Airfoil Higher Thinking Quiz Challenges Companies to Test Their Small and Midsized Business Marketing Acumen

Southfield, Mich., Sept. 21, 2009 –Large companies regularly attempt to court small and midsized businesses (SMB's), but they frequently find themselves holding a bouquet of wilted marketing materials when they don't understand what SMBs really want. A new Airfoil Public Relations Higher Thinking™ quiz, based on the agency's primary research conducted among SMB decision-makers, gives enterprises a chance to see how well they understand the preferences of SMBs and the sources that SMB executives trust most.

The 10-question quiz offers several insights. For example, the most important benefit that SMBs value in a product or service is not cost savings (though that ranks high), but time savings. Airfoil also found that social networks have become important to smaller businesses, with, for instance, 20 percent of the decision-makers logging onto Facebook every day. Three out of 10 use LinkedIn daily or weekly.

As for their information preferences, respondents indicated they listen to radio talk and NPR two-and-a-half times as much as they listen to radio news programming. The quiz explores other most-trusted media among SMBs, as well as their preferences regarding how they receive business pitches and the types of publications they read most often.

"Enterprises need to think a little differently when approaching smaller-business owners," noted Airfoil Vice President Leah Haran. "SMBs are prone to seek sources of information that are most like themselves and reflect an understanding of their issues. Marketers should avoid 'one size fits all' in favor of customizable, scalable solutions that address the evolving and unique needs of SMBs."

The Airfoil Higher Thinking quiz is part of the agency's series of Points of View issued regularly to keep clients and other businesses advised of the latest trends impacting companies of all sizes.

About Airfoil Public Relations
Airfoil, with offices in Southfield, Michigan and Mountain View, California, is an independent firm specializing in marketing communications and public relations for both emerging and technology companies. Airfoil Industry Leadership Groups serve a growing client roster across a multitude of technology segments in consumer, enterprise, health care, industrial/green and automotive. The agency's client solutions group provides depth of experience to inform and accelerate clients' marketing communications, digital and social media, brand strategy and public affairs programs. Airfoil has been named Technology Agency of the Year by the Holmes Report and recognized as a top firm in numerous industry rankings. For more information about Airfoil Public Relations, please call 866.AIR.FOIL.

Contact
Stephanie Scheer
Airfoil Public Relations
(248) 304-1448
scheer@airfoilpr.com
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