blog

 

Part of the foundation of a successful business is intimate relationships with customers and prospects based on honesty, integrity and loyalty.  Right?

The reality is that most companies are unprepared (and even unwilling) to deliver on that promise.  Consider a recent article in Computerworld about the stereotypical sales styles practiced by technology vendors that ostracize the very prospects they target.

 The 6 Most Infuriating Tech Sales Styles

http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=316012&source=NLT_AM&nlid=1

Last month at the RSA Conference in San Francisco I chatted with the Chief Security Officer from a university based in Ohio who explained he spends his time at trade shows ducking vendors.  He was there for the peer networking and continuing education courses, and viewed the companies hawking wares as merely a nuisance.

This morning I read about an encryption software firm called Mobile Armor that employed a misleading product comparison matrix in its sales process that implied its product was better than competitors’.  Mobile Armor officials declined to comment for the article, yet have acknowledged that a consultant, who no longer works for the company, created the matrix without the knowledge of company executives.

Vendor Assailed for Unfair Marketing

http://www.fcw.com/online/news/152496-1.html 

The natural (and easy) reaction is to be outraged by the blatant lack of respect many companies display for integrity in the sales and marketing process.  Yet, as comedian Chris Rock once said in a skit about OJ Simpson’s alleged double murder, “I am not saying he should have killed her, but I understand.” (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8Y7GlSmi3Q)

That’s because in many instances prospects -- because of a lack of expertise and time – are forced to make uneducated decisions.  As a result, vendors are placed in the uncomfortable position of balancing complete honesty in the sales and marketing process with the ability to effectively compete the marketplace.

Do you think I am off base?  Has a prospect ever asked if your firm has a particular competency and, to ensure you remain in the running for the business, you overstate your capability?  Any sales executive that answers “no” to that question is most likely on the street looking for work.

At Strategic Communications Group (Strategic), our policy is to never misrepresent our clients’ capabilities, track record or competitive advantages.  Yet, we also position our clients based on the company they are striving to become, rather than what they are today.

 

Earlier this month Strategic Communications Group (Strategic) was gearing up for an important business development meeting with an emerging growth company in the networking/telecom space. I didn’t perceive it to be a conflict with any of our existing engagements, yet it was the same market so I had a responsibility to check with a few clients.

One of our clients got back to me with concerns about the prospect and how their technology could potentially create competitive issues. We immediately backed away from the new opportunity out of respect for the relationship with our client.

Conflict is something we take seriously at Strategic. We appreciate the trust our clients place in us and will run through the proverbial brick wall to help them achieve their growth goals.

We’re also exposed on an ongoing basis to confidential information about our clients’ strategies, product offerings and financial requirements. Accordingly, we will not represent companies that compete with one another.

Not everyone shares this view. I read with great interest the article in PR Week about Sybase’s selection of Bite as its public relations agency of record. To alleviate any conflict of interest issues, Bite branded a group within the company Incisor Communications.

They didn’t spin out a separate organization or even establish some type of internal Chinese wall. Nope…Bite now merely calls a group of employees who will be working on behalf of Sybase by a different name.

Mark Wilson, VP of corporate marketing at Sybase, told PR Week, "We liked how they were creating the Incisor brand; that was important to us.”

I guess ensuring confidentiality of corporate information isn’t that important to Sybase. Or how about the basic issue of ethical representation? What happens if another client wants Bite…er….Incisor to launch a campaign that could damage Sybase’s business prospects?

Are the folks at Sybase truly this dense? I don’t think so. They wanted to hire Bite and the agency is willing to represent competitors. That’s fine. Just call it what it is.

Sybase hires Bite as AOR after firm creates client-conflict unit
PR Week
http://www.prweekus.com/Sybase-hires-Bite-as-AOR-after-firm-creates-client-conflict-unit/article/109421/

It’s no secret that the Internet has proven to be a wonderfully powerful medium to engage key audiences and stimulate debate.  For public relations professionals, the movement of readers to social media outlets – such as blogs, wikis, communities, microblogs, etc. – has opened up new channels to promote high-quality content and thought leadership.

Transparency must serve as the foundation of Internet-based communications.  We have to demand it.  That’s because the lack of a formal peer review process in social media creates an environment in which rumor, innuendo and intimidation can easily gain the upper hand.

I find it disconcerting when a professional has to hide in the shadows when voicing an opinion on a topic.  It just happened with an in-house attorney at Cisco who came clean about his authorship of a blog about patent trolling only when his identity was discovered.

Cisco Sued Because of Employee Blogging

http://gigaom.com/2008/03/24/cisco-sued-because-of-employee-blogging/

 It’s occurring with entrepreneurs and venture capitalists with two Web sites that allow them to trash each other in anonymity.  Aren’t they in the business of building innovation, wealth and value together? 

http://www.thefunded.com/

http://www.theunfunded.com/

If you have something to say in the blogosphere, on a message board or in a social network...then do it with a strong, well articulated position.  Make yourself known.  Encourage debate.  And blackball those who fail to live up to that standard.

Hiding in the shadows is for the weak.

 
Marc Hausman is president/CEO of Strategic Communications Group, a public relations consultancy based in Silver Spring, MD.  Read more at: http://www.strategicguy.blogspot.com/.

   

If you believe the analysts at digital measurement company Comscore (Nasdaq: SCOR), people aren’t clicking as often on Google paid ads.   

Google's paid search growth soft again in February http://cwflyris.computerworld.com/t/3031073/408925/105489/2/

Web search traffic continues to accelerate though.  This means the organic results delivered by Google, Yahoo, MSN, etc. is increasing in importance.  And that plays well for public relations professionals.

That’s because a driver of organic search engine optimization (SEO) is Web content.  Whether it is traditional activities like press releases, article placements, analyst commentary or industry presentations, or social media initiatives related to executive blogging and social network engagement, the content produced in a PR program typically finds a home on the Web.

At Strategic Communications Group (Strategic), we’re getting deeply engaged with our clients to further understand how to best research, define and optimize the quality content we’re delivering to the market.

The value proposition for public relations has always been the increased awareness and third party credibility conferred by industry influencers creates an environment in which a company can more successfully execute its growth strategy.  Let’s add organic SEO to the ROI mix.  It’s meaningful…and measurable.

It’s clear that social networking on the Internet is following the same path as television entertainment.

You have the horizontal sites -- such as LinkedIn, Facebook and MySpace -- which are like your broadcast TV stations (NBC, CBS, ABC and FOX).  Although these sites have sub-groups and forums based on interest, they are designed to cater to a broader audience. 

Fragmentation is occurring rapidly with vertical social networking sites that cater to the interests of specific niche audiences.  These sites are just like niche programming on cable television.

The most recent social network entry is WePlay.com from Creative Artists Agency.  Billed as a “Facebook for Young Athletes,” this site targets youth sport participants and their families.

Here’s a good story in the New York Times on the site and its big-name supporters, including the NBA’s Tony Parker and LeBron James, as well as MLB’s Derek Jeter.   

 Social Site's New Friends Are Athletes

By TIM ARANGO

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/26/technology/26caa.html?th&emc=th

Why the similar evolution of these distinct media?  It’s simple…they are all advertising driven.  And advertisers want to reach customers and prospects in the most targeted (and economical) way.

For public relations professionals, it’s critical that we tailor content to the specific needs of the social network or community we are seeking to engage.  At Strategic Communications Group (Strategic) we refer to this as social network engagement.

When a college-aged intern named Kathryn at Qorvis Communications fired off an Email to TechCrunch’s Michael Arrington requesting information on how to purchase an article reprint little did she know that she was about to experience the untamed ugliness of the blogosphere.

Qorvis Gets Crunched
Social Times
http://www.socialtimes.com/2008/03/qorvis-gets-crunched/

For the sake of full disclosure, Strategic Communications Group (Strategic) competes against Qorvis from time-to-time. I know one of their partners – Doug Poretz (http://www.qorvis.com/an_influential_firm/bios/poretz_d.html) – fairly well and think highly of him and the firm.

I’m also an avid TechCrunch reader. I find the reporting, insight and analysis of their bloggers to be helpful in understanding the market, its players and the trends.

After reviewing the comments and dialogue on CrunchNotes (http://www.crunchnotes.com/?p=449) I think there are a couple of important lessons learned from this situation:

1. Similar to media outreach and industry analyst relations, PR consultancies must task its experienced and well-trained staff with blogger relations. The traditional agency model of cowboying up a group of junior staffers for tactical execution has proven ineffective. Bloggers must be treated with the same professional respect and courtesy as other influencers. It’s not happening right now. Arrington notes in his comments the constant deluge of press releases TechCrunch receives from uninformed PR hacks.

2. Regardless of the diligence and professionalism PR representatives demonstrate, we have to journey into the blogosphere with a thick skin. There’s no peer review process as there is in traditional publishing organizations. To get cut-through, many bloggers rely on an emotional, combative stance.

3. Never pick a fight when challenged. It merely confers credibility to the blogger’s post or comments and keeps the issue relevant. It was a misstep for Qorvis’ Seth Thomas Pietras to go after Arrington on his own blog. He will never win that fight.

Seth Thomas Pietras, March 22, 2008

Congratulations for picking on and publicly humiliating a college intern who was giving you the courtesy of asking permission to use your content for our benefit. Given how dumb this issue is, I’m baffled at the extent to which you all have gone to attack this smart, capable young woman. I hope you feel great about yourselves. Have a great long weekend.

Seth Thomas Pietras
Senior Director
Qorvis Communications

Mike Arrington, March 22, 2008

Seth -
Assuming you are actually with Qorvis.

I’m not sure you understand the amount of time that firms like yours take up by throwing random crap - mostly press releases - our way. To then send yet more email that shows you don’t know that we are not a print publication is yet more time wasted.

I took the time to post this in the hope that PR firms will begin waste less of my time in the future. In that way, it is an investment.

It may very well be that your intern is smart and capable. Combine that with an ability to do a Google search before sending out emails like this, and you’ve got yourself a winner. A quick tutorial to your staff on what a blog is and isn’t might be a good idea too. Or, as a last resort, actually visit my site.

You did not request permission to use my content. I get requests like that occasionally and know what they look like. You asked for a reprint of an article, which print publications do. So, in addition to wasting my time, you are also a liar.

Finally, I am not humiliating your intern specifically. Her last name was removed. I am “attacking” your firm, not an individual. If you take this kind of liberty when you spin your clients - specifically twisting the facts and then injecting emotion into your message, I feel badly for them. They deserve competent and ethical representation.

When launching a public relations initiative where should we prioritize bloggers in the order of outreach? Do we connect with them prior to industry analysts? How about the trade press?

These questions were top of mind last week as I participated in a brainstorming session with the Tellabs team at Strategic Communications Group (Strategic). We planned out tactics to support an announcement of research that points to dissatisfaction among telecommunications professionals about broadband availability in the United States.

New survey finds gaps in U.S. broadbandIndustry professionals dissatisfied with broadband availability and definition
http://www.tellabs.com/news/2008/nr032008.shtml

A few days later I came across a post from Nick O’Neill of social media consultancy Capital Interactive bemoaning an undisclosed company for not informing him of news prior to distributing a press release.

Lesson Learned: Embrace Your Local Bloggers
http://www.socialtimes.com/2008/03/lesson-learned-embrace-your-local-bloggers/

“Personally, I felt side swiped when a local company that I have directly communicated on a regular basis decided to announce a press release without first privately announcing the news to local bloggers,” O’Neill writes. “…Cater to the desires of local bloggers and you will be handsomely rewarded. Go against them, and you immediately have the most vocal group of individuals in the community building negative press for you business.”

O’Neill (and any blogger who feels this way) needs to get a clue. For starters, publicly traded companies have to follow well defined SEC guidelines related to the announcement of news. It’s called fair disclosure.

Bloggers also need to recognize that while they are an important channel to the market, in many instances they are of equal or less significance than other influencers, including journalists, analysts, academics, think tanks, etc. It’s not a knock, merely an acknowledgment that a trade editor who has a readership base of thousands will often be of higher priority.

O’Neill’s contention that a blogger slighted will turn angry captures my biggest concern about the blogosphere: irrational thinking without the peer review process that defines quality journalism and analyst commentary.

I have good news! Using social media tools like Twitter conference participants can provide real-time feedback to speakers and panelists about the relevance and interest of their presentation.

I have bad news! Using social media tools like Twitter conference participants can provide real-time feedback to speakers and panelists about the relevance and interest of their presentation.

Business Week columnist Sarah Lacy got splattered with online tomatoes at the annual South by Southwest Interactive festival when her interview with Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg failed to meet the expectations of the audience. They wanted to hear from Zuckerberg on issues such as trust, privacy and accessibility to software developers. Lacy focused her questions on his age and the company’s $15B valuation from Microsoft.

Rather than merely sit in torment, attendees fired up their cell phones and posted thoughts using Twitter. It led to an uncomfortable presentation and resulted in Facebook scheduling a follow-on session for attendees with Zuckerberg, minus Lacy.

The good news: this type of interaction, dialogue and engagement with an audience is at the very core of effective public relations. That’s how you build credibility and, ultimately, relationships with those who can influence the success of your business.

The bad news: public relations professionals are now challenged with monitoring audience feedback in near real-time and responding in rapid fashion.

At Strategic Communications Group (Strategic), we do a tremendous amount of prep work helping our clients prepare for conference speaking and panel presentations. What happens if we learn mid-stream a client presentation is falling flat?

Welcome to Conference 2.0
Fortune
http://money.cnn.com/2008/03/11/technology/fost_conference.fortune/index.htm?postversion=2008031115

From time to time a journalist becomes fed up with the buzzword-laden press releases that constantly arrive in their Email inbox and decides to take action. The latest to chide technology vendors and their public relations agencies for too much jargon is the Wall Street Journal’s Ben Worthen.

Here is his assault on Oracle for a release announcing their new offering “designed to simplify the lifecycle management of complex IP-based services.”

Oracle’s Hot New Offering: Gobbledygook
http://blogs.wsj.com/biztech/2008/02/08/oracles-hot-new-offering-gobbledygook/

While I find Oracle’s release suffering from a bit too much industry mumbo-jumbo, I am 100 percent comfortable standing up in defense of the buzzword.

For starters, in the technology markets words like enterprise, best of breed, solution and integrated actually mean something to customers, prospects and investors. In all marketing and promotion, it’s critical to talk in the language of the audiences a company targets.

Moreover, technology vendors have an expectation the journalists, analysts and bloggers who cover their industry have an understanding of the meaning of most of these buzzwords. It is typically business writers like Worthen who have a jargon meltdown.

The goal with a press release (or any form of writing for that matter) is to communicate in a clear and concise manner, while engaging the audience.

Here are two exceptional press releases from Strategic Communications Group (Strategic) client Tellabs. Full disclosure: Strategic does write many of these releases, yet it is the folks at Tellabs who champion a more creative approach to their written communications.

Ongoing fall in viewer retention overshadows 36% mobile TV growthSurvey of 34,000 mobile users reveals revenue potential for operators if quality and reliability improve
http://www.tellabs.com/news/2008/nr021208.shtml

Tellabs® 8607 Access Switch coming soon to cell sites near youNewest access superstar delivers video, data and voice to world's smallest screens
http://www.tellabs.com/news/2008/nr021108.shtml