Plugged-In

It’s True! SpeakerBox IS a Great Place to Work!

2011-11-04T15:41:00.000-04:00

SpeakerBox was recently named a winner of PRNews’ Top Places to work in PRaward, and also a finalist for the StevieAwards’ Employer of the Year category!

The PR News awardrecognizes companies that provide a unique and supportive culture, and offersits employees career growth opportunities, as well as exceptional benefits,vacation time and perks. (One month paid sabbaticals, telecommuting privileges,paid healthcare…need I say more?)

The Stevies is a program that highlights female-owned/runcompanies that demonstrate dedication to its employee and HR tactics. Ouremployee retention and promotion rate is through the roof, so we couldn’t beany prouder! We hiresmart, happy people. And it shows.

I think I speak for everyone when I say that we’re sincerelyhonored to be recognized by both award opportunities. We often joke around theoffice that SpeakerBox is one of a kind – an establishment with the bells andwhistles that even our friends find hard to believe. Finding such a dedicated,supportive and fun work atmosphere is one in a million. From the clients we interactwith, the office lounges we work inside of and the staff we’re surrounded by,we’re richer than we’ll ever know.

- Mary Evans

SpeakerBox Sponsors Distilled Intelligence 1.0

2011-10-14T15:08:00.000-04:00

It's been a busy week for all of us at SpeakerBox. We were pleased to be part of the inaugural Distilled Intelligence 1.0 event hosted by Fortify.vc. The event was different than many local start up events. A pool of 55 start-ups presented for one minute each (down-selected from more than 100 applicants). Twenty-three companies advanced to the second round, and the last eleven start-ups standing competed for cash and prizes of more than $25,000.

Congratulations to the final 11 winners:

11th Place: Social Tables
10th Place: Venga
9th Place: ProConIt
8th Place: Job On
7th Place: Uppidy
6th Place: Bookstore Genie
5th Place: Ruck.us
4th Place: Grandstand
Second Runner Up: TRX Systems
First Runner Up: Troopswap

Grand Champion: Marz Industries

Take a look at the reaction from the DC Tech Community.

- Katie Hanusik

A Wrap-Up of FedTalks 2011

2011-10-13T16:49:00.000-04:00

This week’s FedTalks conference, sponsored by FedScoop, featured a long list of government and industry luminaries, each with 20 minutes to speak. If you missed it, presenters touched on all the current public sector hot buttons: big data, security, mobility, telework, data center consolidation and the cloud.

Most interesting to me were the presentations that highlighted innovation, delivered by OPM Director John Berry; Todd Park, CTO of HHS; and Dr. Peter Levin, CTO of the VA.

Berry spoke about creating a culture of innovation at OPM, and their use of the IdeaFactory, an online crowdsourcing tool developed by DHS. He also pointed out that OPM relaunched the USAJobs website this week, which last year received 21 million resumes.

Park’s presentation was a conference highlight. He spoke with such enthusiasm about what he calls the “data liberation” program underway at HHS. HHS is sharing information such as directories of care providers, comparative data on provider quality, FDA recalls and Medicare claims data, in hopes that developers will create meaningful apps that improve healthcare access, quality and decision-making. Not content to simply make the data accessible, HHS is “marketing the bejesus out of the data,” said Park, through code-a-thons and healthdatapalooza events. The program is already starting to bear fruit by creating an “ecosystem of innovation sitting on top of open data.”

Dr. Levin took the conversation one step further by sharing an overview of the VA’s Blue Button program, an online button that allows veterans, members of the military and Medicare recipients to easily download their own healthcare information. The program has been so successful that 430,000 people have downloaded their records, and industry healthcare and insurance providers are adding the Blue Button to their own sites.

For more detail on all the sessions, check out FedScoop's wrap-up. Thanks to the FedScoop team for organizing such an inspiring event. We’re looking forward to next year.

- Katie Hanusik

Meet the Intern

2011-07-26T11:17:00.002-04:00

Thissummer, Meghan Jackson has been working at SpeakerBox as afull time intern. We hope that she’s enjoying her time with SBX as much as weenjoy having her, and we thought we’d let everyone learn a little bit more abouther.

What school do you go to and what doyou like most about it?

I go toIndiana University in Bloomington and I'm in a sorority called Alpha Phi. Ilove everything about being a Hoosier: the Hoosier pride, the tailgates, thebasketball games, the campus, the weather in the fall and the academics.

What are you looking forward to mostafter graduation?

I'mlooking forward to starting my career after graduation. I am anxious to seewhat's out there and how I can learn more and move forward in the field ofpublic relations.

Why are you interested in PR?

I lovepublic relations because I enjoy communicating with people and the field is sointeractive. I love coming up with new, creative ways to get something done andlove the challenge of having to be able to think on your feet. It's alsorewarding to be able to make your client happy.

What is your favorite publication ornews outlet and why?

I followCNN the most, just because I grew up watching it with my mom on TV. Ilove watching HLN and I LOVE to watch Nancy Grace, just because her commentaryis so entertaining. I also consider E! News a major part of the daily news(just kidding, but I do watch it everyday).

One of our past interns could beatbox, any interesting hobbies you enjoy?

I enjoyyoga and meditation, and spending time with friends. I am a big fan of baseballand love going to games. I am also OBSESSED with every show on Bravo and E!

ThanksMeghan for all of your hard work! You’ve been indispensible this summer andhave fit right in around the office. We’re going to miss you come September!

–AliSmith

Third Time’s a Charm - Helios Apollo Award

2011-06-02T17:22:00.001-04:00

No more Susan Lucci syndrome for SBX.

After being named a finalist for the past two years, SpeakerBox won a 2011 Apollo Award!

Helios HR honors businesses that truly believe their employees are their core and have built corporate cultures of intention that keep employees engaged and happy.

As a SBX employee, I have to say, we deserved it. Not only does our management team work hard to implement benefits and development programs that surpass what others are doing, but they also listen to our feedback and take it to heart. A prime example of this is the One Team initiative – our new corporate philanthropy program. In addition to the recognition, great benefits, investments in development and parties, we feel appreciated, needed and valued through everyday actions.

Thank you to Helios for recognizing the hard work of our leadership team and thank you to SBX for doing the work it takes to be recognized.

Also, a big congratulations to the other winners: Rose Financial Services, HPTI, Edelman and Pariveda.

TMA's May Event: "Creating Products that People Want to Buy"

2011-05-05T14:34:00.000-04:00

The Technology Marketing Alliance has announced its May program entitled, "Product Management 2011: Creating Products that People Want to Buy."

The event will feature Steve Johnson from Pragmatic Marketing. Steve Johnson is a recognized thought-leader on the strategic role of product management and marketing. Broadly published and a frequent keynote speaker, Steve has been a Pragmatic Marketing instructor since 1996 and has personally trained thousands of product managers and hundreds of company senior executive teams on strategies for creating products that people want to buy.

Steve is a popular keynote speaker at forums throughout North America and author of many articles on technology product management. His ebook on product management has been downloaded thousands of times. He also blogs on the topic at productmarketing.com.

Event details are as follows:

Wednesday, May 11, 2011
7:30 –8:00 Networking
8:00 - 9:30 Program
9:30 - 10:00 Q&A and Networking
Tower Club - Tysons Corner
Cost: $75

For this event, we invite you bring along your product management and marketing folks to interact with other members and their teams. Note: non-members must accompany members to this event. All attendees will be entered in a drawing to win a copy of Tuned In, co-authored by Craig Stull, founder and CEO of Pragmatic Marketing.

Join your TMA members for what promises to be an engaging, dynamic session on successful strategies for product management and product marketers. Steve will specifically address staffing considerations, resources, and organizing priorities for products.

Click here to register for this event. Hope to see you there.

In the meantime, take a look at Pragmatic's most recent Annual Product Management and Marketing Survey Results.

- Katie Hanusik

SpeakerBox is Hiring

2011-04-07T14:55:00.000-04:00

SpeakerBox is actively seeking senior PR and communications professionals who would like to share our passion for technology, are armed with experience in public relations and social media, and would like to be a part of a fun, growing firm. We provide an entertaining, warm, and “smart and happy” workplace, and we regard our team in the highest light. If you or someone you know is interested in talking to us further, let us know.

We are looking for Account Director candidates with the following credentials:

• 10+ years of business experience, preferably in marketing/PR and in the technology industry
• Ability to drive strategy on accounts and direct accounts with minimal oversight
• Manage client relations and lead on-site meetings
• Experience managing and mentoring account staff
• Strong knowledge of B2B and B2G technology sectors
• Strong knowledge of and experience with social media, community building, inbound marketing
• Excellent writing skills
• Ability to manage accounts of all sizes
• Demonstrate mastery of media relations efforts on accounts/top placements and lead by example
• Accountability for the delivery of value and results (metrics) on accounts and ability to proactively address barriers to success
• Produce monthly and quarterly reports and assist in the invoicing process and retainer management for accounts
• Participate in leading internal training programs for staff and interns
• Participate in the business development process (research, preparation and new business pitches)
• Participate in larger company initiatives and projects, such as strategic planning
• Bachelors degree preferred in the field of communications, public relations, journalism and/or marketing

Salaries are commensurate with experience. Please send resumes to: hr@speakerboxpr.com.

- Katie Hanusik

Kelly Harman Shares Her Favorite Cloud-Based Tools

2011-02-08T11:00:00.001-05:00

As part of the bi-weekly SpeakerBox training program, Kelly Harman came to SpeakerBox to share her favorite cloud-based marketing and productivity tools.

Kelly showcased a range of cloud-based solutions that provide crowd-sourced design, cheap labor for repetitive projects, collaboration, personalization and convenience – and explained how she had used these tools for clients and personal use.

We also discussed some of our favorite free productivity solutions, including browser-based to-do lists TeuxDeux and Remember the Milk and project management solutions Basecamp and Smartsheet.

Take a look at Kelly’s presentation. Any other favorite tools you’d like to share?

- Katie Hanusik

TMA Announces Customer Message Management Event

2011-01-26T20:11:00.001-05:00

On Wednesday, February 9th, the Technology Marketing Alliance welcomes Tim Riesterer to the Tower Club in Tysons Corner. Tim is co-author of Customer Message Management: Increasing Marketing’s Impact on Selling and CMO and SVP of Customer Visions, a top sales methodology training company.

Tim’s book is a culmination of more than 20 years in sales and marketing, and his Customer Message Management approach will help marketers to create more customer-relevant messaging and sales-ready marketing materials.

Attendees will learn how to:

• Loosen the status quo and convince your prospects they need to do something different and make a decision to choose you.
• Find your unique point of view that can challenge prospect assumptions and communicate value vs. your competitors.
• Create messages that matter to your sales people, increasing their confidence and competence to tell a differentiated story with the prospect.

This event is open to all TMA members. If you're interested in membership, more information can be found here.

We hope to see you at the February event. TMA members who have seen him speak, say he’s a top-notch presenter.

- Katie Hanusik

P.S. Don't forget to register.

Lead411 Announces Local Technology Winners

2010-12-23T09:41:00.000-05:00

This month, Lead4ll announced the winners of the annual Technology 500 List. This list recognizes the fastest-growing tech companies based on the percentage of revenue growth from 2007-2009.

Many local companies were recognized in the top half of this year’s list including:

11     PointAbout
27     Zantech IT Services
60     Nova Datacom
70     Three Pillar Global
86 Synteractive
109   WFN Strategies
101   Motionsoft
113   Global Wireless Solutions
114   Emergent
115   VitalSpring Technologies
122   DrFirst
143   HostICan
148   Capstone Corporation
152   IndiSoft
172   Astyra Corporation
175   Moodleroom
178   High Street Partners
186   Portal Solutions
194   Orbit Logic
198   Parature
200   American Cadastre
228   CodeRyte
250   Catapult Technology

Top local winners primarily fall into one of two categories: IT services and software. Local services winners include several government contractors, and commercial companies specializing in software development, telecom, IT staffing and Web hosting. Local software winners offer solutions focusing on healthcare, customer service, e-learning and financial services.

The Washington metro area offers a vibrant and growing technology community – not just for government contractors, but inclusive of them – and this is exciting news. Congratulations to all the winners.

- Katie Hanusik

PTW Venture Capital Outlook 2011: RECAP

2010-12-21T07:47:00.000-05:00

Last Friday I attended the annual Potomac Tech Wire Venture Capital Outlook with familiar faces as panelists; what an inspiring conversation! Sharing some insights from the esteemed leaders who shared their morning with us.

(Please note that I tried to capture as much of the essence as I could, given the swift conversation. Any errors in attribution are entirely mine.)

Moderator: Paul Sherman, Editor, Potomac Tech Wire

Philip Bronner, General Partner, Novak Biddle Venture Partners
Thanasis Delistathis, Managing Partner, New Atlantic Ventures

Don Rainey, General Partner, Grotech Ventures

Tige Savage, Co-founder, Revolution LLC
Harry Weller, General Partner, NEA

The first question got started right away, and hit home, as panelists in years' past have remarked that perhaps the venture capital model is broken. Paul's first question: Why the whiplash in the VC marketplace in just a couple of years? We're seeing new energy and investments. Is the model still broken or regaining steam? Even more so, are we in a bubble again as many people have stated?

Phil remarked that the costs are so low today to start a business, that many businesses can get started without VC investments. That's what the market saw the last couple of years. That is still true, but there are companies who need to scale quickly at some point, and that typically requires capital investments.

Harry contributed that the facts still dictate that VC investments have gone down in the past ten years, so not all VCs have survived. 10 years ago there were 1,400 VCs in the US, today there are around 600.

Don added that what's turned things around in VCs favor are the big hits we've seen, which fuels the investment landscape.

Paul: What advice would you give entrepreneurs today?

Harry: 1) Think about the team you can attract. Very important - if your idea is great, it'll attract great leadership and talent. 2) Go BIG or go home! 3) Think about how your product will play internationally: it's a core requirement in today's world.

Phil: VCs are always looking to "what's next," so think about an ecosystem that can be formed around your idea, like what we are seeing in mobile. There's a lot of opportunity there.

Don: Don't confuse buzz with traction. A company's interaction with its customer HAS to be intimate, organic and real. Also, move your website beyond brochure-ware and make sure it is an engagement tool.

Tige: Be ready to pivot. GroupOn and LivingSocial didn't start out doing what they are doing today, but they were nimble and quick to pivot to become who they are.

Thanasis: Companies that are doing well are the most focused, and show traction in a niche.

Paul: What has changed in evaluating companies today versus in the past?

(answered collectively)

Interested in backing entrepreneurs who will listen to advice.
Timing and size is important. If a company is too big, they may not present a big enough opportunity. If a company is too small, it may be too soon. It's important to think about timing with investments.
Determining if a company is ready to execute and be nimble. Gone are the days of big business plans; the Just Do It mantra is what we need to see.

Paul: what is the most overused sentence you hear from entrepreneurs?

"We're the 'Groupon' or the 'Facebook' of the ______ industry..."
"Our numbers are conservative..."
"Storage is the next big thing..."

Paul: Given that, what are some great things you have heard from entrepreneurs?

"My contribution margin per acquired customer is XX" (shows they know the importance of low acquisition costs, and track it)
"We need to shut down the company" (shows that the CEO understood when it was time to go home, and that CEO would most likely be worth investing in again)
"I don't need any more money, because I'm profitable!" (enough said)

Paul: Give us some companies you like, companies you've invested in, or think are ones to watch:
(Note: these are not all the ones rattled off...I caught the ones I could)

2Tor
GroupFlier
Suniva
oPower
Gilt.com

------------------------
There were some great questions at the end, which I'll include in Recap: Part II, including perspective on the various regions (including the DC area); perspective on the IPO and the M&A landscape; and how VCs are affected by the secondary market (with companies like SecondMarket).

Overall, there was an optimistic air to the conference, and a packed room. Paul indicated it was their largest attendance for Venture Capital Outlooks so far! Bubble or brouhaha? Is opportunity knocking on our door?

And finally, since sponsors help to underwrite these events, a shout-out to the sponsors for this program (no, none are clients, just appreciate that they support our community...):

Fairfax County Economic Development Authority
Intelligent Office
MemoryBlue
Rose Financial Services
DC Represents

-- Elizabeth Shea: @eliz2shea

WIT Recap: Enabling the Channel

2010-11-30T16:55:00.001-05:00

I had the pleasure of attending last week’s Women in Technology Sales and Marketing event entitled, “Enabling the Channel – Insights from Leading OEMs and Distributors.” The featured speakers included (from left to right):

Theresa Caragol, Vice President, Global Alliances & Partners, Ciena
Liz Anthony, Public Sector Channel Marketing Manager, Cisco
Lynne Corddry, Vice President, Business Development, Public Sector, Red Hat, Inc.
Amy Styers, Account Executive, DLT Solutions

Moderators Christine Schaefer from DLT Solutions and Mary Conley Eggert from Tech Image asked a series of great questions, which are detailed below:

Q: How do you make sure that the entire channel works as cohesive unit?
Theresa: You must be clear about your strategy. Identify key geographic or vertical markets, then pick the best partners that will help you penetrate that market. Focus on quality not quantity.
Lynne: It's important to integrate with your most important channel partners. Red Hat shares a CRM tool and has monthly forecast meeting with partners DLT and Carahsoft. It is also important to celebrate together when big wins close.

Q: What’s the biggest mistake channel partners make?
Liz: Small channel partners should focus on a specific set of solutions or markets rather than try to do everything.
Lynne: It’s critical that channel partners measure and demonstrate success to their manufacturer partners.
Theresa: Channel partners need to bring new opportunities to the table, not undercut existing channel partners. Channel partners should shy away from blaming the manufacturer; instead they should focus on service and try their best to solve the customer’s problem.

Q: What’s the best way to handle complexity in the channel?
Liz: “Throwing more bodies at it isn’t the answer.” Manufacturers should simplify their message and train, train, train their channel partners.

Q: How can channel partners differentiate themselves?
Theresa: The worst thing a channel partner can do is just resell a box. The most successful channel partners bundle multiple technologies into an overall solution or add services to the offering.
Lynne: Being a small, disadvantaged business is not enough. She looks for partners that can help differentiate Red Hat from their competitors.
Amy: As a channel partner, DLT differentiates itself by offering contract vehicle access, business development, lead generation and relationships with system integrators.
Liz: Look for thought leadership opportunities to demonstrate expertise and credibility.

Q: How easy is it to work with a manufacturer to get a proof of concept?
Lynne: Red Hat is very open to proof of concepts and pilot programs and encourages developers to build solutions on top of the Red Hat Linux platform.
Theresa: Ciena also looks for companies to do joint development. They have a formal program and process to bring companies into their Innovation Lab.

Q: What level of commitment are you looking for from your channel partners?
Theresa: In an ideal world, Ciena looks for self-sufficiency. She mentioned the “fax machine business,” referring to partners that can sell and close business independently and then send in the order. However, channel partners can also offer value through introductions or relationships.
Lynne: The important factor is how many people are trained on Red Hat’s technology.
Liz: Channel partners need to put some skin in the game. “Everyone wants Cisco to help them market their solution,” but channel partners must be able to market and sell their solution on their own if they’re going to be successful.

Q: How do manufacturers and channel partners deal with competition?
Lynne: Red Hat only works with partners that don’t sell a competitive solution.
Theresa: Ciena hasn’t always been in a position to ask for exclusivity. Instead, they agree on set of customers, verticals or specific sales people that won’t be shared with their competitors. Deal registration also helps to build trust with vendors, and then partners know they won’t be undercut.
Amy: On the flip side, DLT asks for exclusivity with small manufacturer partners.
Christine, also from DLT, pointed out that Amy gets 400 calls a year from people who want to partner with DLT, and DLT only represents 40.
Liz: Cisco doesn’t always have exclusive relationships either, but they use marketing funds to reward committed partners and earn channel attention.

Thanks to the WIT team for organizing such a strong event, and to Google for hosting.

-- Katie Hanusik

Washington Women in PR (WWPR) Woman of the Year Event!

2010-11-11T21:33:00.000-05:00

I was proud to serve as a judge in this year's WWPR Woman of the Year event, where three honorees were recognized for outstanding leadership and contribution to the PR profession.The event was held yesterday at the Mandarin Oriental hotel, with Dee Dee Myers delivering a powerful keynote address.

Debra Silimeo, Senior Vice President for Hager Sharp, was awarded the prestigious 2010 Woman of the Year award and delivered a passionate speech about the team at Hager Sharp and how its culture has shaped who she has become.

Two other very impressive women were also recognized as honorees: Donna Vincent Roa, PhD, ABC, CSR-P, Managing Partner & Chief Strategist, Vincent Roa Group LLC; and Johanna Schneider, Executive Director-External Relations, Business Roundtable. They both presented their own unique remarks about their journey, their life lessons and inspirations.

WWPR consistently raises the bar with its Woman of the Year award program, and it's the one event I haven't missed in nearly ten years! A raffle was held to benefit WWPR’s pro bono client, the Childrenʹs Law Center, the largest legal services organization in the District and the only organization that provides comprehensive free legal representation specifically for children who have been abused and neglected, have special education or health care needs.

One of my personal highlights was to meet and spend 20 minutes talking to Dee Dee Myers. She served as White House Press Secretary for two years under the Clinton administration and holds the title as the first woman and second youngest to hold that position.

She graduated from my alma mater, Santa Clara University, a quiet liberal arts school in the heart of Silicon Valley, so I've followed her career for years. Her first book, Why Women Should Rule the World went on to become a New York Times bestseller and her remarks mirrored her perspectives shared in the book. Her mantra isn't really about why women should take over the world, but rather, how women should assert themselves alongside men to make the world a better place. Her delivery is sharp, funny, and interjected with dry humor.

She was the inspiration for the character C.J. Cregg, press secretary on West Wing played by Allison Janney. She consulted for much of the show as a contributing writer. She joked in her remarks that she enjoyed incorporating true examples of her experiences, but in the show she could take liberties to change the ending. Hilarious.

Afterward, a couple of board members and I spent time talking to Myers, so I had to snap a photo!

Dee Dee Myers and Elizabeth Shea

If you think you have a PR professional in mind who is a candidate for the 2011 Woman of the Year, mark your calendars! Look for nomination opportunities next summer.

- Elizabeth Shea (@eliz2shea)

GrowSmartBiz Conference

2010-11-01T13:02:00.000-04:00

SpeakerBox is often asked for referrals on conferences to attend and we're giving this Friday's GrowSmartBiz the thumbs up. If you're growing a small business, this one's for you. The conference, hosted by Network Solutions, The Washington Business Journal and CapitalOne boasts 4 tracks with sessions on marketing and innovation, small business, government and non-profits, technology tools and entrepreneurship. Some of the presenters to look forward to include Raul Fernandez, Vice Chair of Object Video, Jason Falls of socialmediaexplorer.com, Jill Foster of LiveYourTalk.com and Katya Andresen, COO of Network for Good. Another source of appeal is the price. $79 is a deal for a full day of content. If you go, look for me, I'd love to say hello.

- Lisa Throckmorton

SpeakerBox Announces New Client: Runaware

2010-10-28T17:47:00.000-04:00

SpeakerBox is pleased to welcome a new client to the fold. Florida-based Runaware, a leader in online software demo solutions and cloud computing services recently selected SpeakerBox as its AOR. Runaware's flagship product, TestDrive, offers a hosted interactive online demo environment that allows customers to evaluate software in their Web browser. In addition, Runaware's cloud platform allows independent software vendors to migrate to a cloud or hybrid model and ultimately increase their software sales.

For more information, the full release can be found here.

-- Katie Hanusik

Plugged-In Cars: Electrified Vehicles Zoom Into The Mainstream

2010-10-22T16:23:00.002-04:00

This week I had the opportunity to attend the Social Media Club - DC (SMCDC) breakfast event with Ford. Dan Pierce, environmental communications manager for Ford Motor Company was on hand to talk about electric vehicles (EVs) and how social media is essential to their efforts to reach consumers and stakeholders.

Ford's commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, along with the growth of efficient EV technologies, spurred the current push for Ford's five hybrid and battery electric vehicles launching over the next three years. The two that were on display and used for test drives that morning were the Ford Transit Connect Electric and the Ford Focus Electric (pictured above).

Dan Pierce, Ford Motor Company

Pierce noted that government entities and manufacturers are supporting EVs and putting resources behind infrastructure. These groups recognize how EVs can help "smart commuting." For example, those in urban areas who don't drive long distances could charge up their vehicle at home to last several short round-trips. Some other key takeaways:

According to Ford, there are 220,000 gas stations in the US; there are only 35,000 electric stations
Some gas cars get 15 cents/mile vs. 3 cents/mile to charge EVs
The concept of a hybrid electric vehicle dates back to 1901
Ford's social media strategy for the launch of the Fiesta was well received across consumers and marketing folks alike; photos on Flickr, demos on YouTube, Facebook pages and Twitter demographic and brand-specific feeds all helped engage and educate

The great thing about the new EVs being produced is that it stirs innovation for the manufacturers and the technology community at-large. Soon we'll be one step closer to living like the Jetsons.

--Pheniece

Digital East 2010: Venture Capital Viewpoint

2010-10-20T14:21:00.000-04:00

The Venture Capital ViewPoint featured John Backus, New Atlantic Ventures; Philip Bronner, Novak Biddle; Don Rainey, Grotech Ventures; Mark Rostick, Intel Capital and moderator Andrew Ray, Bingham. Interestingly, this seemed to be the worst attended session of the day with only about 60 people in audience. As John Backus pointed out “how quickly the venture capitalists have fallen.”

The questions quickly turned to financing. The VCs universally agreed that they’re not interested in ideas on a napkin. Especially in the case of first-time entrepreneurs, they’re looking for demonstrated traction. Rostick added that it’s easier to get an A or C round, but harder to get a B round. If you burn through an initial investment without significant progress, it’s really hard to get more money.

However, there is a silver lining. Bronner said he’s seeing more innovation now than he’s seen in a long time. Backus and Rainey agreed saying, “The best companies are born during the hardest times. Companies started during times of distress are not spending money stupidly; they are cheaper and seem to have better DNA.”

The panel also mentioned that they’re looking for companies that can iterate quickly, test often and fail fast. Rainey specifically mentioned HelloWallet’s “Caribou Test.” Periodically, when the CEO wanted to focus test a new idea or feature, he’d wander down to the local Caribou Coffee to get real-time feedback from potential customers. Rainey added that the commitment to testing is critical; “the first great challenge for an entrepreneur is to build a truly great product – and that’s where most entrepreneurs fail.”

So what sectors are the most interesting to these VCs?
• Innovative ecommerce solutions that enable new categories of products to be sold online such as prescription drugs, wine and high-end fashion
• Consumer-directed healthcare
• Mobile as a source for distributed content, commerce and the shift to the cloud
• Artificial intelligence
• 4G
• Socialization on the Web: gaming, coupons and “winning by buying,” such as Groupon and Living Social.

The last question asked was the most interesting question of the day; “if you were an entrepreneur would you take venture money?” Bronner said he’d take seed money but wouldn’t raise VC money unless the market was big enough to result in a multi-million dollar payout for the entrepreneur. He added, that he’d make sure he raised enough money to be the market leader, since the category leader often sells for 3-5x more than the number two player. Rostick added that he’d recommend taking venture money if you needed something from the VCs that you couldn’t get easily by yourself, such as advice, coaching or access. Otherwise, go it alone.

Based on the attendance at the session, plenty of entrepreneurs seem to be following that advice.

- Katie Hanusik

Digital East 2010: Usability & Design

2010-10-19T19:00:00.021-04:00

More than 250 people attended the morning session on Usability and Design featuring usability experts Darren Mauro, CustomInk.com; Kelley McDonald, Navigation Arts; Craig Sauerwalt, Sylvan Learning; Emily Jerome Schroeder, AutoTrader.com and moderator Drew Diskin, University of Pennsylvania Health System.

The session started with the question, "is the site redesign dead?” The panelists seemed to think so and proposed a model of continuous improvement (rather than stagnation and decay). Just as important as the ongoing optimization is the commitment to testing. Panelists suggested tools like usertesting.com, Morae and Google’s Website Optimizer for online usability testing, and pointed out that the ease and low cost enables Web developers to test the same project or page repeatedly.

In terms of content, McDonald pointed out that content is frequently given short shrift. Though Websites are mostly textual content, the content is often an afterthought. The CMS industry perpetuates the idea that content can be automated, leading people to believe that less effort is required.

When asked about designing for the mobile Web, the panelists suggested creating a pared down site that addresses three questions that are specific to your mobile visitors, rather than simply replicating the functionality of your desktop Website. Sauerwalt also suggested that you design with specific devices in mind, since each platform does different things well.

One audience member asked about the appropriate balance of content to “call-to-action” for an e-commerce site. In Mauro’s experience at CustomInk, high quality product information and product comparison tools are the most valuable content for visitors. Other narrative content is less valuable for CustomInk visitors. Schroeder reminded us that thoughtful content really helps with SEO; it helps get visitors in the door even if it doesn’t influence their purchasing decisions.

Next up – the Venture Capital ViewPoint.

- Katie Hanusik

Digital East 2010: Social Media for Government and Associations

2010-10-19T11:54:00.000-04:00

Fellow SpeakerBoxer Katie Hanusik and I tag-teamed the sold-out Digital East 2010 Conference today held in McLean, VA, and I was impressed by how much the event has grown the past few years! It was packed. Standing room only available for some of the sessions and a great representation of the community, both locally and nationally.

Sharing some highlights from a session I attended this afternoon on social media trends in associations and government.

Speakers included:

Sybil Walker Barnes: Director of Social Media, American Institute of Architects
Susan Cato, Senior Director, Web and New Media Strategies, CompTIA
Bob Ellsworth, Senior Fellow of Technology, Republican National Committee
Moderator: Andrea Rose Baker, Director of Enterprise 2,0, NavStar, Inc.

The first thing that struck me about this panel, is that whether it was intended or not, each of these speakers served as a change agent for their organizations, creating engagement and conversations. Each of them found themselves trying to bridge the gap between structured, closed, traditional communications models, and more current ways of engaging.

Each shared successes and lessons learned that have helped propel their organizations forward. Moderator Andrea Rose Baker kicked things off by asking each panelist to provide one word that best describes their deployment of social media within their organization:

Bob: STRUGGLE: After joining the RNC, he came to realize he would need to break the mold of "command and control" and strive to accomplish a two-way message with no command nor control of what is being said.

Sybil: LEARNING: Introducing social media and two-way conversations has been challenging to a very traditional association, but the "aha" moment came when they realized they could use these tools as a learning channel, to learn about member companies, clients, as well as their own internal team.

Susan: CHAOS: Her biggest challenge was trying to bring chaos into order. At CompTIA there were plenty of enthusiastic folks ready to engage with members and clients (and in fact there were multiple CompTIA-branded social media sites that had grown organically) but the group needed to ensure there was structure at the same time.

The group became relatively interactive, while still responding to directed questions by the moderator. Some of the observations, which tend to be typical of a more traditional, structured organization:

Bob described how there was little infrastructure or tools available for communicating beyond what they have always done. They've had to change that. For example, he used to personally communicate to primarily the major networks, but that's not the current landscape. They need to engage the hundreds of influencers and bloggers that report on what they do. They find themselves being the target of non-traditional channels, such as The Daily Show, should things go wrong.
Susan discussed her challenge with managing their brand amidst other Facebook, LinkedIn and web properties that do not belong to the association, but still manage to be communities of their customers. Her challenge was to find a way to harness the engaged, enthusiastic communities already present online with effective brand management. She had to personally reach into those groups and look to engage or assimilate into her corporate properties. She started with the biggest ones first, and then worked her way down. She also opted not to shut any of them down, as she couldn't risk alienating any of their followers.
Bob made an observation that in many cases, bloggers and influencers can have more power than traditional media..he has to focus more on grassroots efforts when it makes sense.
Sybil discussed a lesson learned in the differences between physical and virtual conventions: bloggers can help or hurt you if you don't manage those relationships well. Get bloggers involved early for virtual events to help promote, listen, and engage, and treat them as members of the media when attending in-person conferences.
All agreed that enterprise 2.0: the term used in this case for internal engagement using social media tools, will be an important new area to fold into a communications plan.
Andrea discussed the transition from a web-centric world to a social media format for communication, referencing a controversial article from Wired Magazine, The Web Is Dead. Andrea believes the web isn't dead, but rather it has a slow heartbeat, as a strong web property is still important in meeting needs for information. But it can't serve alone as a communications tool.

Unfortunately, there wasn't the focus I was looking for on government engagement, although many of the thought processes hold true for agencies to consider. Thanks to TechMedia for a great program!

Elizabeth Shea (@eliz2shea)

TMA Event Recap: Software Pricing Strategies

2010-10-04T20:59:00.000-04:00

Last week the Technology Marketing Alliance (TMA) held one of its quarterly programs at the Tower Club with guest speaker Jim Geisman, founder and principal of Software Pricing Partners. The topic was spot-on for this group of senior marketers that each face challenges in setting and maintaining pricing models for their primarily B2B and B2G enterprise software companies.

Jim addressed challenges with on-premises vs. SaaS models, typical discounting practices, productizing services and market trends, and the effects of B2C pricing on B2B companies.

We covered a lot of material during the session, which was custom made for our group downsized from a typical full day workshop. Jim was gracious enough to grant permission to post his PowerPoint for our community to digest...it was a very interactive session, however, so the questions and answers provided the most value for many of us in the room.

A couple of key nuggets to share:

Pricing strategies: people in general don't recognize absolute prices, they recognize relative prices. Be very conscious of what you provide vis-a-vis your competitors to make sure a higher price reflects higher value. Make it apparent.
Salespeople may not always be trained on why pricing is set where it is: make them a part of the strategic discussion to help cut down on discounting and keep up profitability.
Free trials and test runs are becoming more and more important; don't make it hard for customers to see the value! Make it digestible and easy to purchase.
If your product can be sold without sending them through a salesperson, make it easy. Don't let your internal sales processes inhibit a customer who is ready to buy. Typically customers have already made their decision.
Jim recommends three pricing options, with increasing value/offering at each level. He referenced studies that have proven that customers will more likely choose up when three options are presented, versus when only two options exist.
Rather than price by the user, consider pricing your software based on usage, feature set or item sold. When the metric for pricing for your customer matches the metrics for their business (per claim, per loan, per patient, per bill, per reservation, etc.), there was likely to be a better case of profitability on both sides of the equation, and greater satisfaction overall.
One idea Jim proposed for alleviating the standard practice of sales discounting at month end, quarter end, etc., was to set up the sales quotas and incentives to occur at different times. Thus there wouldn't be incentives to heavily discount all at once, affecting ongoing profitability for the deal.

Many thanks to Jim for taking the time to address our group; the feedback from the attendees was very favorable, and for those seeking additional customized strategies, his workshops would be a no-brainer!

- Elizabeth Shea (eliz2shea)

SpeakerBox Tailgate Cook-Off

2010-09-27T15:33:00.000-04:00

After a long hiatus, Friday marked the return of the SpeakerBox Cook-Off Competition- tailgate style. With some new faces in the office and football season in full swing, it seemed like the perfect time to battle it out in the kitchen, concocting our favorite tailgating treats.

Adding to the excitement, everyone dressed in gear to support their favorite college team or alma mater. Anticipation grew throughout the morning as mouths watered smelling the crock-pots brewing from the kitchen.

I have heard stories of competitions past, and was definitely not letdown with the spread that was put out. Everything was delicious and the thrill of competition in the air only added to the experience. With both Mary and Pheniece making buffalo-style chicken dips, we not only had a competition but a head-to-head battle of the hot sauce.

While I could have licked every dish clean, at the end of the day there had to be a voting and winners announced. Coming in third place was Laura (pictured above) with her sausage, pepper and onion sandwiches. Second place went to Mary for her buffalo-style chicken dip. And first place went to myself (!) for pulled-pork sandwiches. That’s right, after my first official SpeakerBox cooking competition I remain the undefeated champion – well, until next month at least.

Great job to everyone who participated and I think I speak for everyone when I say I definitely was not hungry for dinner that night.

-- Kathryn

Creative Content Marketing: CAPCON 2010

2010-09-17T14:09:00.000-04:00

Also on the CAPCON 2010 agenda was Ardath Albee, B2B Marketing Strategist and author of eMarketing Strategies for the Complex Sale. Her session, entitled, “Capturing and Keeping Buyers with Creative Content,” provided some best practices on creating “contagious content” that is so valuable that its readers can’t wait to read more and share it with their friends and colleagues.

Most marketers know how difficult it is to create a steady stream of engaging content, and Ardath offered the following tips to lighten the load:

1. Evaluate existing content first. Create a schedule outlining which pieces can be refreshed and which pieces need to be created from scratch. Tip: Make small updates to old white papers and update the copyright date so resources stay fresh.

2. Plan on five uses for each topic or theme. Use a white paper as a starting point, then create two articles, a how-to-guide and a checklist on the same topic. Or turn Webinars and blog posts into ebooks and bundle the ebooks into a pocket guide. Tip: If you struggle to come up with great content ideas, participate in competitor’s webinars and see what kinds of questions they get. Any topics they they left out of their presentation might make a good blog post.

3. Content should map to buying cycle and answer questions that prospects ask as they go through process. Start with a response to the question – “Why should I care?” Don’t forget to address “What if?” questions later in the buying cycle.

4. Write with best practices in mind.

Introduce your hook immediately, no long introductions
Speak to one buyer persona in each piece.
Create short-form content with just three supporting points
Write jargon-free. As Ardath says, “I don’t want to see the words ‘robust’ or ‘performance improvement’ anywhere.”
Use keywords. Your content is only useful if the right people can find it
Include a strong takeaway, the one idea that the reader will focus on
And finally, don’t forget a strong call to action. Tell your prospects what you want them to do next.

Consider that MarketingSherpa's Business Technology Benchmark Guide in 2008 found that 80% of B2B technology customers believe they found the vendor, rather than the vendor finding them. Assuming that’s true, contagious content is as important as ever.

-- Katie Hanusik

Getting Started with Lead Nurturing: CAPCON 2010

2010-09-17T10:37:00.000-04:00

I had the pleasure of attending Capterra’s Software Marketing Conference, CAPCON 2010. Cari Baldwin, Founder of BlueBird Strategies, led a session on “How to Design and Build a Nurture Flow.”

She started the discussion by addressing why it’s important to nurture your leads. A typical software company’s database is filled with “rotting” long-term leads (70% according to Cari). As a result, 70-90% of leads generated by marketing are never followed-up on by sales. Cari suggests that it’s important for marketing to go “dumpster-diving” in its CRM system to look for leads that need longer-term nurturing.

So what are the other benefits of a lead nurturing program?
• Educate without being annoying.
• Provide opportunities for prospects to reach out to you.
• Let prospects move at their own pace.
• And potentially increase your sales-ready leads by 3x!

So how do you get started?

1. Before you begin, Sales and Marketing need to agree on what constitutes a lead. In fact, Cari recommends that both groups sign an SLA agreement. Marketing needs to provide sales with more valuable leads and sales needs to commit to lead follow-up.

2. Select a Marketing Automation (MA) Platform. It’s tough to do lead nurturing without a MA platform like Marketo, Silverpop, Pardot, Act-On, Manticore or Eloqua. Costs start at $1,200 - $2,500 per month for a low or mid-range solution. Interestingly, only a few in the audience were using this kind of platform; Cari got several questions about the difference between MA as compared to Salesforce or email packages like Constant Contact.

3. Identify the goal of your lead nurturing program. Do you want your prospects to schedule a sales meeting, request a demo or download a white paper?

4. Identify the targets. Understand segmentation, and build a buyer persona to understand the specific needs of your exact target.

5. Understand information requirements. What information does the prospect need to reach the goal?

6. Determine Nurture. How many times should you touch your prospects? To reinforce key messages, Cari suggests conducting 1-2 touches per simple message and 2-3 touches per complicated message. Institute a friendly sales call in the middle of the process. Offer prospects a chance to “Accelerate Me” if they want to hear from you every week. If unsubscribes increase to 1%, consider decreasing the frequency of your touches.

7. Map Content to Buying Stage. Research the primary questions that your prospects might have at each stage of the buying process and create content that addresses those issues. For example, use educational pieces in the early stage, then case studies then product-specific information.

Make your content bite sized – blogs, podcasts and summaries. Note: you may need different content than that used in your demand generation programs.

8. Align messages and content. Write all content before starting the program.

Note: Lead scoring is critical to success. Combine qualification criteria (BANT (budget, authority, need and timeline)) with demographic information and interest criteria (web visits, email opens and clicks, webcasts attended).

9. Build and Execute. About 65-75 percent of nurturing work is done outside of the application. Use progressive profiling – don’t ask for too much personal information up front and don’t require registration for every piece of content. Test your MA platform internally to ensure the process works as planned.

Next on the agenda, Content Marketing.

- Katie Hanusik

Siteworx Featured On Federal News Radio

2010-08-31T14:50:00.000-04:00

For the past ten years, Federal News Radio has been the go-to source for news about the federal community and the "business" of working with government. Federal employees, contractors and civilians tune in to Federal News Radio, via the airwaves and online, for the latest issues that affect federal agencies. Last week, Federal News Radio's Chris Dorobek interviewed Tim McLaughlin, president and co-founder of Siteworx, about what agencies can do to create more user-centric sites.

Siteworx, an interactive agency specializing in web technologies, interactive strategies and mobile web, has deep experience in developing and implementing sites that provide a rich online experience. Last year saw the launch of their public sector group and a successful GSA schedule bid as they continue to expand into the federal space. This interview proved to be a great forum for Siteworx to share helpful tips for agencies looking to develop or relaunch a site (one key takeaway: the whole website development process isn't so scary!). Take a listen to the interview to hear all about the Siteworx approach to user research, optimization and the future of mobile sites for agencies.

--Pheniece Jones

Talentpalooza Draws in HR Crowd

2010-07-27T11:13:00.000-04:00

If you’re like me, then your ears may still be ringing after attending Talentpalooza 2010, a free, one-day virtual talent management forum hosted by our very own client, Plateau Systems. Just last week, the second annual event celebrated all things talent management with nearly 700 registrants, keynoted by IDC analyst, Lisa Rowan, Program Director of HR and Talent Management Services. The agenda consisted of interactive sessions (discussing case studies, best practices and trends for successful talent management initiatives) and networking opportunities, housing conversations both through live forums, as well as on Twitter.

If you weren’t able to listen in, check out www.talentpalooza.net for copies of the presentations, or review the #talent2010 conversations via Twitter @talentpalooza.

Thanks to everyone who participated – we look forward to joining the stage with you again in 2011!

- Mary Evans