News Article: Public Relations/Website a MUST for Business of ALL Sizes
Public Relations is a MUST for Businesses of All Sizes
Thursday, 10 April 2008
Ask most business people about their Public Relations Plan and you’ll most likely receive a look of confusion and often dismay. After all, PR is a business service reserved for large corporations with lots of cash right? Wrong! PR is something even the smallest businesses should be doing every single day.
What exactly is PR? It is any activity you do to create a favorable relationship between you and potential or existing customers. Focused on educating the public about your business, products, services, and staff, it is also the most inexpensive and effective way to get the word out to your target market that you have something they need and want. Open any newspaper or magazine, listen to any TV or radio show, and you’ll find business stories about companies large and small. Guaranteed, they are all a result of good PR.
Getting your company in the media or print requires several things; a good strategy, effective PR tools, and a commitment of time and energy. So here’s a few things to consider, and do, when pushing out your own Public Relations efforts.
1. Have a comprehensive and well-written Web site. It must be easy to navigate, contain real information versus a lot of marketing jargon. For the media, your Web site is a valuable tool in determining whether you are newsworthy or not. Skip the hype and focus on the benefits of what product or service you provide.
2. Formulate a good story pitch. A good story pitch should be about something interesting or unique about your business, you, your product, service or customer. A word of advice? Keep your email pitch to a paragraph or two. E-mail it to the appropriate publication and reporter and ask them if you have a story they would be interested in. If you don’t get a hit, try rewriting it with a little different slant
3. Send out press releases on a regular basis. Like your story pitch, press releases should be interesting enough to peak a reporters attention. They should also follow appropriate formatting guidelines and incorporate answers to the traditional what, why, where, when and how? Be sure to Include all contact information, especially a cell phone number. If a reporter can’t reach you quickly, the odds are good they’ve already moved on to someone else.
Read the rest of the article at EastSideBusinessJournal.com
Business Week: Tax Tips for Procrastinators
Business Week Article: Tax Tips for Procrastinators
By: Karen E. Klein
April is right around the corner, which means it’s tax time for individuals and unincorporated small businesses. If you’re one of the many entrepreneurs who has put off thinking about taxes until the last minute, you’re certainly not alone. Smart Answers columnist Karen E. Klein recently asked several tax experts to discuss common issues and offer advice for tax-return procrastinators.
Stop Stalling. Although you’re getting a late start, you’ve still got two weeks to pull your paperwork together, figure out if you’re missing documents, and track them down from your clients, vendors, or lenders. Along with all the practical reasons to get cracking, this year there’s a financial incentive as well, says Kathy Harrison-Suits, a federally licensed, enrolled agent with Summit Capital Advisors in Tacoma, Wash. “In order to qualify for your tax stimulus rebate, you have to file your tax return. There’s one more reason to get it done sooner rather than later,” she says. Tax rebates will range from $300 to $1,500 for most households, but they won’t be mailed until your return is filed with the IRS. So stop beating yourself up, and get to work. “It’s normal to procrastinate, everybody does it,” she notes.
Use Last Year’s Return. When you sit down at that kitchen table with piles of paperwork, it can be overwhelming. Start by letting your 2006 return be a guideline for the documents you should have. “If you had an item of income or expense last year, you’ll probably have the same thing or similar this year,” says Keith Hall, a national tax adviser for the Dallas-based National Association for the Self-Employed. “It’s a good way to check off the documents you need to file and go searching for the ones you’re missing.”
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Entrepeneur.com: Internet Myths Debunked
Entrepeneur.com has a great article relating to small businesses and their need for websites:
11 different myths about the internet–misunderstandings that are “unfortunately perpetuated by the natural tendencies of small business owners,” says Kitch. “They’re cautious and conservative; they’re afraid of technology and change.”
In an effort to educate entrepreneurs, Kitch debunks these 11 myths:
1. This internet thing is going to be a revolution. “Dude, the revolution already happened,” says Kitch, pointing to the more than 150 million Americans who use the internet every day. “Anybody who thinks they can worry about the internet later is completely wrong.”
2. I don’t need a website. “You’re missing a chance to be open 24/7, essentially for free,” explains Kitch. “Why would you not do that?”
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6. My website is only for new customers. “That’s like saying repeat business doesn’t matter,” says Kitch. “Your website may or may not be the reason people come to you, but it’s definitely the reason people come back to you.”
7. My site is just for customers. What about employees, partners or suppliers? Says Kitch, “The ability to interact with these people over the web or from home gives you a huge amount of power and flexibility as you’re growing your business.”
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Read the whole article at Entrepeneur.com
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