featured in Entrepreneur Magazine
When something bad happens in your industry...
But not to your company, your first response may be relief. But don`t spend too long thanking your lucky stars; you`re still likely to face some negative fallout. For example, when a plane crashes, all airlines have to reassure the public. You can approach a problem nationally, locally or as an individual, says Raleigh Pinskey, president of The Raleigh Group, a marketing and public relations company in Santa Monica, California. If you have a national or local association, look to it for guidance and an action plan. Your professional organization is another resource, or you may also handle the situation on your own. In any case, Pinskey suggests taking an educational approach. Offer tips to help people avoid a repeat of whatever happened and to re-establish trust. If people have suffered, express sympathy and offer support, such as holding a fund-raiser for victims. The key: Act quickly, using a tasteful strategy that puts your company in a positive light. "The longer you wait, the less trust there is," says Pinskey. "The less trust, the less loyalty--and you`ll [then] lose customers. When the public is educated, trust increases and healing is possible."
Main Event
In the business world, participation is key.
Next time you`re brainstorming for marketing ideas, peruse the calendar listings of a local newspaper or magazine. Participating in any one of the events listed could get your business prime exposure. It`s called ambush marketing--or event marketing. "Event marketing is a magnificent opportunity for you to show your wares," says Raleigh Pinskey, owner of The Raleigh Group, a marketing consulting firm in Santa Monica, California. The author of You Can Hype Anything (Carol Publishing), Pinskey believes entrepreneurs are all too often merely passive marketers. "Small-business owners need to get out of their stores and put their mission statements to work," she says. How? Pinskey suggests participating in contests, benefits, auctions, lectures, parades, religious services, dinners, gala affairs, sporting events--anything and everything. If you own a hair salon, for instance, consider providing free haircuts and styling to those participating in a benefit; florists can provide flowers for the podium at any religious or speaking event. Above all, if you`re participating in an event, tell a local newspaper or radio station, or put a sign in your window trumpeting your involvement. However you do it, says Pinskey, "make sure somebody else knows about it."  Raleigh Pinskey is a speaker and consultant on Viz-Ability Marketing. She is the author of 101 Ways To Promote Yourself, You Can Hype Anything, and the audio series, The Zen Of Hype, How To Do Your Own PR.
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