INDUSTRIES / SMALL BUSINESSES & STARTUPS
Marketing and PR That Helps Connecticut Small Businesses and Startups Get Noticed
You're already wearing every hat. We help Connecticut owners and founders get found on Google, earn local and business press, tell their story on video and handle the rough days, with a team led by a former TV news anchor and chief investigator.
EXPERIENCE
20+ Years
SUPPORT
24/7 On-Call
OWNERSHIP
Locally Owned in Wethersfield, Connecticut
The Challenges
The Challenges You Face
Small businesses make up 99.4% of Connecticut's businesses and employ nearly half of its workers. Most owners and founders still do their own marketing in whatever time is left at the end of the day.
Marketing Gets Whatever Time Is Left
In a 2026 survey, most small businesses spent 1 to 10 hours a week on marketing, and those with 10 or fewer employees were more likely to spend under $500 a month with no one on marketing full-time. Another 2026 survey found 74% of owners expect marketing to take even more of their time this year.
Customers Check Your Reviews First
In a 2026 survey, 97% of consumers read reviews for local businesses. 47% won't use a business with fewer than 20 reviews, 31% will only use one rated 4.5 stars or higher, and 74% only care about reviews from the last three months. 89% expect owners to respond.
If They Can't Find You, They Can't Choose You
Google says local results are based mainly on relevance, distance and how well known a business is, and there's no way to pay for a better local ranking. Customers are also asking AI tools now: 45% used one for local recommendations in 2026, up from 6% a year earlier.
Reviews and Influencer Posts Have Rules
Since October 2024, the FTC can seek civil penalties for fake reviews, reviews bought with incentives tied to a positive rating, undisclosed reviews by owners or managers, threats to suppress reviews and fake followers. Google bans any incentive for a review, and paid or gifted creator posts must clearly disclose the relationship.
Big News Only Breaks Once
An opening, a product launch or a funding round is news for a day. If reporters don't cover a funding story the day it's announced, they usually won't cover it at all. Journalists say they want embargoed and early-access news, but 88% delete pitches that miss their beat.
One Bad Day Can Follow You Online
A harsh review, a complaint video that spreads or a data breach can take over your week. If customers' personal information is exposed, Connecticut law generally requires notice to them and to the Attorney General within 60 days, and what you say has to be clear and accurate.
Our Approach
How We Help
We work as your outside marketing and communications team: one partner for the strategy, the content, the video and the press, sized to your budget. For legal questions, such as data breach notices or what you can say while raising money, we work alongside your attorney and don't give legal advice. Each service below is part of our full lineup on the Services page.
Strategy + Content Local Visibility and Reviews
Solves: If They Can't Find You, They Can't Choose You · Customers Check Your Reviews First
Google Business Profile setup and upkeep, website messaging, local search content and a simple program to ask every customer for an honest review, with no incentives, no filtering and no fake reviews, plus replies that sound like you. We never promise rankings.
Learn more →
Media + PR Launches, Grand Openings and Funding News
Solves: Big News Only Breaks Once · If They Can't Find You, They Can't Choose You
Press materials, embargo plans and tailored pitches to local news, business and trade press, and tech reporters for openings, new locations, product launches and funding rounds. If you're still raising, we coordinate the timing and wording with your attorney.
Learn more →
Media + Content Founder and Owner Visibility
Solves: Big News Only Breaks Once · Marketing Gets Whatever Time Is Left
LinkedIn posts and articles written in your voice for you to review and approve, expert commentary for reporters, podcast and speaking prep, and media training led by a former news anchor who knows what reporters will ask.
Learn more →
Content + Design Social Media and Partner Content
Solves: Marketing Gets Whatever Time Is Left · Reviews and Influencer Posts Have Rules
A realistic posting plan, content calendar and graphics that keep you visible in your busiest season, plus creator and partner campaigns with clear disclosures of any paid or free-product relationship built in.
Learn more →
Content + Production Video Production and Studio Rental
Solves: Marketing Gets Whatever Time Is Left · If They Can't Find You, They Can't Choose You
Short videos for your website, social media and ads, shot and edited by our in-house team. Prefer to do it yourself? Rent our studio space, video and audio production equipment, cables and charging gear, and more for a product demo, podcast, founder video or pitch recording.
Learn more →
Strategy + Media Crisis and Reputation Response
Solves: One Bad Day Can Follow You Online · Customers Check Your Reviews First
Calm, honest replies to harsh reviews and viral complaints, holding statements and 24/7 on-call help. If customer data is involved, we coordinate notices and updates with your attorney and IT team so what you say is clear, accurate and on time.
Learn more →
Why Us
Why Small Businesses and Startups Choose Caron Communications
Up to 50% savings compared with hiring a full-time Director of Communications
Newsroom Experience on Your Side
Caron Communications was founded in 2025 by Matt Caron, a former FOX61/CW20 news anchor, chief investigator and political reporter who previously worked at WWLP 22News and earned three Emmy nominations. We know what makes a local story worth a reporter's time. Read Our Story.
Here When It Happens
A one-star review on a Saturday night or a launch-day surprise doesn't wait for business hours. With 24/7 on-call support, you reach our team day or night.
Local and Accountable
Locally owned and operated in Wethersfield, Connecticut. We know Connecticut's newsrooms and the towns your customers live in.
One Team, Fully In-House
All of our services are 100% in-house, including video production, and you get access to our entire team. Our studio space and production equipment are also available to rent.
Flexible and Budget-Conscious
Choose a monthly retainer or a single project, such as a grand opening, a launch or a video shoot. You can save up to 50% compared with hiring a full-time Director of Communications.
In Practice
Example: How We'd Help a Local Business Plan Its Grand Opening
Example Scenario This is an illustration of our approach to a common situation, not a client case study, testimonial or legal advice.
A locally owned Connecticut café is opening a second location in a nearby town in six weeks. The owners work in the first shop every day, the new location has no online presence yet, and almost no one outside their regulars knows it's coming. Here's how we'd help them open strong.
Before
Set the plan around the opening date.
We build a six-week plan that fits the owners' budget: what to announce and when, who handles each piece and what success looks like, so nothing depends on finding spare time.
During
Get found before the doors open.
We set up the new location's Google Business Profile with accurate hours, photos and categories, and update the website and social profiles so searches for the café in the new town turn up the right information.
Shoot the story once, use it everywhere.
Our team films the owners, the build-out and the menu in a single shoot, then cuts short clips for social media, the website and ads.
Pitch the local press.
We pitch local TV, newspapers and community outlets with an angle that matters to the town, such as new jobs or local suppliers, and invite reporters to a preview.
Run opening week.
We coordinate the ribbon cutting, photos, social posts and interviews, and keep a short plan ready for a long line, a supply problem or a harsh first review.
After
Build the review habit.
We set up a simple way to ask every customer for an honest review, with no incentives and no filtering, and help the owners reply to each one in their own voice.
Measure and keep going.
We report what worked, including coverage, profile views, calls, direction requests and sales the owners can tie to the opening, then plan the next three months.
Related reading: More on small-business marketing in our Insights →
Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
We're a small business. Can we afford a communications firm?
We build every plan around your budget. Choose a monthly retainer or a single project, such as a grand opening, a product launch, a video shoot or a studio rental. Every engagement starts with a written agreement that spells out the services and fees, and you can save up to 50% compared with hiring a full-time Director of Communications. A free consultation is the best way to scope what you need.
Can you guarantee more customers, reviews or press coverage?
No one can, and we don't. We never promise rankings, reviews or coverage, and we never buy reviews or followers or offer customers anything in exchange for a review. What we do is give you a clear plan, consistent content, pitches built on real news and honest reports on what's working.
Do you work with startups on funding and launch announcements?
Yes. We help early-stage and venture-backed founders plan announcements, prepare press materials, pitch business, trade and tech reporters under embargo and build founder visibility on LinkedIn. While you're raising money, securities rules can limit what you say in public, so we coordinate with your attorney before anything goes out. We don't help raise capital or give investment or legal advice.
How do you fit with Connecticut's small-business and startup resources?
Connecticut has strong resources for owners and founders. The Connecticut Small Business Development Center offers no-cost business advising, Connecticut Innovations is the state's venture capital arm, and AdvanceCT helps companies grow and expand here. They're great for planning, funding and growth. We're the team that does the communications work itself: the content, the video, the press and the day-to-day. We're not affiliated with any of them.
More questions? Visit our FAQs or read our latest Insights.
Free Consultation
Let's Talk About Your Business
Whether you're opening your doors, launching a product or announcing a round, start with a free, no-pressure conversation.