Portland State University Report Says PRstore…

Tuesday, March 27, 2007

PORTLAND, Oregon/— An in-depth, 10-week assessment by a Portland State University advertising class concludes that PRstore (www.prstore.com), the nation’s first walk-in retail marketing franchise, makes marketing more accessible and less threatening for America’s small business owners.

The 22-member advanced advertising class, led by Professor Don Dickinson, Director of Advertising Management at the PSU School of Business, presented its audit results to PRstore founders Mike and Kathy Butler and Fee Stubblefield, owner of the franchise rights to the Portland/Vancouver and Bend markets. The first Portland store opened this month, joining 35 other locations in 18 states.

“The timing of this project is ideal with PRstore’s national growth plans,” Dickinson, a former Portland advertising agency principal, said. “As with any set of recommendations, this marketing audit takes some positions meant to be constructive and identify opportunities where PRstore can be even better as they enter a key phase in the life of the Portland store and the national franchise organization.”

Declaring that “effective self-marketing is crucial to PRstore’s success,” the audit focused on areas for improvement in store design and layout, presentation of marketing products, collateral pieces and content of the web site.

The report also cited several strengths of the PRstore concept including the fact that the service is really needed by small business owners. “Thousands of small businesses go out of business every month due to lack of marketing,” the report states.

Systematizing and making advertising more available makes marketing less threatening and takes a lot of the mystery out of advertising, the report concludes, adding that PRstore can take one load off an owner’s shoulders and let them concentrate on other challenges facing their business.

The report also offers positive comments on the franchise’s price, speed and quality of work. “From examples on the PRstore website and at store locations, customers can be certain they will not be disappointed by the quality of materials provided by PRstore. Ultra-reasonable pricing is also a real plus.”

The group also presented creative ideas for advertising, workshops and seminars, networking with pertinent groups, and news media relations.

“We appreciate the extensive effort that went into this review,” Stubblefield said. “The ideas presented will be carefully considered as we go forward in Portland and nationwide.”