Rembrandt’s Blog

At about 8:00 a.m. Saturday morning, I was scuba diving in a fairly shallow kelp bed. Brightly colored fish swam all around me and I took relaxing breaths out of my regulator.

The only thing I had to worry about was getting my equipment wrapped around a long string of kelp…or so I thought.

Just as I swam through some underwater foliage, a dark shadow loomed ahead. My dive buddy pointed in front of us.

I looked down, and there was a 4-5 foot leopard shark gliding along the ocean floor looking for breakfast (great…as long as that’s something other than me!).

Then, it noticed us, and our eyes met. What a strange feeling to share eye contact with a shark!

My heart starting beating faster, but I remained calm and waited to see what would happen next. Before I knew it, the shark was startled by us and darted away!

I knew that the shark wasn’t going to attack us, but it was exciting. And it made me think how this situation relates to the current economy and public relations.

Whether you are anxiously awaiting a call from a media member, or you are worried about what to do with your money in today’s economic turmoil, it’s usually best to take a moment and think before acting.

Not only will you make better, more informed decisions, but just a little extra time can drastically change circumstances so that you know exactly what actions to take, if any.

Just look at my shark encounter. I didn’t do anything, and the situation remedied itself as the shark swam away.

Now, I’m not saying you should be lazy in your public relations activities or in watching your budget. But when things start to go crazy and your blood pressure goes up, take a moment to relax and think.

Try to avoid bugging a reporter with repetitive calls or taking all of your money out of the bank as soon as you hear the latest financial news on television.

Instead, take a moment to calm down. Look at your situation. Get appropriate information. Then, figure out what you need to do. 

Many times, it’s just a matter of waiting.

Maybe the reporter will call you in a few days?
Maybe a friend or financial advisor will give you a great tax tip?

The point is, it can be difficult to remain calm in today’s world. But if you try to relax a little, things will be a lot easier to deal with and you’ll probably see much better results.

I hope this helps, and if you need assistance with your small business public relations and copywriting needs, please let me know! Thanks!

If the economic crunch is starting to hurt your business, it’s time to act
fast to increase sales. Here are three cost-effective publicity activities you
can do now to help build buzz:

You’ll be able to split the costs, time and effort while sharing media resources and customer databases.

2. Contact Media Members Directly.
In addition to sending out a press release to build buzz, pick up the phone too! Contact a targeted reporter, introduce yourself and provide your unique and newsworthy story.

You can also offer yourself as an expert resource for a future story. The point is to start a media relationship and make contact. You may just end up with a feature story from one simple call!

3. Update Your Website.
Is your site current? If not, add valuable information for potential
customers. Make it easy to do business with you. Also, add some keywords to your site so that search engines can find you.

After all, if you don’t look like you are “home,” potential customers will visit
other sites to obtain information and assistance. Don’t miss out on potential business! Try to keep your site updated and provide contact information so people can reach you.

Just by taking a few minutes to make an extra effort, you can increase sales for your business. Even if you have zero funds, try to be creative and think about your customers and media members. What do they want right now, and how can you fulfill their needs?

For more help and free PR information, please provide your comments below or feel free to contact me at www.rembrandtwrites.com. I’d love to hear from you!