Small Business Stories - The Buzz Maker

Ivy Hartman: Welcome to SBTV.com's coverage of the SEMA Show that's the Specialty Equipment Market Association Show in Las Vegas. It covers all things automotive in the aftermarket and with me is Tracy Teuscher of the Buzz Maker. She is also a SEMA member and on the SEMA Businesswomen's Network. Tracy, well, you're a busy woman here at the show. What are some of your goals this year at the show? Tracy Teuscher: Well, here, within the Specialty Equipment Market, I represent several of the exhibiting manufactures here at the show and I'm also very much involved in the SBN, the SEMA Businesswomen's Network, on the select community and I serve as the lead on the communication's taskforce. So we're involved in producing the annual SEMA Breakfast and just providing folks with an opportunity to network, especially for a businesswoman in the industry to have an opportunity to expand their professional network and build their relationship, so they can support one another within this still predominantly male dominated industry. Ivy Hartman: Well, I'm going to be honest with you. You're the third woman from the select community we've interviewed at the show and what's interesting to me is none of them have been business owners in the industry; they're all marketing or PR people. So, are there many owners on the community and how does that work when you're -- because you might be representing a company that's not necessarily a woman-owned. Tracy Teuscher: Yes, exactly! Yeah, there are several small business owners on the select community and certainly, a number of business owners, women business owners within the industry, certainly. Ivy Hartman: It's kind of interesting. I know, as the Buzz Maker, you represent I hope a lot of different industries; so not just SEMA. I mean when you go back home, you've got other clients. Are there any challenges you find being a woman and being involved in the automotive industry in that learning curve there. Tracy Teuscher: Well, you know, certainly, in every industry, if you're not an expert in a specific product or service, as a public relations consultant, I'm responsible to learn as much as I can about that particular product, service or industry in order to be able to customize my messages for the media on behalf of my clients. So certainly, the aftermarket is no exception and I've represented a wide variety of manufacturers throughout probably the last ten or so years in the industry and continue to do that here at the show by providing media relations and public relations support services for businesses who may or may not have a marketing person in-house, but they want to outsource that specific specialized portion of their marketing mix to a specialized public relations consultant. Ivy Hartman: Well, let's talk about that with the Buzz Maker. How important is it for these small and mid-sized companies, especially what role can you play for them when they're coming to a trade show this large? How important is it to happen for somebody like that on their payroll? Tracy Teuscher: Well, typically, as folks, especially here at the aftermarket and I think anybody in manufacturing, they're focused on manufacturing the product and getting it sold. They're focused on developing their distributorship and reaching the right retailers so that they can get that particular product to the end user, to the consumer. So, that's a very time-consuming process for them and that's where they are the experts. So, especially small-to-medium sized businesses find that they really need someone to assist them and getting the message, their particular company story or story about their product to the right media sources within the industry, so that they can reach the right leaderships through both print newspaper, radio, television whatever the media might be best for them and they really need help with them because that's not something that they typically specialized in. So that's where I come in. Ivy Hartman: As a public relations specialist, and specializing in the mid to small-sized businesses, what are some misconceptions that your clients come in with or about the public relations industry as a whole? Tracy Teuscher: Well, often times, they just don't have a clear understanding of the features and benefits of professional public relations strategy and customized messaging as it complements their overall marketing mix and what a powerful tool that is in being able to tell their company story and the story about their specific product and service and how it's differentiated from their competition within the marketplace. So -- Ivy Hartman: Well, how much sort of small business budget for something like this? Tracy Teuscher: Well, I think that's the part where I come in and I have a good story to tell because I'm a sole proprietor as I've stated in my mission statement as a business owner. My mission has to be truly great rather than great big. I'm a sole proprietor and my intension is to remain a sole proprietor and become truly one of the best in my field if I'm continuing to seek opportunities for additional and specialized education to make me the best at what I do in public relations. So folks that come to me and when I outsource that particular function of their marketing mix are going to pay a lower price than going to a full-service agency where that cost is typically something that is beyond their reach. And that's something that is really exciting for them. Once they realize that they can afford to have somebody like me assisting them with that particular function, they're like yeah, I didn't realize that that was something that I could afford because typically, going to an agency is overwhelming in terms of cost. Ivy Hartman: Absolutely! Now the Buzz Maker, where you're based out of and you take clients nationwide? Tracy Teuscher: I'm based out of Northeast Ohio in the Canton-Massillon area which is just south of Cleveland and I certainly represent folks across the country and including Canada as well. So -- Ivy Hartman: For our viewers who would be interested in contacting the Buzz Maker or that would be you, how do we get all of the view? Tracy Teuscher: Well certainly, folks can review the information initially on my website which is the buzzmaker.com or they can contact me directly by email and that's tracy@thebuzzmaker.com or they can call me on my contact information as on the website as well. Ivy Hartman: Perfect, Tracy Teuscher, you are certainly a public relation -- thanks for coming on Small Business Television. Tracy Teuscher: Thank you so much for having me. Ivy Hartman: You are a small business owner. She represents small businesses as Tracy Teuscher of the Buzz Maker. Keep it right here as we continue to cover all the buzz here at the SEMA Show 2008 in Las Vegas.