As eyes look forward to a new business year, many small business 
owners and entrepreneurs are hoping that this upcoming year will 
be the one that catapults them into success. But according to 
Shannon Cherry, APR, businesses often overlook a key element 
when making their business plans and resolutions.

“Most new businesses fail within three years – and it’s often 
due to the fact that many business owners think that simply 
hanging up an OPEN sign and placing an ad in the yellow pages 
will attract customers,” says Cherry, president of Cherry 
Communications (http://www.cherrycommunications.com), a public 
relations and marketing firm which helps small businesses, 
consultants and entrepreneurs to be heard. “What it takes is a 
marketing strategy that’s effective – and in the case of many 
small business owners – on a limited budget. They need public 
relations to turn the resolutions into revolutions.” 

She says public relations is one of the most cost-effective 
methods of marketing available today. “Besides the fact that 
it’s low cost or no cost, public relations can help establish 
your credibility. It can position you as the revolutionary 
leader and expert in your field.”

Cherry suggests including your public relations efforts as part 
of a year-long, strategic business plan.  “As you’re looking 
toward what you’re going to accomplish in the future, make sure 
you incorporate different public relations efforts as part of 
your complete plan,” she says. “That way you’ll be sure to 
schedule it in, just like any other business task.”


Cherry offers some low-cost public relations strategies to help 
revolutionize small businesses:

1) Write articles. “Articles don’t have to be long; they just 
   need to be informative,” says Cherry. “Submitting online, 
   as well as offline, provides a good chance to get your name 
   in print at no cost.”  

2) Write press releases. “Reporters everywhere are looking for 
   stories, and a press release gives them the information to 
   write that story,” she says. “Just make sure it’s newsworthy, 
   not just an advertisement.”

3) Write a newsletter. Cherry stress a newsletter should contain 
   content valuable to your target market, as well as promote 
   your products and services. 

4) Use your business cards. “Think of your business card as a 
   mini billboard and start handing them out everywhere,” 
   explains Cherry. “Include them in all your correspondence 
   and put them in places that they'll be seen.”

5) Start Speaking. “Speaking in front of an audience usually 
   makes you an expert. People like to buy from experts,” she 
   says. “Speaking is free, and it’s just like making a sales 
   call to many people at one time.”


Cherry says successful companies make public relations a 
priority. “Whether selling direct, through distribution channels 
or via e-commerce, a successful company must achieve and maintain 
a strong market presence through a continuous and effective 
public relations program.” 

About the author: Shannon Cherry, APR, MA helps businesses, 
entrepreneurs and nonprofit organizations to be heard. She’s a 
marketing communications and public relations expert with more 
than 15 years experience and the owner of Cherry Communications. 
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