As the leading online media company in the public safety market, the Praetorian Group has a unique vantage point from which to observe the intersection of online marketing and niche vertical communities. We combine a focus on police, fire, EMS, corrections and homeland security with more than 10 years of experience on the forefront of Internet technology, content and advertising.

When I started Praetorian in 1999, online portals were all the rage. It seemed like the entire business world was enamored with the potential of the Internet to revolutionize how business is done. Dollars were flowing and anyone with an interesting business plan or idea was getting capital. We’re all familiar with the resulting crash.

But as with any disruptive technology, the Internet continued its march onward. Like new technologies before it – the printing press, the telephone, the automobile, the computer - it now has become ubiquitous and has fundamentally changed how we communicate and do business on a day-to-day basis. If my mother, who is in her 60s, sends me Yahoo instant messages and somehow figured out how to set up a Twitter page, the world has definitely changed. We’re seeing that not only in the mass market, but also in the niche communities we serve.

Our business model has been battled-tested and refined. It survived the dotcom implosion and has been molded by national disasters such as 9/11 terrorist attacks and Hurricane Katrina. It’s even evolving now as we address the realities of our current economic environment and the advent of social media and networking. Over that period, we’ve realized that our success relies on two primary components:

- Deep domain experience and dedication to keeping first responders informed, safer and more effective in protecting their communities

- Sophisticated understanding of building online businesses and applying Internet strategy to vertical communities to address marketing and business challenges

This blog is designed to explore both of those components and how they interface. We believe it will be a must-read for those in the following groups:

- Companies serving Public Safety and interested in reaching first responders
- Executives and marketing professionals at companies or ad agencies targeting niche markets
- Business professionals in the police, fire and EMS market
- First responders interested in online technology and marketing
- Entrepreneurs interested in the latest thinking related to online communities

We look forward to starting a dialogue. Thank you for joining us.

Alex Ford

CEO and President
Praetorian Group, Inc.