Welcome to the inaugural blog post for what we hope will become a regular destination for B2B PR and marketing communicators in the Advanced Manufacturing & Energy space!

Quick introduction and disclosure: Gibbs & Soell is an independent PR firm with communications specialties in the areas of science, technology and business innovation. Our authors will be offering guidance and useful tips, and we will be happy to engage in dialogues conducted with professional courtesy and transparency.

So, we invite you to weigh in with your comments. And there has been plenty of news to weigh in on recently…

l’ll bet there were a lot of B2B marketing and PR folks who felt an extra ounce of professional anxiety when President Obama signed into law the new economic stimulus package. Many of us have been struggling for months with how to balance the need to deliver results against demands to control costs as our companies face increasing financial pressure.

Of course we are optimistic — or at least hopeful — that the stimulus will ultimately create better demand for our products and services. Even President Obama encouraged Americans to “find promise amid peril” in his recent address to Congress. But in the short-term it also reinforces our results vs. finances dilemma.

It’s only natural to get caught up in the immediate day-to-day swings of the market or get depressed by the necessary financial cuts to ensure profitability and/or solvency. However, regardless of your political views, we should heed the President’s advice and take a long-term view of where we want to go. We need to chart a clear path to get there, and maintain a focus on achieving those goals. This requires a clear vision and actively communicating to all stakeholders — external and internal. Communications should acknowledge the pain and past sacrifices, but then move forward in a responsible, matter-of-fact manner that demonstrates whey their path is the right (and healthy) one.

We must also remember that turmoil is an opportunity to capture or cement market position. If your competitors focus more on cutting costs than communicating to the marketplace, that gives you a chance to gain a dominant share of voice. So, don’t be shy about pointing out the inherent advantages of your products or services — especially how they help customers mitigate risk or grow profits during times like these.

The bottom line is that PR was made for times like this. No other communications service can generate the type of credibility, awareness and dialogue that PR can. Nor is any other service as cost effective.

So, is your PR program “shovel ready?” Are you prepared to take action to capitalize on opportunities of today’s marketplace?

Let us know about what is–and isn’t–working for you. How can we continue to showcase the value we provide as professional communicators during a time when many in the C-Suite are looking harder than ever at the bottom line?

Thanks for reading, and stay tuned.