When it comes to public relations The Cereal Bowl has been lucky - or charmed. With little more than a quirky idea and a home-spun press release the partners have managed to generate a veritable avalanche of coverage - not all of it positive.
Most small businesses, however, are more functional than flashy - and few ever get an inch of ink regardless of how doggedly they pursue the local media.
But with the right timing, the right angle and a little luck even a pedestrian company can get some press, industry pros say.
Among the clients that Coral Gables public relations and marketing agency The Conroy Martinez Group represents is an accounting firm.
``Perhaps that doesn't sound like the most interesting topic in the world,'' admits Conroy Martinez President C.L. Conroy, but she has been successful in promoting the firm as an expert source on international accounting - and scored some major media hits.
``One of the talents of a professional public relations and marketing agency is that they discover what is unique about a business and promote it that way,'' she said.
MEDIA OUTREACH
While The Cereal Bowl recently brought on a marketing firm, they've decided to handle media outreach themselves. Cereal Bowl President Kenneth Rader has said that the store's unique feel-good theme, along with the fact that he started the company with his twin brother Josh and childhood friend Michael Glassman, has given them several angles to play with and made it a relatively easy sell with the media.
And their story has gotten national attention primarily because they are going head-to-head with Cereality, a Chicago-based company that is starting to franchise cereal cafes across the country.
While most entrepreneurs are convinced their business belongs on the cover of Forbes tomorrow, timing is important, said Valerie Zucker of Fort Lauderdale's Zucker Public Relations.
As with good movies, it's easiest to capture attention at key moments, namely the beginning, climax and resolution: A company's opening, when it hits a major milestone - such as a new division or product - and when it's sold or merged, she said.
``Things have to be happening - there has to be some kind of breakthrough,'' she said. ``Don't put out a press release about ordinary things.''
HIGH COST MISTAKES
While many small businesses are perfectly capable of doing media outreach themselves, the cost of not getting it right can be high.
Susana Alvarez-Diaz, of the Miami Lakes-based Alvarez Diaz Group, said she has been approached by firms after their huge launch never made a media ripple - even after they fired off dozens of press releases.
``It may not have been the right story or the correct reporter or the right magazine,'' she said. ``Anyone might have a college student write a release for them, but when you get into pitching the story, that's a whole different animal.''
There are limits to what a PR firm can do.
``There is a misconception that if I hire a PR firm, I automatically get a feature story,'' said Zucker.
Many businesses also believe their releases will be used almost verbatim. ``Anyone that tells you that it's 100 percent controlled is not being honest,'' she said.
When The Cereal Bowl sent out its press release it was hoping to generate some buzz around its opening. It didn't know The Miami Herald was looking for a start-up company to follow through its first year. And the partners weren't counting on the local newspaper giving a blow-by-blow of the three-month delay in their plans.
And then there are the unintended consequences of success. Conroy said she once launched a media campaign for a brand of orange juice that was so popular the company couldn't keep up with demand. The grocery stores were not pleased.
``It was the best scenario and the worst scenario all in one,'' she said.
The anecdote underscores the single most important thing a business can do before trying to draw attention to itself, she said: ``Make sure your house is in order.''
