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“Get a Handle on QuickBooks” Seminar on October 22nd

On Thursday, October 22, 2009 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., a “Get a Handle on QuickBooks” seminar will be held at Rodman & Rodman’s Newton office at 3 Newton Executive Park, Suite 101. This seminar will help business owners, bookkeepers and businesses become proficient in QuickBooks; get a handle on finances and run their business on QuickBooks. This seminar will be led by Kathy Parker, Bonnie Stockdale and Leah Schlegelmilch who are all Certified ProAdvisors of QuickBooks. Lunch will be provided. The cost of the seminar is $199 and payment is due at registration.

To register for the seminar, contact Jen Minor at Rodman & Rodman at (617) 965-5959 or email jen@rodmancpa.com.  This seminar is co-sponsored by PR Works.

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“8 Great Ways to Improve Business Value” Seminar on October 20th

On Tuesday, October 20, 2009 from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., a “8 Great Ways to Improve Business Value” seminar will be held at Rodman & Rodman’s Braintree office at 25 Braintree Hill Office Park. The seminar is geared towards entrepreneurs, family-owned businesses and small ownership groups. Larry Rice, CPA, Director of Strategic Consulting at Rodman & Rodman will lead the seminar and focus on the steps that business owners can take to increase their business’ value to maximize the return on sale of one of their largest personal assets – their business. Light refreshments will be served. There is no cost to attend.

To register for the seminar, contact Jen Minor at Rodman & Rodman at (617) 965-5959 or email jen@rodmancpa.com.  This seminar is co-sponsored by PR Works.

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“How Much is Your Business Worth” Seminars in Braintree and Newton, co-sponsored by PR Works

Rodman & Rodman, P.C., Certified Public Accountants and Business Strategists, will hold a seminar in September geared towards entrepreneurs, family-owned businesses and small ownership groups entitled “How Much is Your Business Worth”.

The seminar will be held on the following dates from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.:

· Tuesday, September 15th at Rodman & Rodman offices located at 3 Newton Executive Park in Newton

· Tuesday, September 22nd at Rodman & Rodman offices located at 25 Braintree Hill Office Park in Braintree

Light refreshments will be served.

The seminar will cover:

· How businesses are valued.

· Why businesses are valued that way.

· Rules of thumb.

· The types of buyers that are out there.

· Why goodwill is important.

· The only way the actual value of your business can be determined.

These seminars will be led by John McGovern, CPA, ABV, CVA, Partner at Rodman & Rodman. McGovern performs business valuations for small and medium-sized businesses and will provide attendees a good understanding of the basics of business valuation. He will also answer questions that business owners may have about valuation principles specific to their industry or their unique situation.

“These seminars are ideal for anyone who is considering restructuring, selling or transferring ownership in their business. Understanding the principles will help business owners manage their business better and manage their financial future with greater certainty. This is the first in a series of seminars that we think business owners will find extremely beneficial,” explained McGovern.

To register for a seminar, contact Jen Minor at Rodman & Rodman at (617) 965-5959 or email jen@rodmancpa.com.

Rodman & Rodman, P.C.

Founded in 1961, Rodman & Rodman, P.C. provides accounting, tax and business services to small and medium-sized companies throughout New England. With a focus on strategic planning, Rodman & Rodman goes beyond traditional accounting services and takes a proactive approach when serving clients to increase, preserve and sustain clients’ financial net worth.

From business valuations, taxation, audits, fraud detection and prevention services and succession planning to a variety of accounting IT services including software selection, implementation and training, the team at Rodman & Rodman serves as comprehensive advisors to clients. For individual clients, the company offers personal advisory services such as planning for real estate transactions, obtaining financing, estate planning and retirement planning as well as planning for college education. Rodman & Rodman Certified Public Accountants are located at 3 Newton Executive Park in Newton and 25 Braintree Hill Office Park in Braintree, Mass. For more information, visit their website at www.rodmancpa.com or contact (617) 965-5959.

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An on-going column makes you the WINNER

Sure you’ve thought of being the proud author of an on-going column. You just know that being positioned as “the expert” would generate new business and galvanize existing ties. In effect, it would make you the “winner”.

Getting a gig such as an on-going column can be a daunting task. How do you go about it?

1. Select a reasonable schedule for the on-going column. It’s more likely to be monthly than weekly.

2. Draft an entertaining cover note to entice media gatekeepers.

3. Draft three punchy sample columns. Focus on practical, objective information that your audience would find useful.

4. Avoid self-promotion or any hint of a sales pitch for your business.

5. Email a cover note and sample columns to the appropriate media gatekeepers. This may include the business editor of your local daily newspaper; the managing editor at a niche/trade publication; an online article site, etc.

6. Follow up via phone with media gatekeepers after five business days. Note – It often takes five calls to the same editor to reach resolution.

7. Win, lose or draw – continue to draft additional relevant columns. Well written pieces on relevant topics will resonate with the media at some time.

Columns are worth the effort.

PR Works has helped numerous clients establish “the expert” position by developing on-going columns and relationships with targeted media outlets.

Let us know if we can help you obtain an on-going column and make you the WINNER.

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What do you do with your wonderful new widget?

You’ve got a great new product, but you just don’t know who will adopt it first. “Where is the low hanging fruit?” as we say in PR/marketing.

For example, you’ve developed a solar powered radio and customers will never have to buy another battery or hunt for a power outlet.  Plus, your customers will be seen as “green”, forward-thinking, perhaps even thrifty.

But where do you start with marketing?

This may appeal to environmentalists, electronic enthusiasts, campers, the pool and patio crowd and outdoor workers such as landscapers, roofers, etc.

The solar powered radio might be a huge winner in high end catalogs like SkyMall, Brookstone’s, Frontgate, and Hammacher Schlemmer. (Yes, we have contacts who can arrange for this.)

It could be a big hit on QVC and other shopping channels. (We have some success stories for this as well.)

Or we might eventually go the Ginsu Knife screaming TV offer (Yes, we have a relationship with the original Ginsu Knife ad agency).

But first, we need a name that is either self-descriptive or, at the very least, positive and memorable.So we brainstorm for a great product name. Solar Sounds? Sunny Sounds? How about SunTunes?  Or Dawn of a New Decibel.  You get the idea.

Then, we build a WordPress based website that is well seen by search engines.

Then, we suggest a modest rollout.

Utilizing PR as a trial balloon in each potential market, we are able to TEST before investing heavily in that market.  A well crafted news release touting the wonders of the environmental impact (or lack of it) could be rolled out to green niche publications.  Similarly, the fun and trendiness of it would be emphasized for the pool and patio media.  And so on.

As coverage is garnered for each target audience, we will quickly know where early traction is so you can expand marketing efforts.

Have a new product or service?  Let us shed light on how you can quickly capitalize upon it.

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Upcoming seminar: Turning Your Website into a “Lead Generation Machine”

If you own a service company, there are ways to direct traffic to your site without spending a lot of time or energy and without the high cost of purchasing leads.  Would you like to learn more?

Join us at an upcoming seminar led by Roland Lacey, founder of MediaRight Technologies and an expert in Search Engine Optimization (SEO).
“The New Sales Tool – Turning your Website into a Lead Generation Machine” Seminar
When: Wednesday, June 17, 2009 from 8 to 10:30 a.m.
Where:  25 Braintree Hill Office Park, Suite 200, Braintree, MA

Learn strategies on how your company can dominate the local search market for your services.

Discussion topics include:

* SEO
* Google Adwords
* Web development that works
* The best way to bring motivated prospects to your company’s website

Cost to attend is $25
All proceeds from the seminar will be donated to the Boys and Girls Club of Marshfield

Light refreshments will be served.  Space is limited.

To reserve a seat at the seminar or for more information –
Contact Roland Lacey at (781) 924-1141.

Sponsored by PR Works.

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Creating momentum for Moving Professionals.

Moving professionals can either choose to be victims of a difficult real estate market or be proactive as interest rates continue to be favorable and opportunity presents itself.  In recognition of the challenge for the moving and storage industry, a targeted seminar on sales and marketing is slated for Tuesday, April 21, 9:30 a.m. – 3 p.m. at Vinny Testa’s Meeting Facility, 233 Elm Street, Dedham, MA.

 

The presentation is sponsored and led by Al Schrade, CMC and Steve Dubin, PR Works, two professionals with more than three decades of moving and storage experience. Cost for the day long presentation is $75.

 

The morning session “Selling in the Current Environment” presented by Al Schrade, CMC addresses a wide range of topics including Get Your Head “In the Sale”, Prospecting for Sales, Sales Call Prep, More Than a Survey, Listening to the “Customer”, Selling “On or Off” Price, Working with Objections, Closing Sales Techniques, Handling Challenging Customers, Multiple Decision Makers, Persuasive Sales Presentations, and Sales Motivation and Goals.

 

Al Schrade is a twenty year veteran of the transportation industry with a concentration in moving and storage products and services.  He has held positions in operations, sales, sales management, account management, interstate and international relocation, van line management and, during the past eight years, the director of a Massachusetts moving and storage trade association.  Al has presented and overseen numerous seminars on a variety of important topics over the past several years.

 

The afternoon session focuses on marketing and outlines how to STAND OUT from the crowd, how to generate leads now and on an ongoing basis.  Included are online secrets to traditional gems, this marketing/PR workshop provides the ammunition to drive new business today and tomorrow.  Specific topics include Targeting Low Hanging Fruit, Email for Essential Savings, Search Engines are the “New” Yellow Pages. Case Studies / Testimonials, Pitching the Press, and News Releases to full feature stories.

 

Steven Dubin, President of PR Works based in Kingston, Mass., knows marketing and the “news” business.  He started his newspaper career by covering the Boston Celtics.  From there Steve progressed to editing and marketing positions in several publishing companies, including Mariner Newspapers. 


 

Seating is limited. To reserve or to obtain more information, please contact Al Schrade, 401-245-5440 or email alschrade@aol.com.

 

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The Price is Right. Seminar outlines how to price your service and collect for it.

South Shore Ad Club hosts event on May 11, 6 p.m. at Asian C, Hingham, Mass.

 

What is my time worth?  What is my product worth?  Many businesspeople are paralyzed by these thoughts.  In response, the South Shore Ad Club is hosting a panel discussion entitled “The Price is Right” on May 11, 6 p.m. at Asian C, 48 Whiting Street, Route 53, Hingham, Mass.

 

The panel of two seasoned accountants and business development gurus will explore the many factors involved in determining pricing and will also outline tactics to collect from clients.

 

Panelists include John Topham, a CPA and co-founder of Damon, Topham & Company, LLC of Marshfield, a full service multi-disciplined firm of Certified Public Accountants, providing accounting, taxation, business development and financial services and Larry Rice, a CPA and business development consultant with Rodman & Rodman, P.C. Certified Public Accountants and Business Strategists of Newton, Mass.  Steve Dubin, founder of PR Works of Kingston, a full service public relations firms will serve as moderator.

 

The price of admission is $25 for  non-members, $20 for members. Buffet dinner will be served.  Members and the general business community are welcome.

 

“Most service professional are too modest with their hourly fees and billing structure and leave money on the table or diminish their credibility via low pricing,” noted Steve Dubin, owner of PR Works and member of the South Shore Ad Club’s board of directors. He added, “This seminar explores simple methods to determine reasonable pricing and how to collect it.”

 

About The South Shore Ad Club

The South Shore Ad Club is a non-profit organization committed to the personal and professional development of communications professionals located south of Boston. It’s the club’s  mission to improve, strengthen and advance career goals through learning and networking opportunities; and to serve as a resource for local and Boston-area businesses  requiring marketing, advertising, public relations and/or communications services.

 

Space is limited. To RSVP, please contact Mary McElroy, McElroy Associates, (781) 383-0505 or info@mcelroyassoc.net.  Payment for this function can also be made on-line at www.SouthShoreAd.com.  Cash or checks will also be accepted at the door.

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Speech! Speech! How giving speeches can win you business.

Speaking at seminars, networking events, professional or trade gatherings or teaching a class is a great way to not only strut your stuff and show off your expertise, but market your company.

Why? Much like the credibility factor you gain when a newspaper or magazine writes a story on your company as opposed to you placing an ad in that publication, being an in-person authority via a speaking engagement gives you considerable cache. It also gives you the very best opportunity to showcase your expertise. 

Developing a speaking engagement program takes a game plan. For starters, you’ll want to:
  • Decide which product or service you want to showcase. It can be an existing product or service or the launch of a new one. Sometimes the best way to get a new product or service off the ground is via a speaking engagement.
  • Select the right speaker from your organization – Sometimes the head honcho isn’t the right fit for certain audiences; some of your executives may not be as polished. You need to select the speaker that puts your company in the best light.
  • Target an audience; geographic region – Sure, you want to speak in front of people who might actually buy your product or service. Yet sometimes in speaking to a non-profit group or to students, you can strike a chord with somebody who knows somebody. In other words, there’s never really a bad speaking opportunity. In designing your speaking program, you want to target the most likely potential customers in the desired geographic location.
  • Assign ownership of your speaking program – Designate one person in your organization to be in charge of finding speaking opps so it’s an active part or your marketing. It also makes it easier because your go-to person for speaking engagements will be more familiar with the application process and working with event coordinators.
  • Make a splash with your presentation – While speaking engagements can be a great way to market, you can also fall flat on your face if your presentation doesn’t grab your audience. Invest the time and, if necessary, the expense in making your speech captivating.
While it may take a bit to get your speaking program off the ground, it’s well worth it. Not only will you be able to market your company to the people you’re speaking to, but it provides a number of opportunities to publicize appearances-before and after-with press releases and links. But that’s a subject for another PR Pointer.

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