National Press Release

LOUISVILLE, Ky., June 23 /PRNewswire/ -- TOP SHELF Communications & Public Relations, LLC is a new communications and PR firm with a commitment to provide organizations a superior service experience that exceeds that of the mainstream PR agency.

TOP SHELF's President and Founder Gwendolyn Knapp, who has 17 years of experience working as a communications and public relations leader in some of the world's largest and most profitable companies, will apply the lessons learned and firsthand knowledge she's gained over the years to help clients proactively manage their reputations in a rapidly changing communications landscape.

TOP SHELF began operating with its first client, DHL Express USA, a strategic business unit of the Deutche Post World Net (DPWN) conglomerate based in Bonn, Germany. DPWN is the largest provider of mail services in Europe and is one of the world's biggest employers with more than 500,000 employees in 220 countries and territories. TOP SHELF provides strategic corporate communication services to DHL's U.S. headquarters.

TOP SHELF has entered the market at a time when weaker economic conditions are forcing organizations to temper advertising expenditures and rethink marketing approaches. Its primary goal is to help organizations maximize the benefits of using PR strategies to get their messages across to consumers and customers.

"As organizations are forced to tighten their belts and trim budgets, they are realizing that PR can be a powerful and cost-effective tool in the marketing mix as advertising and marketing dollars become scarce. There are so many innovative ways organizations can communicate with their key stakeholders and doing so is essential to their future success," said Knapp.

She asserts that communicating to earn the trust of stakeholders such as customers, potential customers, employees, investors, the media, local communities and special interest groups, is critical because these groups wield enormous power over an organization's success.

"Any organization that wishes to establish a distinctive brand and achieve long-term success must, more than ever before, be grounded in a sure sense of its identity - why it exists, what it stands for and what differentiates it in a competitive marketplace. And it must communicate those fundamentals constantly," added Knapp.

Knapp notes that the need for a proactive communication approach applies to organizations of all sizes and scopes.

"It doesn't matter if you're a Fortune 500 global enterprise, a local law firm, a non-profit charity or a government agency. Stakeholders expect regular communication from the organization. Advertising is only one aspect of that communication. They want to be reached on a much deeper level and that is what strategic PR tactics are designed to accomplish."

TOP SHELF aims to serve large, mid-sized and small organizations across the U.S. Knapp's background working as a communications leader in companies such as General Motors Corporation has enabled her to serve the highest levels of management and address their most important issues. She has counseled and supported chairmen and CEOs, developed and implemented major communication programs and managed crisis communications during labor strikes.

Knapp also served as corporate communications advisor at FedEx Corporation, where she provided communications support to the company's senior leadership. Prior to that she was a national PR manager for Deloitte & Touche USA LLP, where she provided strategic PR support to former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Tommy Thompson on the firm's health care initiatives. Knapp also worked for Brodeur Porter Novelli, providing on-site PR counsel to GE Plastics' automotive division in Michigan.

With Knapp's proven PR track record in major corporations and her determination to succeed as an entrepreneur, she knows what it takes to serve organizations of all sizes and believes that great service begins with "being there" -- TOP SHELF is available to clients 24 hours a day.

"I want TOP SHELF to have customers for life. That kind of loyalty comes only by consistently delivering moments of unexpected responsiveness and going above and beyond for your clients. That's what matters most to me personally, and that is the reputation I want TOP SHELF to have in the marketplace - seasoned, reliable and a trusted business partner," said Knapp.

Industry statistics show that the U.S. PR industry is comprised of nearly 7,000 companies with combined annual revenue of over $6 billion. The industry, which includes large agencies and many privately held firms, is fragmented, with the top 50 agencies accounting for roughly 35 percent of industry revenue. A typical PR agency has annual revenue of less than $1 million and fewer than 10 employees.

Knapp asserts that smaller agencies have a significant advantage over larger firms because their size allows for greater flexibility - and willingness - to provide services that aren't typically met by the industry at large.

"With the right connections, expertise and relationships, there's nothing a smaller agency can't do that the larger agencies can. And we're hearing more and more that organizations want to experience a more authentic and personal level of service. There's no question that smaller agencies are naturally better able to deliver that authenticity and help organizations bring it out in their communications. No matter how much TOP SHELF grows, we will never lose our personal touch. That's my promise to our clients."

    TOP SHELF Communications & Public Relations, LLC
    Type of business: A full-service communications and public relations firm
    Founded: 2008
    Clients include: DHL Express USA
    Services:
    Corporate Communications
    Executive Communications
      -- Speechwriting; presentations and graphics
      -- Speaker Bureau set up and speaker placement
    Strategic Media Relations and Results Measurement
    Media Training
    PR Program Planning
    Crisis Planning
    Event Management
    Editorial Services
      -- Business writing of all kinds; Publications
    Employee Communications
    Community Relations
    Marketing Communications
    Offices: Louisville, Kentucky
    Web site: www.topshelfpr.com

    CONTACT:
    Gwendolyn Knapp
    President
    TOP SHELF Communications & Public Relations, LLC
    502-265-0216 (office)
    901-229-0416 (cell)
    gknapp@topshelfpr.com
    www.topshelfpr.com

SOURCE TOP SHELF Communications & Public Relations, LLC