InsidEPR

iPhone 4: Bad Antenna or Bad PR?

2010-07-28T14:00:00-07:00

By Suzanne Panoplos

I have to admit to being a little envious of friends and co-workers who have recently bought the iPhone 4. As I sit here with my third-generation version, I look longingly at the high resolution screen, increased battery life and those dual cameras that make it fun to use Apple’s cool new FaceTime application. The list of reasons to own this device could go on forever.

Of course, counter to the positive buzz is the over reported “hotspot/antenna issue”. I use the phrase “over reported” very intentionally because I really feel that this issue did not have the far-reaching impact one would be led to believe by the volume of coverage on the topic. Even Walt Mossberg today reaffirmed his positive view of the iPhone 4 and downplayed the significance of the hotspot issue.

So why did the media have such a feeding frenzy on this topic? Steve Jobs and his PR team seemed to have ignored one of the golden rules of crisis management –“If you ignore a situation, it will only get worse”. By failing to address the issue head on, Apple allowed others to control the message.

After some time, Apple eventually agreed to provide a free “bumper” case with every iPhone 4. I do not think that anyone would disagree that this was a little too little, too late. So what should Apple have done? After all, there is no conclusive proof that there really is a hotspot antenna issue.

A few things organizations should consider:

Have a crisis management plan in place - I would like to think that Apple has one for almost every situation. By preparing in advance, organizations can have a strategy and process ready to go when a crisis hits
Gather all the facts – make sure you have all the information before stating the company’s position
Take immediate action - the longer you ignore the situation, the worse it becomes
Tell the truth – if you say something false, the company's reputation could be destroyed
Be sincere – arrogance or disregard for the situation will immediately turn the tide of public opinion against you
Address all of the concerns – not just the issues you feel are important or favorable to your company

In the end, a little planning, a proactive position and a thoughtful and honest response are the only options for handling potentially toxic situations.

EPR Hits the Road

2010-07-26T09:00:00-07:00

By Stephanie Park

We all look back on family road trips from our youth with fond, or not so fond, memories. However memorable they were, the shared experience was always something to reminisce about for years to come. Recently a couple members of Engage PR (EPR), including myself, embarked on our own road trip of sorts down the scenic California coast for a business endeavor. As you can imagine, hilarity ensued.

The day started off like any other in the office with morning meetings and catching up on email. Come noon, Suzanne, Neila and I piled into Jeannette’s car and we hit the road. Surreal as it was, I couldn’t help but think the sunny drive was better than post-lunch cubicle malaise. If you’ve ever ventured down the 101, you know it’s a beautiful but long drive.

On any normal day, I see my colleagues for nine hours a day with a total of around- that’s almost 42 hours come Friday. But there are some things you just don’t know about a person until you spend a solid 24 hours driving, eating, sleeping and working together. For example, aside from Flair Fridays, I bet you never see your coworkers in their pajamas and - let’s hope not – taking a cat nap in the afternoon. No matter how professional the purpose of the trip was, the dynamic definitely mirrored the family trips of yesteryear. However, by now we’ve evolved the “Are we there yets?” to “When should we be arriving?” Fighting with siblings has turned into sharing mobile email and in-car brainstorms.

After several hours, a few pit stops and one speeding ticket later, we came to the end of our road trip adventure. We came out weary but infinitely closer to our EPR family!

A few observations before you consider traveling with your own coworkers:

Do not be alarmed at disjointed conversation. It is entirely possible to discuss the changing PR landscape and the National Broadband Plan shortly after sharing stories about the kids or debating the merits of rap music.
Savor the moments; this will come in handy when recanting stories at the next company meeting!

CoTweet vs. Hootsuite

2010-07-16T10:07:35-07:00

By Ashley Paula

Social Media is a popular tool in the PR world and we’re constantly looking for new ways to help us improve our clients’ social media strategies. As many of you know, a day in the life of a PR professional is never predictable and we are always ecstatic when we find a new tool that helps us to be more efficient and organized.

Take for example one tool that we’ve been using to help manage our clients’ twitter campaigns – CoTweet. With CoTweet, each person has an individual account and is able to access a sharedTwitter account without kicking out other logged-in members. This tool has helped us assist our clients in being consistently present on Twitter and is a great way to keep all the tweets organized in one place. Not only does CoTweet allow multiple individuals to manage one Twitter account; but also, it helps you manage multiple Twitter accounts, schedule tweets for a later date/time and assign tweets to other CoTweet members.

Back in March, I blogged about Hootsuite, a social media aggregator that allows you to manage all of your social networks in one place. At the time, I did not realize that this new tool would directly compete with CoTweet. Since March, Hootsuite has increased its capabilities and now has more features than CoTweet for managing Twitter accounts. This is in addition to other capabilities which includes aggregation tools for multiple social media outlets such as Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn, Foursquare, Wordpress and PingFm. Not only does this great new tool have more features than CoTweet, but its user interface is appealing and extremely easy to use. It’s also a great way to have presence on any or all of your social media accounts without having to physically be on you phone or at your computer.

Hootsuite has come a long way since March 2010 and definitely is more powerful when compared with CoTweet. For any company with a social media campaign, Hootsuite will help keep your organization present and top of mind with your key influencers.

Customer Events: Doing PR for PR

2010-07-09T10:04:00-07:00

By Neila Matheny

Over the years at Engage PR, I have been able to take part in a variety of events with my clients. From trade shows to sponsored events at the race track, these in-person events have been one of my favorite parts of PR. Recently, I once again was able to participate in my favorite of these events, a customer user group.

While the benefits of a customer user group are clear for our clients and their customers, the value of the event to a company’s PR team is often overlooked. Clients have, in the past, been reluctant to let the PR team take part in these events and have often questioned whether time spent at the event would be of value. Having experienced my fourth different user group, I can say without hesitation that there is a great deal of value in the event for the PR team.

Many times, there are specific objectives for the team at the event such as filming a video, meeting with a customer regarding a press release or coordinating media participation. However, it is often the time spent outside of these tasks that provide the most value.

By listening to panel discussions with customers, analysts and industry experts, PR teams can gain a lot of insight into complex technical and business issues in a client’s industry. Often, new perspectives can spark an idea for a trend story or a contributed article. Maybe a customer provided details on a project that would make for a strong case study or award submission.

Outside of the planned events, networking with customers and clients can do PR for the PR team. Just by making customers and sales staff aware of PR and giving a face to the name on the email, a variety of opportunities can appear. Many times, a slew of new press releases and customer references pop up right after these events.

So, the next time a customer event arises, look past the immediate deliverables for the long-lasting value it can provide PR.

The Sky is Falling

2010-06-29T13:19:00-07:00

By Megan Atiyeh

So, the inevitable has finally happened. AT&T has thrown down the gauntlet and put an end to the smorgasbord that is mobile data plans. But why is everyone so surprised? The rumors of this move have been circulating for some time now, and one need only look at operator revenues versus traffic growth to know this party couldn’t last forever. The wild success of devices like the iPhone and iPad have created significant capacity and performance issues on mobile networks, but will tiered pricing plans solve the problem?

AT&T has certainly benefited from the popularity of these “smart” devices, but the company has also had the lonely and painful job of learning first-hand how they are affecting the network. Just last night, I saw a commercial with Dan Hesse, CEO of Sprint, touting the company’s commitment to its all-you-can-eat plans for all services including voice, SMS and data. A short-term attempt to win frustrated AT&T customers, perhaps, but this strategy can’t work for Sprint in the long term.

As an AT&T customer, I am concerned about my ability to monitor my own usage. After all, how much bandwidth am I using letting my two-year-old daughter watch an Elmo video on YouTube over and over again? With the new tiered pricing plans, AT&T claims things won’t change much for the vast majority of its customers. AT&T has put measures in place to deliver advance notifications to a subscriber when they are nearing the cap of their particular tier. At some point in the future, perhaps this notification will also include a prompt that says, “You are nearing your data usage limits, but if you’d like to upgrade to the next service level, click yes,” which offers enhanced service options for subscribers and additional revenue opportunities for the operator.

On the plus side, maybe this moves brings us a fraction closer to capabilities we have been talking about for years—the ability to control and manage services in real-time. It gives subscribers access to the applications and services they want and operators the opportunity to become more than just a delivery mechanism for services like YouTube, Facebook and others.

If AT&T’s exclusivity contract with Apple ends in 2012, as some have speculated, other operators will soon get the chance to do more or do better. Until then, AT&T will continue to navigate unchartered territory and be the test case for all to evaluate.

If you are an AT&T customer, how do you feel about the pricing structure?

Get More Bang for your Buck with PR versus Marketing

2010-06-24T13:09:00-07:00

By Jeannette Bitz

I recently met with a veteran CEO who was evaluating PR firms to help raise visibility for his company. While the CEO has been in the high-tech sector for several years, he admitted that he never really understood the value of PR–especially when he could take the money he would otherwise pay an agency and use it for another marketing resource. His perception about the role of PR was that an agency would write releases and schedule meetings for executives when they attend trade shows.

I can tell you that he’s not alone in this perception since I’ve had similar conversations with many other CEOs on this topic –although this particular CEO was more candid and curious about the process. I appreciated his openness and instead of pitching the value of Engage PR over another agency, it was an opportunity to dig into his business; to understand what keeps him up at night and finally to educate him on how consistent and thoughtful PR can enhance his business better than most other marketing resource. If you’re a CEO or marketing executive pondering the value of PR, here are a few thoughts to consider:

It’s always about the bottom line: For most companies, whether you’re a start-up or a publicly-traded company, it’s almost always about driving the bottom line and that usually means sales (more than driving the value of a stock price, especially in these times). In the case of this company, they know who their customers are and were able to customer trials without doing any PR. The CEO admitted that they had gotten in the door through a relationship at the operations level; but, the company had not been successful in getting the attention of the executives who make buying decisions. In this situation, consistent PR can help elevate a company’s message to reach higher-level decision makers and increase visibility with prospects and customers. I often hear from clients that they received a call from a customer or partner because of an article we secured for them.

Do you treat sales activity as one-time event?Chances are no, but many executives are under the impression that the buzz garnered from an initial company or product launch will carry them through the next 12 months. They believe they can put PR on “cruise control” by issuing a few press releases without driving thought leadership in the media. Focusing PR efforts on news-driven events or other low-level tactical activity usually yields few results. Companies are generally better off spending their resources on establishing thought leadership by working with their agency partners to build relationships with influential media and analysts and drive trends in the blogosphere.

A new approach for reaching and moving your influencers: Take advantage of social media and digital media tools to create thought leadership in your company’s market. For example, video is becoming a powerful tool to have in your PR/marketing arsenal. Over the past few years, tech companies, including larger organizations like Cisco, are effectively using video to talk about their company, technology and their customers. A good agency will understand what type of video is appropriate for your company, will have the skills and resources to “shoot” and edit the video and use resources such as YouTube to drive traffic to your web site.

5 Social Networking Sites You've (Probably) Never Heard Of

2010-06-10T11:46:00-07:00

By Valerie Creque

By now, everyone – including my technologically challenged mother – is at least familiar with the Holy Trinity of social media: Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. These networking powerhouses are constantly in the news, and now, with smartphones, these sites are literally in our pockets. If you’re like me and you tend to forgo what “everyone else” is doing and find something that better suits your needs, here are five other social networking sites that you probably haven’t heard of:

Vox – If you’d like to express yourself in more than 140 characters, try Vox. It’s a blogging site that claims to be “simple, sexy and smart.” Vox users can create a profile, host a blog, join groups, share photos and explore topics including technology, entertainment, culture, life, music and news. Vox is also compatible with YouTube and Flickr. With hundreds of design options available, users can personalize the look of their site. Check out other people’s profiles by scrolling down to “Who’s on Vox” on the homepage.

bigsight– bigsight allows users to post a bio, share links, and share education and work history. bigsight users can search by name, company, interests or school to make connections. A note on the homepage says it’s “a great addition to your core Facebook account,” but a bigsight profile can also stand alone.

Naymz – This one is more professional than social. The site is a networking platform that uses a scoring system or RepScore to rate users based on profile completion and account activity. According to Naymz, users with higher RepScores are eligible for various perks, including a higher Google ranking. A basic profile is free, but Naymz also offers a premium service with additional perks.

Professional on the Web –As its name implies, this site is centered on making business connections and operates as a directory. The site, likely a godsend for freelancers, allows members to post a profile and show off their talent (or lack thereof) with an online portfolio.

BrightFuse –The BrightFuse homepage boasts the site’s identity as a “talent community.” Like Professional on the Web, BrightFuse allows members to present their portfolios. This site is focused on building a community and encourages users to ask questions, connect to peers and build a reputation.

The only difference between these sites and the “Holy” sites is that these sites are simply less popular -- but are by no means inferior. Among the networking and socializing, users should be mindful of what they post. Social profiles can bring business opportunities and friends, among other things, so don’t be afraid to engage the community. Privacy settings for each of these sites vary across the board – but that’s a whole other issue. Proceed with enthusiasm – and caution.

Facebook Privacy: Is there really such a thing?

2010-06-03T10:04:00-07:00

By Suzanne Panoplos

For quite some time, Facebook has been under fire because its privacy policy is too vague, privacy settings are too complicated and let’s face it, it all seems to be changing quite frequently. There have also been people calling for Mark Zuckerberg’s resignation based on claims that Facebook has been abusing its members’ personal data.

Facebook privacy – to me, those two words together are an oxymoron. Facebook by its very nature is a social community. Although you are free to choose who is in your community, you do not have a lot of control about how information passes through your group of “friends”.

Take for example your own social circles – you may tell something to a friend or colleague in confidence with the expectation that they will not pass this information on. This person may in turn tell their one “trusted source” and so on and so on. In fairly short order, that secret that you have entrusted with a good friend is being communicated outside your social circle.

I view Facebook the same way – anything posted on your page or in your informational tabs will be passed on in some way. I know people that have actually called in sick to work and then posted pictures of their fabulous day at a museum or sporting event on a Facebook page. Sure, your manager may not be connected to you on Facebook or you may have restricted him/her from your updates but chances are someone will eventually see your post and pictures and potentially make a comment to your manager. I am a strong believer in the seven degrees of separation theory – we are all connected in some way.

For me it all boils down to one simple rule – if you don’t want it out there, don’t put it up there.

BusinessWire SEO and Video: Event Recap

2010-05-25T13:30:00-07:00

By Whitney Sunseri

BusinessWire recently hosted a panel discussion on how companies can best combine SEO and video in their marketing, PR and social media programs in new and innovative ways in order to engage and convert leads. Moderated by Joel Tesch, the panel members included:

Linda Crowe, Marketing Consultant, Former Group Manager, Media & Production, Sun Microsystems
Dos Dosanjh, WW Customer Solutions Manager, Marketing, Cisco Digital Media Creative Services, Cisco
Jay Durgan, Head of Business Development, MEDIAmobz
Cliff Pollan, Co-Founder & CEO, VisibleGains
Mark Rotblat, VP, Business Development, Tube Mogul

The panelists began by asking a series of questions: how many of us had ever filmed a video, how many of us had ever edited a video, if we had ever created a YouTube Channel, used a video in a blog post, and how many of us link to our videos in press releases or other media or marketing materials. Since most of the people in the room were PR professionals, many raised their hands for a majority of the questions – and I think the panelists were a bit surprised.

The majority of the discussion to follow focused on providing specific examples of how each of their companies have integrated video into their marketing, public relations and social media programs and the "before and after" results of those efforts. They also provided some “tips and tricks” on creating engaging video for those audience members that were just beginning to leverage video in their PR and marketing programs.

For me, attending this event only reinforced the influence and impact that video has on today’s market and it was nice to see that Engage PR was ahead of the curve as far as utilizing this form of digital media to complement traditional PR efforts and in our own EPR marketing.

To see how Engage PR has helped our clients integrate video to help support their messaging, check out our newsletter. You can also visit the Engage PR YouTube channel to see more of our videos.

The Cable Show 2010: Hollywood Meets Silicon Valley

2010-05-17T11:20:00-07:00

By Jeannette Bitz

I recently attended the 2010 Cable Show in Los Angeles hosted by the National Cable &Telecommunications Association. Unique to many other technology shows that I’ve attended in the past, many of the exhibits at the Cable Show had a full array of bells and whistles and lured attendees with famous actors and personalities including, George Lopez, Shaun White, and of course the 80’s icon, Mr. T.

NCTA organizers said the attendance was slightly higher than expected, which was not surprising to learn considering on the first day of the show the aisle were filled with attendees anxious to meet the famous personalities and to learn more about what’s next in terms of content and on the technology front that promise to significantly change how we view and interact with our entertainment systems. Here are some highlights:

3DTV demonstrations peppered the exhibit show floor. It was very cool to see (and experience) how we might watch TV in the future. I can only imagine having the real-life feeling that while watching my beloved 49ers that I might feel like I’m actually at the game. Pretty cool, however; some of the analysts I spoke with argue that the reality is a ways off due to technology hurdles that will make the 3D TV available and affordable for the average household… I can dream though.

Enhanced TV Binary Interchange Format (EBIF) was the talk of the show with about two dozen exhibitors showcasing the technology in their booths. I was probably more attuned to this trend as Engage PR’s client, Sigma Systems,announced at the show that its Subscriber Information Services (SIS) platform supported EBIF support, along with other new features to provide stronger privacy protection and improved performance for advanced advertising. So EBIF is not quite household name. The technology runs on cable's entire universe of set-tops to enable is Interactive TV—with targeted advertising. A consortium of companies agreed to use a “SelecTV” icon as a consistent reminder to viewers that iTV content is available. Canoe Ventures, the industry’s advertising collaboration, announced at the show that it will manage the SelecTV brand and license it to certified cable providers, programmers and advertisers.

My World where “Hollywood Meets Silicon Valley” led attendees through a virtual world brought to life through the connective power of cable. From social TV to home energy management, My World demonstrates the full breadth of cable's ability to provide personalized, portable media and communications experiences.

What was missing? Mobile. Executives from most of the major cable operator talked about the mobile opportunity, but did not clearly outline their strategy for delivering content to the devices most of us carry all day.

Engage PR launches its new website

2010-05-03T07:15:00-07:00

By Suzanne Panoplos

Websites --- I always feel like they tell a lot about a company. Whether an organization is fun, conservative, “very corporate” or non-traditional, a website is the window into a company’s soul.

When it came time to redesign the Engage PR website, we wanted a web site that reflected our strengths: creativity, strategic thinking, domain expertise, commitment to building strong relationships and dedication to garnering results.

In short, we wanted to let the rest of the world realize what our clients already know – we are more than just a PR agency, we are a communications partner.

So excuse this temporary self promotion and check out our new website. We hope that it tells you a little more about Engage PR and the fabulous group of people that make it all come together.

Tips for Successful PR in Europe: Richard White, AxiCom

2010-04-28T08:00:00-07:00

Today’s post is the last piece of Engage PR’s three-part series with European PR partner agencies. Each partner has provided some best practices for North American technology companies looking to expand into the European marketplace and shared what companies must consider before embarking down this new path.

In our final post of the series Richard White, associate director of telecom and wireless at global technology communications firm AxiCom, shares his thoughts on how companies should engage in the European technology markets.

By Richard White

Localize the Message

The enterprise IT media landscape varies from country-to-country, which means companies must take a localized approach by make sure that everything they are doing is relevant to the local market.

Companies looking to enter into the enterprise IT market should have a plan and determine how they can fulfill their services in local markets. This may include having a local angle with a reseller, customer or company office. Making sure that the company’s sales and pricing structure is localized is also important. Reporters will look at a company’s local approach as a requirement before accepting a briefing.

Start by Testing the Waters

It often works well to start with a project for start-ups launching in Europe, which does not require a large investment. However, commitment to do basic follow-up activity is important after a company launch or debut. It is best to launch in the UK first, as many English speaking analysts are based in London or in surrounding areas. Once your company has launched in the UK, think about which other countries make sense for your business. Other markets that seem to be popular include France, Germany and Italy.

To “test the waters,” the best recommendation is to conduct a tour where the executives meet with target media and analysts in the UK. Next, follow up the tour by issuing 1-2 press releases per quarter where the release is distributed and translated for the local market. There is no need to invest in getting “wall-to- wall” coverage to ensure a successful PR campaign in Europe. It is also recommended to do at least one case study, which can be very powerful for helping sales.

Don’t Overextend

Many U.S. companies try to launch in five countries at once. They invest money and time by doing a tour in each of those countries to start. Then after the launch, they never step foot in those countries again, nor do they follow-up with PR in those regions. Not only is traveling to five different countries exhausting, but it’s not always a realistic expectation for a company to keep up their PR activity in each of those regions.

Start small and make sure it’s manageable. As an agency “we can scale” when needed, but can your company? Especially when having local spokespeople, who can speak the language and respond to reporters in a timely manner, is key.

Tailor your Media Approach

Media briefing preferences vary from country to country. Media in Spain prefers press conferences, and companies are expected to have food available for journalists after the conference. Company launches will likely attract 20 journalists. Media in Germany, however, prefer to meet one-on-one and often at the publication’s headquarters. In the UK, France and Netherlands, the media also prefers to meet companies one-on-one either at the publication’s headquarters or at another location.

The business press is also different from country to country. For example, in France and Germany, business press reporters are very tech savvy, which means reporters will likely be more willing to delve into technical details. In the Netherlands, however, it’s almost impossible to get coverage unless your company is listed on their stock exchange.

Digital media also varies. Like in the U.S., Websites like Facebook and LinkedIn are widely used, but are customized to meet the needs of each country.

Welcome Baby Neko

2010-04-19T11:40:00-07:00

By Whitney Sunseri

For the past 9 months, we at the EPR offices have watched our resident HR manager’s tummy grow with life. Now it is our pleasure to announce that Michelle is finally mother to a beautiful 6 pound, 12 ounce baby girl named Neko – born on Friday, April 16th at 8:30 p.m. With updates via Neko’s very own Facebook page (social media savvy already!) we have been able to track the new addition’s progress from hospital to home.

While having a mom-to-be in the office had its fair share of cringe-inducing moments (such as getting the 4-1-1 on the entire birthing process after each prep class and constantly anticipating she might go into labor at any moment during her last week before maternity leave), there were also several perks:

Frequent trips during lunch to the local cheese steak shop when there was a craving – of course, we all indulged!
A baby shower complete with adorable little girl clothes and delicious ice cream cake
And last but not least, another opportunity for the staff at EPR to partake in one of our favorite pastimes: a company-wide pool dedicated to guessing the birth date, length, and weight of baby Neko!

Though a little unconventional, thanks to a wonderfully crafted site, BabyPool.com,we were able to organize a company pool and submit our guesses for Neko’s birth stats online. Everyone was limited to five guesses on the date, accompanied by a guess for length and weight if born on that day, and the closest person to the date and time of birth without going over would win (high-fives and bragging rights, that is). The competition was fierce and the and the anticipation built each day that Michelle inched closer to her due date, but lucky for me, Neko was born the exact day she was supposed to, after my guess of 12:00 p.m. which declared me the baby pool winner!

Although the victory was sweet, it feels even sweeter to be able to congratulate Michelle and Bryan on becoming parents to a happy, healthy baby girl. Welcome to the world, baby Neko! We all look forward to your first visit to the office very soon.

Promoted Tweets: Monetizing Twitter

2010-04-15T10:50:00-07:00

By Megan Atiyeh

This week, Twitter finally introduced plans to monetize its business with “Promoted Tweets.” Much like Google Ad words, promoted tweets are sponsored tweets that appear at the top of the page when users search for keyword advertisers have bought to link to their ads or promotions. On Twitter, ads will continue to appear as long as they show resonance with users via a set of criteria like clicks or re-tweets. Ultimately, promoted tweets will also appear in personal content streams even if users do not perform a relevant search or follow the advertiser in question.

Response to the news has been mixed. Users seem to have adopted a wait and see attitude but I anticipate there may be additional backlash when the second phase of the program is introduced and unsolicited ads begin appearing in personal streams. Its “opt-in” format is one the reasons Twitter has been so popular. As Twitter evolves, can it survive for the long haul, or will it be replaced by the next big social media phenomenon? Only time will tell. According to recent reports, Twitter’s growth has slowed considerably. Of its estimated 75 million users only 10-15M are active tweeters and many new users never utilize their accounts.

What do you think? Is Twitter here to stay?

Tips for Successful PR in Europe: Mike King, Johnson King

2010-04-06T09:40:00-07:00

Today, we are continuing Engage PR’s three-part series with European PR partner agencies regarding Best Practices for North American technology companies looking to expand into the European marketplace. Each partner provided a tremendous amount of insight and shared what companies must consider before embarking down this new path.

In the second post of the series, Managing Director of UK-based technology PR agency Johnson King, Mike King shares his thoughts on what should be a company’s priorities when engaging in PR in the region.

By Mike King

Which countries are you going to focus on?

Although the technology industry is global, the market in Europe is very different from the US. For a start the European market is highly fragmented and it is a mistake to think of Europe as one place – it consists of 47 different countries, with more than 200 different languages spoken. Within the various European countries there are different stages of market maturity, different local competitors and very different local issues to address. This means that the first decision US companies need to make when embarking on European PR is which countries do they want to focus on? Of course, this needs to reflect where the most appealing business opportunities exists and doing business across 47 countries is clearly not an easy, or cheap, undertaking so having a clear idea of where to focus is essential.

Engage with the media on a local level

Europe’s diversity is reflected in its media landscape. Areas of interest, styles of reporting, journalist expectations and levels of technical understanding vary hugely between countries. The only way to engage effectively with local media is with on the ground PR teams who have the relationships and local knowledge required. Of course, this means an additional local PR team for each target country.

Essential to demonstrate local commitment

An effective PR campaign needs to engage target audiences by demonstrating expertise, commitment and a good understanding of issues that are relevant to them. This means being seen to have local language spokespeople (how can a company convince journalists that it is committed to a particular market if it doesn’t even speak their language?) and being in tune with local market drivers.

Find the right PR partner

Often, US tech companies will break into the European market by starting in one or two countries and then, as revenues build, expanding into other European countries. When embarking on such a strategy, it is important to find a PR partner that not only understands your market (and has done it before) but also one that can comfortably expand activities to support future business growth. A proven ability to manage pan-European campaigns from a central ‘hub’ and an open and honest relationship will mean that the right agency can help determine realistic targets and ensure expectations are met.

Tips for Successful PR in Europe: Richard Fogg, CCgroup

2010-03-30T09:40:00-07:00

Today’s post is the first in a three-part series with Engage PR’s European PR partner agencies regarding Best Practices for North American technology companies looking to expand into the European marketplace. Each partner provided a tremendous amount of insight and shared what companies must consider before embarking down this new path.

In this post, Managing Director of UK-based CCgroup, Richard Fogg shares his top five tips for launching a successful PR program in Europe.

By Richard Fogg

In the broad b2b telecoms and technology space it’s long been the case that the US has the capital and the technology, Europe has the customers. Over the last 20 years we’ve helped many US companies establish a beachhead in the European market. What have we learnt, and what have we tried to teach them?

Subtlety – European influencers positively cringe at flagrant marketing speak and overt displays of corporate confidence (i.e. arrogance). They’re interested in your opinions of the market, the issues, the challenges and then, maybe, how your service/product/widget addresses them. Far too many US companies entering Europe start with their product and work backwards. Turn this approach on its head. Don’t “sell” your product/company, and don’t give a sermon; know your stuff, tell a story, have a conversation. The reaction will be far more positive.
Appropriate informality – this is a horribly sweeping statement, but I stand by it: European influencers – especially in the trade media – are a little bit ‘left wing’. Why is that important? Because they have a diminished respect for seniority and tend against the stuffy, anodyne formal style so beloved by corporate America. They want to be spoken with as people, to form relationships with useful companies. Relax your style, invest time and get to know them as people – you will be surprised at the results.
Polycentricity – I’ve been guilty of this above. Of course European influencers are not all a little bit ‘left wing’! Many in London are...but not in Munich, Paris, Frankfurt, Madrid, Milan etc. There are nearly 50 countries in Europe (27 in the European Union), and 731 million people. They display huge political, economic, social and technological differences. It’s incredibly frustrating when American executives talk about Europe as a single country – especially to the media! Or, even worse, that ‘US, and then the rest of the world’ type approach. Basic cultural awareness and an understanding of national characteristics are essential in developing communications programmes and messages that have the desired effect in ‘Europe’. Take time too, to understand how your company is viewed in Europe before you arrive here. Want to make an impact in Germany without a German office or spokesperson? Good luck, you’ll need it.
Titles - While this issue is softening, many European media (not so much industry analysts) will naturally push back on interviews with people with ‘marketing,’ ‘sales’ or ‘communications’ in their title. Yes, they’re often the best spokespeople in engineering-focused technology companies, but they don’t have the credibility of a CEO or other C-class executive. The solution? Pick another title...you’d be amazed at how many ‘heads of strategy’ we’ve created in the last few years.
Cynicism, Satire and Irony – Brits invented the tabloid culture. Some of the articles published by UK-based trade media would make National Enquirer readers blush. You may find yourself having to defend your approach or product in fairly stark terms. While not often rude, European influencers do tend to be less ‘obedient’ than my own personal experience of US media would suggest. They are typically sceptical and independent, and see themselves as guardians of all that is righteous. Be prepared for an impassioned argument and enter into it with a smile – the chances are you’ll get a lot more out of it.

And finally, a pet hate...when coming to Europe, please try and avoid using the following hyperbole, words and phrases: leading provider, solutions, end-to-end, turnkey, unique, paradigm, sea-change, revolutionary, mission-critical, innovative, win-win, milestone (Europe is metric!)… Many UK-based reporters like to play a game called ‘bullsh*t bingo’ – identifying a predetermined number of useless, vacuous marketing terms said during a briefing or in press releases and contributed articles. This is one game you do not want to win!

Europe is a key market for the vast majority of US-based tech firms. By being culturally aware and learning from the points above, you dramatically improve your chances of being accepted, and even embraced, by a sometimes prickly influencer community.

Cool Tool of the Month: Hootsuite

2010-03-26T15:00:00-07:00

By Ashley Paula

Today, online social networking is turning into a way of life for many people and many of us use more than one social media site on a daily basis. Due to this growing trend, we’ve been asked on several occasions to recommend social media aggregators where people can manage multiple social media websites and accounts from one place: our recommendation is Hootsuite.

A true aggregator in my opinion is one that serves as an aggregation tool only, without acting like another social network on top of the others you already are using on a regular basis. If you are looking for a website that is acting as an aggregator but also features its own social network, I would recommend Google Buzz or FriendFeed.

Hootsuite is a true aggregator that allows you to easily and quickly set up and manage your social networking websites all in one place. Hootsuite is a great place to manage your Wordpress blog, multiple Twitter and Facebook accounts, YouTube, LinkedIn, Myspace and Ping.fm. Hootsuite also has great applications, including apps for the iPhone, Mac and PC desktops, and browser Add Ons for Firefox and Google Chrome.

If you have a favorite social media aggregator you’d like to share with us, please comment below. We love to hear your feedback.

The Top 10 Useless iPhone Apps

2010-03-23T12:30:00-07:00

By Kevin Sugarman

Recently, many of the folks here at EPR, including myself, jumped onto the iPhone bandwagon. We love the phone and its many capabilities - email, social networking, iTunes, maps, calendar, etc. Overall, we all agree it is a great tool for both work and play.

But, there is a dark and seedy underside of the iPhone that we have all encountered as well. The entire team has been amazed by how many utterly useless and ridiculous apps are available for download for the handset. So, in the interested of wasting even more time with these useless apps, EPR has decided to put together a collection of the top 10 most useless we have come across while fiddling with our iPhones.

A few notes:

These are all free apps
The information included below is taken directly from the Apple iPhone app website. No embellishment was necessary.
Addendum to the second bullet - On second thought, we couldn’t resist and added comments to each app (in italics).
These are all real. We are not making this up.

Hold On - Compete to see how long you can hold the button! The timer shows your progress down to the millisecond and stores your personal all-time record. Develop your perseverance and improve your concentration skills to make you more productive! We told you this was the most useless app. One question for the guy or gal with the best score for this “game” - uh why?
BeerCounter - With this program you can keep an overview of your consumed beverages. If you need an app to keep count of your beer intake, do us a favor and put the beer down, reach into your pocket and hand your buddy your car keys. Now go ahead and pick the beer back up and enjoy.
SimStapler- The first true office equipment simulator, SimStapler© brings all of the thrill and excitement of a “real” stapler right to the palm of your hand. We work in an office. We have multiple staplers. They have yet to thrill us (once, in the second grade, there was a stapler incident but hey I was young and had not yet fully developed my hand-eye coordination).
picocalc free- picocalc is a tiny number memo which can be added and subtracted.This would be great, if the iPhone didn’t already come fully equipped with a calculator - one that even multiplies and divides.
Knock on Wood -This is a genuine picture of wood not a computer generated imitation. Knock on Wood will give you a chance to avoid tempting fate or to bring good luck. Whether you believe that good spirits live in trees or that by touching wood you won’t get tagged, knock here for a bit of superstitious fun. We are a superstitious lot and have been known to hop around the pavement in order to not step on a crack and break our mother’s back. But this takes it too far.
Rubber Duck - The rubber duck squeaks when you press him. There are a handful of things that can just never be simulated. Rubber ducks are one of those things.
iSmoke - See realistic looking smoke billow out of the pipe when you breathe onto the end of your phone. Swish the smoke around with your finger and watch it swirl and dissipate. We don’t advocate smoking, but if the urge to swirl smoke around with your finger is so strong that you feel the need to download this app, go ahead and light up the real thing because this is just sad.
FatBurner2K- FatBurner2K can help your body consume fat molecules using disharmonic, molecule to molecule,physical oscillations, which is a sciencey way of saying that FatBurner2K shakes the fat in your body until it gives up. We are actually rooting for this one to take off. We can’t wait to see folks in gym shorts, sweatbands and tennis shoes with a vibrating iPhone attached to their waistband.
SoS Torch - Simple white light for finding your way around in the dark. Almost useful, if it worked. We tried this one out. It was like trying to find your way in the dark by holding out a single firefly by its wings.
Touch Train - Touch Train is a simple application that helps you get used to the touch screen of your device. Using the touch screen can be frustrating for some first time users. Touch Train gives you a target to aim for and will show you exactly where your touch occurred. Touch Train will quickly bring a novice user up to speed on the use of the touch screen. The iPhone is an extraordinary piece of modern technology. But if you need to train in order to master using the touch screen, it may not be the device for you.

So, that is our top 10 list of the most useless iPhone apps. Please let us know if you think we missed an app that deserves to be included in this group.

What new skills do PR professionals need today?

2010-03-16T14:31:54-07:00

By Neila Matheny

Every day in PR is different. The one consistent element in the public relations industry is that it is always changing. In the past, PR pros stuffed hard-copy press kits for big industry tradeshows and sent press releases to contact lists via fax machine. Now, everything is done online, sent via USB devices and even trade show press offices are virtual.

Here at Engage PR, we were recently discussing what new tools PR pros need to have in their toolbox as social media and online videos continue to become a large part of the PR landscape. We found that a lot of the skills that we all use on a daily basis were not the skills we learned about in college courses or in our first PR positions. This video highlights many of the unique attributes the Engage PR team brings to our clients’ public relations programs, as well as some of the unique qualities about the Engage PR team and our working environment.

What skills do you think PR professionals need to perfect today? Please leave a comment below and share your thoughts. And to see more about Engage PR and our clients, please visit our YouTube channel.

In the Age of Digital Media: PR Firms Make More Sense Than Ever

2010-03-02T14:15:00-08:00

By Jeannette Bitz

In Monday’s issue of the Huffington Post, writer Grant Cardon (Author of Sell to Survive and International Sales and Business Expert) wrote a blog post,"Do PR Firms Make Sense Anymore", where he talks about his frustrations with working with three different PR firms. He noted that none of these firms could really grab or keep the attention of the reporters he wanted to reach. Keep in mind though, he hired and fired three different firms in a one-year period. While I’m not going to use this blog to talk about what could have gone wrong in their efforts, I do believe it’s important to address his macro question: Does hiring a PR firm even make sense anymore with the world changing so much?

Yes, hiring a strong PR agency partner still makes sense, especially with the age of digital media. While it’s true that digital media tools such as YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, etc. give companies and executives the opportunity to self publish their message, it doesn’t mean that their message is sticking. It also doesn’t mean they are reaching the right audience with the right tools.

Let’s first start with the messaging; nowadays, it’s not always about what the company thinks their message should be. In the age of digital media, it’s more about what the masses, or your customers, are saying about you. A good agency will help you determine if your messaging reflects the value of your solution; additionally, an agency partner will help you ascertain if your messaging is compelling enough to get the attention of prospects and customers. I always advise companies to select an agency that has experience in the market you are trying to reach so that your agency team members can provide sound input on how your story is being communicated.

Second, used correctly, digital media can help companies tell their story. However, most companies are only using these tools to promote their company, product or services. The evolution of digital media gives companies an opportunity to create a community of like-minded individuals and to engage in a dialog, as opposed to a one-way communication. Even those companies that are using these tools correctly are not integrating them into their other marketing and PR efforts. For example, if a company has a YouTube channel with compelling videos, it makes sense to include links to the channel in relevant press releases to help drive traffic to the channel. That’s an obvious and easy thing to do. There are certainly other ways an agency can helps its clients integrate digital media to ensure maximum exposure and reach.

Not every digital media tool is the right tool for reaching every audience. As companies do with any PR or marketing program, it is important to create a plan and a strategy. As a part of the planning process, find out what digital media tools, blogs and publications your customers and other influencers are getting their information from on a regular basis. By the way, this is exactly where a good PR firm, that has experience helping other clients integrate digital media into their PR and marketing efforts, can play a critical role in helping organizations articulate its messages.