AT&T - not REALLY ready for prime time

As my business partner, Kathleen, well knows, I routinely complain about AT&T Wireless’ coverage here in New York City. Dropped calls are pretty routine and don’t even consider trying to make a call, text or get online from your iPhone on a summer’s day in Central Park.

Well, despite AT&T’s best efforts to combat the perception that its coverage in the city is truly awful – thank you Luke Wilson (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34154174/) – today AT&T actually provided the proof itself. As one AT&T customer support woman stated in the article below “New York is not ready for the iPhone.”

http://consumerist.com/2009/12/att-customer-service-new-york-city-is-not-ready-for-the-iphone.html

Yeah, I had a feeling.

The Making of BOCA - Our new HQ

Yes - I am so excited about the office. Heading down there now...then off to lunch with Devicescape...great clients, great friends, passion for the people I work with - from Lucia Mikasa and Kristy to Nate, Steve, Nicole, Dave, Diana, Tamara and the list goes on...

BOCA = New Office = Boat = Office

Many PR firms consistently write about the great work they do for their clients or amazing news insight. I do write about wonderful experiences with our clients and business, but I am going to write something very personal that I've touched upon before.

For the past nine months I've been living on a boat. Why...partly because it was a personal dream, partly because it was a personal accomplishment and partly because I started a business in the worst recession ever and I wanted to kill all major personal overhead and put my profit and the company profit to the business, our clients and the people - not me.

Wow...we now have six clients and we are about to embark on an office space. I am so excited, I love our clients and the company is growing in the worst recession (depression) since the 30s. The random person I am (as well as strategic, savvy and entrepreneurial) will continue to live on my boat and focus on the business.

That said though - my tenants moved out to Hawaii for six weeks and I moved into my house. I am going to spend the holidays having a vacation in my home - it is awesome....I have just a short time to be in this fantastic, loving home and I will enjoy every minute.

I am so happy with what I've accomplished that past two years. I am so proud of the people at BOCA. And, I am so excited for our new office space....

BOCA will continue to make smart (and interesting decisions) for the long-term benefits of the company and our clients.

Kathleen
Back at home after nine months on the water...YAY!!!

Happy Thanksgiving - Happiness to All

Today is the best holiday in the U.S. It is a day filled with love, family, friends, food and fun. Much like everyone else in the U.S. - it is also a day to say thank you. I am so appreciative to my family, friends and clients. Thank you for working with BOCA Communications.

I have a vision of an amazing agency with amazing clients and that vision is becoming a reality. Thank you and I look forward to working with all of you. And, I look forward to growing.

I also thank the amazing people I work with - Michael, Ashley, Susannah, Jennifer, Analisa...Thank You!

May we all have a wonderful, safe holiday.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Kathleen Shanahan
Founder
BOCA Communications

GenArts Praises BOCA - Site Traffic Doubles

Last week BOCA delivered an amazing media tour for our client GenArts. While the company had "hard" news, an acquisition, BOCA's flawless PR execution drove site traffic and lead generation - two critical outcomes that we map towards with many of our campaigns.

Steve Bannerman, the CMO of GenArts stated:

"The BOCA team did a tremendous job on the announcement of GenArts' latest acquisition. They pitched our messages skillfully and scheduled a first class press tour, including every one of our top media targets. 100% of the reporters from our tour wrote outstanding on-message articles and the coverage was syndicated around the world. As a result, our traffic to our website doubled, bringing hundreds of new customer leads to GenArts. This is the type of metric-driven outcome that BOCA delivers time after time."

Yes, PR is about deliving amazing media results to our clients. But, more than media, PR is part of the marketing machine. One markets to sell products - in steps lead generation. Our goal as an agencyt is of course to deliver amazing media coverage, but when we can link our media to lead generation, we know we are really doing our job and delivering for our clients.

Thank you for the kind words Steve.

CTIA - Not so Big, but not so small - a solid show

Yes, I should have posted this immediately, but I am busy working on building a business and actually working on BOCA accounts. As the founder, I have to practice what I preach - we are hands on and I am involved with all of our clients.

That said, I had a great time and CTIA and I am so happy I attended. I almost did not attend, but when I saw flights for $49 each way - the "gods" above were telling me to head down South.

Overall, I enjoyed the show. Partially I enjoy the networking. But, more so I really like to touch and feel the technology. There was a super cool company by the name of InTouch Health. The company provides real-time video stream from a doctor's office to say an ambulance or another hospital. Very interesteting from a consumer perspective. There was also an interesting company deCarta that is all about LBS. Which - LBS is the coolest technology ever and the wave of the future.

That said - I have to sign off and get back to work - big Devicescape - Easy WiFi launch and loving it.

Free Wi-Fi: The Wave of the Future

Recently I attended CTIA. When I arrived at the airport, there was a huge sign that said Free WiFi from San.Org. Based on the Q2 Devicescape WiFi Report, more than 50 percent of people will "only" use free WiFi.

As a business owner on the road (up and down the 101), I am a huge advocate of WiFi. While I own a 3g card in hopes of staying connected - the reality is that I can't stand 3G. It is just slow.

WiFi guarantees speed. And, when one is working with fast paced, technology companies - speed is key.

Bring on municipal WiFi. Free your WiFi. I personally don't lock my personal WiFi in my home.

Kathleen S.

Devicescape: Thank you for Easy Wi-Fi

The BOCA and Devicescape Teams have tremendous history.

Before Devicescape, I personally used to work with Dave Fraser, Devicescape’s CEO, at Wind River. Wind River, now Intel, was the publicly traded 800 pound gorilla within its space—the embedded systems space.

Embedded systems or device software touches people every day. Device software is everything from consumer gadgets to military or aerospace electronics. From gaming consoles to airbags, there is software everywhere. And, I love it. My dirty secret – I have a thing for device software and semiconductors. (Note: BOCA has other experience. This is just my little passion).

At Wind River we talked about the “connected world.” Years back we discussed the fact that people would be downloading or uploading and connecting to data, to services, to content.

Devicescape has kept that vision in its site. We don’t talk about it as much as we used to – but we all know that every move we make needs to help making the world connected.

In step Wi-Fi. Wi-Fi is everywhere. From cafes, to libraries, to homes and offices—we all love Wi-Fi and want Wi-Fi. Devicescape has harnessed that wildly fragmented technology and wants manufacturers to embrace it, embed it, download it and give it to their customers: the consumer.

Today Devicescape announced its latest Easy Wi-Fi connectivity solution and a new Easy Wi-Fi Network. Device manufacturers can literally ship their gadgets with Wi-Fi, but more importantly the ability to find Wi-Fi and connect to Wi-Fi. What does that mean…me the consumer can upload, download and stream?

Beyond the gadgets, I am tethered to my computer all the time. I drive up and down the 101 to visit clients. I need Wi-Fi. The Easy Wi-Fi Network will improve my life. I know we are just at the beginning – but this will be a great ride.
Kudos for helping us move to a connected world. And, thank you!

Venture Beat
Devicescape launches network to get gadgets online, wherever you roam

http://venturebeat.com/2009/10/06/devicescape-launches-latest-version-of-its-global-wi-fi-hotspot-network/

“The Easy Wi-Fi Network provides device manufacturers with a solution. Devicescape makes it easy to find and connect to Wi-Fi hot spots, and it offers lifetime Wi-Fi access plans that can be shipped with the products themselves. The solution could be bundled with devices such as netbooks (which are smaller than laptops), media players, phones, digital cameras, and eBook readers, said Dave Fraser, chief executive of Devicescape.”

Wi-Fi Net News
Devicescape Adds Seamless Wi-Fi Access Service, Mapping

http://wifinetnews.com/archives/2009/10/devicescape_adds_seamless_wi-fi_access_service_mapping.html

“The firm's CEO, Dave Fraser, said, "It's obvious that there's a big attraction for putting Wi-Fi into devices, whether it's netbooks, new types of consumer electronics, like media players or ebook readers," and so on. But device makers have a challenge.”

“Fraser said companies could "ship the device with service included, which is theoretically a great experience for the consumer, because it just works," but that's "very expensive for them." Nintendo, Kodak, and a few camera makers all included free access for a limited time to hotspot networks (Nintendo partnered with Wayport in the U.S.; Kodak and others with T-Mobile).”

Converge
Devicescape Aggregates Global, Free Wi-Fi Network
http://www.convergedigest.com/WiFi/wlanarticle.asp?ID=28648

“The Easy Wi-Fi Network provides an easy-to-use hotspot location finder, enabling users to quickly find the nearest free Wi-Fi access point. The addition of a seamless Wi-Fi access service and a mapping enables device manufacturers to ship products with lifetime worldwide hotspot access.”

“The company said this paves the way for a new range of devices -- such as e-book readers or wireless-enabled digital cameras, to gain Internet backhaul capability without the device manufacturer needing to negotiate a mobile data access deal with a service providers. Devicescape aggregates data on a worldwide network of hotspots into its client, which is licensed to the device manufacturer.”

Twitter - TweetUp - Facebook - Social Media

Many people ask about social media expertise or what is social media or how do I use social media.

Social media or social media outlets are new vehicles of how to get your message out. They are extensions of what was before...

Facebook - while yes we use it for personal. Business can use it as a customer service or marketing medium.

Twitter - while it is fun to track people, Comcast has someone monitoring Twitter near real-time.

The key difference is output. When one pitched a weekly magazine - there was time. Now, we pitch daily bloggers that are under tremendous pressure to produce content. It is much the same with Facebook, Twitter or even a blog. I personally don't blog every day. If I had more time I would, but I need to deliver high quality work for my clients. It is critical that I work for my clients b/c that is why they hire the BOCA team.

That said, I do get a bit exhausted from all the technology and social media outlets - but it is part of our life and it is here to stay.

So - let's go TweetUp...

CTIA - Very Excited

Maybe b/c I am a mobile enthusiast - maybe b/c we have a client announcing some cool news or maybe b/c I look forward to learning about new technologies and companies, but the net/net is that I am very much looking forward to CTIA.

CTIA is a great show with all sorts of mobile CE to how the health care industry is building wi-fi enabled applications. I've also worked in this sector for some time - so while many people consider tradeshows a bother, I consider it a joy.

I look forward to seeing you at CTIA.

Lessons Learned - New Biz Pitch Gone Wrong

Every agency at some point walks out of a pitch and thinks wow...that was really bad. And, I am sure the prospect things...wow - they are horrible. I know that BOCA is a fantastic agency. And, I know our clients think we are smart, savvy, sophisticated and results oriented. We get their business and we get their culture.

But, sometimes people/business/etc. fall on their faces. BOCA did that the other week. I worked so hard on a pitch. But, the word in that sentence is "I." I worked on the pitch in a silo. I didn't bring the team in; we didn't collaborate and we didn't practice. Moreover, during the meeting, I didn't listen or pay attention to signals.

I felt bad walking out of the pitch. But, then I reflected and I do believe that everything happens for a reason. Rather than drowning in self pity or feeling sorry for the company (which I did for a few days) it is about how do we get better, smarter and more organized.

So, that said, I will learn from my mistakes. The team will learn from their mistakes. We will collaborate, we will listen and pay attention to signals and we will grow.

We are a boutique. And, while we are all senior - there are growing pains with every company - big or small.

We learned our lesson and will grow from our pain.

Kathleen

Site Update/New Biz Update/My New Flip Camera

I do love the look and feel of the BOCA site. But, since we launched it about a year and a half ago - we haven't done ourselves justice. We receive such great coverage for our clients and have very good case studies. But, we have not profiled it the way it should be.

That said - I recently engaged with a graphics guy to create some visually compelling clips to showcase our clients in the news. I am so excited to have that. I will state I am shocked I didn't have it upon launch - my bad.

I am also obsessed with updating our new biz presentations. The look and feel is getting better, but I want audio and video. Therefore, I bought a Flip camera. We just did our first customer testimonial and it turned out very nice. I figure who better to tell the story than our client. My goal is to embed the clip in our PPT and then showcase the results. It hasn't happened yet...but it will.

I am having fun with my Flip camera. All this stuff...so much technology - one must try to stay on top of it.

The new content should be up in a week or two...so look out.

Narus: A company picnic - thank you

Last week we ended with a wonderful picnic at our client's office Narus. It is so great to have the kind of relationships in place with your clients where we are truly an extension of their team. We are invited to their events - beyond company meetings.

For almost five years we've worked with Narus. And, I count my lucky stars regularly to have so a fantastic relationship with the executive staff and our day-to-day Marketing Director.

Thank you for being such a great partner to BOCA.

What is a virtual agency? BOCA

BOCA is a virtual agency. We are a group of very smart, senior-level people that decided we want to work with each other and we want to have the freedom to work from anywhere...

We go on-site to our clients, we meet at cafes, we meet at our houses and we meet on the phone.

We work around the clock - because we are always on-line.

I am personally in San Francisco. As well as others on the team. But, Michael, our VP of Media/Messaging, is in New York City. We are bi-coastal and our clients love it. I love it.

That said, we have clients in Boston, San Francisco, Silicon Valley and coming soon Austin, Texas. We have a CMO that works out of his house in Aptos and a PR Director that works between the office in San Francisco and her house in the valley.

Being virtual also allows us to hire people where ever as well. So, when a client comes in from Austin, we can hire someone in Austin.

Beyond the ability to hire someone in a client's zip code - our operation costs remain low. There is no need for BOCA clients to pay for over priced San Francisco office space. Even if the rents are low - no need.

Additionally, many agencies need to have rigorous structure because they have junior staff. They just graduated from college and need to learn some form of structure. There was an agency I once worked at that had the administrative assistant walk the office to confirm the staff was in their seat by 8:45 a.m.

I've said this before in past blogs - I do want an office at some point. But, I like the idea of a creative lounge/think tank versus an office. One fabulous open space with whiteboards and a full bar.

Ok...back to work.

BOCA: Branching Out (Health, Wellness, Travel, Leisure)

While technology has been my forte - I do think at times it would be nice to branch out. And, the beauty of being a nimble, boutique firm is that me and the BOCA team can really do what ever we want...there are no formal rules.

Yes, I love technology. And, I literally love deep technology - there is nothing like making a chip manufacturer sexy, or embedded Wi-Fi a mush have, not a nice to have.

That said, I also think that health service, drug treatment, wellness centers are of interest and here to stay. With an aging population and a more health conscious population - why not go down that path.

In regards to travel and leisure...who wouldn't want to do PR for the British Virgin Island Tourist Board or the Bitter End Yacht Club....the islands are fabulous and the Yacht Club luxurious.

I am not saying BOCA will go down that path...but the world is our oyster. And, it doesn't have to me. The beauty is hiring people that are true experts.

At BOCA, differentiating by specialty is how we run our business. Yes - there are jack of all traits - but if someone is just an amazing pitcher and story telling strategist (e.g., Michael Lindenberger - also knows as our Big Game Hunter) or an expert writer (e.g., Susannah Adler - also known as our writing Goddess)- one should tap into that excellence.

So - that said...we'll see who we hire and who we bring on as additional experts.

Kathleen S.

MSFT and Yahoo - A OK

I wrote this a while ago - but blogger randomly shut down. So - very quickly - I am happy about the MSFT and Yahoo partnership. I've always had a soft place in my heart for Yahoo...from the first commercial...do you "Yahooooooooooooooooooooo." I actually would like to see those again...mabye it should be - "are you read to BING....." with a big bong sound at the end.

No - really. I don't love Google. It is probably a personal reason - actually I know it is a personal reason but I've just never been a fan. And, we do live in the USA - so why not have some healthy competition...

I look forward to watching the motion...and commotion the next few months.

Kathleen S.

I Got an iPhone and I love it

I got an iPhone on Monday and I just downloaded some apps and I am learning how to use it. Ok - it is a lot of fun. I am so excited about this product. I've been working in the mobile space for so long now - it was about time for me to get this toy.

While - it is my phone - I think of it more like a personal computer on my body. And, yes - it is a toy.

Back from Vacation: Wi-Fi Observation

I was just on vacation for the past two weeks and it was amazing...I went to the British Virgin Islands and sailed with friends on a 38 foot Lagoon. The Caribbean Sea was gorgeous, the sands majestic and the people warm.

While I was on vacation - I still have technology observations - lots of open, free Wi-Fi Networks.

I live in San Francisco where it is fairly difficult to find an open network. Yet, I go to the BVI and I had Wi-Fi everywhere...

Yes, I am addicted to my Wi-Fi. We live in a world where we can live, work anywhere. And, I love that. When will we get more open, hotspots in SF? Where is my municipal Wi-Fi?

My Wi-Fi thoughts today...

A Passion for PR - GenArts Rocks

I am exhausted today...but me and the team keep going. We've worked very hard these last few weeks for our all of our clients. But, in particular, our client GenArts had a major announcement that we obviously supported. Today, the news went live about a customer/partner/expansion with GenArts loyal customer Lucasfilm.

We met with everyone from the New York Times, Bloomberg, L.A. Times, Wired, Financial Times and their trades such as Hollywood Reporter, Variety, Vanity Fair and more.

I am now sitting back watching the coverage roll-in. I am so proud of the team and I am so happy for GenArts CEO Katherine Hays and CMO Steve Bannerman. They worked very hard on this deal and to see it go live in this fashion is awesome.

I love my team, I love BOCA and I love that we all have one core attribute: passion. We enjoy what we do for a living and it shows...

BOCA, A Passion for PR.

Go Team...................

Kathleen S.

More than PR - Corporate Marketing - A Webinar

While 90% of BOCA's business is PR - we actually do a lot more than PR - specifically for our client Devicescape.

I just got off a call with eg3.com - a very relevant online entity within the engineering world. Devicescape will be working with eg3 to sponsor, host and participate in a Webinar. The Webinar will be great and the content will be very thought provoking.

BOCA worked side-by-side Devicescape to develop thoughtful questions about the hotspt/wi-Fi market. We will delve into Deviescape's member and customer base to uncover all sorts of interesting nuggets of information and we will then unveil the data vis a vis a Webinar. This is much more than PR. We are talking about the following:

- Developing thoughtful questions
- Tapping into survey company to uncover relevant data
- compiling data into a formal report (think Yankee Group or In-Stat); literally this is a formal report of third party data relevant to Devicescape's customers/industry.
- Develop member communications
- Develop customer communications
- Create landing pages
- Deliver a Webinar

Hence - much more than PR and a lot of work. But, at the end of it all - it is so wonderful to see a program like this executed. Especially - when it really does help sales. Marketing is not just to market - marketing (and PR) is to assist with brand credibility, lead generation and general company awareness.

Off to work on this project...

Kathleen

Just Admit it - I like Networking

Yes...it is officially my dirty little secret. I go through moments where I hate networking...and I don't want to be that PR person all up in someone's face. But, I am not that person because that is just not my personality.

So - here it is. I had an awesome time at the DEMO event last night. And, I saw old friends and I put reporter faces to names.

The reality is - I run the company and work on the corporate/product planning with the CEOs/CMOs/VP of Products. I sit with them and figure out how best to promote - beyond PR. Email member communications to B2B customer communications to Webinars to Thought Leadership initiatives.

In step Michael Lindenberger and Ashley Wilkinson - rock stars that work with BOCA Communications. Michael is our VP of Media out of NYC and they guy knows reporters. But - one better - he thinks like a reporter. He knows how to develop and create a story. And - he is a fantastic writer.

Ashley - our newest addition - is awesome. She knows everybody and she is just super cool and so fashionable.

Me - I've been way too trapped behind the office of the CEO. I love that place - but I grew up as a media person. I used to be that gal that knew everyone. That said - I am running and company so Michael, Ashley, Jennifer and Susannah are the people that help me. But - there is nothing like shaking the hands of cool people - both reporters and just tech enthusiasts like myself.

And - I think Chris Shipley is cool. I love, love, love DEMO. Our client Devicescape launched there a few years ago and it was AWESOME. The energy is amazing. Sadly _ I don't have a client that needs to launch at that venue. But, oh I wish I did...

Kathleen (BOCA) - I love BOCA...

How Living on a Boat Exhibits BOCA Attributes

Yes - I live on a boat. I don't share a lot about my personal life on this blog b/c it does run off of the official BOCA website. But, I started to think - there are many aspects to my life (like living on a boat) that are parallels to BOCA Communications.

18 months ago I woke up and said - I want to live a different life and I want to run a different kind of PR firm. I don't want to be one of those firms trapped in horrible old attorney like office setting that lacks character, essence, living...Even though I don't think the site exhibits this now (site will be modified soon) we are hip, young (yet seasoned) at heart, amazing, smart, savvy and fun.
Boat people are fun. Regardless of their age or economics…just good old fun smart people that like the water. Much like the BOCA peeps.

How does this relate to living on a boat? Living on a boat totally freed my mind of clutter. When I moved from my beautiful Cole Valley Edwardian 1900 square foot flat to a 34 foot boat - my life changed. I got rid of everything I didn't need. I focused on quality versus quantity. I became flexible, adaptable and I think more strategic too. These are all qualities that BOCA possesses.

While I never talk about me being the founder of BOCA - the reality is I am the founder. I talk about BOCA in third person all the time b/c I want BOCA to be a brand essence. I want every person that works for BOCA to be free in their mind and heart so they too can be creative, fun and not trapped from the “right way people are suppose to do things.” We are about thinking different. Boat people think differently – we like unconventional.

I worked at a lot of agencies that allowed clients to be rude, over bearing and hurtful to team members. Boaters don’t think that way. Boaters are team members. From the Captain to the Skipper – respect is critical. At BOCA we have respect and trust.

I don’t know why I felt to have this tangent – but I did. I love BOCA and I love the people that work for BOCA. I too – love our clients. B/c if I didn’t or a BOCA member didn't – they wouldn’t be a BOCA client.

Food for thought…Kathleen

One Week Later - My Thoughts on Monday Networking

My ongoing gripe with content – not my clients – not the industry – but me. I do love having a blog and expressing myself – but it is hard to keep in mind that I should keep it fresh regularly as I do have a day job.

So – now – one week and a day later – I am blogging.

First – my thoughts to last Monday. I hit up Frost & Sullivan’s Go Mobile. My dear friend – also in PR – had a client attending. Very nice people. The conference appeared interesting – but bland. Not to be rude – it was just another enterprise focused, analyst conference with minimal sex appeal. I did meet a few interesting companies that would be wonderful additions to the BOCA client roster – specifically Proxim…yes – I do plan to follow up with you. Literally – perfect fit with the BOCA group.

Next up – Mobile Monday. The net/net – a group of people looking to make money off of App Stores. And, yes – more than just Apple. There were apps for Android and Windows Mobile. I actually thought the applications (some of them) seemed fun. Sure – if I am out and about town I would love to know where friends are and other party goers.

Moreover, I think people can make money off their apps – if they are interesting, different and targeted. Maybe a million or pocket change - but money is money.

I took a very long sabbatical from networking. I just don’t want to be another PR person hustling for clients. But, I think that is not the way to think about it. I listened, I learned and I had fun. At the end of the day – I’ve been in tech for 15 years, I’ve made it though several recessions now and it is all about being in this together – the great, the good, the bad and the ugly.

Not sure about networking at evening events this week. I need to find out if there is anything of interest out there before I commit. Until then…I will work during the day and play with friends and family at night.

Kathleen

Mobile Monday - Networking Events In General

When I first started BOCA I attended so many networking events - that I officially burned out. Well - I am going to get back in the game and start tonight with Mobile Monday. I pretty much love anything to do with mobile technology. So - I will leverage this to A) meet like minded people, B) learn as learning is always good and C) just get out there again...

So - let's see what happens but I am looking forward to it...

Kathleen S.

Walt Mossberg Likes Devicescape Easy Wi-Fi

I wanted to share that Devicescape’s Easy Wi-Fi application for the iPhone made Walt Mossberg’s list of top applications for the iPhone.

Some Favorite Apps That Make iPhone Worth the Price
http://online.wsj.com/article/personal_technology.html

Several years back, we approached Mossberg about Devicescape and the technology. It was a tough meeting, but we made it through the questions and walked out exhausted. We continued to liaise with this consumer technology pundit, but we treaded lightly. We knew when to approach and when to scale back. We sent him information we knew he would only care about; rather than sending him every release, we sent extremely focused, targeted communication.

Today our soft-touch strategy (along with a great product) paid off. Now, it is time to go viral…

I am very proud of this pro-active, thoughtful PR “long-term” strategy that finally paid off. I am also proud that we helped re-define a techie, embedded Wi-Fi component into a mainstream name with critical media pundits.

Regards,
Kathleen S.

Anatomy of a Feature Story

Sometimes it all comes together.

This morning, The San Jose Mercury News ran a page 1 story about Silicon Valley tech companies that sell their products overseas at http://www.mercurynews.com/topstories/ci_11765129. Why do I mention this? Because, naturally, one of our clients was featured!

We recently began work with Sunnyvale-based, mobile TV chip company, Telegent Systems. Telegent is literally the first (and only) company to successfully engineer a chip for the reception of free, over-the-air analog TV. Think “bunny ears” on your mobile phone. As we recently learned, there are over 20 million mobile TV phones – all used outside the U.S. – that have shipped with Telegent’s TV receiver. However, because these chips aren’t available yet in devices sold here, we’ve worked with Telegent to uncover potential stories that go beyond just the wonders of the product itself.

Interestingly, though a local paper, the San Jose Merc has devoted some of its best resources to reporting technology developments outside the U.S. that directly affect Silicon Valley. (The Merc also produces online-video documentary on this subject, which, as with its writing, competes favorably with anything produced by the national business press.)

With that in mind, we made sure to let the Merc know about some of the novel things that Telegent has done to penetrate markets outside the U.S. As the paper noted “Telegent Systems, which began shipping its power-sipping chips in April 2007, has so far supplied more than 20 million mobile phones worldwide - including 5 million in China - with its technology. CEO Yun claimed that while other companies battle over digital standards, his company is the first to provide the technological backbone for mobile analog TV, which snatches free programming off the airwaves. He first looked to Asia because that region is the world's trendsetter when it comes to cell phones.”

While it may sound obvious, one of our principal roles as PR practitioners is to help unearth both our clients’ “untold stories” as well identify the journalists for whom these narratives have the most resonance.

A Universal Marketing Truth

As a colleague of Kathleen Shanahan’s at BOCA Communications, I decided it was high time that she stopped having all the fun on our blog. That said, I’m writing my first – and hopefully not last - BOCA post.

My inspiration came from a book I’m reading as well as an interaction Barack Obama had yesterday with Henrietta Hughes. The book, “The New Rules of Marketing & PR,” in spite of its name, also brings to mind one of the age-old “rules” of marketing: the need to demonstrate understanding of your customer’s “pain” AND offer solutions rather than merely promoting your product. Interestingly, as I read this passage, I was reminded of something I saw on TV only an hour earlier.

As anyone knows who has been following the news, Barack Obama has been on the road in an effort to “sell” his stimulus package directly to the American public. During a Q&A in Ft. Myers Florida, a woman by the name of Henrietta Hughes – who recently became homeless - gave Obama a heart-felt plea to provide assistance to people like her and the country at large. Obama – quite naturally – showed what appeared to be sincere empathy and even gave the woman a kiss on the cheek. At that moment, it became clear to me that Obama – as one who has something to sell – truly understands this fundamental rule of marketing: with intense competition (the Republican members of Congress), Obama knows that he has to address how his product (the stimulus package) will solve the very real needs of his customers (the American public.)

Ironically, during the campaign, one of the few knocks on Obama’s political skills was a supposed inability to show that he understood his customers’ pain. Like all good marketers, Obama has demonstrated he’s learned this lesson well.

Devicescape - Building a Brand through Thought Leadership

BOCA continuously will evangelize the importance of owning issues and driving thought leadership to our clients. Unless you are speaking with a highly focused vertical publication that really cares about your product – guess what – reporter don’t care about your product. This is not personal. Again, the right publication will…but BusinessWeek to IDG/Cnet – don’t care.

It is about issues…thoughtful conversation, bigger picture trends. We are in the middle of a massive crisis in the US – and your company needs to provide relevance to bigger themes.

At Devicescape we implemented the Devicescape Wi-Fi Report. The company is in the Wi-Fi space and we need to talk about it. And, there really are big trends taking place…3G networks can’t handle the new rich data services coming from smartphones. It is expensive for the carrier and the Wi-Fi technology is literally better for downloads and streaming video.

In steps Devicescape. Rather than touting its product – we embarked on data finding. Data, data, data…there is nothing like empirical data and great research. We implemented a survey to find out what their customers want and need. Then…we determined the best way to debut the information.

We announced the news at a media luncheon in the UK with Devicescape at its partners The Cloud and Trustive. Note, the company did not stand alone. We got “like minded” companies to partner with us to talk “for real” what is happening in the industry.

So, in the UK, we leveraged the media luncheon, but in the US we leveraged highly credible online outlets such as Giga Om, MuniWireless and Converge! Digest – among others.

GigaOm
More Proof People Really Love Wi-Fi, Especially on the iPhone
http://gigaom.com/2009/01/28/more-proof-people-really-love-wifi-especially-on-iphones/#comments

MuniWireless
Survey shows 84 percent want citywide Wi-Fi, 91 percent expect it when traveling
http://www.muniwireless.com/2009/01/28/survey-shows-84-percent-want-citywide-wi-fi-91-percent-expect-it-when-traveling/

Converge! Digest
http://www.convergedigest.com/WiFi/wlanarticle.asp?ID=26518

This was just not an exercise in PR, it is an exercise in uncovering what consumers, Wi-Fi savvy and non-Wi-Fi savvy, want. We are about to embark on another survey to a test group of non-Wi-Fi savvy folks to review it against our current data. Now, this is real findings, real data and real news. It is also thought leadership and interesting factoids versus product.

London – Paris – Boston

Wow – it has been a few weeks. This is not normal for me or BOCA, but I literally hopped the globe and the states for our clients.

And, it was a complete success. I think I am going to do some different blog posting b/c I just can’t put it all in this – so many different themes from thought leadership, to new business, to pitching to you name it…

But, as Dorothy once said, “there is no place like home.” I head back to San Francisco today and I hopefully don’t leave for quite some time.

Silicon Stilettos - Only in the UK - Networking for Ladies

Well...I am in the UK for Devicescape/networking/working/meeting and etc...

I've already met with some great folks and tonight I am heading to Silicon Stilettos. I am actually very excited to view the event. I've gone to some Tech Meet-Ups in the Valley...I headed to a few NYC events last year and now I am off to a UK ladies only (or almost only) networking shin dig.

While we have Women in Technology and other events - only outside of the US can one get away with Silicon Stilettos. And, I like it or at least I like the name...
I recently learned that a wonderful woman I worked with while at Wind River heads up the event - Zuzanna Pasierbinska-Wilson. She was at Ranier PR when they had the Wind River account. She is smart, tech savvy and yes, sexy - hence the name Silicon Stilettos (Zuzanna: i hope it is ok i said you are sexy, but it is true and smart and etc...)

Off I go – I am excited to report on the compare and contrast of US versus UK women tech events.

About Silicon Stilettos
What's 80/20? It's a typical ratio of men versus women at most tech meet-ups. Isn't it about time it was the other way around?

Minibars, DrinkTanks and OpenCoffees are all great, but how about a women-only (or almost women-only) meet-up, with lots of cocktails, relaxed networking and no pressure?

So if you're a woman in tech, writing about tech or running a tech start-up, join us! We don't have a regular sponsor, so you might need to buy your own drinks, but good company should make up for this.
*Men are welcome as long as accompanied by the Silicon Stilettos members.
*Need more info? @huddlesuz or visit http://girlaboutweb.com

A New Day and a New Era...

Yes, I should have blogged on Jan. 20 but I was too busy watching all the other commentary. It is very exciting to see what the US is embarking on. We have a Democrat back in the office and probably one of the most attractive families I've personally seen in a long time.

I don't believe in talking too much politics in business. Being in Silicon Valley there are many Republicans and many Democrats and I really don't want to get in the middle of "personal political" debates. That being said though, I love to debate and I love to talk politics.

I will find it interesting to watch how this administration unfolds. I believe many people are putting Obama on a pedestal and that expectations are very high. But, he is only a man, not a saint. It takes everybody together in the same boat, paddling in the same direction to make change. I personally believe in a higher consciousness.

I look at the bailouts and I think, wow…if a Silicon Valley, start-up ran companies the way some of the big “boys” do, the CEOs would have been voted out by the board a long time ago. I personally think, if I didn’t pay my bills and debts, I would be kicked out of my wonderful home and my car would be impounded. But, here is a secret. My car won’t be impounded because I own it. I own my car my scooter and I have no credit card debt. I personally believe that one should live within their means – I live within mine. I feel no need to keep up with the Jones, the Smiths, the Finkelsteins. I am who I am and I am who I can afford.

I am not perfect in any way. But, I would like to see people take responsibility for their lives and own up to what they can really own. As an American, I promise to pay my bills and be a better contributor to society. It has to start within. He cannot do it alone.

PR today - a constant change

As a PR professional it is amazing to sit back and really philosophize how PR has changed. Technology – online sites and blogs - have almost destroyed the print publication. The recession has forced publications to lay-off amazing reporters and scale back overall. A security pundit was recently laid off from Cnet. I was literally shocked.

All these changes have forced PR professionals to change. The day of the “traditional one week media tour” is boarder line dead. And, unless you are Microsoft, Apple or the like….don’t think you will be able to command a press event.
So, what does a company do?

Thought leadership, thought leadership, thought leadership…
Provide value and interesting fodder to reporters and your audience in general. I personally believe that more like-minded companies also need to come together and provide value to their constituents together.

The importance of owning your content and owning your message is also critical, especially as it relates to a bigger Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategy. When you own your content and write your content and you pepper in the right terminology – the company will only win.

BOCA Communications recommends to its entire client base to start every PR partnership with an SEO workshop and messaging exercise. We develop formal “messaging platforms” that we can leverage to drive all your content.

Step two is to uncover companies we can partner with to drive bigger picture trend stories. From partners and customers to companies in like-minded spaces, as a unified group providing thoughtful content, we all win.

BOCA is implementing the above partner strategy with one of our clients now…Not only is it thoughtful and creative, I must admit, I am personally having fun. Imagine that – fun in one’s job. What can I say, but I do like my job…