This is the next entry in our “Best of” series, in which we venture deep into the vault to replay blog opinion and insight that has withstood the test of time. Today’s post hails from April 2008. We welcome your feedback.
By Linda Forrest
Today, I’m doing a lot of work that’s invisible to the client’s naked eye. Having previously posted on database maintenance, a “behind the scenes” task that is incredibly important to the integrity of the PR campaign, I thought I would post a few other tasks that your agency is regularly undertaking on your behalf, invisibly.
As we’re nearing the end of launch campaigns for some new clients, I’m starting to get a feel for the full range of opportunities that exist in the mid- and long-term for these clients. This means I’m researching the published opportunities available in editorial calendars for target publications for these clients, establishing a list of relevant tradeshows and conferences where company executives could be spokespeople or where there might be value in attending for business development purposes (let’s hope they bear no resemblance to the cautionary tales mentioned yesterday), and generally getting a feel for the PR opportunity outside of the Tier 1, or most influential, media with whom we had in-depth conversations on our clients’ behalf during the launch phase and within which we have a firm handle on the opportunities forthcoming.
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By Linda Forrest
Yesterday, guest blogger Ken Rosen talked about the importance of using the same language as your customers. He referred to not only communication disconnects caused by language barriers, but also how, in order to be successful at customer engagement, you must speak the same language and define both features and benefits in terms that resonate.
How does this approach translate to PR efforts?
We had the good fortune this week again of having the story of a user of the advanced prosthetic technology of our longtime client Touch Bionics go global. The story had all the makings of a great piece – a precocious young man writes a cheeky request to an idol, who in turn pays for his branded bionic hand. This one had story angles to spare: human interest, business, technology, health, science, charity…
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By Ken Rosen
Hai! This Japanese word for “Yes” may be the most famous international communication error in U.S. business folklore.
The tale, of course, is Americans say “Yes” when they agree. But Japanese say “Hai” when they understand the speaker … even if they disagree. Many the proverbial American thought they had agreement with Japanese partners only to realize they were still at square one.
Pepsi hit a less famous speed bump in India in 2004. It ran an ad storyline that it, Coke, and others have run a thousand times in the U.S.: Sports team on field. Sports team thirsty. Child brings drinks. Cue music. What could be cuter, right? Except in India, this was viewed as promoting child labour. Result? Litigation and the comically non-controversial court assertion “no advertisement depicting child labour should be aired until further orders.” (Did I just see your eyes roll?)
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By Alexandra Reid
I’ll come out honestly and say that I’ve been using automation software for a long time now. Social media purists, go ahead and hiss at me if you will. I only ask that you hear me out.
For the last year or so, I’ve used automation software to schedule posts for this blog and tweets for Twitter. Just last week, I went a bit farther and purchased an automation tool to help me grow Twitter communities. And you know what? I don’t feel the slightest bit guilty about it. As a social media enthusiast and community manager for multiple accounts, I find it a necessary time saver.
Let me be quick to say that I do not use automation software for everything. In fact, I only use it for those menial, repetitive tasks like hitting the “post” and “follow” buttons. All the important work, including crafting messages and direct messages, engaging with others, searching for quality articles to share and locating those key industry influencers is done manually by me. In no way does the automation software deplete the quality of my accounts. It’s because of the automation software that I have time to engage with good people, which, while essential and the most fun, is often the most time consuming part of social media.
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This is the 29th article in a continuing series that examines the state of the ecosystem necessary to successfully bring technology to market. Based on dozens of interviews with entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, angel investors, business leaders, academics, tech-transfer experts and policy makers, this series looks at what is working and what can be improved in the go-to-market ecosystem in the United States, Canada and Britain. We invite your feedback.
By Francis Moran and Leo Valiquette
Over the past two weeks, we’ve talked about how Canada falls short when it comes to commercializing university IP and the leadership from the business community that is needed to address the gap. We’ve talked to entrepreneurs and technology transfer officers who straddle the line between the university lab and the marketplace.
But what about the students? How do we inspire and lever our next generation of innovators and entrepreneurs to drive commercialization from the university setting?
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Fiction: PR can’t be measured – Take 2
August 12, 2011 by Francis Moran
About a month ago, as part of my continuing series of Francis’s favourite fictions, I tackled the too-widely held myth that public relations can’t be measured. I described how, at inmedia, we establish a critical path, or set of outputs, for every project and […]
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Your customers aren’t werewolves; stop looking for a marketing silver bullet
August 11, 2011 by Francis Moran
Very often when we’re pitching a new piece of business, the prospect starts to wonder out loud about whether everything that could be done for them on the marketing front is being done. It’s not an unreasonable line of inquiry […]
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Getting university IP to market: Who needs to step up?
August 10, 2011 by Francis Moran
Last week we aired a laundry list of challenges that hinder the commercialization of university IP in Canada. Several of our readers weighed in with their thoughts on Canada’s challenge to fully exploit its global reputation for cutting edge innovation […]
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Rebranding using social media: Changing your company’s voice
August 09, 2011 by Alexandra Reid
This is the last installment of my three-part series on tactical methods companies can use to carry out rebranding across multiple social media accounts. In the last two weeks, I have discussed common pitfalls companies face during the process of changing […]
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A vast untapped market is opening up
August 08, 2011 by Andrew Penny
I work with dozens of business owners and executives every year. Many of them have been successfully running their business for the last 10 to 20 years – steady as she goes. What many of them don’t realize, however, is that a massive shift is taking place in […]
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Fiction: Public relations can’t be measured
August 05, 2011 by Francis Moran
Francis’s favourite fictions is a continuing series of posts on common myths surrounding the practice of public relations. When I give this as a presentation, I subtitle it, “Everything I know that’s wrong about PR I learned from technology company executives.” […]
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Is your invention novel enough to warrant a patent?
August 04, 2011 by David French
In my last post I addressed the concept of “right market circumstances.” This time I will address the concept of the “right patenting opportunity.” For there to be a right patenting opportunity, your invention or innovation has to possess a novel […]
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Best practices for rebranding using social media: Changing a company image
August 03, 2011 by Alexandra Reid
This is part two of my three-part series on tactical methods companies can use to carry out rebranding across multiple social media accounts. Last week, I discussed common pitfalls companies face during the process of changing their names on Facebook, LinkedIn […]
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Traditional Marketing is Dead – Long Live Bikini Waxer Marketing | Scalexl : [...] pointed out by Alexandra Reid on the Francis Moran website content marketing is becoming more and more like journalism. So, it is not just about the content, [...]
It’s Summertime…and the Networking is Easy? | THE MERRAINE BRAIN : [...] In fact, summer is perhaps one of the times least used to network, yet at the same time has shown to be the most productive time to network. People tend to be in a brighter mood compared to during the gloomy winters-especially where I am from in England! Networking needs to be fun and not approached as another chore, like mowing the lawn. (http://francis-moran.com/marketing-strategy/social-media-strategy-why-meeting-in-the-real-world-matt...) [...]