Making or Breaking Your Small Business Reputation in a Connected Economy

Making or Breaking Your Small Business Reputation in a Connected Economy

Although we often hear about how important small businesses are to job creation and economic growth, what may be lesser known is the vital role they play in local philanthropy and solving key social issues. While large, Fortune 500 companies may get the most press and marketing visibility for their philanthropy in the macro economy, small, Main Street businesses are the ones moving mountains in the micro economy. These are the manufacturing, retail and service firms, community banks and sole proprietorships creating the majority of jobs in the neighborhoods, downtown business districts, manufacturing centers and commercial corridors across America. Owners and members of these companies are committed to their local […]

PR, Spin and the Art of Influence

Most small and mid-size business owners “get” marketing. They understand how important it is to define a marketing strategy to attract new customers, satisfy their needs and hopefully keep them coming back for more. But when the subject of public relations (PR) comes up, many are left scratching their heads, or if they give PR much thought at all they consider it an avenue for free publicity. That’s on a good day. On a bad day PR practitioners may be called spin doctors or propagandists. In the urban dictionary, PR is slang for an officer’s nightstick. Some journalists view PR representatives as shields to keep the press at bay when […]