The Edge

We have been in business since 2003 and we have not reached the point were we are done learning. Some would say that the ability to keep learning is the mark of a great business owner. I would say that sometimes it is the mark of a business owner that doesn't know what they are doing and so they are forced to keep learning. Failure, although not recommended, is great for the learning curve.

I have spent a lot of time sifting through ideas on everything from how to treat our customers to how to write a great press release. Press releases are a new idea for us. We have had a lot of good news lately and we want to share it with everyone in the Mid Michigan area. Recently I just had a press release published with Capital Gains Media and I was over the moon. My secret weapon was Maureen McNulty Saxton from PR Edge.

PR Edge is a public relations and marketing firm that specializes in writing, event planning, issue management and strategic planning. I am lucky in that I have her to sit next to on field trips, school committees and playdates. I usually begin our conversations with, "Hi, how are you!" and a hug. Somewhere inbetween our salutation and interruptions from the kids I insert, "So, I have this idea."

And then we are off and running. I am bouncing ideas off of her like a dodge ball target and she is sending them back at me at the same speed. I have asked her to proof my writing, plan seminars and participate in a referral program for my Business to Business clientele. She has even helped me deal with difficult customer relations and how to deal with innapropriate comments on our Facebook Fan Page.

Check back for the referral program. I am still working on it and it's going to be fantastic. But I digress.

One of her company's biggest roles is to help public awareness about issues that may effect your business. She is currently on the board of the Women's Caring Project, a non-profit dedicated to helping prop up families that are having to choose between three vital needs. Employment, childcare and/or early education and the basic neccessities. The criteria for recieving assistance is income based and usually involves a parent that is working and attending school at the same time. She assists the Women's Caring Project by offering her expertise in spreading public awareness and seeking out like-minded foundations and endowments for the Child Care Commitment.

She educated me. Did you know that as a nation, we agree that early childhood education is important but there is no viable budget support behind those statements. I didn't know that but I do know many women who find working a challenge because their wages are not enough to pay for childcare and not quite low enough to qualify for State assistance. The math doesn't add up and their children end up going without something (ie, quality care, healthy food, medical care) but that is a topic for another blog.

Recently, I ran across this article by John Schneider from the Lansing State Journal. Oh my, someone really needs a issue management consultation with my friend. So I asked her.

*microphone lifted up to her like a paparazzi*

"Maureen McNulty Saxton from PR Edge, if you had any advice for the owners of this remodeling company what would it be?"

And this is what she said.

"While it may be (appallingly!) true that the law allows liens to be made on homeowners who've done nothing wrong, it's too bad that this remodeling company didn't get out in front of this situation and contact the homeowner before the distribution company did - and before they took a hit in the newspaper. While it's good to hear they are now working with the homeowner to resolve the lien issue, they are still just playing catch-up and in the future might want to consider setting up a proactive press strategy. This is not the kind of story with which they want their name to be associated. They might even want to consider contacting their state representative and inquire as to why the state fund to relieve homeowners is "broke" and how they can help rectify that -- as a local business concerned about their customers. Assuming the situation gets resolved and they take some proactive measures to show their concern, they might want to issue a press release. They most definitely should contact the same newspaper columnist once the situation is resolved to everyone's mutual satisfaction."

Great advice, don't you think.

To contact PR Edge, you can come with me on a field trip or two. Or, you can just refer to the information below. I recommend that you do...but I will bounce that idea off of her too. :)

Maureen McNulty Saxton
PR Edge, LLC
P.O. Box 4493
East Lansing, MI 48826
(517) 899-5513
PR-Edge@comcast.net

Some resources for homeowners;

Consumer’s Guide to the Michigan Construction Lien Act & The Homeowner Construction Lien Recovery Fund

Blank Construction Lien Form Instructions