If business slows, rev up your plans for publicity this fall.

If your company is one that traditionally experiences a slowdown in business each summer, why not set aside some time to breathe new life into your public relations program? This is a good opportunity to take stock of your PR activities, re-strategize, re-organize, and prepare to launch some new initiatives in the fall.

Here are eight ideas to consider when taking inventory of your PR program.

Connect with press contacts.

Make sure your key contacts are still there and covering your company/product beat. While updating writers' phone numbers and email addresses, use the opportunity to find out what they've been working on. Or if you've been reading their articles, give industry-related feedback on their stories and/or the recent content in their publication. If applicable, you can also offer to give them a tour of your company/facility.

Review editorial calendars.

While fall is when most publications begin releasing their editorial calendars for the coming year, you can still be part of a story targeted for publication in November or December. Most editorial calendars can be accessed on line or you can also call the publication and request a free media kit. If you see an upcoming story where your company can be a resource, contact the publication and ask for the email address of the appropriate editor or writer assigned to that story.

When you pitch your idea, clearly explain how you can be a resource, why you are an expert, and how your information will be of value to the publication's audience. If possible, line up customers who are willing to discuss how your product or service has benefited them. Another credible strategy is to provide a third-party expert who can objectively speak to the topic of the story.

Prepare for trade shows.

If you're participating in a trade show during the fall or winter, this is a good time to determine what materials will be needed for your booth and press kits. Any collateral material (i.e., brochures, fact sheets, signage, etc.) that can be designed, written, and printed now will make it easier for you to focus on other responsibilities in a few months.

Update your computer files.

Nothing wastes more time than having to sort through a maze of computer files and folders to find what you need - especially when you're in a hurry. Whether it's to send out a press release, find a reporter's email address, or locate information on upcoming trade shows, industry conventions, or public relations events, a strategy for entering and retrieving important computer data will benefit your company in numerous ways throughout the year. Files should be updated quarterly and backed up on a regular basis.

Organize and maximize press clippings.

Got press? Don't bury your clippings in filing cabinets. Organize stories written about your company in an attractive binder for display in your company's lobby. Invest in having your best articles professionally framed, and then hang them in prominent places for clients to read. Get reprints of that same coverage and give copies to your company's sales people to show to prospective customers. Nothing is more credible than press coverage!

Prepare ideas for upcoming news releases.

Do you have major product launches coming up in the fall? Announcing some major organizational changes? Spearheading a fundraising event? You may not be ready to announce your news but it's never too early to draft and position your releases, craft quotes, and determine your target media and audiences.

Consider an e-newsletter.

A surefire way to stay in touch with your clients is to send, with their permission of course, a monthly, bimonthly, or quarterly newsletter. You can do this online and it doesn't have to be a lengthy publication - even one page is enough to talk about company news, products, industry trends, or tips for consumers. The payoff will be the valuable relationships you cultivate with your clients, as well as another avenue for potentially getting some media attention.

Update your website.

When was the last time your website was updated? Last month's Shock PR Newsletter focused on the importance of developing a top-notch company website and updating it on a regular basis. Today, more than ever, a website is the world's entry point to your business. Market research shows that consumers decide within 10 seconds whether or not they want to continue reading about your company. Investing in the time and resources now to ensure your website effectively supports your organization will help you stay competitive, provide interesting and valuable information to your current and prospective clients, help bring in new business, and give the press a good overview of your company.

Did you know PR associations are not just for PR people? True, they're mostly comprised of people in the business, but becoming familiar with the top industry organizations and networking with those in them will help you succeed in your PR and marketing endeavors. In fact, the more you know about the business of public relations, the more PR will work for you.

Since there's a multitude of national and international PR and related industry organizations, we've narrowed your search to several top organizations for you to begin reviewing. Many offer free industry information and resources; however, you may want to consider joining an association that best fits your goals to get the full spectrum of benefits, which includes expanded resources, news, information on trends, white papers, newsletters, discounts on publications and conferences, and much more.

Here are Shock PR's recommended PR organizations to consider joining.

Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) - www.prsa.org. The PRSA, based in New York City, has more than 28,000 professional and student members. PRSA is organized into 112 Chapters nationwide.

International Association of Business Communicators - www.iabc.com. IABC provides products, services, activities and networking opportunities to help people and organizations in public relations, employee communications, marketing communications, public affairs and other forms of communications.

Institute for Public Relations - www.instituteforpr.com. The Institute for Public Relations is focused on "the science beneath the art of public relations," according to its website. "We exist to expand and document the intellectual foundations of public relations, and to make this knowledge available and useful to all practitioners, educators, researchers and the corporate/institutional clients they serve."

In addition, you can know what's happening in the PR world by reading the top industry publications. These include:

O'Dwyer's, www.Odwyerpr.com, has been covering public relations, marketing communications and related fields for over 37 years. The company provides news and information about PR firms and professionals, the media, corporations, legal issues, jobs, technology, and more, through its website, weekly newsletter, monthly magazine, directories, and guides.

PR Week, www.prweek.com , provides news, reviews, profiles, techniques, and research for practitioners. This research includes annual salary, CEO, and corporate surveys, as well as key industry sector rankings and regional forums.

For websites to increase your PR knowledge, check out the following:

Publicity Hound, www.publicityhound.com, offers "tips, tricks, and tools for free publicity," through its weekly tips, articles, newsletters, workshops, and more.

About Public Relations www.aboutpublicrelations.net/blbestlinks.htm

When you're in the know, you're helping your career!

The first franchisee training session for Shock PR International is being planned for late summer. If you are interested in learning more about our franchise offering, why it might be right for you, and how you can join us, please contact us by mid-July.

The five-day training course will cover the Shock PR proprietary process, business mechanics of setting up and operating your Shock PR franchise office, and much more.

Elementool announced a new Bug Tracking Add-In Tool for Microsoft Visual Studio.NET 2005. The web-based hosted service is available from its website. www.elementool.com

FibroLAN announced the deployment of its fiber-optic networking technology by the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority. www.fibroLAN.com

Sherrill House announced it won a Step II Quality Award from the American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living -- one of only 12 nationwide to receive this honor. www.sherrillhouse.org

Shunra Software announced Shunra VE 4.5, the latest version of its award-winning predictive application and network performance assurance solution. www.shunra.com

Line up two or three customer references that are willing to speak to the media and be quoted in your press releases. If necessary, offer your customers incentives such as product discounts, to help secure their agreement to be used as references.

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