Venture Capital Angels: Financing for Start Ups
TECH COAST VENTURE NETWORK FORUM

First in a Series “Where Mind Meets Money”

January 26, 2006, Hilton Costa Mesa

Capital ‘angels’ have some $60 to $90 billions to invest in business start ups, but they complete only one or two deals a year–––ranging from $5,000 to $500,000. The funding is available. How does the entrepreneur find it? This was the major message sent at the January 26, 2006 meeting of TCVN’s new series of Forums.

In order to compete for that money you have to have a clearly defined roadmap to funding. It is critical to remember that venture capitalist want to make money as much as the business owner does. To vie for that money you have to be prepared to explain how your business is going to be profitable for everyone involved. Entrepreneurs must also communicate in what way their product or service is needed because that’s what most angels want to know.

Bart Greenberg, TCVN chairman, is launching a series of TCVN programs, “Roadmap to Funding,” specifically designed for unaffiliated angel investors. The programs will focus on how to approach Tech Coast Angels . "We believe there is a very large, untapped source of funding for early-stage deals,” he explains, “I believe many people would like to help fund early-technology companies but simply do not have the time or resources to join formal angel groups. Through out Forums we can help these people meet entrepreneurs and better understand the process of investing in early opportunities.”

Other Forums will endeavor to help early-stage companies break out of "the entrepreneur's dilemma" by bringing credibility, experience and skills to rapidly accelerate progress–––and help position companies for ongoing success in their business’ key fundraising endeavors.

SUMMARY

January 26, 2006, Forum, Hilton Costa Mesa

By Sara Pentz

There are several types of angel investors: the serial angles, freelance angels and the operation value-added angels–––all of whom want to work with start up businesses to build for success. Actually, there are a flock of angels–––they can be individuals working in groups, enthusiast individuals or retirees, and financial tourist angel who are just looking around. There are socially responsible angels; neighborhood angels who live right down the street. And there are celebrity angels who may just be tire-kicking angels.

If you want a private equity investor, there are certain rules to follow. First, you must have a business plan in order to meet the right people. And you must know how to get your deal done. The rules include a good knowledge and understanding of business planning, angel/venture capital financing, capital raising strategies, high tech marketing, strategic alliances, and knowledge of how mergers & acquisitions work.

At this particular meeting of TCVN, the panel consisted of Robert W. Price, Senior Research Fellow, Global Entrepreneurship Institute, Richard J. Dadamo, Founder, RJD Associates, Inc. and Christopher Romine, CEO, S.two Corporation; panel moderator Matt Ridenour, Managing Director, Momentum Venture Management, LLC, who guided and contributed to the discussion.

THE VENTURE CAPITAL PANEL SPEAKS

by Sara Pentz

Robert Price is currently working on his eleventh book. He is world-renowned as an expert in the field of entrepreneurial capitalism and early-stage information technology companies. His clients' business plans have raised nearly $24 million from angel investors, venture capitalists, and strategic capital partners.

He spoke about the importance of having a roadmap for funding. “Know how to raise money, structure your business, and take the risks of the trade,” he explained. “It’s not enough to have an idea about a business you want to grow. You have to know how to put the pieces of puzzle together, and how to get the deal done. You have to know the venture-drill process, the packaging, the placing, the presenting–––what the environment wants and needs in order to buy into your concept. You have to build the business plan. You have to find the right individuals to support you. You have to know where you are on the food chain or the investors will pass you by. You have to be ready for hard work. You have to be ready to win.”

Essentially, that was the themed content of the evening’s discussion. These are commandments entrepreneurs have heard repeatedly. The value of hearing them from these experts was to hear the discourse, the exchange of ideas, and the empathy and support the three exude for the process of business building. It is always a motivational experience.

Panel member Richard (Dick) Dadamo is founder of RJD Associates, Inc., a management consulting firm that offers mentoring support to company presidents and owners of small companies that have sales under $20 million. As a serial angel investor, and an active member of the Tech Coast Angels, he has made a number of investments in start-ups. With more than thirty-five years of experience in the corporate world, he is well known as a mentor and friend. His advice is always practical and down-to-earth.

Dadamo strongly urges, “You have to realize that if you are an entrepreneur–––this is your life. You have to get to a point of due diligent, spending about 50-100 hours preparing your project for the investor. It’s all about discipline. If you don’t want to make money, we can’t make money. Plan the money. Review your story. Use common sense. Do all these things before you turn off the investor. They don’t care if you have the solution. They want to understand the need.”

Price talks about the emotional contact between the entrepreneur and the investor, citing one case in particular, “My job was to figure out how to get the angel in front of this technology in order for him to understand the concept. We used a trade show. He stood there and watched the look on people’s faces when we showed them what we did. He then stepped up to the plate. We used only our own money to develop the technology. We believed in what we were doing. If we didn’t find that next round of capital it was all for naught.”

Moderator Matt Ridenour agrees with the idea of emotional contact, “You can almost track the need for emotion contact versus the need for data content.” Ridenour has been a principal in more than 25 private market transactions with an aggregate value of more than $200 million. He has been active in private equity and venture capital initiatives, and as a successful CEO in early stage companies.

Christopher Romine, CEO S.two Corporation was the third panelist. His company is based in Northern Nevada, and manufactures portable and fixed-based digital recorders for field and studio production, and postproduction applications. Although in the early-stage of development, the Company currently serves markets worldwide through industry-leading distribution and customer support partners. At S.two Chris is leading a venture team of domain experts who are creating innovative solutions addressing digital film workflow problems.

As a manager and entrepreneur, Romine suggests that the relationship process is critical.

“With an initial investor the relationship is a process–––especially if he is lower down on the food chain. You have to develop of a relationship of trust. As we moved up the food chain in our business the relationship became much less important. So the history becomes more important. Relationships are important but you must not forget the credibility issues.”

In a discussion about business plans, Price, Dadamo and Ridenour each agree that you have to know what you’re doing. “The concept of creating a business plan forces you to know what you have to do first–––who are you going to call and why you need to have a specific understanding of what they are doing.” “Their first questions will be why should I not make this investment, especially if the management team is not in place.” “The investor will ask himself what are some of the deal killers on this proposition?” “Often early stage companies move too fast and we see them rewriting the business plan every several months. You must articulate what you fundamentally do in that plan in the presentation. What’s the right format? What is basically enough?” Adds Dadamo, “Make sure the first paragraph includes everything. Nobody wants 58 pages of financials. Tell them what is unique, where there is a need. You must convince the investors of this

“Trust and credibility equals comfort,” a tip offered by Dadamo. “If there’s more than one person involved in the project, you have a team. Team, team, team–––you get credibility from the team. You must also champion an investor who gives you credibility” Says Romine, “The team is the answer because we tend to get too narrowly focused. Tunnel vision is bad. Team has built-in critics. The chemistry builds on the temperament but the team is diverse enough to be critical and keep everyone on the path.”

“It’s an ongoing thing,” Adds Romine. “Once they give you the money, you don’t have to keep them in the loop, so if you do keep the relationship you maintain your credibility and they become part of what’s going on.” Price: “It takes passion–––sell, sell, sell, sell. If the entrepreneur doesn’t have passion, how are they going to go out and sell the product? The team has the passion. That’s the word I like best.”

Price says there is more to it than just the internal team. “You have to get the venture team involved. Ask yourself how to do this. Think of an external team. Think of people who would sit on an advisory board. This is not a director’s board. Attorneys, bankers, accountants, other professional guys–––you can knock around ideas together. They can be your test flight guys.”

Ridenour seconds this idea. “If you don’t have credibility be honest borrow some. The scariest thing you can do is to ask someone for money – so ask them for advice. Get some of their time and, if you have merit, they will get attached and want to get involved. They may even introduce you to the right people.”

Adds Dadamo, “Every business plan has an advisory board. Give them a certificate–––these white hairs and the no hairs. They know where the money is, the help is, and the people are. Don’t hesitate. I run into this problem all the time–––whether the guy really wants to be an entrepreneur. You have to be wiling to work for no pay. It all about commitment and passion. We all have to be on the same page. It’s sweat equity. If you’re getting into this just for the enjoyment, that may not be the place to go.” Price tells it straight, “You have to be an event banger. You have to ask for the money. What’s key is triangulation–––know someone who knows someone who know someone.”

The Tech Coast Venture Network (TCVN) is dedicated to assisting, educating and connecting early stage growth companies with information and advisors for the purpose of raising money. TCVN has been directly or indirectly responsible for the establishment and growth of a significant number of new and early stage businesses. Through its major program, the Venture Forum, TCVN has had over 150 programs on topics to assist and educate entrepreneurs. More than 400 entrepreneurs, CEO's, investors and other presenters have shared their professional business knowledge and experiences.

(Compiled and written by Sara Pentz, www.sarapentz.com, January 31, 2006)

Search Engine Marketing White Paper - SEM Best Practices

Best Practices White Paper Summary

By Sara Pentz for Gerry Grant, CEO/Founder of Search-Optimization.com

ABSTRACT:
Search engine marketing (SEM) is the most effective form of marketing available today., The use of best practices consistently over an extended period of time will achieve maximum results. For companies to remain competitive, a properly built, professionally-optimized website is a must.

It is imperative that marketing executives insert Search Engine Marketing best practices into their marketing plans immediately or risk losing market share and brand equity. Effective optimization is an ongoing process—a corporate commitment, really—not just a one-time purchase. Because the stakes are high it is best to consider using an SEM service provider.

INTRODUCTION:
Best Practices refers to processes that have been developed by businesses to achieve maximum results with an efficient use of company resources. This White Paper is a st art at documenting the best practices for the Search Engine Optimization profession. We will attempt to educate decision makers in the corporate world about why SEM is critical to the success of the business and how to implement it into their marketing mix.

This Paper, Search Engine Marketing Best Practices, will evolve to include information from many sources. It will eventually incorporate web pages, blogs, forum postings and interactive content, allowing others to comment and contribute. The Paper will have lines of sight to additional content by using embedded links and will be available online as a living document. Visit www.search-optimization.com to register for additional installments of Search Engine Marketing Best Practices, or to contribute your thoughts or comments.

Many companies are so happy with their SEM results they do not implement a full search engine marketing campaign, leaving a lot of revenue unrealized. I recommend that in order to achieve SEM best practices, a company’s marketing team, in conjunction with a specialist in SEM, should map out the full extent of what can be accomplished using all SEM “components”—while maintaining a synergy with other marketing efforts.

The plan should include:

• Keyword market research and analysis.
• Strategic pay-per-click (PPC) program management and media buying. The right combination can reduce per-visitor costs by up to 40%.
• Website redesign and editorial search optimization--the two most powerful and effective methods of quickly increasing search engine visibility and achieving higher rankings.
• Analytics and ROI tracking to identify the most effective search engines, phrases, and keywords that allow you to track campaign activity and results in extraordinary detail.
• Powerful, interactive email campaigns capture your target visitors’ permission to send additional information.

As with traditional marketing, search engine marketing best practices begins with in- depth market research and benchmarking.

The biggest search engine marketing mistake is made right from the beginning—choosing the wrong target keywords or key phrases.

Keyword market research and analysis is the foundation of SEM best practices, including brainstorming keywords, phrases, and synonyms, assessing key-phrase popularity, and identifying related or industry-specific words. One must identify key-phrase popularity and related or industry-specific words—these will be the most popular, targeted, and convertible search terms.

Strategic Pay-Per-Click (PPC) program management and media buying provide an immediate method of delivering visitors to your site with placement and top rankings on Google, MSN, and Overture, plus a number of other high-quality, lower-cost PPC search engines. Writing targeted titles and descriptions for your keywords and key phrases, and developing targeted landing pages to give your site multiple points of entry will dramatically improve your PPC results. These landing pages also need to be optimized to attract natural traffic and increase your PPC results. To extend your budget even further, it is important to “blend and balance” placements on higher-priced PPC search engines with listings on less-expensive search-engine accounts. The right combination can reduce your per-visitor costs by up to 40% or more.

To maximize ranking, visibility, frequency, and reach, a specialist needs to address the following:

• Strategic Pay-Per-Click (PPC) program management and media buying.
• Conduct extensive keyword market research.
• Develop search-term-specific, keyword-rich landing pages.
• Select the most popular, targeted, and convertible search terms.
• Identify which keywords/keyword-specific phrases are most effective.
• Conduct continuous, industry-specific linguistic research.
• Coordinate all traditional marketing with SEM efforts.
• Use PPC strategic information in your SEO efforts.
• Set up web analytics including click fraud monitoring.
• Maintain a database of registered visitors and customers, allowing targeted communications and page delivery.
• Develop powerful email campaigns for bulk distribution or to a client base.

Website redesign and editorial search engine optimization are two of the most powerful and effective methods of quickly increasing search engine visibility and achieving higher rankings. Proper site design, page layout, and navigational setup will improve visitor satisfaction and increase revenues. When combined with today’s sophisticated analytics, you will even know what is working and what is not.

SEO Best Practices Research

• Determine how well search engines find and interpret the website’s content.
• Find out if you’re blocking the search engine spiders.
• Create a competitive website analysis to uncover details of your top ten competitors’ ranking strategies and the actions you can take to offset them and gain an advantage.
• Create a search visibility report that tracks a search-engine “spider’s” perspective of your site to reveal blocks, dead ends, and overall “spider” compatibility.
• Run a search saturation report to see how many page listings you have with the major search engines
• Create a keyword density analysis report that shows which web pages aretelling search engines by analyzing keyword frequency.
• Establish a keyword effectiveness indicator that reports the number of web pages competing for selected keywords on Google, Yahoo, and MSN.
• Record current sales volume.
• Create a current server log report to see how many unique visitors your site has.
• Run a keyword ranking report to reveal a website’s top 30 rankings, per keyword, across the major search engines.
• Use a link popularity report to identify those who are linking to the website in order to calculate how many major search-engine links currently point to it.
• Optimize all website images using keywords in names, links and other design techniques.
• Write or re-write copy to create “topical community” to make it “search-engine friendly.”
• Develop search-engine-specific, keyword-rich pages.
• Manually submit site information to major search engines. Seed listings with links from already listed pages and sites.
• Prepare the site for submission to top directory listings, including Yahoo and D MOZ.
• Develop customized thematic linking strategies and link-popularity programs.
• Implement an ongoing PR campaign using optimized press releases.
• Produce an ongoing business Blogs and Podcast projects.
• Submit articles and white papers to online sites and eZines.
• Correct all broken links and create a custom “page-not-found” document
• Create a Google site map and optimized site map
• Provide continuous, secure, uninterruptible, scalable web hosting.
• Install a search appliance on company server to improve on-site search results.

Note: The sales volume, server log report, search saturation report, keyword ranking report and the link popularity report are all excellent benchmarks to evaluate future success.

Best practices SEM requires a market researcher with knowledge in linguistics, a professional copy writer with a knowledge of SEM, including thematic linking and topical community, a graphic artist, a database manager, someone knowledgeable in creating dynamic websites, a PPC management expert, a web analytics expert, a linking strategy expert and a project manager, all with a knowledge of marketing.

Research indicates that it is better to retain the services of a full- service search engine marketing agency rather than attempt to implement SEM in-house. A recent survey conducted by Marketing Sherpa found that in- house SEM efforts produced an average increase of 38% after six months, a very respectable increase. This was compared to the results from outsourcing to an SEM service provider that achieved a more than 100% increase in visitors.

An Orange County Internet Marketing Company

Established in 1994, Search-Optimization.com is an Internet marketing firm dedicated to making clients’ websites work smarter. That translates into more qualified site visitors, enhanced profitability and maximum Return On Investment (ROI). Our clients are medium to large sized to multi–million dollar corporations, advertising agencies, PR firms and the clients they serve.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Gerry Grant CEO/Founder Search-Optimization.com, an Orange County Internet Marketing Company, has been actively involved in search engine marketing since 1994.

Additional Resources available at www.search-optimization.com.

Reason, Individualism, Freedom Institute Announces

Capital Campaign of $4M Initiating the College of the United States

Using the Principles of the Montessori Method of Education I
ntegrated with Philosophy, as Applied to the Great Books Program

“The hallmark of a well-functioning mind is the ability to identify facts, analyze
ideas, integrate knowledge, and successfully translate principles into action.”
Marsha Familaro Enright, 2006

(Chicago, IL ––– January 2007) The power of philosophy, the Great Books (http://www.greatbooks.org/) and Maria Montessori’s (http://www.webster.edu/~woolflm/montessori.html) theories of education, including study of Classical Liberalism http://www.mises.org/etexts/classical.asp), and Free Market Economics (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Market_economy),will constitute the foundation for the College of the United States (www.rifi.com)––a new venture in college education with admission plans set for September 2008. The purpose is to prepare young, bright students for a life of leadership; promoting reason, achievement and individual happiness.

Chicago, IL-based The Reason, Individualism and Freedom Institute, a Non-Profit 501(c)(3) Corporation, is the foundation led by College Founder/President Marsha Familaro Enright, (M.A. Psychology) (http://www.rifinst.org/content/view/26/30/)

which is developing this new higher education venture. It is her passion for learning that is responsible for this highly integrated program. Rarely do schools specifically train and nurture students in thinking skills per se. This is the goal of the College of the United States.

The College of the United States will strive to create global leaders of tomorrow capable of fulfilling the vision of the American Founding Fathers. The College will teach students how to become successful men and women of principle and action, effective in spreading the benefits of reason and individualism, and the bounty of liberty worldwide through their work and through their example

Initially, the College will offer a Baccalaureate Degree in Liberal Arts. The curriculum (http://www.rifinst.org/content/view/12/14/) will be unified, in-depth and extensive, addressing essential needs for training in thinking and practical skills, as well as a solid (http://www.rifinst.org/content/view/22/29/) foundation in reality-oriented philosophy applied to history, economics, literature, the arts, mathematics and science to help students effectively use their knowledge in life.

Enright has allied herself with intellectuals across the country to establish the College. Each one of these bright, inquisitive, accomplished advisors and team members brings an impressive set of disciplines, research and work expertise in every field imaginable to the founding and development of the College.

They have come together with the same philosophy about education––that young people are looking for alternatives to the current epistemological and ethical relativism; political and social collectivism and anti-capitalist, anti-business ideas that are prevalent in colleges and universities throughout the country.

About Marsha Familaro Enright, M.A. Psychology
Enright had a dream. In love with learning and concerned about education since childhood, she has spent the past 16 years as the CEO of Council Oak Montessori School, named one of the top 25 private elementary schools in Chicago, Illinois, by Chicago Magazine (http://www.chicagomag.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=8642F5EFCEA14A939100AB7214F31861&nm=Archives&type=PubPagi&mod=Publications%3A%3AArticle+Title&mid=61BFC65300D24DB58350C761094153A1&tier=4&id=5931EE1557024022AB24A313ED5B0484).

Eminently qualified as a educator, writer, psychological theorist and administrator, Enright is the force behind the College of the United States, an innovative and complete Liberal Arts/Sciences College, along with others who believe that a college of this kind will be a successful enterprise.

About the College of the United States
The Non-Profit Tax Exempt 501 (c)(3) Reason, Individualism, Freedom Institute is incorporated in Illinois for development work and as the financial aid arm of the College. Due to Illinois Board of Higher Education regulations, the College itself will be incorporated as a Non-Profit, with a For Profit arm, when sufficient capitalization has been obtained.

The College’s creators have invested more than $150,000 in cash and in-kind donations of time and research. This includes more than three full-time years researching the market, creating programs, and traveling the country marketing the concept.

Seed capital of $70,000 has been received and a major capital campaign seeking monies from sympathetic foundations and individuals has been launched. It is necessary to raise $1M to develop and vet the curriculum, create the organization, train faculty, recruit students, lease buildings and commence a full-blown marketing campaign.

Contact Information:
Marsha Familaro Enright, CEO/President
College of the United States
Reason, Individualism, Freedom Institute,
A Non-Profit 501(c)(3) Corporation
9400 South Damen Avenue
Chicago, IL. 60620
www.rifinst.org
info@rifinst.org
Fax: 773-779-1290
Phone: 773.677.6418

Media Contact:
Sara Pentz
sara@sarapentz.com
949.719.0902
Newport Beach, CA

The Value of Image Development - Article

Is Your Image Showing?
By Sara Pentz

People form impressions about us within the first seven to twelve seconds of meeting. Instantaneous judgements are made about how much money we make, how intelligent we are, and whether we are interesting. Those judgments are made based on, among other things, how we dress, the way we behave and what we talk about. Most of us don’t act on those impressions because we know there is often more to the person than what we first see or experience.

In those few seconds of a first impression the direction of our lives can be affected or possibly changed. Even a casual meeting provides the potential for someone to hire us, invest in our company, become our friend, or make a date! If we consider this part of life unimportant, we may find that moving ahead in business or in our social life is ultimately hampered.

With so much resting on our Image, how can we take control of it, understand it, identify it, and polish it?

We develop our Image over time, mostly on a subconscious level. Our Image becomes a non-verbal way of communicating.

Image reflects our values and character, our knowledge and intellect, our sensitivity and objectivity, our ethics and aesthetics, and our personal philosophy. That’s why our Image is important to our success and happiness.

Image is a reflection of everything we do in life. It is a culmination of the conclusions we make which form our core values. It is our morality, and a multitude of decisions we make about everything important to us as we proceed through life. It is the way, for example, that we respond to music or art. It is our view of life, happiness, money, heroes, love, or injustices.

We are often told that to be conscious of our Image is to be selfish and egotistical. That is not so. In addition, we are told not to tamper with Image because it is an unknown quantity! Untrue. Precisely because Image is our first impression we must take control it and make sure the message we send is an appropriate and accurate one.

First, we must be conscious of our Image in order to take control of it, modify it and improve it. We do this by looking carefully at everything about ourselves as if through a mirror. We must ask, how do we look and act; what do we think and how do we communicate? We must evaluate our eye contact, handshake, posture, smile, clothing, hairstyle, make-up, walk, stance, speech, grammar, grace and diplomacy, to name only a few.

Our very appearance can translate directly into power, increasing our self-confidence, as well as solidifying the impression we make. Good grooming, civilized behavior, knowledgeable conversation and polite manners are as important, in a way, as knowing how to close a deal.

It is critical to keep in mind that Image is the backdrop not the feature. It is the canvass upon which the best within us is marvelously reflected. Sometimes we focus on one particularly appealing asset which then becomes the basis for our Image. That is when it is critical to evaluate and reshape the Image.

We see examples everyday of an Image that needs polishing. A skirt that’s too short. A neckline too low. Too much make-up. The caustic prankster. The power manipulator. The insipid handshake. The rude loudmouth.

Excessive hairstyles, makeup, jewelry, and fragrance detract from a professional image, as do worn out, dirty, cheap, or ill-fitting clothes. What you wear should suit, not detract from, your professional and personal role in life.

Inappropriate language, profanity and coarse words are absolutely wrong at any time but particularly at work and in a formal social environment. Some language, words and/or phrases are often grossly out of order in the company of foreigners because their translation could mean something very different than intended. If you’re business is international, know language protocol to avoid an embarrassing international faux pas.

Grammar, voice tone, pitch and volume are an important part of your professional being. You make a statement about yourself by the way you speak. The most dreaded fear is not of dying. It is of standing up in front of an audience and talking. Doing it well will immensely enhance your Image.

Dining finesse tells others a great deal about our understanding of manners. It is never appropriate for a woman to place her purse on a dining table. Soup is spooned away from you toward the center of the bowl. Never place your napkin on the table until everyone leaves at the end of a meal.

Knowing appropriate business etiquette is an important part of fine tuning your Image. Learn how to “work a room” without offending the host or hostess. Excuse yourself successfully from a group conversation. Offer your business card at just the right moment.

There are many issues involved in developing a consistent and appropriately realistic Image. Polish your Image; it’s what you make of it because you ARE the message. While you’re at it, see that your Image reflects the best within you. The results will prove beneficial, personally and financially.

The Value of PR - Article

It is never too late -
To stimulate more demand for a product or service,

To polish an image, to create better understanding,
Or to underscore the credibility of the business.

By Sara Pentz

Public Relations is the ‘invisible marketing partner.” Everyone in business who wants to be more successful should take advantage of the hidden value of Public Relations.

Public Relations is the creation of goodwill. It is a way of increasing the climate of belief. It is a marketing strategy created specifically to gain acceptance and support for a company's goods and services. It can be most effective when the PR efforts reach an untapped market and motivate people to take action.

Public Relations is publicity, sponsorships, special events, customized promotions, speaking engagements, and newsletters. Like advertising, but without the hard sell, PR makes potential customers aware of the benefits they will receive from the product or service. Public Relations is anything imaginable which produces the desired results.

Public Relations can enhance the achievement of specific business goals. It can boost sales, improve management’s morale, increase client base. Public Relations is often difficult to measure. But it can be extremely successful when the message, identity or image desired in the marketplace is carefully defined and reinforced with uniform consistency.

Publicity, a form of PR, is a way of raising awareness through news or feature stories in the media. Studies have shown editorial space is 3.5 times more believable than paid advertising.

Well-written, factual, accurate, interesting, and targeted press releases are critical to the success of any PR campaign. Nothing can undermine credibility with the media faster than inaccurate or incomplete information, or press releases without a purpose.

The media includes community, local, regional, national and international newspapers, general interest, specialty and trade magazines and publications, radio, television, wire services and the Internet. In some cases, it is wise to include the publications associated with businesses, associations, organizations, and government.

You must have an accurate media list which includes names, addresses, phone and fax number, email addresses, and titles. Correct spelling is fundamental.

The success of any media coverage depends upon the flow of communications within the organization, as well as the flow outward from the organization to the public or intended target market. Get your employees involved in the PR process. Ask them for news stories about their work, as well as anything in their personal lives which is related to their work. These sidebar stories are effective and most easily acceptable to the media.

Editors and producers have the tremendous challenge of coming up with stories to fill their pages and air slots every day of the year. Furthermore, many news operations don’t have the budgets to allow the research necessary to find the good stories. Each reporter in a news room is looking for a scoop or a good story. In fact, there is a healthy competition inside the news room which, along with the freedom to be creative, motivates them to look for a great news story. There is always newspaper space and radio and tv air time to fill. It’s a never-ending process.

The public relations liaison must take advantage of this voracious media. Feeding them credible and unusual news stories will make them happy. Take advantage of this opportunity.

Every time an event is planned, organizers should include publicity as a critical factor in the event’s success. Often the people in charge of publicity can contribute ideas and angles which will generate the media coverage needed to ensure the event’s success.

It is equally important to remember that media coverage is not guaranteed. For this reason it is critical to continually interest members of the media with a range of information from which they can select what interests them as the subject for an article or story. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat.

One person in your organization should be the media liaison. Nothing aggravates the press and electronic media more than not knowing who to contact and how to locate that person. They also expect that person to have a good working knowledge of the media and be conversant with media language. Include your name, address, phone, fax, e-mail address and web site on every press release.

At the same time, there must be only one “spokesperson” inside the organization. This person funnels information from the company to the media and visa versa.

These are only some of the options one could consider when creating Public Relations efforts for a company, demonstrating that Public Relations is much more than getting your name in the newspaper.

A Successful New Pain Treatment - Press Release

Successful New Pain Treatment for Arthritis, Joint, Muscle, Nerve Damage
USING REVOLUTIONARY CLASS IV LASER THERAPY

(Newport Beach, CA – November 2006) Treating pain reduction is a specialty of Orange County, Southern California-based Dr. Melissa Ritter, D.C., who is using a revolutionary infrared laser beam for conditions such as arthritis, joint/muscle/nerve pain, and fibromyalgia. In many cases up to 90% success rate. http://laserpainreliefoc.com/laser-treatments.php. Injuries brought on by sports, automobile accidents or work-related traumas are treated non-surgically with this laser therapy.

Laser pain reduction therapy works well for swelling, arthritic pain, herniated disc, spinal stenosis, diabetic neuropathies, shingles, sciatic pain, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritics, gout, back, leg and neck problems. http://laserpainreliefoc.com/faq-about-laser-therapy.php. There is little or no sensation during treatment. Occasionally, one feels mild, soothing warmth or tingling.

It has been shown that close-in-time treatments are more efficient at the beginning (every two days or every three days for two weeks) and then at increasingly longer intervals (e.g. once a week for several weeks). Suspending the treatment temporarily after a certain number of introductory sessions does not cause any problems, and can be beneficial.

The laser’s uniquely combined wavelengths expand the therapeutic value by reducing inflammation, pain and, to a degree, scar tissue. Laser light directs biostimulative light energy to the body's cells which then convert into chemical energy. The laser increases local blood flow to the affected area. This new technology combines a synchronized, high-powered, dual wavelength infrared laser in a single beam aimed directly at the origin of the pain. http://laserpainreliefoc.com/how_laser_therapy_works.php.

Slow to heal wounds that have been resistant to treatment, are candidates for laser therapy. This includes fractures, soft tissue injuries, ulcers and multiple trigger points (sore spots in the muscles).

“I have seen patients with serious pain come into my office who sometimes after only one treatment, walk out pain free,” explains Dr. Ritter. “The laser does not always cure problems, but it can, in many cases, completely eliminate the painful effects of a series of problems.” http://laserpainreliefoc.com/case-studies.php.

Contact:
Dr. Melissa Ritter, D.C.
949.250.4059
1100 Quail, Suite 114
Newport Beach (92660), Orange County, Southern California
www.laserpainreliefoc.com

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Jackson’s Camp Along the Natchez Trace
Proffers Champaign and Caviar for the Invited

By Sara Pentz

Travel Ridgeland’s Old Agency Road outside of Jackson and along the way you’ll come upon an authentic replication of an early southern residence reflecting the epitome of Greek Revival style from around 1850, and the vernacular Creole style from the 18th Century. It’s called Jackson’s Camp and it is the private home of Hugo and Susan Daniel Newcomb.

The home represents the rich and authentic architectural detail of the Newcomb’s personal photographic collection of old homes, based on their extensive library of books on period homes and architecture, and their collection of rare and historic original architectural handbooks by Asher Benjamin and Minard LeFever used by builders of the era.

Jackson’s Camp sits along the 444-mile Natchez Trace Parkway that commemorates an ancient trail connecting southern portions of the Mississippi River to salt licks in today’s central Tennessee. Over the centuries, the Choctaw, Chickasaw and other American Indians left their marks on the Trace. The Natchez Trace experienced its heaviest use from 1785 to 1820 by the “Kaintuck” boatmen that floated the Ohio and Mississippi rivers to markets in Natchez and New Orleans.

Young Andrew Jackson was a regular traveler on Old Agency Road, the original Natchez Trace, in his many roles as a bridegroom in 1791––then as lawyer, pioneer, businessman, entrepreneur and military leader in the Indian wars, as the famous General and hero marching his troops home from the Battle of New Orleans in 1815, as representative of the U. S. government at the Treaty of Doak’s Stand in 1820, and after serving as President of the United States traveling to the new state capital city named after him for a farewell speech to the Mississippi Legislature, and a stay at the old Eagle Hotel in 1840.

Before the l830s you would come across names like Ogburn, Dean, Red Bluff, Breadshers, Ward, Doak, Crowder, Anderson, Shoat, and French camp that represented some of the stands and towns along that Trace. Now the most popular destination along that old trail is Jackson’s Camp and it is more than merely a home for Hugo and Susan Newcomb.

The Camp is set among five lush wooded acres with three buildings and a pool pavilion. The main feature is a courtyard encircled by three verandas. On the fourth side of the house is a conservatory. The environment is old south and peaceful with gardens and fountains to calm the spirit.

Behind this bucolic scene, however, is an active business about to burst into full bloom and if you listen closely you can hear the rattling of pots and pans and smell the fragrance of freshly baked bread.

It is the home of Capital Cities Consultants, the brainchild of Capital City Consultants partners Susan Daniel Newcomb and Nancy C. Bowering. “CCC is an event planning, destination management company,” explains Newcomb. “Most people understand event and meeting planning, but destination management is a phrase or concept not familiar or understood by too many.”

And so, the restored home along that history trail is now a place for contemporary parties, charity fundraisers, weddings, business meetings and special events managed by these two experienced executives who take their recipe for success straight out of the southern tradition of gracious hospitality and business savvy. It’s a rich mix of congeniality, deal-making and new beginnings.

With a total of sixty years experience in organizing, planning and promotion of education, travel, meeting and events, the two women conceive, organize, coordinate and produce events such as board meetings, receptions, seminars, banquets, retreats, or just whatever is needed by any group, corporation and association. “Some of these groups may have a part-time meeting planner on staff,” adds Newcomb, “and CCC can assist this person, who usually has other assigned duties, to make the meeting or event planning arrangements and production of these functions.

Newcomb spent 30 years in healthcare and academia planning educational courses, presenting workshops and managing educational academic programs––developing, planning, and the presentation of conferences, workshops and symposia, and publication of books and journal articles. Bowering's 14-year career in the travel industry included experiences in individual and group travel and tours, She planned and organized business and corporate incentive travel and tours for groups.

Newcomb was looking for something to do after leaving academia. “The business started after a brain storming session with a friend who was looking for employment,” she explains. An initial attempt to begin an event planning consulting company with that friend fell apart when hurricane Katrina wrought its devastation.

“In October 2005, my husband Hugo and I contacted our travel agent, Nancy Bowering, regarding plans for a trip. Nancy and I had become friends over the years, and I got to know more about her family and she learned about mine as she assisted us with travel arrangements. During the discussion regarding trip arrangements, we talked about our future work plans. She was in the process of leaving the travel industry that she had been in for 13-plus years and I was “on hold” with the start up of CCC. After a couple of meetings and discussion, Nancy joined us in November to assist in the start up of the company. There are two of us full time. My husband is part-time handling and reviewing contracts and such details, and others are employed part-time for events as required.

“One thing just grew out of another and we began using our skill sets of working with the public, presenting, teaching and managing people,” she adds. “We had this beautiful space. It was a natural to do event planning and destination management. It’s not fraught without it’s own problems. But you make it happen without the client knowing there’s a catastrophe going on in the kitchen. That’s what makes it fun.”

Capital Cities Consultants has only been in business since January 2006, but already the businesswomen have organized events for groups of up to thirty, held board meetings and seminars in the conservatory, and hosted receptions for over 200 in the spacious courtyard and on surrounding verandahs. “People kept asking us if we were doing weddings,” explains Newcomb. “And we said––well, why not? Having a party is enjoying it while you’re having it. It’s not rocket science. But it does require a lot of attention to details. And I like to add a little extra something that the client hasn’t expected just to make the event extra special.”

Actually, the Newcomb’s had been inviting groups of guests to their home for charitable events since the completion of their property. “My husband sits on a number of boards so we opened our home. Our original intent of the business was to do corporate meetings, but soon we were doing weddings. It just made sense. Now we are doing off premises events. In fact we are planning a ‘Curtain Call Party’ for the USA International Ballet Competition in Jackson at Landmark Center when the competition is here from June 17 – July 2.”

A lit of events quickly identify Jackson’s Camp as no boy’s scout retreat. Here parties have been prepared and enjoyed by some of Jackson’s finest including: a fundraiser for the re-election of Ridgeland, MS Mayor Gene McGee, the Mississippi Heritage Trust’s Annual Board Meeting, the Friends of the International Ballet Competition’s Dinner in Stages in 2004, a Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation’s Preview Party, The McClean Fletcher Center (A service of Hospice Ministries, Inc. and Mississippi’s First Grief Support Center for Children) fourth annual “Heartstrings” Gala 2005, the Diabetes Foundation of Mississippi, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation’s/Annual Board Meeting, the Madison County Foundation Board Christmas Party, the Swedish American Chamber of Commerce, the Madison County Foundation/Annual Board Of Director’s Meeting, the Associated Builders and Contractors/Annual Board Meeting, and the Cancer League of Mississippi VIP Party––just to name a few.

Hugo Newcomb is on the board of Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation/Mississippi Chapter and the Mississippi Heritage Trust. Susan’s association memberships and boards memberships include American Dental Hygienist’s Association, Journal of Dental Hygiene/Editorial Review Board, American Dental Education Association, American Association for Dental Research, International Association for Dental Research, American Association of Public Health Dentistry, Dimensions of Dental Hygiene/Editorial Advisory Board, Friends of the International Ballet/Treasurer, Jubilate Chorale/Executive Director.

“As a Destination Management (DMC) company, CCC is the only such company in Mississippi recognized by the Association of Destination Management Executives,” Newcomb adds with pride. “A DMC works with groups from outside the area (state or region) who are interested in having a meeting in the Jackson metropolitan area or other areas within the state of Mississippi.”

As for the future, says Newcomb, “I would like to see CCC become the premier planning and event destination company in Mississippi and this region. Of course, that would mean competing with Memphis and New Orleans. But certainly there’s a geographical swath that’s not getting any attention. There may not be very many people who want to come to Mississippi as a destination now. However I think that in the future that will change.”

While all this business, social, and destination entertaining experience may not have taught the three people behind Capital Cities Consultants how to make sweet magnolia cold shrimp soup with a touch of lime, it is making them the hottest party team in Jackson.

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