The story below is sad. Not only to see a Denver PR institution drop of the map but also thinking about employees now without jobs. Terrible…..

But the moral of this story is about touch points, keeping your face in front of prospects and sales cycles. A PR firm will can have a fairly long sales cycle, therefore they need to keep a large sales funnel filled at all times. Part of that involves reaching out with email and direct mail periodically to maintain at least a minimal relationship with the prospect. I’ve had a few contacts with Schenkein over the past two years but I have never once received an email or a direct mail piece telling me about the company, what new projects they may have been working or even a Holiday Greetings.

Are you doing the same with thing with your database of prospects? When was the last time you touched them in some manner? When was the last email, direct mail or even a simple phone call (even to leave a voicemail) sent/made? There are many, MANY solutions out there to help you with this and even automate it for you. There is no excuse to not have a full funnel of prospects at all times.

Of course if you need any help with setting up this process, I am always here to help.

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(from the Denver Post)

Schenkein Inc., a 35-year-old Denver public-relations firm, is closing.

The economic recession led owner Christin Crampton Day to make the decision to close at the end of the month. She made the announcement Tuesday.

"It's a sad day for us here at Schenkein," she said. "It was a difficult decision. I looked at our contracts going into 2009 and the current state of the economy and felt like it was the right thing to do."

Schenkein has 10 employees and about 10 clients that Crampton Day notified this week. The company laid off six people in June.

Schenkein lost two large clients early in 2008 and was working to fill the void when the economy tanked. Clients cut back on spending or canceled contracts, making it impossible to fill the gap, Crampton Day said.

"We started out 2008 challenged, and the timing being what it was with the economy, it was just challenging to turn things around," she said.

At the height of business Schenkein had about 30 employees and annual billings between $2.8 million and $3.2 million and was considered one of the top three firms in the area. Its clients have included CH2M Hill, United Airlines, Coors Brewing, Denver Public Schools, Cigna HealthCare, March of Dimes and Qwest.

Often when a company is trying to save money, marketing, advertising and public relations are the first to go, said Gina Seamans, president of the Colorado Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America.

Earlier this month, the 20-year-old Bonham Group, a local sports-marketing company, laid off 14 people and closed. In August, 26-year-old McClain Finlon Advertising laid off 30 people and became a consulting firm.

Another challenge for PR professionals is social media that clients sometimes try on their own, said Andrew Hudson, founder of andrewhudsonsjobslist.com, a Denver job list.

Hudson cited the recent presidential campaign cycle with its use of YouTube and e-mail.

"A lot of companies are leapfrogging public relations and going to the public in direct ways — through social media, e-mail, websites and blogging," he said.

Hudson worked with Schenkein while at Frontier Airlines several years ago.

"It's really sad. They have a great history and a ton of talent," Hudson said. "I think you're seeing a lot of companies trying to create efficiencies, and unfortunately you are seeing a lot of public-relations and marketing agencies getting squeezed by their clients."

Elizabeth Aguilera: 303-954-1372 or eaguilera@denverpost.com