Building Buzz Class Arms Entrepreneurs with Powerful Public Relations Tools

Portland, OR, June 20, 2009 --(PR.com)-- Enterprising professionals can learn more about building brand awareness in a new five-part class series entitled Building Buzz, offered by Urban Bliss, a creative studio offering public relations and graphic design services as well as an online boutique (www.urbanblissdesign.com). The Building Buzz five-part class series starts July 20, 2009 with classes held weekly on Monday nights from 6:30 to 9:00 p.m at the Urban Bliss studio at 1500 NW 18th Avenue, Suite 115, Portland, Oregon 97209. Entrepreneurs may choose to take one class a la carte for $99 each or sign up for the entire class series for just $399.

Building Buzz courses include:
Part 1: Intro: Getting Your Biz Ready for Buzz
Part 2: The Press Release & The Pitch
Part 3: Event Promotions & Community Outreach
Part 4: Building Up Your Online Brand
Part 5: Crisis Communications: Protecting Your Brand When Things Go Wrong

For more information about each course and to register online, visit www.UrbanBlissDesign.com/collections/prseries.

Urban Bliss owner Marlynn Jayme Schotland decided to launch the Building Buzz program as a supplemental public relations tool for small business owners who may not have the bigger budgets for full-scale public relations assistance during these challenging economic times. “As a small business owner myself, I know that I like to be as knowledgeable as possible about all aspects of my business,” Schotland says, “While these courses may not replace the expertise that comes with hiring a professional PR person full-time or for larger campaigns, they can give entrepreneurs better understanding of the PR process, arm them with tips they can incorporate into daily communication efforts to enhance their brand, and even the knowledge and tools to do smaller scale outreach on their own.”

About the Building Buzz Instructor
Building Buzz courses are taught by Urban Bliss owner Marlynn Jayme Schotland, an award-winning public relations professional, journalist, designer and public speaker. Schotland’s focus is on helping family-focused businesses build brand awareness through strategic media relations and community outreach. Past and present public relations clients have been featured in CNN.com, USA Weekend, NBC, ABC, CBS and FOX local television news affiliates, The Oregonian, Portland Business Journal, Capitalist Chicks radio, MOM magazine, Parents magazine, Portland Monthly magazine, Oregon Home magazine, and countless other print and online media outlets. Prior to opening Urban Bliss Design + PR, she spent several years as the Director of Public Relations for The Art Institute of Portland, where she served as the Public Relations Council Chairperson for Education Management Corporation’s (EDMC) 30+ team of Public Relations Directors around North America. While at EDMC, she managed public relations and community outreach efforts for The Art Institute of Portland, its gallery, and Artist-in-Residence and animation artist Will Vinton; managed special events such as Meet the Pros, featuring Will Vinton and Portland film icon Gus Van Sant; and worked with EDMC’s corporate office on partnerships with Adobe, HP, Macromedia, Americans for the Art and more.

In addition to running Urban Bliss Design + PR, Schotland is the founder of Mamapreneurs Inc., current member of the Oregon Association of Minority Entrepreneurs, and has served on the Board of Directors for the Oregon Columbia Chapter of Business Communicators, Pearl District Business Association, and is a founding Board member of the SIGGRAPH Cascade Chapter. She has also been a media committee member of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) and member of CityClub Portland.

About Urban Bliss Design + PR
Urban Bliss Design + PR is a family-owned creative studio based in Portland, Oregon offering graphic design and public relations services as well as an online boutique featuring custom stationery and gifts. Urban Bliss serves clients around the globe, with present and past clients including Legion Paper, Radiance Communications, CRSmith Consulting, Bella Bellies Maternity, Cool Mom Picks, KPI Direct, Baby Boot Camp, Color Me House, Bella Stella Baby, and many more. Urban Bliss has been featured in numerous media outlets, including Parents magazine, Oregon Home magazine, the NBC, ABC and FOX television affiliates in Portland, Ore., Capital Chicks radio, and several online media outlets including PortlandPicks.com, Cool Mom Picks, and Outblush. Visit www.UrbanBlissDesign.com for more information and to visit the online boutique.

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