Getting the Word Out About Your Small Business

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Getting the Word OutAbout YourSmall Business

• Cindy Mascone
• Engineered Writing
• American Chemical Society
• Division of Small Chemical Businesses
• August 24, 2004

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Getting the Word Out About Your Small Business

• What a communications consultant does
• Why hire a communications consultant
• How to find a communications consultant
• What to look for in a consultant
• How to work together effectively

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Getting the Word Out About Your Small
BusinessWhat a Communications Consultant Does

• Marketing and PR
• Communications strategyand implementation
• Task outsourcing
• Work products

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Getting the Word Out About Your Small
BusinessCommunications Strategy

• Soup to nuts
• Marketing strategy
• Product launch
• Collateral materials
• Article placement
• Press conferences
• Trade show coordination
• Advertising
• Sales meetings

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Getting the Word Out About Your Small
BusinessMarketing/PR Task Outsourcing

• Brochures
• Press releases
• Direct marketing pieces
• Presentations
• Articles
• White papers
• Website design, content

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Getting the Word Out About Your Small
BusinessWork Products

• Client reports, presentations
• Proposals, RFPs
• Training materials
• Equipment/process documentation
• Regulatory compliance documentation

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Getting the Word Out About Your Small
BusinessWhy Hire a Communications Consultant

• Economics
• Specialization, expertise, focus,dedication to
  the task
• Quality service
• Responsiveness, quick turnaround
• Flexibility
• Personal attention
• Partner vs. supplier
• Value

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Getting the Word Out About Your Small
BusinessWhy Hire a Communications Consultant

• Frees you to focuson what you dobest

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Getting the Word Out About Your Small
BusinessHow to Find a Communications Consultant

• Referrals
• Networking
• Organizations
• Trade shows
• Articles, presentations
• Internet

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Getting the Word Out About Your Small
BusinessWhat to Look for in a Communications
Consultant

• Experience, knowledge
• Reputation
• Track record
• Compatibility, style
• Availability
• Fees

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Getting the Word Out About Your Small
BusinessQuestions to Ask

• Experience, knowledge
• Industry/business
• Market
• Breadth and depth
• Service/product
• Contacts
• Possible partners
• Clients
• Testimonials
• Samples

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Getting the Word Out About Your Small
BusinessQuestions to Ask

• Reputation
• References
• Research

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Getting the Word Out About Your Small
BusinessQuestions to Ask

• Track record
• Results
• Repeat business
• References
• (Riting) Samples

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Getting the Word Out About Your Small
BusinessQuestions to Ask

• Compatibility/Style
• Work style
• Involvement - hands-on, hands-off
• Communications - face-to-face, phone, e-mail
• Writing style, creativity
• Do you click?

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Getting the Word Out About Your Small
BusinessQuestions to Ask

• Availability
• Deadlines
• Travel
• Time differences
• Conflicts

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Getting the Word Out About Your Small
BusinessQuestions to Ask

• Fees
• Hourly
• Per word
• Project
• Retainer
• Expenses

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Getting the Word Out About Your Small
BusinessQuestions to Ask

• Typical Fees
• Hourly 50175/hr
• Per word 12/word
• Project
• Brochure, Data sheet, Newsletter - 750/pg
• Press release - 7501,000 (12 pgs)
• Article, White paper - 2,000

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Getting the Word Out About Your Small
BusinessHow to Work Together Effectively

• Provide information - lots of info
• Company, business
• Product, service, project
• Benefits, differentiating features
• Market
• Competitive situation
• Audience
• Communication and marketing goals
• Previous written materials

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Getting the Word Out About Your Small
BusinessHow to Work Together Effectively

• Trust
• Respect consultants expertise
• Be open to suggestions
• Dont micromanage
• Be responsive
• Be realistic
• Value quality over speed, price

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Getting the Word Out About Your Small
BusinessWebsite Design - Request for Proposal

• Why? Purpose
• Brand
• Market
• Industry
• Competitors
• Changing content
• Sell a product?
• Online transactions
• Timing

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Getting the Word Out About Your Small
BusinessWebsite Design - Qualifying a Designer

• Evaluate experience
• Similar sites
• Relevant industry experience
• E-commerce
• Review portfolio
• References

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Getting the Word Out About Your Small
BusinessWebsite Design - Fees

• Time and materials
• Fixed price
• Component pricing

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Getting the Word Out About Your Small
BusinessWebsite Design - Contract

• Services and fees
• Schedule
• What done means

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Getting the Word Out About Your Small
BusinessWebsite Hosting

• Domain name registration/renewal
• E-mail accounts
• Space, bandwidth charges
• E-commerce and secure transfer
• Uptime guarantee
• Support, turnaround time

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Getting the Word Out About Your Small
BusinessWebsite Hosting - continued

• Underlying technology of server
• Third-party scripting
• Uploading/development tools
• Databases
• Application and development services
• Custom, automated, third-party web design and
  maintenance services

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Getting the Word Out About Your Small
BusinessWebsite - Do It Yourself?

• Building a site - technical
• Designing a site - creative
• Template with domain name registration
• Image
• Support
• Growth

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Getting the Word Out About Your Small
BusinessAcknowledgments

• Tracy Barton
• Bob Bly
• Scott Collins
• Bob Fuller
• Rich Greene
• Denise Hosier
• Margaret Hunt
• Joe Roseti
• Belinda Rossiter

• Loraine Huchler
• Peter Lantos
• Joe Porcelli
• Alan Rossiter
• Bill Swartz
• Dick Siegel

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Getting the Word Out About Your Small
BusinessFor More Information
Cindy Mascone Chief Consulting Editor Engineered
Writing P.O. Box 640043 Bayside, NY
11364-0043 (718) 352-WORD (9673) cfm_at_engineeredwri
ting.com www.engineeredwriting.com