If you're a small company starting out, finding a reputable PR agency is probably somewhere on your "to-do" list. But shopping for a reputable firm in tougher economic times can be trying, particularly when monthly budgets can be as high as $30,000 a month. It's precisely during these times, though, that getting the word out about your company and its products is more important than ever. After all, there is a direct relationship between your business success and what your influencers - particularly your customers and funders - think about you.

At The Hoffman Agency, we know that not every company is ready for a full-scale PR program, but there are steps you can take to set the process in motion and get your company out of the PR gate. Our 60-day Ramp-up Program is designed to provide you with the strategic counsel you need right now and to lay the foundation for a mature, full-blown high-tech PR program when you're ready.

As part of The Hoffman Agency's Ramp-up Program, your agency team will:

• Review and analyze your corporate Web site, and those of your key competitors for taglines and key messages.
• Investigate the media and marketplace landscape for your company and its key competitors.
• Interview key editors, analysts and prospective customers about their awareness of your company, the issues surrounding your products and who the key players are.
• Conduct a half-day interactive sourcing session with your company's key executives to gather background and content that will differentiate your company and its products.
• Conduct a half-day interactive messaging workshop with your key executives to develop the content for a single, clear, concise corporate or product message that resonates with your customers and the media.
• Prepare and give a formal presentation and written report of Hoffman's recommendations for strategic positioning and high-level messages.
• Prepare press kit contents including Q&A, fact sheet and company backgrounder. All materials are prepared and delivered by a team of crackerjack Hoffman professionals.

For more information about Hoffman's Ramp Up Program for startups, contact:
John Radewagen, VP Corporate Communications
The Hoffman Agency
(408) 975-3005 or jradewagen@hoffman.com

More about The Hoffman Agency
The Hoffman Agency has been advising high-tech companies since 1987 and is recognized for its leadership in high-tech PR. The company's strengths are in strategic counsel, creative tactics and traditional media relations - all designed to make the connections your company needs to tell its stories in the most compelling ways possible.