Medtronic Shows Itself Off With a PR Jolt

Sell yourself.

It's an entrepreneurial slogan we've had drilled into us. What we often forget is that it applies equally to a solo-practitioner CPA or corner deli as it does to multinational corporations. Sometimes the public needs a reminder of what you do, how well you're doing it and, most importantly in this economic recession, why you're going to keep getting better in the years to come.

This week, medical-device maker Medtronic(MDT Quote) took the initiative, coming out strong during an analyst day at its Minneapolis headquarters. Faced with a disconnection between the company's stock price and its strong product portfolio, Medtronic defended itself and its future prospects.

Is it time your company got a similar PR jolt? It's not enough to simply do a good job. You've got to make sure your clients and even your competitors know it, too.

You can't blame Medtronic execs for being frustrated. For years, its stock traded in the $50 to $60 range. But ever since October, it's been about half that, despite the fact that revenue is up and the international market for its devices is growing.

At its analysts' day, the company came back swinging. Medtronic announced a growth target of 5% to 8% for fiscal 2010. It talked up new pacemakers and defibrillators that should boost market share and emphasized international reach, publicizing a new stent launch in Japan and an insulin pump for the European market that automatically monitors a patient's blood sugar level and dispenses insulin accordingly.