First of all social media is a subset of media. Certainly special considerations apply to social media, but it should be treated as an aspect to your overall media relations effort.
Start by identifying the reporters who cover your field. While it may sound counter intuitive, you should define your business as narrowly as possibly, at least for internal purposes. Your chances of placing a story will be greatly enhanced by sending it to the reporters who cover that precise beat.
Get familiar with the reporters before you send them a pitch. If you don't have time to do that and run your business, hire a professional. Getting familiar with reporters is easier than ever. Almost all technology reporters are on Twitter, follow them. Even if you are not inclined to Twitter, you should have an account for listening purposes.
If you are a small company, your chances of placing a story are more difficult that ever, With publishers cutting positions, the competition for remaining space is tougher than ever. On the other hand, you can just use a press release service to put your story out and at least it will be on the web to be picked up by search engines. You should also put it on your website, in html. For small news announcements, a blog post should suffice.
Blog posts should occur regularly, not necessarily often, but predictably. Refreshing content gives people a reason to return to your site. Again, if you don't have time to blog regularly, hire a professional.
Now the big question, to Facebook or not to Facebook, that is the question. At this time I would say not if you don't want to. For software companies Facebook is still optional. If you are selling directly to consumers, I encourage you to set up a Facebook page and regularly update its content. If you don't have time, or are not inclined, hire a professional.
Showing posts with label technology. Show all posts
Showing posts with label technology. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Monday, April 01, 2013
We provide solutions for our customers' culinary needs
So what is the business? Is it a pizza delivery service? A Chinese restaurant? Or is it a grocery store? It could be any of the above.
No Pizza place, Chinese restaurant, nor grocery store would describe itself in such a manner; but this is common in technology. Every other industry describes itself in clear terms with an eye to catching the eye of its prospective customers.
I don't know why technology marketers embrace such vague copy. I thought that SEO would change this. After all, if you are a Cloud Computing company, it is in your SEO interest to say so on your homepage. Your company has a better chance of floating to the top of search results if you describe your services in the clearest possible terms. But for whatever reason, technology continues to embrace the sales killing rhetoric of IT market speak.
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Saturday, January 22, 2011
The man who lied to his laptop
I recently read the most delightful book, The Man Who Lied to His Latop. I hope that it becomes a of business and technology classic, because it certainly deserves to be.
The central thesis of the book is that human beings are social creatures and that we react socially even when dealing with machines. It also seems that our social relationships with our computers teach us a great deal about our social relationships with out fellow human beings.
I especially recommend the chapter on teams and team building. It seems all those expensive trust building exercises would be better replaced with a weekly pizza party for teams who met their goals.
Professional communicators will be interested in the final chapter on persuasion. Nass talks a great deal about expertise and trust and how, of these two, trust is by far the more important factor.
Slashdot discussions here.
The central thesis of the book is that human beings are social creatures and that we react socially even when dealing with machines. It also seems that our social relationships with our computers teach us a great deal about our social relationships with out fellow human beings.
I especially recommend the chapter on teams and team building. It seems all those expensive trust building exercises would be better replaced with a weekly pizza party for teams who met their goals.
Professional communicators will be interested in the final chapter on persuasion. Nass talks a great deal about expertise and trust and how, of these two, trust is by far the more important factor.
Slashdot discussions here.
Monday, January 10, 2011
Business model's and today's Healthcare IT news
Shahid asks what kind of buisness model do you have for your bright health IT idea.
Medgadget has the report from CES 2011.
Fred Pennic has the latest Android App.
HTN blog has Atul Gawande on The Colbert Report.
All courtesy of HITSphere.
Medgadget has the report from CES 2011.
Fred Pennic has the latest Android App.
HTN blog has Atul Gawande on The Colbert Report.
All courtesy of HITSphere.
Tuesday, June 01, 2010
Why I founded Presto Vivace PR
I started Presto Vivace PR for editors like Dan Beyers:
Clients so often see tech speak in industry publications and their competitors' press releases that they just assume that all those buzzwords serve a purpose. You have to work very hard to get clients to understand that jargon filled press releases, even if you can kid an editor into printing them, will never attract readers because no one can understand what you are talking about.
I think industry analysts are partly to blame. Coining terms and buzzwords that only they understand is a way for them to look like experts. It is also a status thing, understanding buzzwords is an indication that you are a member of the tech priesthood. Except it just gets in the way of customers understanding how your software could help them.
I use a copy editor who does not have a tech background. If my copy editor cannot understand what I am talking about, I start again from scratch. Even the most technical of concepts can be written in plain English.
Someday someone will explain why so many businesses in the area want to make it so hard for regular folk like -- say, me -- to figure out what they do.
I've also sat through endless briefings about enterprise solutions and information assurance support environments, server virtualizations and system integrators and ... well, you name it.
And that's the problem, we need to rename it.
Clients so often see tech speak in industry publications and their competitors' press releases that they just assume that all those buzzwords serve a purpose. You have to work very hard to get clients to understand that jargon filled press releases, even if you can kid an editor into printing them, will never attract readers because no one can understand what you are talking about.
I think industry analysts are partly to blame. Coining terms and buzzwords that only they understand is a way for them to look like experts. It is also a status thing, understanding buzzwords is an indication that you are a member of the tech priesthood. Except it just gets in the way of customers understanding how your software could help them.
I use a copy editor who does not have a tech background. If my copy editor cannot understand what I am talking about, I start again from scratch. Even the most technical of concepts can be written in plain English.
Monday, September 07, 2009
The Organization of Legal Professionals
Via Gabe and David, we learn about the Organization for Legal Professionals.
We had naively assumed that there was already an organization that certified legal support standards. Not so it seems. This then is a welcome development.
We had naively assumed that there was already an organization that certified legal support standards. Not so it seems. This then is a welcome development.
Monday, March 23, 2009
New to me local tech blogs
The Agile Mind, Explorations in Virtual Government and Virtual Journalism
Also on Twitter.
Sustainable Public Financial Management, This blog explores sustainable Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for Public Financial Management (PFM).
sneaq
1x57
Fantom Planet
Clay Johnson
The Guerilla CISO
Also on Twitter.
Sustainable Public Financial Management, This blog explores sustainable Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for Public Financial Management (PFM).
sneaq
1x57
Fantom Planet
Clay Johnson
The Guerilla CISO
Monday, March 16, 2009
Electronic health records miscellany
The Health Care IT Guy alert us to the call for nominations for Health IT Federal Advisory Boards.
Wal-Mart plans to sell small-practice physician systems through its Sam’s Club division. HealthNex tells us that Washington State will be launching three consumer-controlled health record bank pilots in the communities of Bellingham, Spokane and Cashmere. Neil Versel excerpts David St. Clair’s thought on EHR and privacy. Crossover Health pays tribute to Kaiser Permanente’s leadership. (Dow Jones reports that Kaiser has just signed a $500 million IT deal with IBM.)
iHealth Beat tells us that Tampa has launched a new health records initiative; aims to have doctors use electronic prescribing for at least 60% of prescriptions within two years.
PC World reports that while Obama’s health IT initiative addresses the financial barrier to EHR adoption, it does not address the technology issues.
Wal-Mart plans to sell small-practice physician systems through its Sam’s Club division. HealthNex tells us that Washington State will be launching three consumer-controlled health record bank pilots in the communities of Bellingham, Spokane and Cashmere. Neil Versel excerpts David St. Clair’s thought on EHR and privacy. Crossover Health pays tribute to Kaiser Permanente’s leadership. (Dow Jones reports that Kaiser has just signed a $500 million IT deal with IBM.)
iHealth Beat tells us that Tampa has launched a new health records initiative; aims to have doctors use electronic prescribing for at least 60% of prescriptions within two years.
PC World reports that while Obama’s health IT initiative addresses the financial barrier to EHR adoption, it does not address the technology issues.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Mitch Arnowitz talks about Netpreneur, technology and Perthes disease
Mitch Arnowitz of Tuvel Communications was kind enough to give us an interview about his work for Netpreneur and the other technology groups he has worked with. His son has Perthes disease and he shares part of what he has learned about it.
How did you get interested in technology and communications? Did one come before the other?
I began in sales. From there, I got involved in direct marketing. I was fascinated when I realized, in 1995, that you could find people on the Internet and sell things to them. Fast-forward: I became enamored with the notion of using the Internet to not only broadcast but build relationships. I’m interested in the technology, but only as a means to an end. It’s always about the people and … not the technology. Having said all of that, I am still intrigued with e-mail list software and hosted solutions that support communication programs.
How did you come to found Tuvel Communications?
I was very involved in the Netpreneur program. After the Netpreneur Program went away, I went to work for a technology consulting shop. I was being billed out at an exorbitant rate. I was working with contacts and relationships developed over the years. I knew that I could lower the overhead, charge less and still make a profit while helping my clients. With that notion in mind, I founded Tuvel Communications.
At the same time, I saw a void in the online landscape. There weren’t, and still aren’t, many firms that combined grassroots and social media marketing help clients get their messages out effectively at reasonable costs. E-mail lists, user groups, web forums, niche online communities—these have all become an integral part of marketing. The trick, of course, is to do things the right way and leave a positive lasting impression.
How did you become involved in Netpreneur?
All the way back in 1995, I was working for the Internet’s first “department store” and traveling extensively at the time. A mutual friend put me in touch with Mario Morino. At the time, the Potomac Knowledgeway, Netpreneur’s precursor, was still around. The Netpreneur Program was being hatched. Mario offered me an opportunity to create the program’s marketing program and cut back on my travel.
How do you think the internet boom and bust compares to our present time?
Current economic problems run much deeper than the Internet. When the market imploded in 2000, it seemed to be largely in the tech sector. This time around, everything is affected. The boom-and-bust days were filled with entrepreneurs who knew no limits. A dozen years ago, people were quitting their jobs to work with start-ups or start their own companies. Today, they can’t find jobs and there seem to be fewer resources for start-ups.
How did you become moderator of the AdMarketing discussion list?
My passion has always been in the advertising-marketing-sales space. I developed a plan that helped Netpreneur’s constituency with a one-to-many approach. I realized that I might not have the marketing answer, but that there were others out there who did. To leverage community input, we developed an e-mail list. This enabled us to get answers and build relationships while spreading the word. Then, we built a website and had offline AdMarketing meetings. From there, the concept took off as an e-mail community.
What is important to the maintenance and cultivation of an e-mail discussion list?
A vibrant community needs someone(s) to steer the ship. Not necessarily a moderator, but a facilitator. It’s mission-critical to maintain a core group of supporters. These stakeholders help create and mine content, keep the civil discourse going, and give the facilitator an occasional break. It’s important to establish and maintain the personality and culture of a group. Doing this early on makes it easier to manage expectations.
How did you get involved with the Technology Council of Maryland?
Being a long-time resident of Montgomery County, I’ve been involved with the council for some time. A couple of years ago, the council and my firm began discussions about building relationships through social media. The Tech Council of Maryland, with Tuvel’s guidance, began to use social networking tools for advocacy programs and membership marketing.
How do you see the role of organizations such as NVTC, WTC and TCM?
Regional organizations like these provide necessary infrastructure. As the walls have come down between people and organizations, different types of affinity groups are springing up on social networking sites, in Meetups and other places. It is incumbent upon us all to work together and grow the pie—increase the total opportunities for the whole community. We already see this happening with efforts like Twin Tech.
How you describe Potomac technology culture?
The Washington, DC, culture is an interesting mix of business, government and organizations. A dozen years ago, people said that Washington was turning away from the government sector and defense contractors, and becoming a tech center. These days, the government might be an attractive place to work! With the preponderance of tech companies and regional infrastructure, Washington has always been a tech town. The government, on the other hand, is also here to stay. Washington’s culture will always be that odd mix where business and government come together.
What is Perthes disease? Is there an organization devoted to fighting this disease? What are the particular challenges of coping with a rare disease? Are there any resources you would recommend to families coping with a similar challenge?
Our son was recently diagnosed with Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease, which is a form of osteonecrosis and a rare disease of the hip. It is not life-threatening, but it is serious. One of the challenges is the lack of consensus in the medical community. This leads to confusion. It’s difficult for parents to make treatment discussions. The Internet is a great resource—it allows you to connect with other families going through the same experience. The biggest challenge for any of us is to watch a child in pain and not be able to do anything about it.
Resources:
elansahipguy
Wikipedia: Perthes
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legg-Calv%C3%A9-Perthes_syndrome
leggperthessupportgroup
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/leggperthessupportgroup
The National Osteonecrosis Foundation
http://www.nonf.org/perthesbrochure/perthes-brochure.htm
How did you get interested in technology and communications? Did one come before the other?
I began in sales. From there, I got involved in direct marketing. I was fascinated when I realized, in 1995, that you could find people on the Internet and sell things to them. Fast-forward: I became enamored with the notion of using the Internet to not only broadcast but build relationships. I’m interested in the technology, but only as a means to an end. It’s always about the people and … not the technology. Having said all of that, I am still intrigued with e-mail list software and hosted solutions that support communication programs.
How did you come to found Tuvel Communications?
I was very involved in the Netpreneur program. After the Netpreneur Program went away, I went to work for a technology consulting shop. I was being billed out at an exorbitant rate. I was working with contacts and relationships developed over the years. I knew that I could lower the overhead, charge less and still make a profit while helping my clients. With that notion in mind, I founded Tuvel Communications.
At the same time, I saw a void in the online landscape. There weren’t, and still aren’t, many firms that combined grassroots and social media marketing help clients get their messages out effectively at reasonable costs. E-mail lists, user groups, web forums, niche online communities—these have all become an integral part of marketing. The trick, of course, is to do things the right way and leave a positive lasting impression.
How did you become involved in Netpreneur?
All the way back in 1995, I was working for the Internet’s first “department store” and traveling extensively at the time. A mutual friend put me in touch with Mario Morino. At the time, the Potomac Knowledgeway, Netpreneur’s precursor, was still around. The Netpreneur Program was being hatched. Mario offered me an opportunity to create the program’s marketing program and cut back on my travel.
How do you think the internet boom and bust compares to our present time?
Current economic problems run much deeper than the Internet. When the market imploded in 2000, it seemed to be largely in the tech sector. This time around, everything is affected. The boom-and-bust days were filled with entrepreneurs who knew no limits. A dozen years ago, people were quitting their jobs to work with start-ups or start their own companies. Today, they can’t find jobs and there seem to be fewer resources for start-ups.
How did you become moderator of the AdMarketing discussion list?
My passion has always been in the advertising-marketing-sales space. I developed a plan that helped Netpreneur’s constituency with a one-to-many approach. I realized that I might not have the marketing answer, but that there were others out there who did. To leverage community input, we developed an e-mail list. This enabled us to get answers and build relationships while spreading the word. Then, we built a website and had offline AdMarketing meetings. From there, the concept took off as an e-mail community.
What is important to the maintenance and cultivation of an e-mail discussion list?
A vibrant community needs someone(s) to steer the ship. Not necessarily a moderator, but a facilitator. It’s mission-critical to maintain a core group of supporters. These stakeholders help create and mine content, keep the civil discourse going, and give the facilitator an occasional break. It’s important to establish and maintain the personality and culture of a group. Doing this early on makes it easier to manage expectations.
How did you get involved with the Technology Council of Maryland?
Being a long-time resident of Montgomery County, I’ve been involved with the council for some time. A couple of years ago, the council and my firm began discussions about building relationships through social media. The Tech Council of Maryland, with Tuvel’s guidance, began to use social networking tools for advocacy programs and membership marketing.
How do you see the role of organizations such as NVTC, WTC and TCM?
Regional organizations like these provide necessary infrastructure. As the walls have come down between people and organizations, different types of affinity groups are springing up on social networking sites, in Meetups and other places. It is incumbent upon us all to work together and grow the pie—increase the total opportunities for the whole community. We already see this happening with efforts like Twin Tech.
How you describe Potomac technology culture?
The Washington, DC, culture is an interesting mix of business, government and organizations. A dozen years ago, people said that Washington was turning away from the government sector and defense contractors, and becoming a tech center. These days, the government might be an attractive place to work! With the preponderance of tech companies and regional infrastructure, Washington has always been a tech town. The government, on the other hand, is also here to stay. Washington’s culture will always be that odd mix where business and government come together.
What is Perthes disease? Is there an organization devoted to fighting this disease? What are the particular challenges of coping with a rare disease? Are there any resources you would recommend to families coping with a similar challenge?
Our son was recently diagnosed with Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease, which is a form of osteonecrosis and a rare disease of the hip. It is not life-threatening, but it is serious. One of the challenges is the lack of consensus in the medical community. This leads to confusion. It’s difficult for parents to make treatment discussions. The Internet is a great resource—it allows you to connect with other families going through the same experience. The biggest challenge for any of us is to watch a child in pain and not be able to do anything about it.
Resources:
elansahipguy
Wikipedia: Perthes
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legg-Calv%C3%A9-Perthes_syndrome
leggperthessupportgroup
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/leggperthessupportgroup
The National Osteonecrosis Foundation
http://www.nonf.org/perthesbrochure/perthes-brochure.htm
Monday, February 02, 2009
Sunday, February 01, 2009
New to me criminal justice IT blog
The Total CIO, Promotes a vision of IT leadership that is customer-centric, best practice-driven, and above all focused on mission excellence!
Andy Blumenthal is the Chief Technology Officer at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Previously, Blumenthal served as the Chief, Office of Enterprise Architecture and IT Governance at the US Coast Guard and prior to that as Chief Enterprise Architect at the US Secret Service. Blumenthal is a visionary IT and business thought leader. For over 20 years, Blumenthal has developed leading-edge technology solutions for premier organizations in both the private and public sectors, including the Departments of Justice, Homeland Security, and Treasury, the Dreyfus Corporation, and IBM. The recipient of numerous honors and awards for his work, Blumenthal is a regular public speaker, has published extensively, and has been featured in Federal Computer Week and interviewed on the radio. He is a lecturer at Carnegie Mellon University and National Defense University, and serves as associate editor of the Journal of Enterprise Architecture. Blumenthal is a member of the Society for Information Management, the Government Technology Research Alliance, and the Government Advisory Panel of the American Council for Technology/Industry Advisory Council.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Information overload, military edition
Preventing Info Overload for 'Future' Soldiers
Major challenge is an understatement. And that assumes that all this technology actually works. This is not the sort of situation where you want to be on hold for tech support.
That means a firehose of data -- imagery, video feeds and other information -- will be streaming in from sensors, along with voice, instant messages and other communication. Managing that flow of information will pose a major challenge, and the service is conducting early network tests to see if the system can work.
Major challenge is an understatement. And that assumes that all this technology actually works. This is not the sort of situation where you want to be on hold for tech support.
Saturday, January 03, 2009
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
New to me local tech blog
NovaInfosecPortal.com
News, events, & resources for infosec professionals in Northern Virginia
News, events, & resources for infosec professionals in Northern Virginia
Monday, October 20, 2008
In praise of user groups
Alan Pelz-Sharpe
I think for tech flacks, user groups are indispensable. This is the ultimate audience for your press releases. This is how you learn about your customer's customer.
At user group meetings you get the Real Story, you talk to your peers. Whereas at the vendor's own annual event, you endure hours of sales pitches, and ecstatic announcements of new bells and whistles to come in the next release. Of course few people really care that much about the next release; they care about getting value from the release they currently use, typically some version well behind the latest.
I think for tech flacks, user groups are indispensable. This is the ultimate audience for your press releases. This is how you learn about your customer's customer.
Tuesday, October 07, 2008
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
DISA creates Technology Review Boards
Defense Systems
I think that this is a good idea and will reduce the amount of "wired" bids.
The Defense Information Systems Agency will no longer rely on third parties to alert it to promising technologies from sources that it might not otherwise identify, agency officials said last week.
DISA will abandon the third-party capability-broker concept it advanced last year and has instead established Technology Review Boards that will meet regularly to receive input on potentially valuable new technologies directly from small businesses and other likely sources, said Hank Beebe, technical director of DISA’s Program Executive Office for Command and Control Capabilities (C2C), at DISA’s Forecast to Industry 2008 last week in Arlington, Va.
I think that this is a good idea and will reduce the amount of "wired" bids.
Tuesday, August 05, 2008
Call for papers: ITVirtualizationLive
I just received this email:
Call for Papers
Deadline for Submissions: August 22, 2008
Dear Colleagues,
ITVirtualizationLive, the premier conference addressing the business and technology drivers behind the adoption of virtualization technologies, has officially opened up its Call for Papers and will be accepting speaking proposals until August 22, 2008.
Taking place in Orlando, Florida on December 9th - 11th, we are expecting an impressive audience of business and IT executives to be in attendance. Conference attendees will be looking to understand the business benefits that virtualization has to offer and the technical challenges facing IT organizations looking to implement these new technologies.
I am honored to serve as the conference chairperson for ITVirtualizationLive. We are committed to providing in-depth, unbiased technical content to our attendees. To that end, I am asking you and your colleagues to submit proposals that achieve that goal. The topics listed below are suggestions, broken down into three broad categories. If you have another topic that fits into one of the categories and would like to submit it for consideration, feel free to do so.
Thank you for submitting your speaking proposal for consideration. I hope to see you in Orlando in December.
Sincerely,
Keith Ward
ITVirtualizationLive Conference Chairman
Topics of Interest :
TOPIC 1: Virtualization Planning and Implementation
This track covers the basics of virtualization – how to lay the groundwork for getting the most out of your virtual infrastructure. Suggested topics include:
Understanding the layers of virtualization and how they affect your planning
Capacity planning
Performance benchmarking
Security architecting
Understanding the different virtualization architectures
Why go with Microsoft vs. Citrix vs. VMware
Installation issues
Choosing the right hardware for virtualization
Implementation gotchas
Virtual desktop infrastructure planning – thin client/fat client/zero client considerations
TOPIC 2: Management
Once your virtual infrastructure’s in place, you need to manage it. Virtualization brings unique management challenges, and we’ll help you get a handle on them. Suggested topics include:
Differing management frameworks
Managing the physical vs. the virtual
Is a single pane of management glass best?
Management tools – what’s out there? What works best? Free vs. commercial
Virtual storage management
Virtual network management
Virtual I/O management
Virtual desktop infrastructure management
TCO/ROI considerations
TOPIC 3: Best Practices
Your virtualization infrastructure is humming along, but you need to keep it running smoothly and efficiently. Here’s how. Suggested topics include:
Optimizing your network for virtualization
Improve your disaster recovery system
Backup tips and tricks
What you need to know about licensing to save money and stay in compliance
Top tips for application virtualization
Best practices for: VMware/Microsoft/Citrix/Virtual Iron/Parallels
Security best practices
Lifecycle management best practices
Submission Guidelines
Please include the following information with your submission:
Speaker’s Name
Speaker’s Title
Speaker’s Company
Title of presentation
100-word description of presentation
3-5 bullets explaining what the attendee will learn from presentation
Speaker’s color photo (hi-resolution)
Speaker’s Bio, including previous conference speaking/presentation experience
How to Submit Your Proposal
Submit your speaking proposals by going to: www.itvirtualizationlive.com/speak.aspx
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