the punch. We hate that. I hate that. But, we can honestly say we've had more wins than not and met some incredible people along the way.

As I reflect back on the last 10 years, I know that I, personally, have learned a lot about myself and what I want my business to be. Is it what it started out to be? Are my goals for it the same? Where are we headed now? Like all business owners, these are the questions we should ask ourselves annually and where we need help, we ask for it - much like our clients have done.

Everyone says 10 years is a milestone, and they're right, for sure, but our modesty keeps us from getting too wrapped up in it all. This year, I want that to change. There are so many cool opportunities with social media and using it to help grow our client's business, it's fun, it's different and it's here to stay. The beauty is that one mom and pop in small town Kansas has the chance to be more than local. They can become international, and I just love that idea.

So while we're taking our heads out of the sand and finally taking a bow (well just for a minute), we're also looking forward to working with amazing small businesses. I will continue teaching PR to small businesses around the area at SCORE Chicago. We'll launch our new website soon (pardon the dust) and starting some new things of our own to benefit clients. It's going to be....exciting. Listen, when you've been through two economic down times while in business, you learn to float through it and keep the faith; to see the exciting possibilities and to, well, get excited.

This is our hope for all of you on our Anniversary - get excited! Opportunities abound. Small businesses and entrepreneurs are reaching out to help one another and that's what I love about what we do so much.

Cheers!

Twitter the New CNN

When you’re in PR you have one eye or ear on the news while conducting work for clients. It’s tricky but I suppose it’s a good thing I’m a multi-tasker.

Using social media has made it even easier for me to keep up on the news. I literally get all my headlines on Twitter and click to read the stories I want to read. In fact, my Twitter account looks like a CNN ticker of latest news. And…the best part of it is that I can see how people react and comment on the breaking stories.

That’s why I found this so interesting – sent by @GuyKawaski on Twitter.

Twitter isn’t a social network anymore

Can I say, “I told you so?” Lance Ulanoff reports that “Twitter Is the New CNN.” He summarized a study done by Haewoon Kwak, Changhyun Lee, Hosung Park, and Sue Moon from the Department of Computer Science, KAIST (Korea). This is a presentation of the results of the study:

Staying on top of the news is key for my business, for obvious reasons. When I see something relative to a client I can easily craft a follow up story pitch idea and send it out immediately – while it’s still timely. More importantly, I can keep up on media and what stories they’re working on. In PR this is huge! I don’t have to read every site every day (which could be a full-time job in and of itself!).

If you’re looking to achieve PR, follow the news outlets and blogs that target your customers/audience and interact with them. Not only can you improve odds of catching a journalist’s attention, you can also listen to what people on Twitter are saying about your industry online. It’s brilliant!

We’ve already had great success in achieving media coverage for clients through….Twitter! It does take time to build relationships – like any you might build in life, but it pays off. Yes, we continue to take a traditional approach to media, but today Twitter is where news is happening and….breaking.

Follow me @SmallBizPRXpert or @MyStorySource

Fortney Gives Answers to Burning Marketing Questions

Want to see what I really believe about our company Cascade Communications and the current and future states of marketing? Here's your chance.

WhoHub.com has created a social networking space connecting people through Q&A interviews - warning....it's LONG! They really should shorten it some, but if you really want to know my take on marketing, especially PR and the digital/social media age this is the place to go.

I cover everything from the truth about PR, what makes our company so different, the "PRetend PR people", social and digital marketing, the importance of quality customer service and the future of marketing....one guess...the Internet.

You can read my Q&A for free, but it's also a great place to look for job listings.

Love your feedback and thoughts...remember, we can and should all learn from one another.

Join Twitter to Get Unique Daily Tips

Twitter has become a great resource for business owners and individuals over the last year. For me, personally, I've found that it's a great way to connect with small business owners and offer unique daily PR and marketing tips that will help you in growing your business.

Small Biz PR Tips ONLY offered by Jennifer Fortney
One day as I was sitting looking at Twitter I wondered how I can translate my drive to help educate small businesses through this particular social media. That's why I created "Today's SMB PR Tip" and "Today's SMB Tip". No one else offers anything close to it and many have found them quite useful, especially when I provide links to my blogs or to related stories. This really is a rare opportunity for my clients and those of you who are interested in DIY PR. You aren't going to find the kind of information and opportunities I offer anywhere else on Twitter or the Web. I'm excited to be able to communicate with small to medium-sized business owners across the country and world and encourage you all to KEEP MARKETING FOR SUCCESS!


Twitter Tips Takes Five Minutes a Day
Using Twitter smartly will give you an abundance of information and help you build new relationships in just a few minutes a day. Using it "smartly" means that you follow only those people who are truly of interest to you and provide meaningful information. In just a few minutes a day you can

1. get tips and ideas for your business
2. use the opportunity to ask me questions directly about your PR and marketing efforts (in 140 characters or less, of course!)
3. follow news outlets key to your business' PR success
4. communicate your business in a new way to new people

That's just another reason why you should follow @SmallBizPRXpert today!

See you on Twitter!