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!

10 Ways to Generate PR for Ongoing Media Coverage

Today, I'm going to let you in on a little secret that Fortune 500 companies and larger "small" businesses caught on to a long time ago: To grow a successful business you have to continue "branding" it in the minds of your audience. Okay, in layman's terms this means that you need to engage in a steady flow of marketing for the lifetime of your business to ensure ongoing growth and long-term success.

Yes, as a small business owner myself, I clearly recognize that funding an integrated marketing campaign year after year can be a real challenge for a cash-strapped small business, so let's just focus on the many ways you can build an ongoing PR program.

The one thing I continue telling my clients is that they have a real opportunity to leap frog over their competitors by being flexible and creative - you don't have the red tape and paper pushing through various departments to deal with. You can, literally, decide today that you want to hold a promotion in three weeks and make it happen.

To generate ongoing public relations for your business you simply have to keep thinking outside of the box.

First of all, everyone wants a business feature on their organization, but after you get it media aren't going to do it again, for at least five years, unless you grow at lightening speed or sign a serious client.

Here are 10 ways you can generate more PR for your business:

1. HR announcements
2. Business wins/partnerships
3. Sales/promotions
4. New product introductions
5. Expert advice & tips
6. Events
7. Charity tie-ins
8. Office Move - say into a larger facility, bringing jobs
9. Pro bono
10. Recipes/food

There are other things that you can pursue and each industry has its niches. This is just a handful of my top suggestions. For instance, trend stories that you can comment on from either a national or industry perspective - just don't get caught in the clutter of everyone else attempting to do the same thing.

To be successful at achieving ongoing PR you must clearly differentiate yourself from competitors.

At the end of the day, public relations is a credibility builder. The more people see your name or that of your business in the news, the more likely they will view it as a credible resource, and see you as someone they should do business with.

Public relations doesn't stop with the business announcement. Be different, be creative and generate more press to position you positively in your community and industry, and....you will GROW!

Follow me on Twitter @SmallBizPRXpert for daily SMB PR Tips, or become a PR expert for your business by joining www.SmallBizPRMadeEasy.com for inexpensive weekly lessons, templates, tips, advice, expertise, media interviews and more!

Why Your Business Needs a Press Kit

Your press kit is the most important tool you can have to successfully achieve public relations for your business. Why? It tells your story! You wouldn't go to a meeting or new business presentation without a materials to present and discuss, so why would you just pick up the phone and contact media and not expect them to request information?

It is the FIRST tactic I perform for all of my clients!

Developing your press kit is one of the very first things you should do before pursuing media stories. It's purpose is to be an all-inclusive package of information on your business that tells media why they should write a story.

A press kit might include:

1. Press release(s)
2. Owner bio (human interest story)
3. Company backgrounder
4. Product fact sheets
5. Tip sheets for expert positioning
6. Testimonials
7. List of story ideas
8. Product samples (as part of press kit mailing)
9. Product photos
10. Company logo and other valuable graphics

Let me re-iterate the importance of the press kit: I spend most of my time each week pitching media and when I speak to journalists by phone they always ask for an email with information (i.e. press kit materials). When I approach them via email initially I always include one or two pieces from the press kit - usually the most relevant press release and company backgrounder.

Remember that journalists receive hundreds of pieces of mail and email everyday and this is the ONE chance, first-impression you get with media. Since they don't have a great deal of time, you must include valuable information along with a well-crafted story pitch in order to catch the attention of media. If you don't they will either be interested enough to email and ask for information or....worse....they will trash the email altogether, and you miss out.

One last thing to remember is that just because you send out your story idea and materials to media doesn't mean that they're going to drop everything at that very moment to write the story - unless, of course, it is immediately timely. Offering media press kit materials allows them the opportunity to make some notes and put it on file for a future story that they may be considering your business for. Just make sure that your contact information near the top and clearly visible. No contact means no story.

For more information, read this...