PROUD OF OUR STAR!

Jennifer Cornell, vice president of Eiler Communications, was named Member of the Year by Automation Alley, the technology consortium with some 750 members. Cornell has been a driving force on Automation Alley's Technology Business Committee since 2001. Cornell's positive attitude, work ethic and leadership skills have made her a role model for all Automation Alley Consortium members.

Cornell joined Eiler in 1999 as an account executive and has gone on to direct the firm's work in the financial services and technology areas and has been a leader in the development of new business, staff training and survey work with the pharmaceutical and high tech areas. Eiler is a public relations firm primarily focused on companies in the biotech, financial services, health care and high-tech industries. Its client list includes ABN AMRO Mortgage Group, InterFirst Wholesale Mortgage, Pfizer, CFI Group, Avery Denison, mortgage.com, Michigan Venture Capital Association, MichBio, Ann Arbor IT Zone and the Eastern Michigan College of Business.

As chair of the Technology Business Committee's Marketing Subcommittee, Cornell has been tireless in her contributions to the Alley. With a mission to deliver valuable programs and services to emerging businesses, she has been instrumental in the creation of the Alley's web-based marketing toolkit, as well as its speaker bank program and annual joint event with the Ann Arbor IT Zone. Cornell is also chair of the planning committee for the Alley's "Fast Track to Success" conference, scheduled for January 2005.

Cornell is a graduate of Alma College, where she earned her BA in communication with a minor in philosophy. In addition to serving on Automation Alley's Technology Business Committee, Cornell also serves in a wide range of marketing and PR capacities for the American Red Cross, Ann Arbor IT Zone and the Ann Arbor Art Center.

HOW TO KNOW WHEN YOU NEED A PR FIRM

By
Jessica Annaloro

You have a product. You have a company. If you fit into either or both of these statements, chances are you could use some public relations counsel. But how do you know when it's the right time to seek a PR firm and start telling your story?

It is important to recognize that there are public relations activities and tools you can implement that help your business transition into the various stages of its lifecycle. Seeking a PR firm will help you outline and implement activities to create awareness of your company and product and create the "buzz" to sustain longevity.

So, when's the right time? Do you have a product but you don't have any customers? If this is the case, you should implement PR activities to help build awareness and increase your sales, and make your product known to your target audience. Activities such as press releases announcing your product, new hires, new technology and new clients will create awareness of your company and assist in potential customers taking note of your business. A PR firm will help you to target the right publications to reach your audience. Placements you receive in publications can also be sent to customers and potential customers to generate awareness.

Targeting the right audience with the right messages is key to creating awareness of your company. This tool can be used as well if your company is trying to merge into different market segments. Identifying key audiences and reaching them with public relations tools will help you move into these new markets. Press kits are a multifunctional tool that can be used as mailers, used at tradeshows as well as during a product launch.

A press kit is an effective tool in creating awareness and also can be used to support other marketing functions. The press kit will consist of bios of your company's key executives, FAQ (frequently asked questions), recent press releases, a company backgrounder, case studies and a letter addressing the new market area you are trying to reach that includes market rationale (what need your product/service fulfills).

Case studies will assist in reaching new markets as well. A case study relates a problem your customer had and how your company solved this problem and the results. This gives credibility to your product as it serves as a third party testimonial.

Public relations can also assist through the sale or IPO of your company or throughout its lifecycle to sustain awareness. It's important to know that certain PR tools and activities are appropriate at different times and not all activities will be applicable at all times.

When implemented the right way, PR can make your company and product known. A good PR firm will learn your business and understand your products. A good PR firm will stay in constant contact with you as well as your target publications to sustain awareness and keep your story told.

What Does “Brand” Mean?

A brand is your reputation. It is the characteristics people associate with you. It is the perceived, non-tangible qualities that distinguish you from your competitors.

A brand is a promise. It is a promise that you communicate with your name, logo, identity, product or service and signage. It is your interactions with customers. It is this promise that makes a customer pick your product or service over another.

A brand is a class of goods or a set of characteristics that are identified as your product. It is what your name or product name conveys. It is the imprint that you make on the minds of people who are customers or prospects.

It is to convey the right image to targeted groups.

A good brand has very high value to its owner. It creates your "look and feel" and has an intrinsic value of credibility -- unless abused.

A brand can be a word, like Kodak, or a phrase, like "Progress is Our Most Important Product" or "We Bring Good Things to Life."

Branding can be accomplished in many ways but an organization must pay attention to it for the brand to mean anything. A business or other group must not just have a name, but must use it in meaningful ways to attain recognition.

The key factor in building a brand is to have a consistent process that you go through to determine what you want your brand to be, what the target market thinks of you and what you want it to think of you.

The difficulty with this is that there is no normal model for building your brand. You cannot merely take five agreed steps and arrive at the brand.

Rather, you have to establish a goal and begin to build your brand from the inside out. Establish it with a target group first, then move outward to reach other groups.

What does targeting a group accomplish?

• First, identify the messages your audiences will react to most strongly.
• Second, focus narrowly -- not trying to be all things to all people.
• Third, have a sales focus. Make messages that all sales people "get" and use consistently.

How do you reach your target audience with your brand message?

• Consistency. Repetitive efforts through media outreach, speaking to target audiences.
• Target groups that will be prospects for you -- not just anyone. Rifle shots, not shotgun blasts. Know the organizations these prospects are involved with -- and get involved yourself.
• Customize your messages to specific market segments you want to reach.
• Web site use for your own site, a newsletter or other method. Advertising. Direct mail. PR. Others that may apply to your situation.

Larry T. Eiler