PRISM Marketing makes plans to expand with Columbus
Michelle Adams, president and CEO of PRISM Marketing, often compares her experiences in the Columbus Region to those of a college freshman.
And any new business owner considering locating here should keep that in mind, she says.
"There are always new people moving into neighborhoods, leading organizations and joining non-profits, so most people are excited to meet you," Adams says. "The key for business leaders is that you have to put yourself out there. There is an energy and momentum that you can feel."
Adams knows from experience. She moved here from another community and began PRISM out of her New Albany living room in October 1995.
"I immediately joined networking and association groups and I also got involved in New Albany as the community was just starting to blossom," Adams says. "I have benefitted from the growth of New Albany and the region in general."
PRISM is a full-service agency that does strategic marketing, advertising and digital and public relations. It takes research, adds creativity and develops cohesive, compelling messages for its global clients, and it monitors and tracks initiatives to provide powerful results for its customers.
As the growth of New Albany initially helped her expand her business, other businesses will benefit from new opportunities as the Columbus Region continues to grow and develop.
"Our initial opportunities for new business, and many that still come to PRISM today, are the result of companies expanding and new leaders moving to Columbus who realize they need strong marketing," Adams says. "A growing region helps all of us. We've also expanded our business beyond Columbus with an office in Cincinnati. The central location of Columbus made that an easy choice for us."
PRISM has 13 people here and one in Cincinnati, working roots for Adams. She cut her teeth and absorbed the fundamentals of marketing with a firm in the Queen City, discovering that while content expertise was important, it was only part of the equation.
"I knew that one of my strengths was sales," she says. "I am continually reminded through my business and helping other businesses in the region about the critical importance of sales to earn new business."
A surprising discovery was the pace of business and the speed at which marketing is changing, Adams says.
"I firmly believe that strategic marketing is even more important today because the number of channels and messages can be overwhelming," she says. "I'm also still amazed at how hard entrepreneurship can be. I know that I continue to put a lot of pressure on myself to make my business evolve and improve."
Adams believes that investing in the right people for her business is a primary factor to ensure continued success.
"That is critical to our success as we grow," Adams says. "We will also continue to evolve with the trends in business and marketing without compromising our belief that marketing is a strategic driver to business."
PRISM will also be looking to expand into other regional markets.
"We have an advisory board as well as a customer board that continue to provide vision and direction to our business planning process," Adams says.
TC Brown is a freelance writer.
PRISM Marketing
5031 Forest Drive, Suite ANew Albany, OH 43054